Can’t find the right scarf when you need it? In this article we’ll look at 15 scarf storage ideas so you can organize and store your scarf collection.
Many of these ideas are for storing fashion scarves, but several of these ideas will work for winter scarves too.
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How to store a scarf – 15 Ideas
Storing fashion scarves can be tricky because they can often fall off regular clothes hangers, and tossing them all in a box or drawer makes it tricky to find the one you want to wear.
Below are several options for you to consider.
But not all of these ideas will work for you. You may not have the closet space, or the time to roll up your scarves like some of these solutions require.
Hopefully at least one of them will be right for you.
And you might need to use a few of these ideas. For instance, keep your go-to scarves easily accessible on a hanger, and put your off-season scarves in a storage box up on a closet shelf.
Scroll through them all to see which scarf storage idea is the perfect solution for you.
Note: to show some of these storage ideas “in action” I’ve taken photos of my girlfriend’s scarves being stored in various ways. So your keen eyes may notice the same scarves in several photos. (It can be like a game for you. 🙂
1) Scarf Hanger for your Closet
A scarf hanger is a popular and convenient option for storing fashion scarves.
It typically consists of a hanger with multiple loops or slots specifically designed to hold scarves.
The great thing about scarf hangers is that they allow you to neatly organize and display your scarves, making it easy to find the one you want.
The potential downside though is that the loops or slots may be too small for thicker scarves, limiting their storage capacity.
So, they can be a great way to store thinner scarves, but may not be the best for bulky scarves.
This particular scarf hanger from iDesign is a popular and well-rated option with thousands of customer-submitted ratings.
2) Non-slip Scarf hanger (with yarn-wrapped rings)
One complaint people have about smooth hangers is that some scarves may slip off the slippery surface and end up on your closet floor.
This scarf hanger prevents slippage by having yarn wrapped around the metal rings.
There are 28 rings, so this hanger can hold up to 28 scarves and they’ll be nicely visible.
So for a good price you’ll be able to hold a sizeable collection of scarves and other accessories.
3) Mount small Towel Bars in your closet
Sure, they’re marketed as towel bars and the picture above shows it holding a towel, but they can work well to hold scarves too.
In fact, towel bars – aka towel rails – can also be repurposed to hold almost anything that can be hung. (Like belts, ties, and pants.)
Drape your scarves over the bar to keep them easily accessible and prevent them from getting wrinkled.
One advantage of using towel bars is that they come in various lengths, allowing you to hang multiple scarves.
However, be mindful that the scarves – especially silk scarves – may slide off the smooth surface of the bars. You may need to knot them. (At the bottom of this article I’ve listed some things you can put on towel bars or clothes hangers to prevent the scarves from sliding off.)
Another potential downside to this option is that if you have a lot of scarves you may end up putting scarves on top of each other. That means it won’t be as easy to see the scarves underneath.
Just something to keep in mind if you have an extensive collection.
4) DIY scarf holder bar
Here is a simple scarf storage bar that you can install on the back wall of your closet using a wooden dowel and short sections of a 1×2 wood. The backside of this wooden dowel is flat – it is more like a half circle – so look for something similar at the hardware store.
This is at the back of our closet and it works well to hold scarves.
The scarves stay put: they don’t fall to the floor like you might expect.
If you want to tackle a simple DIY project, you could give this a try.
Or you could use PVC pipe instead of a wooden dowel if you want. The pipe will be a bit slipperier than the wood though.
5) Loop your scarves through Shower Curtain Rings
Here is another DIY scarf organizer idea.
You can loop your scarves through plastic shower rings as an easy way to store scarves.
It isn’t fancy but it can work.
This method allows you to neatly organize your scarves while saving space.
The downside to this option is that if you place the shower rings onto a clothes hanger they can all tip to one side.
To remedy this you can put bread bag clips on the clothes hanger to prevent the shower curtain hooks from sliding around. (See the picture above.)
6) Hang scarves from a Tension Rod
A tension rod can be a versatile option for scarf storage.
By installing a tension rod in your closet or on a wall, you can create a designated space for hanging your scarves.
The adjustable nature of tension rods allows you to customize the height and width according to your needs.
But keep in mind that tension rods may not be as sturdy as fixed rods, so they might not be suitable for heavy or bulky scarves.
7) Free-standing Scarf Rack
A dedicated scarf rack like this has loops to hang your scarves.
This option provides an organized way to store and display your fashion scarves.
Scarf racks often come in various sizes and styles, allowing you to choose one that suits your space and décor.
This particular metal scarf rack from the Amazon seller MyGift Store stands 5-feet 8-inches tall and has 25 metal loops for hanging scarves.
On the downside, a scarf rack like this takes up floor space. So consider the available space you have in your bedroom or foyer before opting for this storage solution.
The other downside to this option is that yes, it can seem great that your scarves are on display, but if you have a lot of scarves dangling off here it can quickly look cluttered.
Will it work for you though?
8) Velvet Clothes Hangers
Using cloth hangers is a straightforward and budget-friendly option for storing scarves.
You can simply drape your scarves over the hanger or use clips to secure them. But scarves may slip off of regular clothes hangers. So…
That’s where these velvet hangers can really shine. The non-slip surface will keep your scarves in place.
This method allows you to utilize your existing closet rod without requiring additional storage solutions.
One potential downside is that it’s tricky to see your scarves when they’re stored among all your other clothes on the closet rod. You may need to take the hanger off the rod to access the scarf you want.
9) Get a behind the door organizer
If you only have a small amount of space in your closet, don’t worry, because the closet isn’t the only place to store your scarves.
