How to: DIY Purse Hangers

Organize your purses by using coat and hat hooks.

Purses are fashionable and functional accessories, and women typically have a collection of handbags in their closet in different colors and styles to suit nearly every occasion. If your closet is full of clothes and accessories that you just can't part with, you might want to think about making a closet hanger to organize your purses. A purse hanger can help you organize your handbags so they don't end up on your closet floor. Additionally, you can make a table top hanger. This type of hook suspends your purses from table-tops to help keep them free of dirt and germs found on floors.

Things You'll Need

• Closet Hanger:
• Measuring tape
• A piece of wood
• Stud Finder
• Pencil
• Screws
• Drill
• Hooks (with two prongs)
• Table Purse Hook:
• Pliers
• Clothes wire hangers (3)
• Masking tape
• Decorative ribbon
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Brooch, buttons or beads

Instructions

Closet Hanger

1. Take everything out of your closet. Look around your closet and decide on where you would like to put your purse hanger.

2. Choose an area of the wall that is at least 4 feet, horizontally, in length. Make sure that you select a spot that is easily accessible. Measure the wall length with your measuring tape to make sure it can accommodate a piece of wood that is 4 feet long.

3. Go to a hardware store or lumberyard to select a piece of wood. Ask the clerks about any remnant pieces because these are normally marked down. Choose a piece of wood that is about one-half foot wide and anywhere from 4 to 6 feet in length. Have fun with this step! Look for exotic woods such as Purple Heart or Mahogany.

4. Purchase six to eight coat and hat hooks that have two prongs on each one. Choose hooks with vertically placed prongs (one atop the other), or hooks that have two prongs beside each other, to create more space for handbags on your purse hanger.

5. Use your stud finder to find the studs in your wall. Mark these areas with a pencil. Position the piece of wood you chose on the wall in your closet. Make sure that both ends (about one-half inch from each end) line up with the studs you located.

6. Drill two screws (about one-half inch from each end) into both ends in a vertical manner so your board is tightly secured against the wall.

7. Use your measuring tape and mark with your pencil the areas where you want your hooks to be placed. Space them out evenly and stagger them (in a zigzag manner) so that every other hook is higher than the last one. This way, you can hang purses with longer straps on the higher hooks. Use your drill to secure the hooks to the wood.

8. Organize your purses on the hooks. You have two prongs on each one so you can place more than once purse on each hook.

Table Purse Hangers

1. Use pliers to straighten the tops of the wire hangers by flattening the hook portions so you are left with 90-degree angles on each one.

2. Cut the hangers on both sides about six to seven inches past the bottom of the hook portion. Bring both side wires together and twist them so they stay together. Do this to all three wire hangers.

3. Bend the cut portions of the hangers (about four inches below the center area) down to form a backwards "C" form. Bend it as close to a 90-degree angle as you can--without breaking the wires. Do this to all three hangers. Put another 90-degree bend into all of the wires about one and a half inches away from the ends.

4. Bring all three modified hangers together. Tightly wrap masking tape around all of the hangers to fasten them to each other. Then, put a bead of hot glue down the length of the wire to the first bend. Quickly wrap thick ribbon around the hanger. Overlap the ribbon onto itself so you don't see the masking tape beneath it. Use a hot glue gun to fasten the remainder of the ribbon on the hanger and to keep the end piece in place.

5. Add a decorative button, or brooch, or affix beads to the top area with the hot glue gun. Wait for the glue to cool. Place your hook on a table and hang your purse on the hook. It should sit suspended under the table. Remove the hanger from the table when it is not needed and store for future use.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use the closet hanger for other accessories such as belts and scarves.

References

• Local Hard Wear: Purse Hangers and Key Finders
• Restoration Hardware: Hooks
• Artists Helping Children: Wire Hanger Crafts for Kids

Resources

• Blue Moon Goods: Purse Hooks