Small wardrobe storage: hanging shelves, cubes and storage bags

Before buying anything, look inside your wardrobe and find the empty space. There is almost always a deep void under the shirts, because a rail is set for full-length coats and most clothes are half that long. That gap is where the storage goes.

Nothing here needs a drill, which matters if you rent.

Hanging shelf organisers

A fabric shelf unit hangs from the rail and turns that empty column into four or five usable shelves. It is the single most effective thing you can add to a wardrobe.

What belongs in it: anything that creases when hung or slides off a hanger. Knitwear, which stretches out of shape on a hanger. Jeans and folded trousers. T-shirts. Handbags. Shoes on the bottom shelf.

Two things to check before buying. Depth matters more than width, because a unit deeper than your wardrobe stops the door closing. And check how it attaches: a strap and buckle around the rail holds better than a hook, which can slide sideways as you pull things out.

One practical note: hang it at the end of the rail rather than the middle. In the middle it splits your hanging space into two awkward halves.

Storage cubes and boxes

Fabric cubes work on a shelf the way drawers work in a chest, which is to say they stop a neat stack collapsing into a heap the moment you take something from the bottom.

They earn their place on a high shelf especially, because you can pull one down, take what you need and put it back, instead of reaching blind above your head.

Multi-grid boxes with internal dividers suit the small things that otherwise fill a drawer at random: socks, underwear, ties, scarves. One compartment per type, and the drawer stops needing a tidy every fortnight.

Storage bags for what you are not wearing

Roughly half of most wardrobes is out of season. Moving that half out doubles the space for what you are actually wearing.

Large fabric storage bags with handles are made for this: winter coats and heavy knitwear in summer, light clothes in winter. They go under a bed, on top of a wardrobe, or in a loft.

Three rules make seasonal storage work. Everything goes away clean, because moths are attracted to skin and food traces rather than the fabric itself. Everything goes away dry, because the alternative is mildew. And breathable fabric beats sealed plastic, which traps moisture against the clothes.

Label the bags, or you will open all of them looking for one jumper.

The order to do it in

Storage only helps after the clear-out, not instead of it. Organising clothes you do not wear just moves the problem into a nicer container.

So: take everything out, be honest about what you actually wear, then measure the wardrobe, then buy. In that order, you will buy less and it will fit.

When it goes back, put what you use daily at eye level and arm's reach, out of season up high or under the bed, and heavy things low down.

What to buy

• 5-shelf hanging wardrobe organiser - turns the empty column under short garments into shelves.
• Hanging shelf organiser, 2 pack - for a double wardrobe or two rooms.
• Multi-grid foldable storage box - divided compartments for socks, ties and underwear.
• Grey fabric storage bags with handles - out of season clothes, under the bed or on top of the wardrobe.

The full range is in hanging organisers, and laundry bags deal with the washing side.

Frequently asked questions

Will a hanging organiser fit any wardrobe?

Check the depth first. Most wardrobes are around 55 to 60cm deep, and an organiser deeper than the wardrobe will stop the door closing. Also check the rail is strong enough, since a full unit carries real weight.

Should clothes be stored in plastic or fabric bags?

Fabric, for anything stored for months. Breathable material lets moisture escape, while sealed plastic traps damp against the clothes and can leave them smelling musty.

How do I stop moths in stored clothes?

Store everything clean, since moths are drawn to sweat and food traces rather than the fabric. Make sure clothes are fully dry, use a breathable bag, and check stored items once mid-season rather than leaving them untouched for a year.