A freestanding coat rack can be a handy addition to an entryway. But coat racks cost money, and they take up floor space.

What if you need a place to hang coats but don’t want to make a big investment? The answer is to buy a few inexpensive coat hooks and put them on the wall. The result? An instant coat rack.

I have more than a dozen of the white coat hooks shown in the photographs around my house – inside the front door (I don’t have a closet near the entry), behind the bedroom door and along the sides of closets.

I like the white hooks, but you can find many other colors (or, with some spray paint, create any color you want).

For best results, the hooks you use to create your instant coat rack should be attached to wall studs, either directly or indirectly. I’ve included photos of each approach.

Finding Studs for Coat Rack Installation

To ensure that your coat rack can hold a fair bit of weight, make sure that they are attached to studs in the wall. To locate studs, refer to this article.

Coat Rack with Direct Stud Attachment

I have three coat hooks attached directly to studs inside my front door. The hooks are almost always in use, holding coats, purses and dog leashes. Installing them couldn’t be easier. Just locate studs with a studfinder, then attach the hooks with screws that are at least one-inch long (so that they can get a good grip into the stud behind the drywall).
With the direct attachment approach, your coat hooks will be either 16 or 24 inches apart.

Coat Rack with Indirect Stud Attachment

I needed some hooks to hang robes and other items in the bedroom.

Some people buy hooks that hang over the top of doors for this purpose, or they put a hook or two on the backside of the door. I prefer to put the hooks on the wall, but I wanted to space them closer together than is permitted by the direct attachment. So I first put a 1x4 board on the wall. I nailed the board to studs, painted it, then attached several coat hooks.
This wall-hung coat rack is out of sight when the door is open, but easy to access with the door closed. Sure beats throwing clothes on the floor or into a chair.