Is It Better to Fold or Hang Your Clothes?

Most people don't give too much thought when it comes to hanging or folding clothes. However, it actually makes a significant difference between maintaining an organized custom closet versus one with poorly cared for items.

Your choice of whether to hang or fold an item is determined by the type of clothing, its construction and fabric. For those pieces that require being hung up, always invest in durable hangers.

Below, you'll learn about the rules of folding versus hanging clothes, and so much more! Stay tuned!

Hang delicate fabrics like satin, silk, and lace that wrinkle easily. Fold starched materials, such as cotton (dress shirts) to avoid problems with stretching. Other materials that stretch and need folded include lycra and jersey. It's always best to fold knitwear as well.

If you have a piece that's heavy enough to bend a hanger, it needs to be folded. Remember that garments featuring adornments, such as embellishments and beading, can sag and distort an apparel's shape. This can lead to unraveling.

Now a delicate item, such as a wedding dress, requires different care and needs to be handled very carefully. Brides.com recommends either storing it in an "acid-free container" or an "acid-free plastic garment bag." 

If your amount of hanging space is limited, prioritize the clothing you wear the most or the apparel you wish to protect. Use the following guidelines when hanging or folding clothes.

• Dress pants
• Dresses
• Pleated apparel
• Wrinkle-prone apparel
• Blazers
• Blouses
• Lightweight clothing
• Starch-treated garments

• Knitwear and sweaters (especially cashmere)
• Stretchy clothing
• Heavily adorned or beaded apparel or as per manufacturer's instructions
• Jeans
• Khakis
• T-shirts

1. When hanging a shirt, line up the seams along the shoulders, keeping them in line with the edge of the hanger.

2. Start from the bottom, not the top, when hanging a shirt. Beginning at the top will distort the garment's shape and stretch the collar.

3. Space hangers evenly in your closet, allowing enough room between each garment to avoid crowding. Crowding will snag and wrinkle clothing. Even spacing will help you organize your clothes and easily identify them.

1. Fold delicate sweaters made of materials such as cashmere, and line the folds with tissue paper. Doing so will prevent creasing.

2. Before folding, shake out the garment to reduce wrinkling.

3. Do not roll socks, as it can stretch out the elastic. Fold each pair together instead.

Hanging specific clothing items is vital to keeping them well-maintained. However, you also need to use the correct hangers. The following guidelines will help determine the type of hangers you'll need.

These hangers are used frequently and are inexpensive. Use them to hang the following garments:

• T-shirts
• Materials made of cotton

Wooden hangers are incredibly long-lasting and are ideal for maintaining jackets and clothing with special features, including:

• Fitted apparel
• Blazers and jackets

Both lingerie and delicate fabrics keep their shape better when hung on padded hangers. Any item that tends to snag should be placed on a padded hanger.

Avoid hanging anything heavy on a padded hanger, as it tends to slip off.

Suit hangers, naturally, are made for suits, but ones you do not separate. If you wear pants and jackets separately, hang each item on a wooden hanger so you can easily organize and identify it.

Use clip hangers for the following items:

• Sleeveless blouses
• Skirts
• Pleated apparel 
• Pants

Above all else, try to stay away from using wire hangers as they are not very durable. Even if the hanger features a cardboard tube, it will eventually bend under the weight of an item, causing a garment to fall off or wrinkle. Wire also can rust, which can transfer to the fabric. At the same time, the shoulders of an item can potentially pucker & ultimately lose their shape & sag.

According to WellandGood, a hanger should replicate a person's shoulders. That way, clothes maintain their natural shape when they aren't worn. The ideal hanger has a sound base and gently sloping sides.

To keep your clothes well-maintained, make sure you fold heavier-weight apparel that tends to stretch or sag and hang items that are more delicate. Knowing which hangers to use will cut potential clothing replacement costs and make it easier to keep and maintain your garments. 

• https://www.brides.com/story/is-wedding-dress-preservation-worth-it#:~:text=Place%20the%20dress%20in%20an,in%20a%20cool%2C%20dry%20closet.
• https://www.wellandgood.com/are-wire-hangers-really-that-bad-for-your-clothes/