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How do I Choose the Best Wall Organizer?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

The best wall organizer will be the one that suits your needs and budget the best. Decide what you will use the wall organizer for, how large it needs to be, and where you will hang it in order to narrow down your search quickly. Organizers can be made from solid materials such as wood, metal, or plastic, or they can be made from durable fabrics with sewn-in pockets. Choose between the materials based on your needs for durability and stability; generally speaking, if you will be hanging heavy objects in the wall organizer, choose a solid material such as wood or metal.

Fabric wall organizer models are usually not the best choice for garage applications such as hanging tools, but this is not always necessarily the case. Wrenches and other tools that do not have sharp edges can be hung in a fabric wall organizer, which is often made from heavy-duty canvas or nylon. Sharp tools such as picks or even screwdrivers, can damage the fabric quickly, compromising the strength of the organizer. Metal organizers are perhaps the best choice for garage applications because metal is durable and resistant to damage from sharp tools. Wood can be used as well, though wood organizers are susceptible to some damage from sharp or dull tools.

Woman holding a book
Woman holding a book

If you are planning on hanging your wall organizer above a desk, consider which items you will be putting in the organizer, as well as what kind of aesthetic you are looking for. A wall organizer may be made of wood for aesthetics, or plastic for functionality and cost savings. Determine what is more important to you, and choose an organizer with enough space to accommodate papers, pens, and other office supplies. Some office organizers feature key hooks, which is great for a business that operates several vehicles, or for a family that swaps car keys often.

One of the more common applications for a wall organizer is to keep clutter to a minimum near a doorway. Choose an organizer with plenty of hooks for hats and coats, and look for a wide, attractive organizer that will allow users to hang car keys, stow gloves and hats, hang leashes for the dog, and so on. Make sure the size of the wall organizer is appropriate for the size of the entryway, as an organizer that is too large can cause a safety hazard by blocking the door or narrowing the walkway.

Discussion Comments

seag47

I got my daughter a wall pocket organizer with a moose painted on it. She has a strange fascination with moose, so I couldn't pass this one up.

It is made of canvas, and it has three deep pockets. It hangs vertically, and part of the moose is painted across each pocket.

She keeps her slippers in one pocket, some of her favorite coloring books and crayons in another, and some candy in the third one. I'm sure the things that she stores in it will change as she gets older, and one day, she will probably be keeping teen magazines and CDs in it instead.

kylee07drg

I have a set of storage cubes that sit on top of a shelf on my living room wall. I keep something different in each cube, so it is a great way to organize my stuff.

These cubes are detachable, so I can move them around or carry them to a new location if necessary. I keep debit card receipts in one cube, and whenever I balance my checkbook, I carry the whole cube over to my desk.

One cube is the designated “loose junk” cube. Anytime I find screws or little electronic or metal objects belonging to my husband strewn about the house, I put them in this cube, because I have no idea where they actually belong. So, if he ever wonders where something like this is, he knows to check this cube.

lighth0se33

@Perdido – What a creative solution! I wish I had one of these to keep by my door, because that would be a neat way to keep people from tracking mud into the house.

All I have is a narrow shelf with three hooks hanging from underneath it. It isn't big enough to hold shoes. I toss the mail onto the shelf every night when I come in, and I deal with it later.

I use one hook for hanging up my coat and one for hanging my keys. If I'm wearing a hat, I will hang it on the third hook.

Since I live alone now, this wall organizer is just the right size. If I ever get roommates, I will have to upgrade to a bigger version.

Perdido

A few months ago, my husband and I got a new puppy. He loved to chew slippers, shoes, and jackets, so we knew we needed some way to hang them all up high enough that he couldn't reach them.

My husband decided to devise a solution. I don't know what they are called, but he bought eight horseshoe shaped objects with screws protruding from their backs. He planned to screw these into a board, and we could hang two items from each one.

He got a couple of 2x4s and spray-painted them black. Then, he drilled the horseshoe-shaped things into the board at certain intervals. He spray-painted them black, as well, so the whole unit looks like it came together.

We can hang both of our coats, our slippers, and several pairs of shoes from this wall organizer. I love knowing that my shoes are safe from puppy teeth!

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      Woman holding a book