6 1/2 Systems for Organizing Scarves

May 30, 2012

Despite how easy scarves are to throw around your neck, for many of you they are a real hinderance when it comes to storage. They can feel like lasagna noodles if you try to fold them– slipping and unfolding no matter how hard you try to keep them neat. If you throw them in a basket, they become a balled up mess of differing patterns and colors. Amazing how just a little, thin bit of fabric can turn into such a sloppy mess. The trick is to make a few key adjustments in your storage tactics. These tricks make all the difference:

Knot them

Ah, the magic of the knot. Scarves become ridiculously manageable the minute you master this system. Best of all, you can knot them over just about anything– a hanger, a towel rack, etc. Simply fold your scarf in half, holding the looped end over the bar, and feed the ends of the scarf through the loop, and over your bar of choice. Tad-ah! Don’t pull too tight, keep your knot nice and loose, and the scarf will be a breeze to pull off and throw on.

Loop them

One step before the knot- another option is to simply feed your scarf halfway through a circular hook- like these shower curtain rings.

Hang them

Depending on the nature of your space and the amount of scarves you have, you may just want to go with the old standby of hanging them on hooks. I recommend hanging as few as possible from each hook, in order to make removing and replacing easy peasy.

Clip them

Clipping your scarves up is another option for keeping them organized. You can purchase singular and specialized clips like the ones pictured below, or you can simply repurpose your pants and skirts hangers that have clips on either end of them.

Drape them

If you’re dealing with a limited number of scarves, you might consider just folding and draping them over a hanger or another runged creature, like this ladder:

Roll & drawer them

If you’re going to store scarves inside of a drawer, storage bin, box, or basket, I recommend rolling them up rather than folding them. I’m usually never one to prefer the roll over the fold, but, as per the lasagna noodle reference above, folding scarves is just kind of futile. They won’t stay put.

If a compromise between the roll and the fold is what you fancy, then try using a prop; wrap your scarves around a piece of cardboard, and you’ll end up with scarves that are amazingly neat, and that store quite beautifully away in a drawer.

Image credits: Charlotte MagazineCakitchesSusan H.LaBelleMelMisadventures of a SFHReal Simple, In Honor of Design, unknown x2, Martha StewartReal SimpleReal Simple, unknown, Marilyn.ca

21 Comments

  1. Chic Geek on May 30, 2012 at 8:34 am

    Love this! My scarf obsession is in need of some organization!
    xx

  2. Georgina on May 30, 2012 at 8:36 am

    You always give us such wonderfully useful ideas – thank you!!!

    • Annie on May 30, 2012 at 12:07 pm

      So happy you find them helpful Georgina!

  3. Dawn {The Alternative Wife} on May 30, 2012 at 9:53 am

    I own a ton of scarves. Literally a ton. They’re pretty much my favorite accessory and I buy a few a month so my collection is a little out of control. I currently layer/drape them all over a hanger but at the neck of the hanger so every now and again they end up in a huge pile on my bedroom floor. The knotting idea is brilliant and I am definitely doing this pronto! Your ideas are invaluable!

    Hope you’re having a great week, sweetie 🙂 xoxo

    • Annie on May 30, 2012 at 12:08 pm

      The knot will change your life Dawn. haha. So useful. Don’t tie too tightly!

  4. hausandhome on May 30, 2012 at 11:41 pm

    Great ideas, and they look so decorative this way too! I bet I would wear my scarves more if they were displayed.

    • Annie on June 2, 2012 at 12:42 pm

      I really bet you would too! Get on that lady!

  5. Heather on May 31, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Great ideas! I’ve been doing the last method of keeping them all folded in a bin but I love the way they look hanging – it’s so helpful to see them all out like that.

    • Annie on June 2, 2012 at 12:43 pm

      I agree. I find that when I keep my scarves folded I never end up wearing them, for fear of messing up the piles. Hanging them eliminates that.

  6. Coco on July 17, 2012 at 8:19 am

    Oooooo love! I’ve always looped on an IKEA scarf hanger but after reading this i’ll change to knotting on wooden hangers. You’re a doll x

  7. Vicki on February 12, 2013 at 6:10 pm

    Hi Annie! I just discovered your website via pinterest and I am already addicted. I was wondering if you could help me locate the acrylic dresser drawer dividers (the 11th and 12th pictures on this post). I have been looking everywhere (to no avail!) and would love to use them for my husband’s bowties, watchbands and other “accessories”. Thanks!

  8. […] Plastic boxes or jewelry organizers are great for keeping scarves, neckties, socks and other smaller items organized in drawers. Just add the boxes to your drawers and then choose the items to go inside. This is a great way to keep socks matched with their respective partners and will help you to find things much easier. This is also a great way to organize belts. Just roll them up and stick them in the boxes to keep them out of the way. Source – Livesimplybyannie […]

  9. […]  source […]

  10. Joe Monteiro on April 3, 2015 at 2:32 pm

    Hi, Annie.