You could get a behind the door hanging organizer like this one from Lynk and store your scarves on here. (The company Lynk makes high-quality home organizers.)
It can be hung behind your bedroom door, or at the back of your closet door: as long as you don’t have bifold doors.
We use something similar on our bathroom and bedroom doors, and I love them.
But they may not work if you have a really tight-fitting door jamb. The hanger part of the organizer may hit the top part of the door jamb.
it is a great option for people with limited closet space and it allows you to keep many of your accessories together in one spot.
Click here for details and size.
10) Use the space behind your closet door (or closet wall)
The back of your closet door can be an underutilized space for storing scarves and other accessories.
You can install hooks or racks like this one on the back of the door to hang your scarves and belts.
This option maximizes storage while keeping your scarves hidden when the closet door is closed.
Nevertheless, depending on the door size and design, the scarves may brush against the door when opening and closing it, potentially causing wrinkles or tangling.
And this scarf organizer from Evelots is under 14.5-inches wide but that may still be too wide for some closet doors.
Do you have room on a closet wall for this though?
Plus, check out:
Need a new way to store your belts? Check out these belt storage solutions
11) Get a Hanging Over the Door Shoe Organizer
These things are so versatile and can be used for so much more than just shoes. They work for rolled-up underwear, socks, water bottles, jewelry, and scarves too.
You’ll have to roll your scarf into a little fabric burrito and place it inside one of the pockets.
The good thing about this option is that it uses space behind the door that is often “wasted” and the clear pockets allow you to see all your scarves at once.
The downside is that since your scarves are rolled up, it can be tricky to differentiate similarly colored scarves. The color may look the same but you may not be able to see the patterns of the scarf.
12) Valet Rods
Valet rods, typically used for hanging clothing items, can also serve as a practical solution for scarf storage.
An extendable rod like this is installed on the underside of a wooden closet shelf, providing a unique space to hang your scarves. When you want easier access to your scarves, simply pull the rail towards yourself. Once you’ve selected your desired scarf, push it back in.
The downside to this option is that it may not be suitable for heavy scarves, and scarves may slide off the smooth surface.
You could loosely knot your scarves to the rod to keep them in place.
13) Use Pant Hangers…for your scarves
Repurposing a pants hanger is another creative way to store your scarves.
By draping your scarves over the horizontal bar of the hanger, you can keep them organized and easily accessible.
Pants hangers with multiple bars allow you to store multiple scarves on a single hanger.
And this particular pants hanger has velvet on the rods providing a non-slip surface to hang your scarves, pants, belts, and more.
Click here for current price of this 3-pack.
14) Create a scarf drawer and use a Drawer Divider or Organizer
If you prefer a more concealed storage option, have a look in your dresser. Is there room inside one of your dresser drawers? If so, you could create a scarf drawer.
And to help keep your scarf collection tidy, you can get a drawer divider or drawer organizer.
Drawer dividers come in various sizes and designs and can be placed inside a drawer to create compartments for your scarves. This method keeps your scarves all together and provides easy access when needed.
However, depending on the size of your drawer, it may limit the number of scarves you can store. And large scarves may not fit into the compartments of non-adjustable organizers.
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You may also like our article on creative underwear storage solutions OR sock storage ideas.
15) Tie Holder
Although marketed for holding ties, a tie holder can also work well to store fashion scarves.
These holders often feature individual bars or clips to hold scarves, ties or belts.
This particular tie hanger from iDesign has 16 little bars to hold your accessories. And there is a small loop at the bottom to hang other stuff.
The advantage of using a tie holder is that it allows you to keep your scarves neatly arranged and you can see all your scarves at once.
However, similar to scarf hangers, some tie holders may have limited capacity for thicker or larger scarves. They can get bunched up.
I can’t find our exact tie hanger on Amazon, but there are lots of options out there that I’m sure will work for you.
16) Use a Blanket Storage Ladder as your scarf display rack
This is a clever way to store scarves, but it isn’t a good option if you have limited space in your bedroom.
These storage ladders take up space: both floor space and vertical wall space.
They look pretty cool though and it is a unique way to display your scarves if you have a large bedroom.
Just imagine scarves hanging in the picture above and not that blanket. 🙂
This particular blanket ladder is made of metal with a flat black finish.
How to stop scarves from slipping off of a coat hanger or another smooth surface
To prevent scarves from sliding off a smooth surface like a towel bar or coat hanger, you can try add the following things to the hanger.
- Grip Liner: Cut a piece of the grip liner or shelf liner to match the length of the towel bar or hanger and wrap it around the bar. The textured surface of the liner provides friction and helps hold the scarves in place, reducing slippage. You may need to tape or glue the grip liner in place.
- Silicone Bands: Silicone bands or rubber bands can be wrapped around the towel bar at regular intervals. The elasticity of the bands creates a non-slip surface that helps keep the scarves in position. Or you can cut a long elastic band and then wrap the elastic around the rod and tape it to the clothes hanger.
- Decorative Ribbon or Fabric: If you prefer a more decorative solution, you can wrap a ribbon or a strip of fabric around the towel bar. Choose a material with some texture or grip to it. The ribbon or fabric not only adds visual appeal but also creates a surface that helps hold the scarves in position. You can use some fabric glue to help keep the fabric in place.
And make sure that your chosen method doesn’t make it too difficult to slide the scarves on and off the towel bar. If it is too hard to remove the scarves, you may not wear them as frequently.
Thank you for checking out these scarf storage ideas.
Will one of them work for you?
It may require some trial and error to see which solution is best for you. Thankfully, most of these options are fairly inexpensive (well, except for the floor rack).
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