January 27th, 2012 — Garment Rack of the Month, Practical Uses for garment racks
Whoever invented the idea of “under bed storage” is a genius in my book.
What did WE do before there was such a thing as an under the bed chest? By “we” of course, I mean people like me who do not have a lot of storage space. Because I am a “city person” I have always lived in small apartments, usually old dwellings that have limited closet space. Sure these places have lots of wonderful, old character but really lacking in the storage space department.
Now, I have a weakness for linens, especially duvet covers, of which I have at least eight. I like to change out my bed linens with the seasons because it is fun to have new looks going all the time. Sometimes I even rearrange the artwork on my walls to coordinate with whatever bedding scheme I’m rocking. But that is beside the point.

set of 2 clear vinyl underbed clothes storage chest
My dilemma became, “What to do with all these sheets and duvet covers I have collected?” The solution to my problem arrived in the form of this set of 2 clear vinyl underbed clothes storage chests. While these under bed chests are great for storing seasonal clothing such as sweaters and jackets, I have found them to be most essential to storing by extra linens. I use a chest for each season of linens, and because they are clear I can easily see inside without having to open them up. These underbed chests fit perfectly where they’re designed to go and when I have moved homes in the past, they simply pick up and go, so I don’t have to pack them in a box.
I encourage everyone to do the same as I did, and put that wasted space under the bed to good use!
January 2nd, 2012 — Durable Racks, Garment Rack of the Month, Practical Uses for garment racks
I just moved into the cutest little apartment with my cat. It’s a single bedroom apartment at the top floor of a gorgeous old Victorian. I love old homes because they come with so much character that you just don’t see in apartments anymore. Sure, the fixtures are old and there are probably 85 layers of paint on the walls, but I can really appreciate the attention to detail people had back in the old days. The windows in my little abode are my favorite. Again, they’re old and a little drafty but they are just so beautiful! And Snowball, my kitty, loves to curl up and bask in the sunny windows. She looks so perfect when lying there, almost as if she were designed for this home.

wardrobe center
So, the only real downside I see to living in this gorgeous old apartment like this is that it doesn’t have a closet in the bedroom. Seems a little strange to me, since people wore such big clothes back in the day, but whatever! At first, I wasn’t sure what to do. I mean, I don’t have a ton of clothes, but enough to necessitate a closet. I thought about going the regular garment rack route, but then what about my shoes and accessories? The answer to my question was found in this really great wardrobe center I found online at Stacks and Stacks. It’s basically a portable closet.
This portable wardrobe is so handy, I’d almost take it over a regular closet any day! Not only is there a closet rod for hanging clothes, but also the cover has a lot of pockets. There are pockets for my shoes and others into which I stuff my socks and undergarments. The best part about this covered garment rack, though, is the removable laundry bag on the side. My apartment doesn’t have a washer and dryer in the unit, so I have to carry laundry down to the basement. This wardrobe makes that task so much easier!
And in case you were wondering, yes, Snowball approves of it too.
December 8th, 2011 — Durable Racks, Garment Rack of the Month, Get Your Laundry Done, Practical Uses for garment racks
Some laundry rooms are very tight on open space, with washers and driers and their many accessories taking up all the room. When I want to air dry my delicate clothing, I run into an issue every single time. Either I end up having to carry a bunch of dripping wet clothes up the stairs to my closet where they can hang dry, or I have to try to find space in my cramped laundry room. Both options are far from desirable, and I always end up with a wet floor!

Arrow Instahanger - Folding Clothes Hanger
Enter the arrow instahanger folding clothes hanger, which provides excellent clothes drying space but folds down when I am not using it. By being able to hang all my wet clothes in one convenient space, I avoid getting water drips all over my washing room. I can place a pan under this folding hanger and make sure my laundry room is nice and dry.
There are many more uses for this nifty wall rack hanger! It also makes a really convenient additional storage space in the guest room, so that when you have guests there is always a place for them to hang their clothes and keep them wrinkle free.
Another very convenient place to use this folding clothes hanger is in the bathroom. I hate it when I come home from the gym, the beach or the pool and I do not have a good place to put my wet clothes. They always end up hanging near the shower, where they inevitably get wet again when someone carelessly turns on the shower without looking. Or I hang them next to my towels, getting sweat, pool water or salt water all over them. Simply attach this hanger to the door of your bathroom, and voila, instant hanging storage.
I was able to find this incredible, folding clothes hanger at Stacks and Stacks.
December 2nd, 2011 — Durable Racks, Practical Uses for garment racks
Living in an old home has its ups and its downs. On the one hand, you get lots of old charm and character, unique details and features that aren’t found in modern design. On the other hand, you tend to end up with small rooms and very small closets. This is the bane of my existence.
My apartment’s bedroom has a closet the size of a shoebox. The biggest challenge this has presented is, “what to do with my jackets?” I have a lot of jackets; it’s a bit of an obsession. While the closet is just big enough for clothing alone, there is definitely no room for the coats and heavy sweaters. And there isn’t even a spare closet to fall back on.

