Closets and Our Dependence upon Them
3 Comments Published by Karen Amato Schwartz on Monday, April 07, 2008 at 7:45 AM.
When I was growing up, we lived in a very small house built in the 1950’s; each bedroom had one relatively tiny closet. They were so small that if you reached in, your arm would probably hit the back wall. There was just enough space in my parent’s room for my dad’s work shirts to keep from getting wrinkled; I believe his workpants were kept on a horizontally banded hanger. Sweaters and casual clothes went into his bureau drawers. My mom had to buy a free standing, metal closet that was even smaller, but it held her dresses well enough. Her sweaters and tops had to go in the dresser. I think of these things even today, especially when house-shopping in older neighborhoods. The fact that many generations did not have the luxury of walk-in closets is one of those things we rarely think about until we become frustrated with our own.
Once I gave up a daylight office job, my wardrobe dwindled and morphed into casual wear which takes up less room than my husband’s business attire and large collection of leisure clothes. I go through phases on keeping my t-shirts hung up, then transferring them to my armoire, along with my nightgowns and robes. You see, we’ve been fortunate to have had large walk in closets in 2 of our houses, and it’s easy to see how folks can get spoiled by them. People probably hang up a good percent of what used to go in drawers, which is kind of ironic when you think that, years ago, women ironed much more than they do today, even those who swear by cotton. Plus, it seems that now there is an entire industry built around storing our precious garments. There are umpteen companies providing built-in closet organizers; there are untold numbers of organizing bins and containers in any retail store, and never before have so many types of hangers been available. (Once I bought beautiful satin-covered hangers as a luxury touch for my mother-in-law’s closet. She took one look, rolled her eyes and commented that now she had something to hang her ball gowns on. Some people just don’t understand finesse…)
Anyway, my closet stores more stuff than it does clothes, at least for me. I keep my sewing machine, ironing board, luggage, and seasonal wreaths and flower arrangements in there. I know I could probably keep that some of that stuff in the basement, but it’s just easier to have it handy instead of lugging it down and up steps. There is enough unused hanging space that I could actually keep everything I own hanging up all year around, but I just can’t abide looking at winter stuff during the summer. (Funny, the reverse isn’t true.) So, every year around this time, I fold up sweaters, turtlenecks and corduroy pants and shove them in dresser drawers, leaving me lots of room to spread out the cotton items that do require ironing. At times like those, I am glad to have the space, and I wonder how families ever managed with tiny little closets. This subject of close space continues to haunt me whenever I have more than a couple of guests over. Eventually I realize that everyone’s front entryway closet is way too small, no matter how large the rest of the house is. Closet size is also noticeable when I go on vacation. No matter how nice the hotel may be, they are always-always stingy when it comes to closet space and hangers. Plus-what’s the deal with those round-topped hangers that don’t come off hotel closet rods? They’re a pain in the caboose. Are hotels really afraid of guests stealing wire hangers, or are they viewed as some kind of safety hazard? At one point I decided to start traveling with my own, but I always forget and never did get around to that. Why would a room with 3 guests for a week provide a total of 7 hangers?
It’s maddening, just like keeping our fashionable items from getting squeezed, falling off hangers, or acquiring indentions at the shoulders. That’s not even considering whether it’s worse to have a garment stretched out by hanging, or de-wrinkle a folded one before wearing. Maybe someone can invent something to keep our prized possessions stored to our satifisfaction-hopefully soon.
Good Day,
I have just read your article titled "Closets and Our Dependence upon them".
My name is Peter Munro and I have a solution for all the public’s Closets, Dry-Cleaning businesses, Retail stores, Hotels & Motels all around the World with this Hanger Dilemma. I have engineered and developed a New Innovative product with groundbreaking Multi Uses and Longevity to solve all these problems.
I have in the past five years applied countless hours of research in the development of One Multi Use Hanger for all purposes.
My company Superior Alternative Innovations Pty Ltd vision is to supply one superior product for all applications’ throughout the world.
Impossible you say?
No one could ever aggressively attack these escalating problems.
1. Someone had to invent a New Product? (A solution!).
2. A good System for implementation? (Good reason to change!).
3. And with that New System and New Product all concerned will still need to Prosper!
The solution is a New Unique Innovative Hanger that fully addresses all Environmental concerns!
By engineering and designing a Multi Use Hanger made from superior high strength plastics and by choosing this vastly different approach I provide the best alternative for both the short-term systems in retail stores and the longer requirements of Dry-Cleaning businesses, Hotel & Motels & the Public to reuse this Hanger over and over yet again.
Longevity is the ultimate solution for repeating expenses and our Environment!
Either way this new product’s lifespan is extended way beyond the expected lifespan of all other Hanger products. It then continues for many years to be a very useful product for consumers in their own homes because of its Strength and Multi Use functions which create longevity.
(Not a through away item!)
Identify the Problem!
Around the world the expectations and requirements is for a single Clothes Hanger to fully protect all garments silhouette at all times.
The majority of Hangers desperately try to perform to a variety of different hanging applications and also then they have to efficiently hang Clothes / Garments in a variety of different sizes!
Garments small to XXX large. They fail.
Solve the Problem!
This New Clothes Hanger has been designed, engineered, and developed to address and exceed all of these Hanging Expectations, Requirement, and Demands!
• Efficiently hangs all clothing / garments.
(Suits, Ties, Shirts, Shorts, Dresses, Pants, Skirts and more)
• Easily adjusts to all required sizes.
(Clients Personal size) Fully protecting all garments silhouette at all times!
• Strong (For Longevity in reuse)
• One Hanger will hang a Magnitude of clothing / garments.
(Hang more on one Hanger “Saving costs and space” No damaged clothes ever! (Stretched out of shape or shoulder bumps) and less wrinkles.
This is an extremely superior high strength Plastic Clothes Hanger for the person who requires or (Demands) the best available protection and hanging experience for their Clothes or Garments.
This New Clothes Hangers is designed for clothing companies, dry cleaners, hospitality, Hotels & Motels, Travelers’ (Business Men & Women), Fashion Industry, retail stores, and the community at large.
Focusing on the Environment and the constant demands for improvement in supplying a superior product with superior advantages!
My company Superior Alterative Innovations Pty Ltd is in the final process of engineering and producing the moulds for manufacture and this is an extremely important stage of mould manufacturing (Meticulous) this is to guarantee a constant supply of faultless superior quality of all Hangers at all times. This New Hanger will revolutionize the Retail Hanger Industry Worldwide and will finally with one Hanger address all of the publics hanging demands and expectations.
Later this year in 2008 this New Hanger will be released to international markets.
Thanks
Peter
Australia
Peter-
Hooray! Thank you for taking the time to let us all know about this superior product. I can't wait to see it!
Karen
Hi Karen,
I was sick to death of inferior Hangers damaging my clothes!
This new Hanger is the first Hanger ever invented that is able to perform to all applications and exceeds in all Hanging requirements.
This new Hanger is not only Multi use in what it can hang, but it will hang perfectly to your own personal size.
I have also concentrated on visual appeal; you will not only want one of these new hangers because it is the best Hanger on the market! But you will want to replace those crappy hangers in your closets that look Blaaa! with this new Hanger that looks impressively attractive, saves space and doesn’t damage your garments. This will clearly and directly promote your environmental message and impeccable taste.
Thanks Peter