Life Hack: What clothes are okay to hang up and what should never be folded?

Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to folding and hanging fabrics.

There's been a definite lift in temperatures in recent weeks, though a cold breeze had me reluctant to pack away my warm winter wools quite yet.

With summer starting to take shape, many of us will be reordering our wardrobes and packing heavier fabrics into more unreachable areas.

Did you know, though, that the way you store some items can have an impact on their quality and longevity? Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to folding and hanging fabrics.

What to hang

Let’s get some yeses out of the way. If you’re thinking of hanging up some clothes, then items like dresses or blouses can typically be hung with no issues. An exception is jumper dresses, which should be folded to avoid stretching.

Linen is one fabric that works well on a hanger — it’s prone to wrinkling easily, but hanging a linen item can prevent creases from forming. You may still need to refresh it with an iron before wearing, but at least you won’t be dealing with stubborn lines caused by folding.

Trousers can be hung and may benefit from this over folding, particularly dressier options (your denim jeans will be fine folded).

Jackets are another item to hang in the wardrobe. Folding them will create wrinkles, but jackets are typically bulky, so one folded jacket will likely take up most of the space available. Hang them on strong hangers.

What to fold

If you’re eyeing up a few empty hangers and thinking ‘I can use one of these for that wool jumper’, then think again. Wool is not only a heavy fabric, but it’s also a stretchy one, and that combo can lead to a misshapen piece very quickly.

Always fold your jumpers and cardigans — yes, they’re chunky, and space might be tight, but hanging them could mean you’ll have ruined a favourite piece of clothing by the next time you reach for it.

If you have gym clothes in your wardrobe, these can be folded too. Whether you’re looking at leggings or workout tops, they generally contain a stretchy fabric which can get misshapen on a hanger, so always fold these.

And jeans, as mentioned above, can be folded too. They’re good and sturdy, so they won’t be impacted by wrinkles and creases. Saying that, they’re a rare one that will usually be okay on a hanger too, but it feels more natural to fold them, doesn’t it?

A good rule of thumb when it comes to deciding where to store your clothes is to look at how heavy it is. If there’s some weight to it, opt for folding so you don’t stretch out the fabric by placing it on a hanger.

What items can be either hung or folded?

As mentioned above, jeans can be stored on a hanger or folded, and they aren’t the only item of clothing to be fine under either storage condition.

Your t-shirts are versatile in this sense and can be stored either way. Hanging them will help to keep wrinkles and creases at bay, but many of the fabrics used in our tees are pretty durable, so they hold up well when folded. 

I usually fold mine and keep them in a stack for easy identification and reach, but if you have a particularly flowy fabric for your t-shirt, then a hanger might be a better option, or at the very least to cut back on your ironing touch-ups.

Scarves can be a tricky one to work out too. Lighter scarves can be hung — you can even use belt hangers to store your light scarves together — or folded and stored in a drawer, whatever suits your space best. However, heavier woolly scarves and shawls should be folded due to their weight.