Roughly 80 percent of Americans say they wear face masks when they expect to be within 6 feet of other people, according to recent national surveys. That’s a lot of face masks.
Disposable masks, of course, just get thrown out. But many people prefer more stylish permanent styles, which has led to a variety of storage solutions for keeping masks organized at home. Basic racks with hooks offer a system for keeping family members’ masks separate and identifiable, and has created a new cottage industry.
Cynthia Brodrick figured it was time to get serious about mask organization when an unruly pile had formed on her front hall table.
Her husband, Sean Brodrick, 60, an editor, had plain black ones he ordered early in the shutdown; the flamingo and dice-themed ones made by a crafty friend; and the “Rick and Morty” one he got from an Etsy seller. Ms. Brodrick, a tax accountant in West Palm Beach, had a matching flamingo version as well as one that says VOTE across the front.
“The need for masks was clearly dragging on, and I knew I needed more,” said Ms. Brodrick, 53. “So it was time to get organized.”
In early July she decided to put up some utility hooks by the front door, next to the table where she and her husband keep their keys and her purse. Now when they walk into the house they hang their masks on the hooks and grab them on the way out. “It’s cheap, efficient, and won’t damage the wall,” she said. “I like having them on display. As it’s become obvious that masks are going to be part of our lifestyle for the foreseeable future, it’s good to have them front and center.”
Small businesses and sellers on Etsy have started offering mask pouches, hangers, and hooks that easily fit on walls or in drawers. Some can be personalized with family members’ names so each person has a designated spot. Entrepreneurs have even designed mask hooks for vehicles. HQGen, an online retail store, has created one that hangs from window visors. Terry Ly, 29, the company’s founder said he sold over 300 in the first week in mid-July.
Natalie Sinish, 34, who works for a process serving company in Lockport, Ill. realized her masks were all over the place: in the car, in her purse, in the laundry room. So she bought a $20 mask organizer from Tabletop Beanbag Games, which she found through a local Facebook group.
Kim Schuch, the owner of Tabletop Beanbag Games, said she designed a mask organizer out of necessity. “My masks were all over the place and my family was constantly scrambling to grab a mask on their way out,” she said.
Ms. Sinish has had her organizer for a few weeks, but it already feels like part of her home. “It has made my life a lot easier just hanging the masks in one place,” she said. “This is now the new kind of norm.”
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