How to store your lingerie

How to store your lingerie is purely a personal choice and what works best for you may not work well for someone else. Additionally, you may be limited by physical constraints, like the type of storage available to you. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve accumulated over the years, that I hope will be of assistance!

Drawers vs Hanging. Which is best?

If we want to get scientific, then laying items flat is best for their longevity. However hanging most pieces is perfectly fine for all of our purposes. When hanging items, the only question you need to ask yourself is “will this damage the piece?”. Is it made out of a fabric that will stretch out over time from its own weight (some fabric cut on the bias may do this)? Will your method of hanging (such as hangers with overly tight clips damage any delicate fabric? If the answer is no, then go for it!

Want to hang your items, but don’t have anything suitable in your closet on which to hang? Tension rods are both a breeze to install and easy to remove if you decide they’re not for you. Additionally, their temporary nature makes them ideal if you’re renting in a place with strict “no improvement/nail holes” rules.

Hanging a bra is straight forward (clasp closed, both shoulder straps equally spaced over a hanger), but if you wish to hang your knickers then you have several options. You can hang them through the top hook of a hanger. You can use hooks/rings (shower curtain hooks work quite well) to either attach them to their own railing, or to hook them onto the bottom rung of a hanger your bra is using. 

Robes ideally are stored on a padded hanger. It’s easy to imprint the shape of hanger corners via gravity/weight onto a robe, so padded hangers solve this aesthetic dilemma. Basques, bodies and slips may be hung or folded into a drawer. 

Personally, I like drawers for lingerie. Easy to grab and go, no fiddling about. And just between us, this may have also been influenced by one exceptionally groggy morning, where I accidentally stabbed myself in the eye with the end of a bra hanger (the pirate life is decidedly not for me). I do hang my slips and some of my nightwear, but that’s partially because being able to see the gorgeous colours elicits such joy in me, and partially because I have so many lingerie pieces I’ve run out of drawer space…

To eliminate the clutter that can accumulate in a drawer, I suggest drawer dividers. These inserts can be purpose-made items, simple plastic boxes, or homemade cut white cardboard (make sure to measure your drawer prior to cutting). I’ve even used a cutlery drawer insert trimmed to size - it holds my socks and thongs wonderfully.

Bras should be stacked. Moulded cups (such as AP’s Molly or Helene should never be folded as this warps the cup’s shape; which then impacts the shape it gives your bust. Unlined fabric bras (I.D. Sarrieri’s Lolita, AP’s Lorna, and Studio Pia's Soraya) can be folded, but the consensus is that stacked is always preferable for their longevity. Ideally hook all clasps so that they do not accidentally catch on surrounding fabrics. 

Further organization depends on your approach to wearing garments. Perhaps because of my large cup size, I find that realistically I’m most commonly mixing and matching for everyday - a supportive bra paired with a pretty knicker or thong in the same colour family. So I personally organize by type (briefs in one area, thongs in another, etc) and then by colour. But if you are a strictly “sets” person, then it would make sense to store completed sets together. Or you may organize by your comfiest pieces, or least worn (that you’re trying to work into your rotation), whatever takes your fancy! 

Stockings and pantyhose can be tricky items to store so that they’re protected, but still reasonably quick to retrieve. I’ve tried many options over the years. I’ve returned them to their retail packaging. I’ve put them in labelled ziplocks. Mesh bags (Gift bags made out of organza) are usually easy to find, and a pretty addition to your drawer. I colour coded mine when I used them. I’ve recycled small jam jars for an easy grab and go option, without having to worry about snags! My current iteration is a mix of the above, but I’ve also acquired hardy vinyl comic book sleeves to put the hoserie’s packaging (plus the hose themselves of course) as an identifier, to easily flip through like a record collection. I enjoyed the jam jars for their lack of fiddliness and not having to worry, but it did take up more space in my already bulging drawers. So concessions were made. 

Corsets are usually folded (underneath from either side, so that the busk is on top), but they can be hung when draped over the bottom rung of a hanger. Ideally they would not be clamped when hung, as this may mark/indent the fabric. These can be steamed out of course, but it’s best to expose steel corsets to as little moisture as possible throughout their lives.

Speciality items such as Elissa Poppy’s latex pieces, require a different approach, which I will delve into further in a future blog. 

Finally, a little extra touch I like to add is DIY drawer or closet scents. This can be managed by spritzing a scent you find enjoyable on a piece of cardstock, or for a longer lasting version, you can add spritzed rice to a fabric gift bag. 

How do you like to organize your lingerie? Do you have any storage tips to share?