There are plenty of life-changing kitchen hacks to maximize space and organization, like using hanging baskets to clear up counter space or implementing cubbies to expand storage. If your kitchen is already perfectly organized, it’s now time to focus on the bedroom. The secret to one hack lies in an item you might have thrown into the recycling bin. From here on out, pull the tabs off your empty soda cans before you recycle them — they are going to become your new favorite way to deal with closet clutter.
Once the soda tab is detached from the can, you’ll need two wire hangers. The larger hole of the tab should be slid over the hook of the hanger, and rested at the neck, where the hook meets the hanger. The smaller, bottom hole of the soda tab will be facing down, and this is where you can now hook another wire hanger through the hole.
Now, you have two hangers stacked on top of one another. If you’re mostly hanging shirts, sweaters, and jackets in the closet, vertical space in a closet often goes unused. With the stacked hangers, clothing can be hung vertically, with, say, one shirt on the top hanger and another on the bottom. You’ve now essentially doubled the closet space without spending any money on a fancy organizer or specialty hangers, as well as upcycled a previously useless item.
Considerations for using soda tabs to maximize storage
Wire hangers are the top choice here because they’re lightweight, and the soda tab easily supports them. While other styles of hangers won’t necessarily break a soda tab, the issue is that the hook may not fit through the hole of the soda tab — this is especially true of plastic hangers, which tend to be quite thick.
It’s tempting to repeat this hack with every hanger in the closet, but remember that your closet rod can only support so much weight. Doubling the clothing hanging in the closet could cause the rod to bend or even break. Wire hangers will be the lightest option, while wood hangers that have the wire hook will be the heaviest.
This is a great hack for planning out outfits for the week. A shirt can be hung from the top hanger, and pants can be folded over the bottom. Or, if you have pants hangers (which can be used to organize chips too!) with two clips and a wire hook, this can also be hung from the bottom of the soda tab to display skirts or pants without creasing them. If you can manage to save seven soda tabs and have 14 wire hangers, all your outfits for the week can be planned. Specialty hangers for belts and scarves exist, but instead, these items can be organized neatly by layering two or three hangers. And to think — all you need for this hack is an item as simple and easily overlooked as a soda can tab.
