145 Creative Hat Storage Ideas

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If you’ve got hats, you need these 145 hat storage ideas to best display and store your hat collection. There are inspiring ideas for all types and styles of hats. Storage ideas include: DIY projects for all skill levels, products for all budgets, specialty hat holders and creative hat rack ideas for all needs.

eight hats hanging on wooden rack with title text reading 145 Hat Storage Ideas.

Deciding where and how to store your hats involves considering several factors:

  • Keep them where they’re convenient to grab as you’re running out the door
    • On a hat rack stand by the front door
    • In a bin or on hooks on an empty wall by the garage door
  • Keep them where you can select one to match your outfit
  • Keep them where there is easy access
  • Protect them from dust, sunlight and being damaged
  • Keep them where you have enough space, which can be especially challenging in a studio apartment, dorm room or other small space

Think through these factors and how they apply to your space and your needs. Then look through my favorite hat storage ideas below to find the best way to keep your collection of hats.

How do you store hats without ruining them?

It’s important to be purposeful in how you choose to store your hat collection to best protect it.

  • Store hats so that they are protected from being damaged or crushed
    • Place cowboy hats and other structured hats upside down inside a hat box or container to keep the brim from bending over time
  • Keep hats out of direct sunlight
  • Keep hats, especially expensive or specialty items, protected from dust
  • Allow hats to air out prior to storage to allow moisture to evaporate
  • If you hang the hat, do it so that it isn’t bent or twisted
    • Hang baseball caps by the adjustable fastener in the back
    • Hang hats by a tag or loop inside the hat
  • When using clips to hang a hat, protect the hat fabric from the pressure of the clip
    • Place the clip on a fastener, loop or tag so that it doesn’t make a permanent impression on the hat
    • Place tissue paper on the hat to pad it and protect it from the clip
  • You can nest hats inside each other to save space, but only place hats of the same shape inside each other to prevent stretching and misshaping
  • When nesting hats, place the heaviest hat on the bottom
  • Delicate hats or ones with embellishments or lace should be stored alone to protect fabrics
  • Knit winter hats should not be hung on hooks or with clips that may snag the yarn
  • Knit hats should be placed in a bin or in hanging pocket organizers
  • Berets can be stacked or rolled to prevent creasing
woman holding light colored sun hat in front of her face.

Hat Storage Products

Hat Box

Hat boxes can be place on a shelf in the closet, stacked on the floor or displayed on a dresser or other furniture.

Traditional round hat boxes protect hats from being crushed and from dust. They can also be the perfect way to add an eye-catching décor flair to your space.

2 white hat boxes with blue and green floral design stacked.
grey and white round rope basket with lid opened.
2 black and white round hat boxes stacked.
3 round pink hat boxes in different sizes stacked with one box's lid opened.
large black and white hat box with rope handle.
2 white and grey marble design round hat boxes with lids sitting side by side.

Clear storage boxes are a great way to be able to immediately see each hat while also protecting them from dust and being crushed.

2 stacks of clear storage boxes with colorful baseball hats.
"black fabric hat box with lid opened showing straw hat with stack of straw hats nearby.
2 rectangular storage bags with clear front and black handles, both filled with baseball hats.

Storage for Sun Hats

Sun hat storage should protect the larger, and often delicate, brim from bending or creasing. This means that sun hats often require larger storage boxes or solutions.

round tan fabric hat box with lid open holding white and blue sun hat.
grey flannel fabric round hat box with clear front and black handle hanging on wood peg.
black, round hat box with straw hat strapped into 2nd open hat box.

Other hat boxes

5 brown boxes with black images of hat.
grey fabric storage box with clear window, filled with straw hats.
3 white with green leaf pattern stacked boxes.

Hat Storage for the Closet

Grey fabric hanging shelf unit with hats and shoes on shelves.
black rack with silver metal clips holding baseball hats.
Grey fabric shelf unit hanging from black rod with brightly colored hats on shelves.
2 silver hangers with clips holding baseball hats.
hook with black strap hanging and holding colorful baseball hats.
2 grey fabric hanging shelves, each holding 4 baseball hats.

