Jeans take up a lot of space in the closet. They’re thick, bulky, and heavy. Folding a few pairs of jeans on top of a denim skirt will fill up that corner of the wardrobe.
That’s not the ideal way to organize jeans in a small closet. Otherwise, you’d need a separate closet just for jeans.
The best way to organize jeans in a small closet is to hang them to save space. You could also fold them in a drawer, or roll them to make them more compact. Once folded, jeans are easier to stack on a shelf. You can also save more space with S-hooks.
Easier said than done? Not when I show you how to organize your jeans in a small closet with easy-to-follow steps and ideas.
Moreover, I’ll show you how to store your jeans in a drawer and how to keep them in the wardrobe without taking up too much space.
5 Ways to Organize Jeans In a Small Closet
Have you ever wondered why your jeans give you so much trouble folding and storing them in the closet? It’s not just because jeans are bulkier than other items of clothing in the wardrobe.
And it’s not just because denim clothes are by nature heavier and thicker. The main reason that your jeans are such a headache to store is because of the cut.
Even jeans pants are cut differently than regular pants and slacks. It’s no wonder they take up so much space in the closet.
One way to get around this issue is to hang your jeans instead of folding them. You can just hang them, preferably on a space-saving hanger.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Let’s start with the simplest way to organize jeans in a small closet and work our way up to the more complex methods.
1. Hang Them
It doesn’t take a genius to figure this one out. Hanging jeans will save you not just space but also the trouble of folding and unfolding.
All you need for this method is a few hangers for pants that are both sturdy and space-saving.
I recommend Zober Anti-Rust Hangers for jeans since they are quite sturdy. If you’re looking for space-saving hangers, then you couldn’t go wrong with the S-Type Jeans Hangers. They’re made of steel and allow you to hang a bunch of jeans pants on a single hanger.
Now there are two ways you can go about hanging jeans.
The first is to hang them from the waistband. This is similar to other pants and dresses. It keeps the jeans from having creases and saves up space even further in the closet. But it also requires more space to accommodate the full length of the jeans.
In other words, you’ll have to hang them in the tallest space in the wardrobe.
Of course, that means that the jeans will crowd the dress shirts and blouses in that partition of the closet. For many people, that’s not ideal.
Another option is to fold the jeans over the hanger. That will allow you to hang them just about anywhere in the closet where there’s a rod or a hook.
But the downside is that the jeans become bulkier when folded. The crotch area is hard to smoothen or flatten out, as we’ll see later.
2. Fold Them
If hangers are not an option because you need the tall racks in the closet for dresses, coats, jackets, and dress pants, then you can fold the jeans to make them more compact.
I wrote a comprehensive guide about folding pants here.
But that’s where things get a little tricky. Denim is not the most malleable fabric.
When you try to fold a pair of jeans, they don’t just lie meekly and follow your every direction. Jeans are stubborn and aloof. You try to bend it to your will, only to be met with resistance and rebellion.
One needs a list of steps to help tame the rebellious jeans. I’ll provide these detailed steps below.
But for now, all you need to know is that jeans pants need to be folded vertically first, then the crotch needs to be tucked. Then give the jeans two more folds horizontally.
By the time you’re done, the jeans will have a rectangular shape and will look no different than a neat package.
Once you have your jeans all neatly folded, you can stack them either in rows if you have the space or on top of each other.
Horizontal stacking is called filing, and it’s the most convenient way to store folded jeans.
It allows you to store and retrieve the jeans without hassle. You will be able to zero in on the pair of jeans that you want right away without having to go through a long stack.
3. Roll Them
Rolling clothes is one of the most efficient and space-saving tricks to store your clothes. You can use it in a container, a drawer, a small closet, or even when packing a suitcase.
Rolling clothes make them as compact as can be. It also works with jeans as well.
But a word to the wise. This is not the easiest way to store jeans. Rolling jeans takes a lot of effort and energy to bring the unruly jeans under your submission. At times it might look like you’re fighting with the jeans. But that’s alright as long as you come on top.
As with other clothes, when you roll jeans, you push out all pockets of air and render the denim compact and tight. And since jeans don’t wrinkle easily, you can unfold them and put them on without having second thoughts about the whole thing.
Here’s a really simple way to roll a single pair of jeans without prior knowledge of hand-to-hand combat.
- Lay the pair of jeans on a flat surface. A table is ideal, but you can also roll them on a bed or even on the floor. A hard surface is recommended.
- Fold the jeans vertically by bringing the two legs on top of each other.
- Smooth out any wrinkles. Rolled wrinkles are permanent wrinkles and will last until the next wash. So take the time to stretch the fabric.
- Start at the hem of the legs and fold as neatly and tightly as you can, working your way up toward the waist.
