Your closet doesn't function without them, but not just any hanger will do.
First, three necessary statements you may not like:
Wire Hangers = No
They are meant to temporarily hold the shape of your garment for transport, not for regular storage. Recycle them, trash them, or send them back to your dry cleaner if they'll take them! They don't belong in your closet. Please. Just don't.
Ribbon Loops = No
Cut out the annoying ribbon loops sewn into blouses or sweaters. Unless you are working with couture gowns, they are useless and get in the way.
Knitwear = No
Sweaters and knitwear should be folded rather than hung to avoid stretching and misshapen shoulders.
Now that we've gotten past that...
Why do I encourage clients to decide on and use matching hangers?
Reduce Closet Visual Clutter
Face it. You're cleaning up your closet because it is a cluttered mess. Hangers of various sizes, styles, colors, and thicknesses are a big contributor to visual clutter.
Consistent Hanging Lines Means Less Time Searching
All of those different hangers create a misalignment which makes it harder to identify specific pieces at a glance. The tops of your garments don't line up. It looks messy, and you can't identify individual items at a glance. This means you spend more time searching.
Fewer Tangles, More Speed
Plastic hangers typically don't have a rotating hook. If you are hastily hanging up garments, you are likely to end up with fronts facing different directions or hooks facing backward. Don't tell me your hangers are not getting tangled.
Breathing Room, Moving Room
Hanger hooks should be at least two fingers apart on the rod to improve visibility and allow garments to breathe. If you resemble Sisyphus pushing the boulder to remove or put away a garment, we need to reevaluate your space. It is way easier to get things on and off the rod when they aren't all smashed together. There's something therapeutic about seeing a line of hangers all evenly spaced. Try it and tell me I'm wrong.
What makes a good hanger?
Think about your space and the types of garments you're hanging. If space is limited, choose thin hangers. Hanging suits or heavy coats? You'll need something more substantial like wood, but they will take up more space.
Non Slip = Fewer Falling Garments
Choose hangers with non-stick arms. Thin velvet-coated hangers with rotating hooks are my default for clients. They work well for most tops, shirts, and dresses. They are inexpensive and available in lots of colors. Avoid specialty colors that might be hard to replace. I typically default to black.
Pants and Skirts Strategy
Choose hangers with clips or clamp-style hangers for pants and skirts. Yes, these can be a different style or you can add clips to your regular hangers. Just be consistent. Threading legs through hanger bars leads to unintended creases and wrinkles, and takes up extra width on your rods.
Rules? More Like Guidelines
More like my opinion - which is what you pay me for. These are things I recommend to clients to maximize the impact of a closet reset. I've broken most of these rules with clients based on their preferences, budgets, space availability, and other factors and still had great outcomes! I will never force you to spend on something you don't like or want and maybe you have a product or strategy I don't know about that works better!
After all, it's just hangers.
I'd love to know your thoughts. Ready to do a closet reset? Give me a call.
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