Bins and Baskets for Hat Storage

grey fabric basket with handles and black text saying "caps".
tan and grey bins with lids and handles stacked.
dark grey fabric bin with metal grommet handles.
4 black metal wire locker style baskets, one holding shoes and 1 with books.
3 open light grey fabric bins with chunky white rope handles.
white fabric bin with black handles and text that says, 'hats, gloves, scarves' in script font.
3 light tan fabric low profile open bins with handles on front and sides.
2 clear open rectangular acrylic bins with handles.
2 large square clear acrylic bins with handles.

Wall Hat Racks

red hat and grey scarf on wood wall rack.
baseball hats stacked vertically in white holder.
2 horizontal rods with black clips holding baseball hats.
2 brown wood accordion peg racks holding a hat and scarf.
2 black horizontal rods with black S hooks holding baseball caps.
2 brown wood wall racks with vertically placed hooks to hold hats.
11 individual white curved hooks with one holding a baseball cap.
2 natural rope macrame wall hangings with wood clothes pins to hold hats.
multiple clear acrylic wall ledge hooks with a baseball hat hanging from one.
natural rope macramé wall hanging with 3 cowboy hats inserted into the design.
white accordion style wall rack with pegs.
3 black metal wall racks designed to hold hats.
3 black metal modern tree branch style vertical hooks holding hats and scarves.
3 black industrial plumbing pipe style hat racks.
2 horizontal black coat racks with hooks.
2 ornate black hat racks, with one holding a hat.
divided metal wire bins with wood top.
wood wall rack with 3 metal wire locker style bins and black metal hooks.
2 muslin colored fabric pouches handing from black metal handles.

Over-the-door Hat Racks

Over-the-door storage options take advantage of space that is otherwise unused. This is particularly helpful in homes with limited space.

2 black straps holding basewball hats from top to bottom of white door.
grey fabric panel with clear pockets holding baseball caps attached to door.
strap hanging from top of white door holding baseball caps.
round metal holders hanging from hooks to go over top of door.
2 black metal hangers to go over top of door with hooks for hats, one is holding a straw hat.
white metal horizontal over-the-door rack with 4 rows of hooks.

Freestanding Hat Racks

industrial style black metal plumbing pipe hat tree.
black metal hat tree with silver metal hat holders.
traditional looking wood hat tree.
curved black metal hat tree.
store display style hat rack on wheels holding hats.
narrow, tall black metal hat rack.

Baseball Hat Rack and Storage

2 black suitcase style baseball cap storage.
White metal rack holding baseball caps vertically on wood shelf in closet.
4 vertical cube shelves with doors, with 2 open cubes holding stacked baseball caps.

Under-the-Bed Storage

Covered containers that can be stored under the bed allow you to take advantage of hidden space and is a good idea for small rooms or homes.

grey fabric bin with clear front and top and black handles, holding baseball caps.
"2 grey fabric storage bins with handles and 4 interior compartments stacked.
4 plastic clear rolling bins with blue handles and wheels.

Storage Unit

You may already have furniture pieces that will provide easy storage. Items can be repurposed to become a hat storage area:

  • Dresser
  • Shoe rack
  • Blanket ladder with shelves
  • Bookcase
  • China cabinet
  • Toy cubby cabinet
white shelving unit with three levels of four square compartments each.
black cube style shelf with 16 cubbies.
low profile 8 cubby white shelf with 3 cream fabric bins.
black metal shelf with 3 brown horizontal shelves.
white horizontal shelf unit with 3 shelves.
tall black metal 10 shelf unit holding shoes and 2 wicker baskets.

Hat Display Stand

Wig stands or similar are a fun, decorative way to both display and store hats. Choose a hat stand that fits with your décor, hat style and personality.

3 black metal rounded hat stands, with 2 holding hats.
2 ornate brass metal hat stands.
2 clear acrylic hat stands, with one holding a straw hat.
2 industrial style black metal and wood hat stands, with 1 holding a blue hat.
2 black hats stands of different heights, with a black ball to hold the hat, 1 is holding a red hat.
2 black hat racks resembling weight lifting weights with a hand placing a grey hat on one.

Cowboy Hat Rack Ideas

wood wall rack holding 4 cowboy hats upside down and with 2 baseball caps hanging from hooks.
metal wall rack with arms to hold 4 hats, holding 1 cowboy hat upside down and metal star embellishments on rack.
5 individual metal racks to holding brown cowboy hats perpendicular to wall.
black fabric 5 shelf organizer hanging from black rod and holding 5 cowboy hats.
5 black metal hooks with bent arms, one holding a cowboy hat vertically flush to wall.
cowboy hat hanging on black hook from back of car seat.
wood rack mounted above door holding 2 cowboy hats upside down.
metal wall rack with star holding 2 cowboy hats with 3rd open rack.
2 hat hooks made from horseshoes with 1 holding a cowboy hat.

