The Ultimate Closet Hack: How Soda Can Tabs Can Double Your Hanging Space
- Lifestyle
- Exienent
- · Updated
The soda can tab closet hack turns one hanger into an anchor for a second: slip a metal pull tab over a hanger's hook, then hook another hanger through the tab's lower hole. Two garments hang vertically in the rod space of one, which can effectively double your hanging space at zero cost.
It is a fix for a familiar problem. You try to squeeze just one more shirt into a completely stuffed closet, and three other hangers pop off the rack and fall to the floor. In an apartment where closet space is basically non-existent, expensive multi-tiered cascade hangers are one option, but they can be bulky and end up taking more room than they save. Before you start filling garbage bags with winter coats to donate, try saving the little metal pull tabs from soda cans.
How Does the Soda Tab Closet Hack Work?
The concept is brilliantly simple. A standard soda can tab has two holes: a top one that attaches to the can, and a larger bottom one that you pull with your finger. By slipping the top hole over the hook of a regular clothes hanger, the tab creates a sturdy, secondary hanging loop right below the neck of the first hanger.
That lets you take a second hanger and hook it directly into the bottom hole of the soda tab. You are essentially "stacking" your clothes vertically in the dead space below your shirts, rather than trying to crush everything horizontally side-by-side on the closet rod.
How Do You Double Your Closet Space With Soda Tabs?
It takes about five seconds. If you have an empty can sitting in your recycling bin, you can try this right now:
- Pop the Tab: Wiggle the metal pull tab back and forth on an empty soda or sparkling water can until it snaps off.
- Slide it On: Take a standard clothes hanger (the plastic tubular ones work perfectly, as do most wire and wooden hangers) and slip one hole of the soda tab down over the top hook. It should rest right at the base of the hook, sitting flat against the top of the hanger.
- Hook the Second Hanger: Now, grab a second hanger with another piece of clothing on it. Hook the top of that second hanger directly through the empty hole of the soda tab hanging from the first one.
Boom. You just turned one horizontal hanger space into two vertical ones.
Is the Soda Tab Hack Better Than Store-Bought Organizers?
For tight closets, it has two clear advantages: it is low-profile and it costs nothing. The soda tabs are practically invisible and add essentially zero bulk to the hangers themselves.
They also open up a handy way to organize by outfit. Hook the hanger with a favorite blazer directly onto the tab of the hanger holding the matching shirt, and getting dressed in the morning can go much faster.
The tabs are also surprisingly strong. These little pieces of aluminum are designed not to bend or snap easily, so you can chain several hangers together, even with heavier sweaters. Keep an eye on very heavy coats and on how much weight the top hanger and rod are carrying.
If you are dealing with a bursting wardrobe and need more space, hold off on expensive organization systems and start saving your soda tabs. It is a totally free way to make much better use of the hanging space you already have.
