One of the most overlooked pieces of furniture in one's home is the coat rack. For years the rack that holds our coats, hats, purses, and just about anything else we can think to throw at it has been keeping our homes clutter free and our minds more at ease. Since the time of Thomas Jefferson the coat rack has been helping us use corners for space in homes that otherwise may not have any space at all. Finding and owning a coat rack can be as simple as visiting the local flea market or your neighborhood Linens and Things.

The coat rack has an interesting history. According to many, Thomas Jefferson was the inventor of the actual coat hanger. Before this unique invention, coats and other clothing were stored in cramped closets, trunks or huge heavy armoires. With the coat hanger one could keep their clothes hung up and less wrinkled than before.

However, since many homes had tiny closets, the coat hangers helped a person out very little in this department. It is believed that after the coat hanger was invented, the actual coat rack was made to help with a storage issue for homes. A coat rack in the early years was used to keep other clothing besides a coat hung up, and since they took up a small amount of space, they could easily be moved anywhere they were needed unlike a ornate armoire or a closet that was already built into the home.

Today the coat rack is still being used to help people who are in desperate need of a little extra space for hanging clothing. People that live in small homes or studio apartments can use a coat rack or a peg rack to hold their extra clothing. And since they require very little floor space, one can place them in a corner that otherwise would be housing a plant or just being unused space. Another reason that people are using coat racks more and more these days is because of the cost compared to completely redoing one's closet. Many companies that offer closet redo's can cost up to thousands of dollars depending on what one wants. Coat racks are relatively inexpensive, and they have a good amount of use besides just housing coats in the winter.

Having a coat rack in one's home can be a wonderful addition. No matter if one is using it just to hold extra coats or using it to help with a storage issue, a coat rack can definitely come in handy. One can find coat racks in a variety of places including a flea market, junk store, or even an upscale home boutique. They come in a huge variety of styles that can fit anyone's home d'cor from the simplest to very elaborate and decorative racks. Owning a coat rack is a simple choice that one only has to make. And after all, we could all use a little more storage no matter how small or large our home becomes.