How To Store Hangers When Moving | The Best Methods

General News|

June, 28, 2021

You’re packing for a move, and there is so much to do! And when it comes to clothes hangers, it may be tempting just to leave them in an empty wardrobe or throw them in a storage box. However, improperly packed hangers can cause them to be tangled, broken or bent out of shape during transport. If they are not appropriately secured, they can also damage or tear other items they are packed with. Here are some tips on how to store hangers when moving.

Decide which hangers you’ll keep

Most hangers are relatively inexpensive and can be replaced easily, so think about whether it’s worth the trouble to transport all of the ones you own to your new residence. You should keep padded hangers and higher quality wooden and wire hangers over cheaper versions, so put these into a separate pile.

Bent, broken and unusable hangers should be disposed of, but excess hangers can be given to friends or family or donated to local charities or second-hand shops.

Sort your hangers by type

Hangers come in a range of types, and sorting those you have decided to keep by size and material will be easier to bundle together and pack. You might have certain hangers suited to coats and suits, and hangers with clips that you use for pants and skirts. You may also have special hangers for belts, ties and scarves, so put these into different piles as well. You should also place wire hangers in a separate pile to prevent them from scratching other hangers.

Stack your hangers neatly

Store Hangers Neatly

Group hangers of the same size and material (no less than five and no more than twelve) and stack them one on top of the other, so they are all facing the same direction. Next, you need to secure them together — and there are several ways you can do this.
The first is using rubber bands. Loop one around the hooks of hangers, bring it down around their bottom bars, then up again to the hanger “necks”. Tie the rubber band tightly and be careful not to over-stretch it. Alternatively, you can use zip, twist or cable ties — just tie them around the necks of the hangers to hold the bundle together. Some of these also come in rolls, so you can adjust the size of the piece you need.

It’s recommended you don’t use packing tape to secure hangers together as it can damage their surface, be challenging to remove, and leave a sticky residue.

Wrap the bundles of hangers together

After you have grouped your different types of hangers together, secure a few bundles together in a sheet, tablecloth or blanket. Plastic wrap also works well, as does packing paper that’s secured with packing tape — both will keep bundles compact and make packing more efficient. Bundling hangers together will make them easier to transport and reduce the risk of them cracking, breaking or scratching other items during the moving process.

Pack the hangers ready for the move

Storing Hangers - Messy Pile

Don’t pack your hangers like this! Image from Dream Green DIY

There are a number of ways grouped and packaged hangers can be transported during the move. Appropriately sized boxes or bags are one option, however, hangers should fit snugly, so they don’t move around during transit. If using boxes, stack the sets side by side with the hooks positioned down towards the bottom of the box. Then fill any empty spaces with smaller items or packing paper.

Alternatively, cut a vertical strip in the side of the box at a position that will allow you to poke through the hangers’ hooks to the outside of the box, and again, fill any empty spaces to prevent them from moving around. Then seal the box with packing tape and label the box, so you know where your hangers are when it’s time to unpack!

You can also pack your bundled hangers in suitcases. Pack them with the hangers’ bottom bars against the side of the suitcase and the hooks facing towards the middle, then fill empty spaces with clothing or other items like towels or sheets.

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