Hook hacks: two alternative hanging techniques.
I usually subscribe to the “less is more” philosophy – but not with hooks. Even the Shakers, who made simplicity a religion, lined their walls with peg rails, the mother of all hook racks.
I’d love to do this – traditional shaker peg board all around every room – but as a renter, it’s not an option. Instead we’ve hacked and hooked all kinds of ways to keep things hanging at our apartment.
1. Clamps as hooks
Assuming you have something to clamp too, these will hold some pretty heavy stuff. This one has been holding a potted plant for over 7 months and hasn’t budged, slipped or fallen at all.
Clamps make strong drill free hooks.
2. Using something long, strong & stiff
…like a tension rod, wooden dowel, or 1″ x 2″ lumber. Securing it across the tops of kitchen cabinets or shelving creates a place to hang objects. We used a tension rod since we had an extra one around. Instead of drilling into the wall where we’d have to remove and repair damage from anchors, we drilled into the tops of the cabinets where no one cares about screw holes.
Strong enough to hold a potted plant and no wall damage.
3. Suction Cup Hooks
We had these packed with our Christmas ornaments. Now they have a permanent home lining our shower stall. Wash cloths, necklaces, hair bands, drying delicates, keeping items away from the kids – these little hooks are so handy.
Suction cups, extra tension rod and shower hooks, plus cable ties = very useful bathroom/drying rack.
4. An extra shower curtain rod with extra shower hooks
Our apartment building charges $1.75 per dryer cycle. With 4-8 loads of laundry per week, being able to air dry clothes saves us a lot of money. Tons of extra shower hooks on an extra shower rod, suction cups (and a little fan) turns our bathroom into an excellent drying station.
Laundry day.
5. Cable Ties
These come into play when you want to hang something but it isn’t the right size or doesn’t have the right bend to put on a rod. In our bathroom (2 pictures up) the shower caddy is hanging from the tension rod with the help of cable ties.
Our front closet coat rack is held up partially with cable ties too. Check out here, for more apartment hacks using cable ties.
One screw and a couple cable ties hold up our coat rack in the front closet.
6. Over the door hooks
Nothing original here, but you don’t have to just use them over doors. Remember cable ties if you need to secure them. To build this piping system/towel bar check it out here.
7. When “over the door hooks” don’t work
There wasn’t enough space for over the door hook hangers on the front door to our apartment. Other than a front closet this is the best place for hooks – we had to make it work. With the help of special Ikea hardware and a wooden dowel, we got our front door hook rack.
Brilliant Ikea hardware.
These Ikea hooks screw in from the top. Use two plus a dowel to create a rod able to hang whatever you need.
8. More shower hooks!
If you have wire shelving you can use these everywhere. Just behind my hacked closet rod shower hooks are used to hang belts, ties, tanks, sweatshirts, bags, etc.
9. Drill into your furniture instead
The walls may be off limits, but you can do whatever you want with your furniture. Drill baby drill!
10. Magnets
They make really strong magnets. If you can levitate high speed trains on magnets, surely you can hang a purse or a jacket on one. The picture below is just an example of what you could do. Magnet hooks can be made by buying donuts style magnets with the screw holes already in them, then put in regular cabinet hardware knobs for the hooks. Here are some that hold 30 pounds with the hooks already in them. Turn your steel exterior doors and appliances into useful storage surfaces.
Try this on a steel door for front or back door hooks.
11. Command hooks
There is always Command hooks.
Not a hook hack so much as a reminder they exist. If you follow the directions and make sure the surface is clean and dry before putting them up, they will not let you down. Pinterest is full of ideas for using them.
12. Light Switch Hooks
I don’t have these, but I thought they were cool. They sell them on Amazon.
Other ideas?
This is the best post I’ve found for hanging stuff without damage. So many options! Thanks, friend!
Creative and thrifty. Wonderful! A woman after my own heart. Do you ever use retractable shower rods installed in cupboards to hang up spray bottles by the trigger? I saw that one recently, and it looked great for saving cupboard space.
This was incredibly helpful! I’m moving in to a new apartment and was already worried about how store things. Now I feel like I have more than enough options. Thank you !