Smart ways to store awkward accessories like bags and sunglasses
7.4.2026
Translation: Elicia Payne
According to Raquel Dias, a home organisation coach, problem accessories include bags, belts and sunglasses. She’s learned how to deal with them and has shared her best storage tips with us.
«I’m insanely organised,» model Kendall Jenner boasts as she gives a camera crew from Vogue a tour of her walk-in closet. Tops, blouses, trousers, dresses – all the garments hang neatly alongside their counterparts. Within each category, Jenner’s also sorted the items (or rather, had them sorted) by colour. Not that there are many colours in her closet anyway. The only thing that seems to give her trouble is organising her bags: «I don’t know if anybody feels me, but it is the hardest thing in the world to figure out how to store bags sometimes.»
Before the cynic in me can respond, my gaze falls on the bottom shelf of my open wardrobe. Seven or eight handbags and canvas bags are crammed together awkwardly. I’ll leave the «the hardest thing in the world» point open to debate, but the solution to the problem certainly isn’t simple or obvious. Neither for Kendall Jenner, nor for me. So I set up a meeting with Raquel Dias. She lives in Zurich, works as an organisation coach, and has made it her profession to help people get rid of unnecessary clutter, eliminate chaos, and assign each item its designated place.
«Belts, bags, and sunglasses are the three problem categories – the latter two in particular tend to end up scattered all over the apartment,» says Dias. «That makes it hard to keep track of what you actually own.» When buying furniture, people simply don’t think about where to store these accessories. Shoes, sure, but that’s where it ends.»
Storing bags
So what can you do? Are you supposed to give them their own shelf or have custom-made furniture? Raquel Dias swears by a different method: «Accessories can easily get lost in drawers or compartments, and bags get squashed – in the worst case, they even lose their shape. That’s why I like to hang everything up – just like in a boutique. To do this, I’ll look for wall hooks or pipe brackets at the hardware store – at least 30-40 centimetres long – that can be mounted on the wall. Then I hang the bags up in a line so I can always see everything and easily reach them.»
Source: Niki via Pexels
«If you put them next to your wardrobe or in a ‘dead corner’ of the room, this unused space can be put to good use. And yes, those holes in the wall are really worth it – trust me. If you need several mounts at once, but want to keep your placement options open and drill as little as possible, you can also screw them onto a (painted) particleboard panel. This is good for three reasons. First, you can adjust the hooks to suit your needs whenever you want. Second, you just need to mount the panel on the wall. Third, you can easily take it with you if you ever move.»
If drill holes aren’t in the equation for you, Raquel Dias recommends tucking the loops and handles inside the bag for storage. This makes putting bags away and taking them back out of the wardrobe much easier.
Storing sunglasses
According to the expert, the best way to keep track of your eyewear collection is to hang it on the wall too. This can also help you avoid the usual issues sunglasses bring with them, such as scratched lenses or them mysteriously disappearing around the house. In this case, your go-to solution would be a simple wall-mounted rack where you can hook through the arms of your glasses.
Storing belts
Notice a pattern? You guessed it – from now on, your belts should be hung up too. That way, you don’t have to go through the trouble of rolling them up and risk damaging the material with the buckle’s pin.
Instead of a separate wall mount, special hangers are perfect for this, as they can be neatly integrated into your wardrobe to save space. One top tip from the organisation coach: invest in sturdy metal or wooden hangers. They might cost a little more, but they last longer and won’t annoy you with hooks that break off.
And last but not least, of course, is the big question of how to keep up the system you’ve worked so hard to establish. «The biggest motivation is knowing that all the items are in good condition and you’re keeping them that way – after all, you’ve spent your hard-earned money on them,» replies Raquel Dias. «Plus, everything’s always accessible and easy to find, which is convenient and saves valuable time in everyday life.»
On behalf of Kendall Jenner and me: thank you so much for the helpful tips.
Header image: Yusuf Shamsudeen via Unsplash
Laura Scholz
Senior Editor
Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.chAlways in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.
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