How To: Make a Book Rack from a Wire Hanger

We seem to have clothes hangers on the brain recently, and here's one more way to make use of the wire ones you get from the dry cleaners.

The Craft: blog found this via Super Ziper blogger Claudia, who posted the instructions in Portuguese. Luckily, the steps can be gleaned pretty easily from the pictures.

The best part is what Claudia uses her rack for: to hang her library books at eye level by the door, to make sure she returns them. We think this is a great low-cost rack for mail in general, but what we'd like to know is...where did she get that orange wire hanger?

Comments (17)

Great for Cookbooks!

posted by atomicranch79 on August 13th 2008 at 1:27pm
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i love diy, and i love pretty much any new way to display books. however... this is one project that even seeing the finished example just makes me shudder and say "ugh!".

posted by verano on August 13th 2008 at 1:27pm
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i'm gonna have to agree with joan crawford on this one.

posted by bathysphere on August 13th 2008 at 1:29pm
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are you getting a payout from the hanger companies?

posted by poptart on August 13th 2008 at 1:33pm
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I may be in the minority here, but I like it. There.

posted by HandyC on August 13th 2008 at 1:44pm
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Why?

posted by chowbaby on August 13th 2008 at 1:59pm
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i like it too. i agree with atomiranch79 about cookbooks. i think this would look super cute holding cookbooks in a shabby-chic styled kitchen.

posted by angxannette on August 13th 2008 at 2:03pm
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That looks cheap and flimsy.

posted by etslee on August 13th 2008 at 2:05pm
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I like hanger decor in all forms. I bend with sharper angles, though. The loose bend on that one does make it look a little too shabby. I think when you're recycling garbage it has to look clever and well-crafted to work decoratively.

posted by matchbookhymnal on August 13th 2008 at 2:37pm
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bathysphere: You are too funny!

posted by suzy8track on August 13th 2008 at 3:06pm
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if i saw this in someone's place i would go out and buy them a book rack! this is too cheap.

posted by Matt. M on August 13th 2008 at 3:30pm
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Indeed.

The real question is WHY, not HOW.

posted by Jaze on August 13th 2008 at 3:42pm
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This actually has practical applications for my space. I'm a traveling teacher and the only space allotted to me is a tiny office with cinder block walls. It's about 5x10 with really high ceilings, so all I have is vertical space. Given that I can't nail anything into the walls and only have the hooks already in them available to use, this would be great. I think I'll make a few tonight and bring them in tomorrow. Fabulous!

posted by Spooky on August 13th 2008 at 6:17pm
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This is just...not cool.

posted by TrishM on August 13th 2008 at 6:19pm
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If this is not cool, then what would be cool? what is an alternative that is inexpensive, green, and so easy to do?

posted by charlenemcbride on August 13th 2008 at 7:21pm
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An alternative would be not to hang books on your wall on a bent hanger.

posted by K T G on August 13th 2008 at 7:51pm
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it's interesting that most people don't like it.. i love it!

posted by firegardeneve on August 13th 2008 at 9:03pm
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