Article takeaways
- Clean and fully dry each tie before storing it, since trapped moisture is the top cause of mildew and fabric damage.
- Avoid sharp folds and tight creases. Rolling loosely, hanging, or laying ties flat all protect the fabric better than tight folding.
- Choose a storage method based on the tie’s material and how often you wear it, from a dedicated tie rack for daily rotation to breathable containers for long-term storage.
- Use breathable fabric bags or covers rather than sealed plastic, which traps moisture and can cause discoloration or mildew.
- A climate-controlled storage unit is worth considering for large tie collections, moves, downsizing, or any situation where home storage can’t reliably control temperature and humidity.
A poorly stored necktie comes out of storage looking worse than it went in.
Tossing a necktie into a drawer or cramming it into an overcrowded hanging rack can leave it wrinkled, warped, or tangled with other ties. It can also make the tie hard to find when you’re already running late for a business meeting.
It’s only natural for this chain of events to leave us wondering how to store neckties in a way that keeps them easy to find, ready to wear, and damage-free.
To store neckties without damaging them, clean and fully dry each tie before storage, avoid sharp folds or tight creases, and choose a storage solution based on the tie’s material and how often you wear it.
To store a necktie long term, you’ll want to utilize a climate-controlled environment free from moisture, pests, and temperature swings. The storage techniques differ depending on whether you’re putting your necktie in closet storage, seasonal storage, or packing your neckties before you move.
You might keep a small rotation of everyday ties for business casual days. Or you might store a growing tie collection of Father’s Day gifts collected over years. Either way, you have come to the right place. This guide covers necktie storage ideas and what to do when your wardrobe items need more room than your bedroom closet space allows.
Before You Store Your Neckties
A little prep work goes a long way toward keeping ties sharp and ready to wear, no matter which storage solutions you end up choosing:
- Check the care label and identify the material: Silk ties, wool ties, and blends all respond to folding, rolling, and humidity differently, so know what you’re working with before you pack anything away.
- Inspect each tie: Check for stains, odors, loose threads, pulls, or other fabric damage before it goes into storage.
- Clean or dry-clean ties: Clean or dry-clean your tie depending on the instructions and materials.
- Let cleaned ties dry completely: Dry the tie before folding, rolling, or hanging for storage. Never store a tie while it’s still damp, as trapped moisture damages fabric and causes mildew.
- Sort by how often they’re worn: Categorize your ties by daily use, seasonal ties, travel, special occasions, or long-term storage.
- Declutter duplicates: Sell or donate any ties that you have multiples of or are damaged beyond repair.
How to Store Neckties in a Closet
The ties you keep easily accessible in your closet should be the ones you rotate through daily, where they’re easy to grab and free of wrinkles and creases. The best closet tie storage technique is to carefully hang your ties from a dedicated tie rack or closet organizer.
Use a dedicated tie rack or closet organizer
A tie rack keeps your ties separated, visible, and easy to grab on the fly. Not only does hanging your ties streamline your morning routine. It also protects the fabric from wear caused by rubbing, folds, and creases.
Hanging tie racks and closet organizers come in lots of forms, each suiting different needs. Whether an over-the-door rack, tie hooks, wall-mounted hanging rack, or closet-rod attachment is best depends on your closet space and what else you’re keeping inside.
Don’t overcrowd the rack and avoid narrow hooks that can leave pressure marks. We suggest grouping ties by color, pattern, or occasion to make them easy to grab.
Hang ties carefully
Hanging works well for many silk ties and is a practical option if your closet already has the room. That said, stuffing or throwing them in the hanging rack or tie hooks can stretch or rub the fabric.
Hanging ties in direct sunlight, near heat sources, or in moist, damp, or humid spaces can cause fading or fabric damage.
Roll ties for drawer storage
Rolling ties is a space-saving technique that lets you take advantage of drawer storage, be it in your dresser or in a drawer-style organizer you can fit in your closet. But if you go the route of drawer storage, take care not to overtighten the roll.
A loose roll protects the tie’s shape and helps prevent creases. A tight roll, on the other hand, can cause friction to the fabric, creating wrinkles and creases and eventually damaging the tie’s shape.
Drawer dividers or drawer inserts help keep your ties rolled up, organized, and easy to find.
