I Put This Storage Gem in My Bedroom, and It Created an Instant Closet

I don’t have a hall closet in my 800-square-foot home, so when friends come over and want to take their jackets off, the easiest solution used to be just creating a pile on my bed. I also lack a dedicated spot to put outfits I’ve picked out for the coming day, so I originally tossed them on the back of a desk chair. Both of these solutions are fine, but they’re not exactly strategic — at least in the sense of considering a more thoughtful fix. 

As I imagined a storage item that could corral clothing-in-waiting, I was looking for something that could hold multiple items with a compact footprint. I found my solution in the amazing BAKON over-the-door hanger, which comes in a pair for $16.99 and can be used throughout my apartment. Here’s why it’s a worthwhile detail in small spaces like mine.

The BAKON over-the-door hanger is technically sold as a drying rack for your laundry room, made of metal with six round grooves, which allow for damp clothing to dry in one sleek row. The hanger is made of two parts: the hook and the rack. The renter-friendly hook can be placed over a standard door, and its nonstick pads create a sturdy hold of up to 20 pounds each. The hanger extends out six inches from the base of the hook, and creates one uniform piece when tucked away. 

Although the hook is ideal for doors, it can fit on clothing racks in closets, too. This means you can place (and move) the hanger wherever it’s most useful to you. It’s essentially like an instant closet wherever you want it.

If you want the hook to coordinate with the door it’s on, you’re in luck: The hanger comes in a range of neutral shades (white, beige, black, and gray) so you can pick the best match. There are also larger versions with additional hooks and grooves.

While you can use this over-the-door hanger to dry laundry like it was designed for, I’ve used it in a variety of different ways. It holds guests’ jackets and purses behind my bedroom door, and displays outfits for the coming days in my closet. I also use it to hold extra guest towels in my bathroom, or to dry off linens from the pool or beach. 

When I have to steam my clothes, the BAKON over-the-door hanger is also a handy way to erase creases from every side of a garment. In other words, this folding gem is a game-changer for small-space living that you can use for organizing and storage however and whenever you need it.

Buy: BAKON Over-the-Door Hanger, $16.99 for 2-Pack