9 Weird Ways Clothes Hangers Can Solve Your Life’s Problems

If you regularly have clothes dry cleaned, or if you’re human, you probably have an extra stash of clothes hangers hanging around. Whether it’s Joan Crawford’s worst nightmare, or the nicer wooden variety, here are nine ways that this everyday basic can help you out around the house. They aren’t just for closets.

Have some photos or inexpensive art you’d like to display pretty quickly? Take this idea from U.K.-based Photobox and use some clips or clothespins to secure them to the bottom.

If you are looking for some easy, inexpensive, impromptu storage, hang a couple on the wall to store your magazines or other reading material and keep everything neat and tidy. All Things Elsie used some strong aluminum silver ones from Muji (also note the equally affordable and cute washi tape “frame”) but you can find comparable ones on Amazon.

Want to declutter your kitchen countertops? Slice the bottom rung of a clothes hanger in half, as seen here on VT Wonen, then slip on your paper towel rolls. Then, hang with a hook or wall-mounted cabinet pull for some convenient storage.

If, for some reason, your apartment doesn’t have a towel bar where you need it, hang a clothes hanger next to the sink, then drape your towel where you can grab it. The Wicker House solved this problem above with a basic wooden hanger.

Does your front door open right up into your living room? Take this idea from IKEA who turned a series of their BUMERANG hangers into entryway storage for hanging accessories.

Hang one upside down and the hook becomes a great place to hang your jewelry and accessories. It’s look so minimalist and arty in Annaleena’s entryway, but it’s also a super practical place to put one, so you can grab what you need before you head out the door.

Wunderweib has a couple good tutorials that make use of an extra hanger. The first one uses them as the basis for a DIY fabric storage caddy. You can use the resulting organizer for craft supplies, in a kid’s room, or above your office desk.

The next one fashions four wooden hangers into a magazine rack, which you can customize with your fabric of choice.

If you grow herbs in your garden or kitchen, a repurposed pants hanger (like this one from Etsy) is the perfect way to dry them. Clip the ends of your herbs inside, and hang them upside down someplace cool and dry.