15 Creative Coat Storage Solutions That'll Work Well In Any Space

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Are coats overrunning your house? Maybe you don't have a coat closet, or it's simply already overflowing with the family's outerwear. Or, your kids' jackets might always end up on the floor, on the back of chairs, or wherever they happen to land. And when you have guests over, you need to find spots for those extra coats. Fortunately, you don't need to build a whole new coat closet or make massive changes to your home. Simple solutions that you can use almost anywhere do the trick, and many of the ideas — like tree branch hooks and photo frame hangers — double as decor to dress up the wall.

Before you start installing coat hooks everywhere, consider downsizing your outerwear collection, especially if many of the jackets don't get worn often. With a smaller collection, you'll need fewer storage areas or have extra room for guests. While many of our coat storage suggestions, like the accordion-style wall hooks, vintage doorknobs, and tripod rack, work well in entryways, they work just as well in bedrooms, closets, and other areas that need more organization. An upcycled drawer front or a portable garment rack fits the theme for bedroom storage. You can also use the hook ideas as decor — flip-down hooks look like wall art, and options like a rustic shutter, an industrial pipe rack, and an upcycled decorative tray enhance the design style of the space, while offering jacket storage. These coat racks are creative storage ideas for a clutter-free entryway, bedroom, mudroom, or other spaces.

Coat storage can be as simple as attaching metal hooks to a board. The inspiration for this project uses pallet wood as the board — the one safety check you can't skip before working with wood pallets is making sure the wood wasn't treated with chemicals. Or, use new wood to avoid chemical concerns. Then, cut the board to length, stain or paint it, and screw in your choice of hooks — 4 to 6 inches apart is ideal spacing. You can screw the rack to any wall at your preferred height.

Upcycling an old wooden tray is a decorative option for coat storage when you don't have a closet. Start by painting or staining the tray to coordinate with the room. Add hand-painted or stenciled details, or add vinyl cutouts to customize the rack. Along one of the long edges, screw in small knobs or hooks to create the coat storage area. This creative option is a smaller coat rack, which makes it easy to fit onto the wall almost anywhere.

There are plenty of brilliant ways to repurpose an accordion hook rack in your home, but we think a classic coat rack is perfect. Install a pre-made option, like the Scunda Accordion Wall Hanger, or DIY one to customize the overall size of the rack and thickness of the boards. You'll need several narrow pieces of wood to create the criss-crossing pattern. Thick wood pegs at the corners create the hooks for your coats and accessories. Finish the wood with any combination of paint or stain to create a hanging rack that complements the room.

Don't pass up the opportunity to grab old drawer fronts (or even the full drawer) — they're perfect for upcycling projects like a coat rack. Drawer fronts often have decorative shaping and finished edges already, so they don't need much work — paint or stain the wood and add decals or stenciling if desired. You can also add decorative wooden trim to create depth. When you're happy with the look, attach multiple decorative knobs across the center as coat hangers and attach it to your wall.

Making a coat rack is one of many clever ways to repurpose unwanted door knobs. Head to an antique store, thrift store, or estate sale, and collect interesting glass or metal vintage door knobs — you'll use them in place of hooks to hang coats. You can use the full unit with the metal plate behind it or just the knob itself. Attach several old door knobs to one long shelf or board, or cut a small piece of wood for a single doorknob coat hanger. 

For a DIY version of this tripod-style coat rack, you'll need three thick wooden dowels or rounded posts, which you'll screw together in the tripod shape. You can finish the wood in any way you want. The inspiration project uses a strip of leather to tie around the spot where the three dowels meet, creating the illusion that the leather is holding it together. Because of its narrow profile, this coat rack fits easily into an entryway or another room without taking up a lot of floor space.

For an industrial look, create a simple coat rack with black pipes. You'll need two floor mounts to afix the pipes to the wall or a board. Two 12-inch pipes attach to the floor mounts with 90-degree elbows attached to the other ends of the pipes. This creates the arms. Then, all you need is one long pipe to create the rod where you'll hang your coats on hooks or hangers. You can mount it to the wall in an industrial living room, entryway, or garage, or hang it inside of a closet.

If you're updating your living room, creating a coat rack is one of the clever ways to repurpose a TV cabinet. You can take off the doors or leave them on, and refinish the cabinet based on the room where you're going to put it. Remove any shelves in the upper portion of the cabinet, so you have one large space for hanging coats. Then, simply install a closet rod inside the cabinet near the top, ensuring the location allows you to put hangers on the rod easily. 

Garment racks are portable and easy to set up anywhere, from your entryway to your bedroom, to hold your outerwear. A simple DIY version uses length of PVC pipe to create the legs, uprights, and bar to run horizontally. Or, set up a pre-made rolling version, like this Sakugi Metal Clothes Rack. The casters on the bottom make this stand easier to move, which is perfect for use in different space. Simply place several hangers on the crossbar of the rack and position it far enough from the wall so the hangers aren't obstructed.

Create a flip-down wall-mounted coat rack that looks like wall art by attaching several narrow boards together. Some of the shorter boards are attached to longer stationary boards using sturdy dowels. That way, they can flip out to create hooks when needed. When not in use, the smaller boards flip back against the wall to create a flat, decorative wood piece. While you can make this rack on your own, it takes a lot of cuts and precise alignment to allow the pegs to move. If DIYing isn't your thing, the Umbra Sticks Wall-Mounted Coat Rack offers a pre-made version. 

There are many ways to repurpose shutters around your home, including making a simple coat rack. Wood shutters are ideal, because you can paint or stain them easily for a custom look. Look for a shutter with a wide enough border to fit a few coat hooks or knobs onto it. You'll get the most hanging space if you turn the shutter sideways and attach the hooks along the long bottom edge. The slats add texture to the display and give your coat rack personality.

Have an old floor lamp? Give it a new purpose as a freestanding coat rack. Remove the shade and bulb fitting to turn the top into a coat rack. You can cover the existing post with a PVC pipe painted to match the piece if you want it to be taller. Add a decorative finial at the top, and screw in some hooks to hold your coats, hats, and purses. Bonus points if the lamp has a built-in table — when placed in an entryway, the table portion offers a spot to put your phone, glasses, and other items.

A freestanding coat rack is a space-saving option, and you can DIY one using 2-by-4 boards as the base, and a 4-by-4 post as the column. For an earthy, rustic look, stain the pieces, or paint the wood for a neutral, smooth finish. The hooks get installed near the top of the post — stagger the location on each side. Use a simple metal hook or get creative by using railroad spikes or door knobs. If you use a reclaimed metal item, remove any rust and seal the metal to keep coats clean.

If you're creating coat storage for family members, customize it with framed photos above the hooks. Using a piece of plywood as the base, attach photo frames to the plywood with hooks below them. You can paint everything the same color or use contrasting finishes on the frames and hooks. For even more personalization, stencil names below each picture frame. If you want to make this coat rack more general, use nature photos or art prints in the frames, instead of portraits of family members.

This coat rack starts with boards to create a frame. Then, grab thick tree branches that have angled offshoots that will work as hooks for a jacket. Cut the branch sections to fit between the frame. You'll nail the branches in place between the frame, leaving space between them to accommodate the coats. This part is easier if you leave the top off of the frame to install the branches, adding the top in place once the branches are secure.