Wall Mounted Laundry Valet
I wasn’t keen on the idea of adding a modular closet or large garment rack – I just don’t have the space for those either. And keeping my jackets stored under the bed in boxes just wasn’t a convenient option either. I decided to go with a wall mounted laundry valet. Technically, it’s designed for hanging laundry to dry, but I found it perfectly suitable to my needs for jacket hanging space.
The thing I like most about this wall mounted hanger is its collapsible design. It measures a wonderful 11 inches long, so it perfectly holds a number of coats, but I don’t necessarily want it sticking out all the time. As I mentioned before, I need all the space efficiency I can get. So, when I don’t actually need to select a coat, I can keep the garment rack folded down and the coats hang nicely tiered. I’m actually using two of these racks. Each has six holes and you can fit about two hangers in each hole, but as I also said before, I have an expansive jacket collection.
I’ll probably keep using these laundry valets from Stacks and Stacks when I do have more closet space, just because they make selection so nice and easy!
November 16th, 2011 — Durable Racks, Garment Rack of the Month, Garment Racks can Save Lives, Practical Uses for garment racks

Laundry Valet Rod
No, this isn’t a fairy tale about a little magic clothes hanger that helped Santa by leading all the reindeer through a foggy night. No! This is a true tale of how a little metal hanger saved my first holiday experience with the in-laws (and maybe my marriage).
Well, it all started last year when I was living in the frigid and damp environs of Boston, MA. The sort of place you always need a coat in the winter, and in turn, a sturdy clothes hanger for the substantial weight of my puffy jacket collection.
My newly-minted in laws were coming into town for the holidays, and being from sunny California, boy did they bring a lot of extra winter wear! We saw the sights of Bean Town and had decided to go out for dinner on Christmas Eve and my father in law chose to wear his favorite leather jacket, handed down for generations. I decided the weather looked clear enough and we should just hoof it home. While walking back to our apartment we were caught in a white-out blizzard, leaving my father-in-law’s jacket soaked, and near ruin.
Luckily I had planned ahead and purchased the Laundry Valet Rod! This strong metal hanger really came in handy when we needed to drip dry that leather jacket. My favorite part is that we were able to fit all of our jackets onto just one of these wall mounted metal hangers, with plenty of room for my aforementioned puffy jacket collection (I now have eight). I was able to adjust the rod to hang the jackets horizontally, allowing them to drip on my brand new carpet instead of onto each other! The next morning every jacket on the clothes hanger was dry as a bone. I was impressed with how my valet rod had saved the day. It came with an oil rubbed bronze finish and was made from chrome plated steel, purchased from the gang at Stacks and Stacks!
So ends my tale: the leather jacket was saved, drip drying away on the Laundry Valet Rack. In turn, Christmas was saved and my in-laws were in awe of my foresight.
February 6th, 2009 — Practical Uses for garment racks

The frequent traveler should never leave the house without a 2 in 1 garment and luggage rack. With the perfect amount of storage and space, you’ll be able to keep your clothes organized and wrinkle free during your trip.
Another great purpose for a luggage rack/ garment rack is for packing assistance. You can get your hanging items together and pack without the tension of packing on the floor.
This is another great item to have in your guest bedroom at home. This leaves a place for guests to set their luggage while still having a place to hang and organize their clothing while they stay.
January 23rd, 2009 — Fun with a Garment rack, Practical Uses for garment racks

When you think of garment racks, you most likely think of two things – shopping or laundry. However, garment racks can be lifesavers outside of shopping and laundry and it’s the people who already use them that have figured this out!
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January 7th, 2009 — Battle of the Sexes, Garment Rack of the Month, Practical Uses for garment racks

An important member of the garment rack family is the pant trolley. If you have a large or small collection of pants, you need to join the club and get yourself a pant trolley. With many available options, such as wheels, wood, metal and size, you will never dread hanging your pants again!
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December 3rd, 2008 — Garment Rack of the Month, Get Your Laundry Done

Can you imagine having an organized laundry room? A little scary to picture, I know, but it is very possible. There are many garment racks available to help you get your laundry room under control!
Garment racks are great for hanging your clothes to dry. Before I got one, it wouldn’t be uncommon to find clothes hanging on the shower rod, doorways and on chairs. I know I’m not the only one who has ever draped a pair of wet pants over the dryer in order to dry. The great thing about a garment rack is that all of the laundry clutter is eliminated.
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November 7th, 2008 — Battle of the Sexes, Fun with a Garment rack, Garment Rack of the Month, Get Your Laundry Done, Practical Uses for garment racks

For many of us, closet space is hard to come by and there are never enough laundry baskets in the house. Luckily, there is a way to fix both of these problems without adding to the clutter or blowing your budget. The simple solution is a garment rack.
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