How to Roll, Store, and Organize Your Belt Collection

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Plus, learn which belts can be rolled and which need to be hung up

Co-authored by Caitlin Jaymes and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: July 1, 2024 Fact Checked

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How to Roll Up a Belt

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Storing Rolled Belts

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Hanging Your Belts

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Rolling vs. Hanging Belts

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Video

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Tips

If you have a lot of different belts, storing them properly can save a ton of space in your wardrobe and make it easier to find what you’re looking for quickly. Proper belt storage can also increase the longevity of your belts and make them easier to pack while you're traveling. In this article, we’ll show you the best way to roll your belts for travel and storage, plus explore all of your many belt storage options from belt racks to drawer dividers to specialty belt organizer boxes. Read on to find your perfect solution!

The Best Way to Roll a Belt

To roll a belt, slide the end of the belt downward over the top of the buckle (like you’re fastening your belt the wrong way) to make a big loop. Start rolling the end of the belt inside the loop until the entire thing is rolled up with the buckle on the outside. Fasten with a hair tie to secure it.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Roll Up a Belt

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1
Slide the end of the belt the “wrong way” through the buckle. Grab the buckle in one hand and the end of the belt in the other. Instead of sliding the belt upward through the buckle like normal, slide it downward through the top so that the end of the belt is inside the resulting loop.^{[1]
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- You can hold the belt up or lay it out on a flat surface—whichever is easiest!
2
Roll up your belt from the inside of the loop. Lay your belt down on a flat surface and start twisting the end of the belt (now located in the center of the big loop) into a roll. Keep twisting until you start to feel resistance and the belt looks neatly rolled with the buckle on the outside.^{[2]
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- Try not to wind up your belt super tight, as it might start to look wavy or bent when you eventually unroll it.
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3
Slide a hair tie around the belt to secure it for travel or storage. Simply slide the hair tie around the belt to hold your roll in place. This is a great option if you’re traveling and want to keep your belt compact or are worried about it unraveling.^{[3]
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- Don’t use a rubber band, as the raw elastic can wear on your belt and rub on the leather or fabric.

Section 2 of 4:

How to Store Rolled Up Belts

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Put your rolled up belts in a sock or clothing drawer. Stack the belts side to side to conserve space, standing them up on their buckles if they won’t stay upright.^{[4]
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Research source} Grouping them by color or style will help you find the right belt when you want to wear one.
- Tip: For extra organization, consider putting drawer dividers in your drawer to give each belt its own spot.
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Place rolled-up belts in a separate container to keep them organized. Store your belts in a basket, box, or small container. Just stand them up on the buckle side and stack them side-by-side in your container.^{[5]
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Research source} If you like to keep your accessories separated and organized, this is a great option!
- Tip: If you’re feeling extra ambitious about belt storage, consider getting a special belt storage bin with dividers for even tighter organization. These can be used horizontally or vertically, depending on your display preference and space.
EXPERT TIP

Caitlin Jaymes
Professional Organizer
Caitlin Jaymes is a Closet Organizer and Fashion Stylist based in Los Angeles, California. With a background in Fashion PR and Fashion Design, she specializes in creating wardrobes for her clients with pieces they already own. She has experience working with celebrities, editorial shoots, and men and women of all ages. Caitlin uses fashion and organization to help instill and influence confidence, ambition, and stress-free lifestyles for all her clients. She runs her business by two guiding principles: “fashion has no rules, only guidance on how to look and feel your best” and “life has too many stressors, don’t let clutter be one of them.” Caitlin’s work has been featured on HGTV, The Rachael Ray Show, VoyageLA, Liverpool Los Angeles, and the Brother Snapchat Channel.

Caitlin Jaymes
Professional Organizer

Our Expert Agrees: If you have a lot of belts, try rolling them so the emblem faces outward, then store them in acrylic bins. The containers are inexpensive, but the finished result looks very luxurious.
Try a hanging shoe rack to store rolled belts vertically in your closet. Running low on shelf or drawer space? Hang a shoe organizer in your closet and stuff the cubbies with your belt collection. You could even use this to store a combo of belts, shoes, and other accessories all in one place if you like!
If you want to show off your belt collection, a small display cubby is a great storage option. Look for cubbies that match your bedroom or closet design and set them on top of dressers, on large closet shelves, or against the wall (if they’re tall enough to sit on the floor). You could even mount the cubbies higher up on your wall for a true display cabinet effect.

Section 3 of 4:

Best Ways to Hang Belts

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1
Hang an over-the-door belt rack over a closet or bedroom door. These racks have large, flat brackets you slide over the top of a door, adding quick, vertical belt storage to any door in your home. Simply hang up belts by their buckles on the pegs or hooks on the rack.
- These kinds of racks are also ideal for ties, keys, or other accessories you prefer to hang up.
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Try a closet rod belt organizer to hang belts among your clothes. These belt racks look somewhat like regular clothes hangers, but with many small hooks or pegs attached to hang multiple belts on them. Simply hang these on your closet rod by the large hook on top, then hang up your belts by the buckles.^{[6]
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- Some styles look like a flat, horizontal plank with hooks beneath, while others are shaped like traditional clothes hangers with additional hooks on them.
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Hang a belt ring organizer on a closet rod. This sort of belt hanger looks like a ring and has a hook at the top that allows you to hang it in your closet. The side of the ring has a tiny opening. Slide the buckle through this opening and around the ring.^{[7]
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- You can hang multiple belts on this belt hanger. Or, you can purchase multiple smaller rings if you prefer one belt per hanger.
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Mount a belt rack on a wall or door. For a more permanent storage option, consider a more durable wall mount. These look like thin boards with pegs or hooks on them that you screw or nail into place. Simply hang your belt buckles around the hooks on the belt rack.^{[8]
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- You can typically hang multiple belts on each hook when using a belt rack if needed.
- Closet walls, closet doors, or even bedroom doors are great places for these.
- DIY tip: You can create your own custom belt rack with a wooden plank and some cup hooks. Make small pilot holes for the hooks, then screw the sharp threaded ends into the holes by rotating them clockwise.^{[9]
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Mount a sliding or pull-out belt rack to save wall space. These racks look like thin planks with pegs or hooks mounted within a long bracket. The plank slides in and out of the bracket for easier access. These racks are great for mounting on closet walls or inside cabinets; just slide the rack outward to grab your belt, then slide it back in and close the closet or cabinet door to completely hide it.^{[10]
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Section 4 of 4:

Should you roll or hang your belts?

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Essentially, any belt can be rolled as long as it won’t damage the material (for example, leather belts that can crack with rolling).^{[11]
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Research source} Opt to roll belts with delicate or fabric buckles too, as hanging these may eventually warp or break them.
Generally, it’s best to hang leather belts or belts made from materials that may crack, stretch, or deform when rolled tightly for long periods of time. If you must roll a leather belt in particular, clean and condition it regularly to maintain its shine and last longer.^{[12]
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Tips

Apply leather conditioner to your leather belts 1–2 times a year to prevent cracks and maintain their sheen.

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Try organizing your belts by color to help you keep track of them and save time when you need to find a belt quickly.

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