Hair Tool Storage: Dryers, Irons and Brushes

Hair tools are awkward to put away. A dryer is bulky, styling irons are long and thin, and every one of them trails a cord that knots itself around the others. Pushed into a drawer together, they come out as a single tangle.

Good hair tool storage solves two problems at once: each tool gets its own space, and the order in which you put things away becomes a habit. That order comes first, because it applies to every storage option that follows.

The order that never changes

Whatever storage you choose, the sequence at the end of each use is the same:

1. Unplug. Switch the tool off and take the plug out of the outlet.
2. Let it cool completely. Follow what the tool’s manual says about cooling down, including where to set it while it does.
3. Then store it. Only a cool, unplugged tool goes into a drawer, bin or holder.

The cooling step is the one people rush. It helps to build it into your routine: unplug the tool, finish getting ready, and put it away as the last thing you do before leaving the room.

Where the tools can live

Once a tool is cool, there are four common homes for it. The right one depends on how much drawer and cabinet space you have.

A deep drawer

A deep drawer is the simplest home. Divide it into long compartments, one per tool, using expandable dividers or narrow bins laid front to back. Each tool lies flat with its cord beside it, so lifting one out does not drag the others along. The guide to organizing a deep bathroom drawer covers dividers and layering in more detail.

A bin on a cabinet shelf

If you have no deep drawer, use one handled bin per tool, or one larger bin with the tools standing handle-up. Put it on a shelf inside the vanity where you can pull it out with one hand. For help deciding which shelf, see the guide to arranging a vanity cabinet.

A mounted holder

A holder with rings or cups, fixed to the inside of a cabinet door or to a wall, keeps tools off every shelf. Mount it as its own instructions direct, with fixings suited to the surface, and stay within its stated load rating. Before fitting, check that the door still closes with the tools in place and that nothing touches the plumbing inside the cabinet.

A countertop stand or caddy

A stand keeps daily tools within reach, at the cost of counter space. Place it at the end of the counter farthest from the faucet. If the counter is short and the sink takes up most of it, choose one of the closed options. The guide to organizing a bathroom countertop can help you decide what stays out.

Cords: loose coils and soft ties

Cords cause most of the tangling, and they are easy to tame.

• Gather the cord into a loose coil about the width of your hand.
• Secure the coil with a soft tie, such as a fabric strap or a reusable hook-and-loop tie.
• Lay the coil beside the tool in its compartment.

Do not wrap the cord tightly around the body or handle of the tool, and avoid sharp bends where the cord meets the handle. Each tool’s manual says how its cord should be handled, and the manufacturer’s instructions are the ones to follow.

Brushes, combs, clips and elastics

The small accessories need containing as much as the tools do, or they fill every gap in the drawer.

• Brushes and combs: a divided drawer section, or an upright cup if you keep them on a shelf.
• Clips and pins: a small lidded box, so they do not scatter.
• Elastics: looped onto a ring or a large clip, or kept in a small jar.
• Headbands: stacked in a shallow bin or slid over a narrow upright container.

Keep accessories in the same zone as the tools, so everything for doing your hair is in one place.

Keep attachments with their tool

Diffusers, concentrator nozzles and interchangeable barrels are easy to lose because they are stored wherever they fit. Give each tool’s attachments a spot in the same compartment or bin as the tool itself. A zip bag or a small fabric pouch keeps loose pieces together.

If an attachment has not been used since the tool came out of its box, it can move to a backup shelf, but keep it in a marked bag so you know which tool it belongs to.

Water, heat and outlets: the rules to organize around

Storage choices for electrical tools sit inside a few fixed rules. They are short, and each tool’s manual is the authority on the detail.

• Use and store electrical tools away from the sink, tub and shower, and never in a place where they could fall into water.
• Do not leave tools plugged in when they are stored. Unplug after every use.
• Do not rest a hot tool on a surface, or put it in a drawer, pouch or holder, until it has cooled. The only exception is a holder whose maker states it is designed for a warm tool; follow that maker’s instructions exactly.
• Do not add power strips, extension cords or in-drawer outlets to a bathroom yourself. Outlets and wiring are a job for a qualified electrician.

A two-minute weekly reset

Hair tool storage drifts when a tool goes back in a hurry. Once a week, take two minutes to put it right:

1. Return each tool to its own compartment.
2. Re-coil any cord that has come loose and fasten its tie.
3. Gather stray clips and elastics back into their containers.
4. Pull loose hair from brushes and drop it in the trash.