Store hairbands on a carabiner
What a great idea, Megan!
My 14-month-old daughter has a lot of hair bands since we put her hair up everything. Keeping track of these is difficult if they're not all together. So, I started using a carabiner to hold the bands. It keeps the small bands in one location, serves as a toy for her to play with while I put her hair up, and enables me to quickly locate the color I need for that day. It works like a charm!
My daughter fine-but-curly still works best with tiny hair accessories, and just this weekend, I got this little stacking organizer to keep them sorted. Figured it would work well for travel, too. I'm sure I could have come up with a fine (and free) DIY solution, but you know how it is in those organizing stores...it's almost impossible to resist buying something.
Related: Storing girls' hair accessories? Talk amongst yourselves. (The carabiner idea came up in the comments -- thanks, Diane and Kate!)
I think would work for my husband. He is constantly losing his hairbands. And if I keep it hanging on a bathroom cabinet door, he will be sure to use it.
As for my 2 year old daughter, keeping track of them is all for nothing. She won't keep them in for more than 5 minutes and then throws them-literally- around the house/car/etc.
Her little barrettes and stuff, I keep in a small clear butter or cheese container and she loves to play with them. Being clear, it helps me see what we have available for when I have the guts to try again.
Posted by: Checks | 03 March 2009 at 09:42 AM
I knocked over the small basket full of hair do-dads this morning! Thanks for this hack, and the link to the stacking organizer. I received something similar for baby formula/snacks and it's been sitting in the cupboard ever since. I pulled it out, filled it up, and do-dads are neatly contained! LOVE YOUR SITE!
Posted by: Melanie | 03 March 2009 at 09:47 AM
I use a 2" looseleaf ring for mine - works great! I think I bought it at Wal-Mart in the office supply section for less than $1.
Posted by: AmyP | 03 March 2009 at 10:03 AM
A very cute idea. As a rock climber, I can't say as I'd allow one of my valuable 'biners to sit out the climbing season, but for sure maybe one of those "toy biners" that one can pick up for a dollar to use to clip a chalk bag onto our harness....
The cool thing is, just like when a climber is on a route and needs just the right size nut, they can swing the bundle around the ring of the biner to get it - the same with your hair bands. Just push them around the metal until you've got the color you want - unclip! - and go!
Just rememebr....you may be putting the climbing bug into your baby with such an enticing, colorful toy! haha!
Posted by: Terrie | 03 March 2009 at 10:35 AM
I do something similar to this, only I use several shower curtain rings to hold my scrunchies and headbands. I have a bunch of suction-cup hooks (like these) hanging on the inside of my bathroom closet, loaded up with the rings, so I can see all my hair options at a glance.
Posted by: Kim | 03 March 2009 at 10:54 AM
Oops! My comment skipped the link for the hooks. I'm using ones like these: http://www.amazon.com/Homebasix-SL4197A-Snap-Hook-Suction/dp/B000KL275A/ .
Posted by: Kim | 03 March 2009 at 10:55 AM
Great idea! I'm going to clean out my daughter's bathroom cabinet drawer right now!
Posted by: Kelly | 03 March 2009 at 12:08 PM
OMG this is hands down the best hack ever! (For me, anyway.) I'm so sick and tired of losing track of itty bitty hairbands for my daughter, or have them scattered around the house. Thank you!
Posted by: Kelly2 | 03 March 2009 at 04:12 PM
I love this, for myself, since I have boys with really short hair. But I'm constantly loosing my hair bands.
As for hair bows/ barrettes, I am going to shamelessly promote my instructable on making a pretty hair bow holder.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_make_a_hair_bow_holder_for_girly_girls/
Not really a hack, more like a DIY. But my sister loves it for her daughter's bows.
Posted by: Alli | 04 March 2009 at 01:25 PM
Finally, I won't have hairbands running loose in every drawer of the bathroom! Love it!
Posted by: Seattle Moms Deal Finder | 04 March 2009 at 03:32 PM
What a great idea!
Posted by: MamaWendy | 05 March 2009 at 01:23 PM
HaHa! I do this! Its great for traveling, it keeps everything organized
Posted by: Rebecca | 05 March 2009 at 06:38 PM
I know moms would love this. You should submit it to http://www.bizymoms.com/seattle/index.php communit
Posted by: Christina Grero | 20 April 2009 at 08:29 PM
no need to store hairband I forced my daughters to cut their waist length hair very short like a boy
Posted by: Lisa | 16 June 2009 at 06:34 PM
I am so jealous I didn't think of this myself. Thought it was so great I wrote about it here on my blog.
Posted by: mrsblocko | 14 September 2011 at 08:07 AM
For some reason it looks like the hyperlink didnt work...
http://tomatoesforapples.blogspot.com/2011/09/hair-band-wrangling.html
Posted by: mrsblocko | 14 September 2011 at 08:08 AM