Building a Better... Clothes Hanger

Closet organization is always a challenge... There never seems to be enough closet space.

Not long ago, my daughter asked me to be on the lookout for a new kind of clothes hanger - one that was textured - so that clothing wouldn't slide off. It was also thinner than the current plastic hangers we were using, so more clothing could be hung in the same closet space.

I didn't know such a hanger existed, though I had experienced the problem of silky tops sliding onto the closet floor. Eventually I found what she was looking for - and bought some for her, as well as for myself...

My thoughts turned to the various types of hangers I have known over the years...

Not that long ago, thin metal hangers were the norm... I got rid of most of mine, but still have a few.

When plastic hangers first came onto the market and a friend told me about them, I replaced all my metal ones - and loved the fact that I could hang garments on them to dry without creating a rust spot.

(My mother solved the rust problem by using thin stretchy fabric, like old nylon stocking, to braid a cover on her metal hangers. I still have a few of those in my closet, too.)

As an aside, the mother of a friend of mine mentioned that, after her stroke, she was told she'd need physio to get her hands moving normally again. Waiting for her first physio appointment, a few weeks hence, she braided a few clothes hangers every day for something to do.

When her physio appointment date arrived and the physiotherapist examined her hands, she was told: You don't need physio. Your hands are just fine!

So braiding is good physiotherapy, too!

The evolution of clothes hangers - from thin metal to fat plastic to thin, textured plastic. Creating a more effective way of hanging garments is an ongoing challenge.