The 10 Best Portable Closets
Special Honors
Ebern Designs Cecilton 59.06-Inch Portable Wardrobe The frame of the Cecilton 59.06-Inch Portable Wardrobe consists of strong steel tubes and tight plastic connectors to hold everything in place. It has one tall section in the center for hanging long items such as dresses or winter coats, and 12 shelves for other stuff. Conveniently, its doors roll up and tie back via Velcro straps to let you have an overview of your wardrobe. wayfair.com
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2020:
In choosing our portable closets, we wanted to make sure our selections had features that let them mimic a permanent armoire. We also looked for models with a good variety of shelving, so users with all sorts of storage needs could likely find something on our list. Strong materials were a priority too, since we understand people often pick up and move their portable closets.
The Langria Heavy Duty did not live up to its name, as its wire shelving actually bends quite easily, so we eliminated it during this update. Meanwhile, the Whitmor Garment Organizer has a tendency to tilt to one side, putting it at risk for falling over entirely, so we also removed that product. The Kousi Armoire turned out to be very fragile and breaks under very little weight, so we eliminated that, as well. We added several strong pieces to make up for those we discarded. The Honey-Can-Do WRD-01271 earned a place thanks to its steel frame, as did the Maginels Cube Armoire, which has steel wire shelves and ABS plastic connectors. We also added the Homebi Wardrobe, which has a durable metal frame.
Those looking for something to add a little style to their room might like the Morning Business Super Large, which comes in charming patterns, or the Greenstell DIY Plastic Stackable, which has an attractive leaf motif.
If you are concerned with dust and debris landing on your clothing, you may like that the Songmics 34 Inch, the Songmics Non-Woven Wardrobe, and the Dporticus Corner Wardrobe have long covers. Each of these also has shelves of varying heights, so you can store small accessories like handbags or shoes in some sections, and hang long items on coat hangers in the others.
May 31, 2019:
By definition, a portable closet will never be as sturdy as the wall mounted, permanent closets, but we sought out a variety of solutions that won't fall apart, (provided they aren't overloaded) but it is important to check the weight limits of each choice to see if they will accommodate what you'd like to store.
If you're looking to store heavier items, the Langria Heavy Duty surpasses the other brands with the amount of weight it can bear, making it worth the higher price point. In addition, if keeping out pests is a priority, the cover has velco on the edges to keep it securely closed.
The compact Songmics 34 Inch will not hold nearly as much weight as the Langria, but it offers safety straps that, when installed, will provide users with a more stable unit. The high quality of the Songmics fabric covers make all of the brand's models on this list a popular choice.
The Benefits Of Proper Organization
And while in use, their generous size and modular design offers easy storage space for all that which previously had no dedicated home.
Keeping your home properly organized and free of clutter plays an important role in keeping unnecessary stress from creeping into your life. While it's not necessary to fully embrace the tenets of feng shui, which involves the achievement of an ideal, harmonious balance in one's surroundings, it is helpful to have a dedicated home for all the various accessories of your daily life. When every object you regularly use has a dedicated "home" for those times when it is not in use, you will save yourself time and frustration by avoiding an exhaustive search.
One of the largest obstacles to proper organization comes from a dearth of physical space available for storage. Most homes offer a limited amount of dedicated, built-in storage space such as closets and cabinets, and most pieces of furniture in a home quickly fill up. Beyond the room in the garage or attic (presuming one lives in a single family residence in the first place) or the bins under the bed, there tends to be limited real estate in a home that can be utilized for effective, versatile storage. Most items of furniture are purpose-built, with dressers accommodating smaller articles of clothing, for example, and cannot be used for storing a wide range of items.
To compensate for the limited flexible storage space available in the home, we see the popularity of the portable closet. These handy units can be quickly and easily set up when needed and just as readily removed and deconstructed when not. And while in use, their generous size and modular design offers easy storage space for all that which previously had no dedicated home.
Why Portable Closets Make Sense
Portable closets are great storage solutions for many reasons, but they offer one benefit over all others: in most parts of the country (and the world), storage needs tend to shift several times throughout the year. During the cold winter months you will want ready access to your jackets, scarves, gloves, heavier shoes, and so forth, and erecting a portable closet in a bedroom, mudroom, or foyer might make perfect sense. In the summertime, you might need much less clothing and you might be able to stow your winter apparel away in boxes and deconstruct that closet.
If you can accept the appearance of a portable closet in your smaller home, then you will create much more free space to enjoy.
While most portable closets aren't aesthetically pleasing enough to be welcomed as permanent fixtures in a bedroom or entryway, options are durable and sturdy enough to serve for years of use, so consider putting a portable closet in a basement or garage where it will be less visible but still helpful for storing those items you need to access all year round. And that always available dedicated storage space means less stress, and that's something you will enjoy in all seasons.
Many college students or those living in smaller studio or efficiency apartments also turn to the portable closet as a semi-permanent storage solution. There are portable closets available that can accommodate a dozen pairs of shoes, multiple hanging garments, and a host of folded shirts, skirts, and pants with ease. If you can accept the appearance of a portable closet in your smaller home, then you will create much more free space to enjoy.
A portable closet can be a great way to make houseguests who will be spending a good number of days visiting feel welcome, while also ensuring that their belongings don't take over your home. This can also be true during your own temporary move, when a room is being repainted or is otherwise undergoing renovation or repair that necessitates your temporary vacancy.
Portable closets are also helpful for use during the production of a television program, a movie, or a stage play. These units can help keep costumes and props sorted and maintained for the duration of a project, and can then be tucked away back into the production company's storage space at the conclusion of the program or the show.
Choosing The Right Portable Closet
Even the most expensive portable closet money can buy is still relatively inexpensive. When it comes to selecting a portable closet, consider your needs, not your pocketbook. Some portable closets feature multiple shelves, and can be used as everything from a pop-up linen closet to a spot to store basketballs, soccer balls, baseball gloves, and helmets. Other units offer plentiful hanging space and can help keep your dresses, slacks, and suits wrinkle-free and ready to wear.
But the chances are good that you won't find a portable closet that can do both.
But the chances are good that you won't find a portable closet that can do both. A portable closet does not follow the "Swiss Army Knife" approach in its design; it can serve properly in only a limited capacity.
Ironically, despite how easy a portable closet makes it to access its contents, often the best use of these items is for long term storage of things you don't often access. Many portable closets can be zipped shut, protecting garments, linens, and other sundries from insects and other pests. If you have a gown or tuxedo, for example, that you want to preserve but that you rarely wear, tucking a portable closet into the back corner of a basement or attic is a good way to keep your garment safe while keeping the rest of your home neater and less cluttered.