How to Store Ties | The Businessman’s Wardrobe

Ties are a staple of every businessman’s wardrobe, and they don’t wear out as quickly as other items of clothing do. That means it’s easy to accumulate a large collection of ties in a short period of time, which can leave your wardrobe cluttered. Worse still, it’s not good for the ties themselves. 

We are often asked how to store ties long term, and that’s because despite their small size and flexibility, ties are surprisingly hard to store. Here’s how to store ties the right way, to keep them in great condition.

Tie racks are the easiest solution

There’s no use reinventing the wheel unless you really have to, which is why our first tip is always a tie rack. You can buy them from department stores, homewares stores, and even some menswear outlets—they’re usually cheap too. Tie racks are purpose built with tie storage in mind, and they’re going to be your best bet for bulk tie storage 99% of the time. 

However, getting the right design isn’t always easy and if your wardrobe décor is quite niche, then finding a tie rack that you really love could be impossible. That’s why we’ve thrown in a few more DIY solutions.

Create shirt-tie combos

They say no one buys a tie without a shirt in mind, and that can be both the source and solution to your storage struggle. If you buy a tie just to pair with a shirt, then why not store the two together? By simply draping your tie over the shoulders of your hanging shirt, and around the coat hanger hook, you can turn your wild wardrobe into a neat nook—complete with ready to go outfits for all occasions. It’s simple, effective, and convenient. It also means your tie collection remains in full view every day, which helps prevent those dated or experimental numbers from evading your view, and allows you to declutter your collection every once in a while.

Leave room for natural fibres to breath

Another advantage about the over the shirt shoulder storage method is breathability. Some ties need to breathe and that all comes down to the fibre from which they’re crafted. Take silk as an example. Silk is a natural fibre, which leaves it susceptible to deterioration over time. If you store your ties under plastic, or in close-quarters, then the stagnant conditions can intensify the process of deterioration. That is especially common in subtropical areas, like Queensland, where trapped humidity can quickly breed mould. Storing your ties around other natural fibres (like cotton) is a great way to ensure that the air around them is fresh.

Don’t bundle them too close together

Storing your ties all crammed in a draw is not only going to prevent them from breathing—it’s also going to crumple the tie’s structure, and lessen its lifespan. Ties should be extended as much as possible, to prevent them from creasing in the wrong areas. When they do, their fibres can weaken, eroding their crisp appearance and making them more challenging to work with when employing certain knots. If storage is at a premium and you must take a close-quarters approach to tie storage, try rolling them instead of folding them. Rolling places much less strain on the tie material, and also creates a neat and stackable shape, which lends itself to drawer storage and lessens your reliance on the less space-efficient approach of hanging.

Get creative

If you haven’t found the perfect solution among these tips, then why not try a combination? You can make your own tie storage solutions easily and affordably – all you need is some creativity. For example, you could fashion a tie rack out of stained timber dowel, or even repurpose the dividers from a wine box for use in a dedicated tie draw. The options are plentiful, and every one of them could be perfectly tailored for your ties specifically.