DIY Hat Storage Ideas

These ideas range from simply repurposing an existing item, to simple DIY projects, to more complicated DIY hat rack ideas.

Hang hats on a coat tree you already have and turn it into a hat rack.

left image empty coat rack, right image many hats on hat rack.

Protect hats from dust by storing them in a dresser drawer.

Add small hooks to a wooden pallet. You can lean the wood pallet against the wall or hang it on the wall if you have extra space for it.

A coat rack with hooks or pegs hanging on the wall can hold hats.

Attach decorative hooks directly to the wall to create a focal wall and admire your hat collection.

Use shower curtain rings on a closet rod to hang baseball hats. See it in action at Passion, Pink and Pearls.

Stack baseball hats on top of each other on a closet shelf sorted by size or by different colors.

Add wooden clothespins to a length of twine nailed to the the wall. Use the clothespins to hang hats.

Use curtain hooks with a clamp on a closet rod to clip the brim of hats. Always check the tension of the clip so it doesn’t mark the hat brim.

Use hooks on peg board to hang hats. Add a frame around the peg board and create functional art. Tutorial from Rebecca Propes.

Stack hats on a mannequin or wig head.

Spray paint a thrifted picture frame, add wire mesh and S hooks to create a hat hanger.

Hang hats on nails or hooks in the wall. You can even use Command Hooks for hanging hats.

box of white command hooks with red label.
eight pegs to mount on wall and hang hats from.
white curved hat hooks one holding a red hat.

Add plastic shower curtain rings to tension rods to create a hat organizer for baseball hats.

If you have limited storage space, place a shelf over the door and store hats out of the way but keep them easily accessible.

Hang an inexpensive curtain rod on the wall. Add shower curtain hooks with clips to hang hats. See similar tutorial from Darling Darleen.

Repurpose an old hanging light fixture and place hats on the arms of the fixture. See it here on Facebook.

Add S hooks to a length of chain hung from the wall, the ceiling or the back of a door.

Add doorknobs to a wood plank to hang hats.

straw hat with black band.

Add hooks to old skis or skateboards to create a hat rack to hang on the wall.

Use plumbing pipe supplies to create hooks directly on the wall or on a piece of wood hung on the wall. A tutorial from Pretty Handy Girl and another tutorial from A Piece of Rainbow.

Add wood clothespins to repurposed wire oven racks hung on the wall to hang hats.

Add cup hooks to an old wood ladder and hang the ladder horizontally on the wall or stand it vertically against the wall.

Tie macrame thread to a bamboo rod and add hooks or wood clothespins to hang hats on the wall. Tutorial from Gypsy Tan. To create a copper hat rack, change out the bamboo rod for a piece of copper pipe or even spray paint a wooden dowel rod with metallic copper paint.

Hang a repurposed wood score board with pegs on the wall as a unique display for hats. See the tutorial on Improvised Life.

Add small hooks to a tree branch and hang it on the wall. Add hooks to a tree trunk for vertical hat stand. You can paint the wood or leave it natural.

Attach hooks or pegs to a door or wood shutter to create a door hat rack. If you’d like a more rustic or farmhouse look, use a door with distressed wood or paint.

What is great about hat storage ideas?

Whether you’re a hat collector or just need a simple hat rack, finding the right hat storage solution:

  • Protects hats in storage
  • Makes it easy to access hats when you want to wear them
  • Makes limited space work for storage
  • Provides a stylish way to display your favorite hats
  • Can be found in styles to match your own décor
    • Rustic styles
    • Simple designs
    • Unique designs
  • Can work in any space in your home

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Be sure to pin these hat storage ideas so you can find them again when you begin organizing your hats.


You can find all our best storage and organizing tips in the table below. You can scroll though the table and look for ideas or search for specific ideas with the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner (on desktop). Click on the topic and then click through the specific article.

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One Comment

  1. Wow, that’s a lot of options for storing hats! No more excuses for leaving them laying around if it’s not part of the decor. Great post!

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