Is fear preventing you from enhancing your home with photos and artwork up you love? Fear of hanging, that is? I know some people who never hang things on their walls because they’re worried about messing up and winding up with a wall full of holes representing homeowner failure. Don’t let those holes mock or ridicule you! They can’t if you put a little effort into your hanging skills. Of course, better skills come from better knowledge so read the tips below guaranteed to make your next hanging project much easier.  

1. Choose the right hanging hardware: Depending on the item you are trying to hang and the kind of wall surface you are trying to hang it on, the hardware you use will vary. Make sure you have the correct hardware by either doing some quick online research or asking at your local home improvement or hardware store. If you are hanging something heavy like a large mirror, you may need to use wall anchors to be sure you have adequate support to hold the weight. 

2. Use the correct tools for the job: Many times, all you will need are a hammer and nails. If you are using screws, then the correct size and type of screwdriver can come into play. The final tool I strongly recommend is a level. This can be really helpful if what you’re hanging has more than one hanger on the back or you’re trying to hang multiple items in line with each other. Nothing is more frustrating than eyeballing something that looks level to your eye but once it’s up on the wall and you step back and… you know, more mocking and ridiculing – this time from the walls not the holes!  

Once you have checked off these two items, here are some easy tricks to make things easier. 

Use Painter’s Tape: 

1. Turn over the picture frame you want to hang

2. Tear off a piece of tape that will span the full length of the frame with an edge near the sawtooth or other hanging device you’re using

3. Mark on the tape where the nail/screw needs to be placed

4. Transfer the tape to the spot on the wall where you want to hang the picture use the mark on the tape to place your nail or screw

5. Hang your picture 

Use Toothpaste or Wall Putty: 

1. Turn over the picture you want to hang

2. Place a dot of toothpaste or wall putty on the hanger where the nail/screw needs to be placed

3. Hold picture up to wall where you want to hang it and gently press against the wall

4. Use the dot on wall to place your nail/screw

5. Hang picture 

Use Templates (Especially Helpful for Grouped Items): 

1. Turn over the pictures you want to hang and carefully trace around each frame on large sheets of butcher or other similar inexpensive paper

2. Mark dots on the template where the nail or screw needs to be placed

3. Use painter’s tape to secure your templates to the wall

4. You can now easily move them around until you get the grouping positioned just the way you want it

5. Use your marks on your templates to place your nails or screws and then hang your pictures 

I hope these tips help make hanging everything from framed photos to shelves go a little smoother the next time you have a project like that to tackle.  

Now, what will you do next to love where you live?

Please feel free to reach out to us at The Redesign Habit and ask questions or simply share a project that you are working on or have completed.

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