Instead of keeping items in drawers or locations with less-than-ideal lighting conditions, some people with visual impairments may prefer to use hanging storage organization tools that attach to walls, doors, or other vertical spaces. These hanging storage organizers place items within the line of sight so they are easier to locate, and also potentially easier to store compared to folding items or placing them in bins. Here are tips and strategies for organizing hanging storage with vision loss, inclusive of low vision and blind/nonvisual strategies.
Organizing hangers in a closet
Hanging items in a closet or on a clothing rod can be easier than folding them for people with visual impairments, because it requires less precision to hang items and hangers can also accommodate additional attachments that can be used for clothing identification. For example, someone could label hangers to indicate items that are a certain color, or hang an entire outfit on a hanger, using a soda can pull tab as a way of “extending” hangers so that multiple items can be stacked together or purchasing suit combo hangers.
When hangers are empty, individuals can choose to either leave them in their dedicated space on the rack, or corral them in a bin or designated section of the closet so that they don’t get in the way of other items. People who do not rely on hangers for identifying specific clothing items may benefit from the corralling option, as this makes it easier to locate hangers when putting clothes away.
Related links
- Organizing A Bedroom Closet For Vision Loss
- Organizing A Walk-In Closet With Vision Loss
- Organizing and Labeling Clothing When You Are Blind or Have Low Vision – VisionAware
Hanging shelves and organizers
In my first college dorm, I used two hanging shelving units with six sections in my closet space, which did not have a door. One hanging unit was dedicated to jeans and pants, where each section had items separated by color, and the bottom section had shorts or shorter items. The second unit contained outfits that I planned to wear for the next few days, with options to include pajamas for convenience or items I would need to change into when I got back from class. While I had other items on hangers between the two organizers, this helped a lot with saving space in my dorm, and also helped to address the dim lighting in my room first thing in the morning, which made it more difficult to locate items.
I also have hanging organizers for my earrings, which were a game changer for keeping pairs organized and making it easier to see them; my current organizer uses clear pockets to show different jewelry pieces inside. Instead of hanging it on a rod in my closet that may not have a well-lit area, I attach my hanging jewelry organizer to the inside of my door with a Command hook, hanging it about 6 feet (a little less than 2 meters) off the ground so that I can visually scan the organizer to locate my favorite pieces. Since my organizer is double-sided, I can also pick up the organizer and flip it to the other side, resting the hanger back on the hook.
Related links
- Tips For Keeping A Dorm Room Clean With Chronic Illness
- Organizing Jewelry With Vision Loss
- How To Hack An Accessible Dorm
Wall hooks and door hooks
Keeping items like jackets, robes, purses, and canes on wall hooks or door hooks ensures that I can quickly access them when needed, and also that they don’t get draped over a chair because I didn’t want to go look for a hanger. Command hooks are one option for hanging items, and I would attach them to a door or on the side of a wall so they were within my line of sight, and I could easily grab them on my way out the door. I also have smaller hooks for necklaces that I place on a cork board, which can aid in locating jewelry more quickly compared to having it in a box.
When I was in college pep band, I had dedicated hanging areas with Command strips for my uniform jersey, hat, and school colors cane so I could easily locate these items. My music binder/bag was too heavy to hang, so I placed this on the ground- the “shiny” coating of the bag meant that it was reflective against the lighting in my dorm room, so I could easily locate it.
Related links
- Twelve Blindness Cane Storage Solutions
- Adapting Band Uniforms For Photosensitivity and Sensory Overload
Over-the-door towel rack
While the over-the-door racks can be used for towels, they are my absolute favorite way to organize scarves, which can be looped around the bar while knotting one end through itself. To accommodate my scarf collection, I have one rack on each of my two closet doors, and organize scarves in rainbow order/by color. My towel rack also has two hooks on each side that can be used for hanging bulkier items, and I find items easier to locate with the natural light in my room compared to the less-bright lights in the closet.
Over-the-door towel racks can also be used to organize blankets, or plastic shower rings can be added to the bars to organize scarves, tank tops, or baseball caps.
Hanging shoe organizer
Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of hanging shoe organizers for low vision. While it’s good to keep shoes off the ground so they don’t disappear, hanging shoe organizers tend to be bulky or make it hard to close doors, and having smelly shoes right at eye level/nose level isn’t very appealing either. Instead, my family uses a hanging shoe organizer to organize gloves, hats, scarves, and other winter items so they don’t get lost somewhere else, or use them to store hats or other small products. This would be a great solution for bathroom/cleaning products instead of having them get lost in a drawer or dark closet!
Related links
- Organizing Shoes With Vision Loss
- Staying Warm With a Blindness Cane
- Getting Dressed With Assistive Technology For Vision Loss
Wall organization boards
I purchased the Perch modular wall organizer (then known as Urbio) back in 2015, and love using the magnetic modular containers to store items in my closet, at my desk, and in other areas around my space. Having the option to customize the layout of the Perch whenever I want makes it easier for me to store papers, folders, small assistive technology devices, whiteboards, or even just hanging decorative items like artificial flowers (or Lego flowers!) so I can see them more easily. Other magnetic hooks or decorations can also be placed on the modular organizers to provide even more storage options.
Related links
Other tips for organizing hanging storage with vision loss
- I prefer to organize items by color and length/style whenever possible, because I personally find it easier to identify items by color since my color vision is intact. A color reader is a device that can be used to help with organizing or identifying items by color, and can be used as a separate device or as a built-in feature for a visual assistance app
- When considering where to place hanging storage, ensure that the space is well-lit and has adequate lighting to aid in locating items. Learn more about lighting in Lighting And Low Vision
- This post was created for a project which covers topics related to tools and strategies for organizing clothes and dressing aids for vision loss, inclusive of low vision and blind/nonvisual access options. View more posts created for or updated as part of this series by visiting Closet Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
Published January 22, 2024. Updated November 2025