    My name is Joe Monteiro, and I am a volunteer for the Lutz Children’s Museum in Manchester, CT. I just finished a clothesline project that isn’t working too well. I was looking for a better solution to attach the clothes pins to the line so the kids don’t carry them throughout the museum, and I came across your site. In one of your pictures you show scarves held with “singular and specialized clips”. Would you be able to tell me where I might purchase pins like this? Also, does it take a lot of force to open the pins? I would be concerned about pinching little fingers.

    I would appreciate any help you can offer.

    Thank you.

    Joe

  11. […] Tutorial via Live Simply by Annie […]

  12. […] Plastic boxes or jewelry organizers are great for keeping scarves, neckties, socks and other smaller items organized in drawers. Just add the boxes to your drawers and then choose the items to go inside. This is a great way to keep socks matched with their respective partners and will help you to find things much easier. This is also a great way to organize belts. Just roll them up and stick them in the boxes to keep them out of the way. Source – Livesimplybyannie […]

  13. […] Photo via: livesimplybyannie.com […]

  14. […] a simple idea: knot them over a couple of clothes […]

  15. […] Tutorial via Live Simply by Annie […]

  16. […] via Live Simply by Annie […]

Leave a Comment





Other Posts You May Love

21 Comments

  1. Chic Geek on May 30, 2012 at 8:34 am

    Love this! My scarf obsession is in need of some organization!
    xx

  2. Georgina on May 30, 2012 at 8:36 am

    You always give us such wonderfully useful ideas – thank you!!!

    • Annie on May 30, 2012 at 12:07 pm

      So happy you find them helpful Georgina!

  3. Dawn {The Alternative Wife} on May 30, 2012 at 9:53 am

    I own a ton of scarves. Literally a ton. They’re pretty much my favorite accessory and I buy a few a month so my collection is a little out of control. I currently layer/drape them all over a hanger but at the neck of the hanger so every now and again they end up in a huge pile on my bedroom floor. The knotting idea is brilliant and I am definitely doing this pronto! Your ideas are invaluable!

    Hope you’re having a great week, sweetie 🙂 xoxo

    • Annie on May 30, 2012 at 12:08 pm

      The knot will change your life Dawn. haha. So useful. Don’t tie too tightly!

  4. hausandhome on May 30, 2012 at 11:41 pm

    Great ideas, and they look so decorative this way too! I bet I would wear my scarves more if they were displayed.

    • Annie on June 2, 2012 at 12:42 pm

      I really bet you would too! Get on that lady!

  5. Heather on May 31, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Great ideas! I’ve been doing the last method of keeping them all folded in a bin but I love the way they look hanging – it’s so helpful to see them all out like that.

    • Annie on June 2, 2012 at 12:43 pm

      I agree. I find that when I keep my scarves folded I never end up wearing them, for fear of messing up the piles. Hanging them eliminates that.

  6. Coco on July 17, 2012 at 8:19 am

    Oooooo love! I’ve always looped on an IKEA scarf hanger but after reading this i’ll change to knotting on wooden hangers. You’re a doll x

  7. Vicki on February 12, 2013 at 6:10 pm

    Hi Annie! I just discovered your website via pinterest and I am already addicted. I was wondering if you could help me locate the acrylic dresser drawer dividers (the 11th and 12th pictures on this post). I have been looking everywhere (to no avail!) and would love to use them for my husband’s bowties, watchbands and other “accessories”. Thanks!

  8. […] Plastic boxes or jewelry organizers are great for keeping scarves, neckties, socks and other smaller items organized in drawers. Just add the boxes to your drawers and then choose the items to go inside. This is a great way to keep socks matched with their respective partners and will help you to find things much easier. This is also a great way to organize belts. Just roll them up and stick them in the boxes to keep them out of the way. Source – Livesimplybyannie […]

  9. […]  source […]

  10. Joe Monteiro on April 3, 2015 at 2:32 pm

    Hi, Annie.

    My name is Joe Monteiro, and I am a volunteer for the Lutz Children’s Museum in Manchester, CT. I just finished a clothesline project that isn’t working too well. I was looking for a better solution to attach the clothes pins to the line so the kids don’t carry them throughout the museum, and I came across your site. In one of your pictures you show scarves held with “singular and specialized clips”. Would you be able to tell me where I might purchase pins like this? Also, does it take a lot of force to open the pins? I would be concerned about pinching little fingers.

    I would appreciate any help you can offer.

    Thank you.

    Joe

  11. […] Tutorial via Live Simply by Annie […]

  12. […] Plastic boxes or jewelry organizers are great for keeping scarves, neckties, socks and other smaller items organized in drawers. Just add the boxes to your drawers and then choose the items to go inside. This is a great way to keep socks matched with their respective partners and will help you to find things much easier. This is also a great way to organize belts. Just roll them up and stick them in the boxes to keep them out of the way. Source – Livesimplybyannie […]

  13. […] Photo via: livesimplybyannie.com […]

  14. […] a simple idea: knot them over a couple of clothes […]

  15. […] Tutorial via Live Simply by Annie […]

  16. […] via Live Simply by Annie […]

Leave a Comment





Welcome

Search The Blog

Simplify Your World

Sign up for the email list to get inspiration and simplified tips sent right to your inbox.

On Pinterest

pinterest-1
pinterest-3
pinterest-2
pinterest-4

Other Posts You May Love