- Work slowly but methodically, and don’t allow the roll to slacken.
- When you have reached the waist, give the rolled jeans one final push to chase out trapped air and use a rubber band to keep the roll from coming undone.
- Now the jeans are ready to store.
Check out my article on rolling vs. folding clothes here.
4. Stack on a Shelf
This method requires that you have learned how to fold the jeans first. And that’s something I’ll cover in the next segment of this article.
So, for now, let’s assume that you have got your jeans all folded neatly.
Now comes the hard part. How to stack the jeans on a shelf.
First, you need to have enough space not just to accommodate all the jeans but to leave enough space on both sides to help you find the pair of jeans you’re looking for without pulling the whole stack down.
The other thing to keep in mind is that folded jeans don’t sit comfortably on top of each other. If you stack them up too high, they will crumble like a house of cards.
So don’t stack more than five pairs of jeans on top of each other.
As usual, each method has its upside and downside.
On the upside, you save space. You fold all your jeans in neat packages and store them on a shelf away from the rest of the clothes.
And each stack is quite accessible, so you won’t have to turn the wardrobe inside out looking for the right pair of jeans.
On the downside, folded jeans are quite bulky. You can’t push them down to make them flat, so this might not be the most space-saving way to store jeans.
I wrote an article on what’s the best option between shelves and drawers that may interest you to read as well.
5. S-Hooks
S-hooks are the most convenient way to add more space to your closet. When you have limited space in the closet, then you can get creative with S-hooks.
Those nifty hooks can be placed behind the wardrobe door to let you hang glasses, ties, and scarves.
But how can you use S-hooks to hang jeans? For one thing, behind the door of the closet is not an ideal place. Instead, you can take advantage of any vertical space in the closet to turn it into a corner for jeans.
The advantage is that you save space and keep the jeans from folding and possibly getting wrinkles.
On the other hand, hanging the jeans on S-hooks can wear out the belt loops.
The jeans are heavy, and sooner or later, the loop you use will break down. So use a different loop every time or just use two loops at a time.
How to Organize Jeans in Drawers
Apart from the five ways I mentioned above, you can always organize your jeans in a drawer or a couple of drawers in the closet.
But you need to keep a few things in mind if you choose the drawer option.
The first thing is the size of the drawer. You need to have a drawer that can take up at least two or three pairs of jeans.
Otherwise, you’ll occupy a drawer with just one pair of jeans which is not the most practical way to use space in your wardrobe.
Secondly, you need to fold the jeans in a way that makes them compact.
Otherwise, you’ll end up with wrinkled jeans crammed together. That’s the exact opposite of organizing your jeans.
How to Organize Jeans to Save Space
I promised to show you how to fold your jeans in a way that saves space and takes the hassle out of this process. Here I’ll walk you step by step and show you the best way to fold your jeans.
- Lay it Flat: You’ll need a flat surface to help you fold the jeans right. A table, an ironing board, or even the floor will do. Make sure it’s clean and long enough to accommodate the length of the jeans.
- Tuck in the Crotch: Many people consider this step unnecessary or trivial. But from experience, this step is crucial for the success of the whole process. The tiny crotch (no pun intended) can come in the way and prevent a smooth folding. So fold the crotch under the legs.
- Fold the Legs: You have two options here. Either fold the pants in quarters or thirds. To fold in quarters, Start with the hems and bring them on top of the waistband. Then pick the end of the folded pants and bring them again to the waistband. You have jeans folded four times. To fold in thirds, fold the hems to about one-third of the way from the waistband. Then fold the waistband over the hems.
- Press and Smooth: Press the folded jeans with both hands to push trapped air out and flatten them.
- Stack Alternately: Because the waistband and the hems are on top of each other, folded jeans are not even. So to stack them, arrange the jeans alternately on top of each other.
Tips for Organizing Jeans in a Small Closet
- If you have deep closet drawers, file the rolled jeans in rows.
- Line the drawers with scented sheets or scented candles to prevent a stuffy smell in the drawers.
- Make sure the organized jeans are easy to maintain. Simple organization is always better than a complicated process.
- Sort your jeans by style and color.
- Spray the jeans with deodorants to prevent odors.
Conclusion
A small closet can be a challenge to store jeans.
However, with S-hooks, and learning how to fold your jeans the right way, you can take advantage of the limited space in the closet to store your jeans neatly and conveniently.
Next, you can check out my comprehensive guide on what to do if you have too little space for all your clothes.
I’m an expert wardrobe organizer and a bit of a clean freak. I created this website and its YouTube channel to share practical guides about laundry and organizing. My teachings have been featured in multiple large news publications, and I’ve self-published two wardrobe organizing books and an entire course on the subject.