How to Store a Tie: 7 Necktie Storage Ideas
How to store a tie the best way depends on the size of your tie collection, the type of ties you’re storing, the storage space, and how often you wear them. Use whichever of the following 7 tie storage ideas makes the most sense for your situation:
| Idea | Best For | How to Do It | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated tie rack | Tie owners who wear ties often and want them visible at a glance | Mount a wall rack, closet-rod rack, or over-the-door tie rack, and space ties out so fabric doesn’t rub together | Overcrowding the rack and dust buildup; check periodically and wipe the rack down |
| Roll ties loosely in a drawer organizer | Tie owners with limited closet space or extra drawer storage | Roll each tie loosely, never tight, and use drawer dividers to keep them separated | Stacking heavier clothing on top of rolled ties, which can crush and crease them |
| Compartmentalized accessory box | Smaller collections, travel packing, or separating pocket squares and bow ties from long ties | Choose a tie box with compartments sized to the tie’s width to keep ties from tangling | Compartments that are too tight or fully sealed with no airflow |
| Garment or storage box for special occasions | Wedding ties, vintage ties, formal/”black ties,” and rarely worn ties | Use specialty storage boxes designed to protect sensitive fabrics and weaves from dust and UV rays | Boxes that aren’t clean, dry, or intended for textile storage |
| Organize by season, color, or occasion | Large tie collections worn only during certain seasons or events | Hang, roll into drawers, or fold flat in breathable garment bins; label bins by category | Using household containers that trap moisture, or stuffing ties into bins in a pile |
| Breathable protection for fabric accessories | Long-term storage where dust protection and airflow both matter | Use breathable fabric bags or garment covers rather than fully sealed containers or plastic bags | Substituting plastic bags, which trap moisture and cause discoloration or mildew |
| Climate-controlled space with other clothing | Moving, downsizing, seasonal rotation, or large collections that no longer fit at home | Store ties and other wardrobe items in a space with steady temperatures and low humidity | Storing in moist, hot, or humid places like attics, garages, and unfinished basements |
Use silica gel packs to absorb mold-and-mildew causing moisture if you’re keeping a collection in a climate-controlled storage or closet system. And for a fuller wardrobe beyond just neckties, the clothing storage space matters as much as the container and storage method, especially if you’re packing them up long-term.
How to Store Neckties Long Term
To store neckties long-term, start by cleaning and drying the tie thoroughly. Choose the appropriate storage method and location for your collection, keep an inventory of all the ties you put in storage, and inspect and air your ties out before you rotate them back into use.
The steps below break the long-term tie storage process down into four stages.
What Not to Do When Storing Neckties
- Don't store ties dirty, damp, or with food and body-oil residue still on the fabric.
- Don't create tight folds or stack heavy items on top of your stored ties.
- Don't leave valuable or delicate silk ties in direct sunlight or an uncontrolled damp space.
- Don't use a sealed container with trapped humidity without following best clothing storage and humidity management practices.
- Don't mix ties with items that can snag, stain, shed fibers, or transfer odors.
- Don't lose track of where ties are stored. Label containers and keep a simple inventory for anything in seasonal or long-term storage.
Is a Storage Unit a Good Place to Store Neckties?
For tie collections you pull from daily, a tie rack, drawer organizer, or tie box at home is a convenient storage solution. But a storage unit can make sense when you're packing and storing ties before a move, or you're reorganizing or renovating your bedroom or building a custom closet. If you're moving in with family or downsizing and need somewhere to keep the wardrobe items you only wear once in a while, putting your tie collection into a climate-controlled storage unit is a space-saving move.
If you're considering a storage unit, think about climate control, security solutions, 24/7 access hours, drive-up access, and the unit size you'll need to store your ties safely and effectively. These extra features may add to your monthly bill, but if you cut corners and ruin your tie collection, you've actually wasted money in the long run. Once you know what you need, our handy storage search tool can help you compare storage unit deals near you.
Quick Checklist for Storing Neckties
| Check the care label and identify the material. | |
| Clean and dry each tie before storage. | |
| Repair or set aside damaged ties. | |
| Choose a loose roll, dedicated rack, or suitable tie box based on the tie and how long it will be stored. | |
| Avoid sharp creases, crowding, moisture, pests, and direct sunlight. | |
| Label containers and group ties logically. | |
| Elevate containers when floor moisture is a possibility. | |
| Inspect ties before returning them to regular use. |
FAQs
How To Store Neckties with Storage.com
By now you should have a pretty good idea of how to store a necktie long-term or short-term. A small collection you use often may only need a single tie rack. But a large tie collection from years of gifts and wardrobe upgrades may need to be kept on a slide-out tie rack or pull-out tie rack in an off-site, climate-controlled storage unit.
Even if you're putting your ties into a fully loaded storage unit, you still need to employ the proper cleaning, packing, labeling, and inspection we described above. And if you're running out of climate-controlled storage options at home, take it as a sign you're ready for self storage.
You may want a storage unit with 24-hour access, so when you're getting ready to go out to dinner, you can pop by your storage unit on your way to pick out a tie. Why not keep a mirror in your unit so you can choose a tie that matches your outfit? And by that same logic, you'll probably want a unit close to your house and not out of the way.
But how do you find the right size storage unit that also has climate control, late-night access, and security features you need for all these necktie storage ideas?
That's where we come in.
Just punch your zip code into our handy Storage.com search tool below, and you'll see what we mean.
We'll filter through the thousands of local storage facilities across the U.S. listed on our site for you, making it easy to find the storage unit that best fits your storage needs. And if you ever have any questions, our storage representatives are just a phone call away!
