I think we all agree: 3M’s Command hooks are awesome. You can stick them anywhere and easily remove them without damaging the wall or having to break out the drill. But they can do a lot more than hang your coats and keys — here are 15 ingenious ways to use them.
Hide Cables
The little Command hooks can hide pesky cords on even the thinnest furniture, as these photos from the Hi Sugarplum blog shows. Cassie uses the hooks to disguise lamp cords, but you can do this with any kind of cable or cord. For example, you could stick the hooks at the back of your desk and run cables through them.
Mount a Router to the Wall
Lifehacker reader Guy mounted his router to the wall with a couple of 3M Command hooks. As a result, he has much better Wi-Fi reception in his house.
Hang Headphones on a Monitor
Teacher Kelly mounts headphones on monitors in her classroom, and you can do the same at home. If you don’t care for the look, there are clear Command hooks or you could hang the headphones behind the monitor too.
Hang Curtain Rods
The easy way to put up a curtain rod without poking holes in your wall. This picture is from 3M itself.
Keep Garbage Bags from Slipping into the Can
Attach a hook on either side of the can and keep the garbage bag in place.
Mount Foil and Plastic Wrap
While you’re in the kitchen, stick up some hooks for keeping aluminium foil and plastic wrap within reach. Blogger Anna Moseley uses a different brand of self-adhesive hooks, but you get the idea. If you don’t want them on your wall, they’d fit great on the inside of a cupboard door.
Organise Pot Lids
We saw this simple trick earlier this year. It’s a smart, space-saving idea for storing pot lids.
Hang Hook-Unfriendly Items with a Command Hook and Binder Clip
You can hang anything from these hooks, even if they don’t “hook” onto things well. For example, this trick from The Borrowed Abode blog hangs rubber gloves out of sight but in reach (and hanging to dry) with a command hook and that other indespensible tool, a binder clip.
Attach Scoops to Containers
Hang a measuring cup to the outside of a container for easy access, the A Thousand Word blog shares.
Mount Toothbrushes
Pinterest user Kelly N Jared Stover says: “I used the small clear 3M Command hooks turned sideways on the inside of my medicine cabinet to store toothbrushes. They fit perfectly!”
Hang a Wreath
Stick a hook upside down on the back of a door for a simple way to hang a wreath on the other side, Jeralyn writes at the Lemonade blog.
Hold Glasses/Sunglasses
Professional organiser Andi Willis posted these tips to hold eyeglasses on your bedside table. If you have a bunch of sunglasses or glasses, you could also hang them on string stretched across two hooks.
Create Tablet Stations
With a few hooks, you can create a tablet station in any (or every) room of your home.
Make a Changeable Artwork Display
Hang skirt hangers from hooks for an art gallery that can easily be switched up, as the Be a Fun Mum blog shares.
Make a Shoe Rack
Finally, if you have a collection of shoes with heels, hang a curtain rod between two hooks and, voila, instant shoe rack, Kayla25 adds at 3M.
Comments
10 responses to “15 Brilliant Things You Can Do With Command Hooks”
Bloody awful things. Leave them on the wall for two years and the backing deteriorates. Had three of them lose the pull tab when I tried removing them, leaving me having to rip it off the wall and plaster / paint when we moved out. Would of been far easier to fill a hole from a nail!
I had a whiteboard hanging from 2 large size 3M commander hooks, for over 6 years took them off not a mark, Had some cheap knockoffs on the bathroom door for 3 months and it took off some of the paint (and was a real PITA to pull off unlike the 3M ones which came off easily).
We had about 10-15 or the 3M ones throughout the house hanging frames, sucks because now after moving we haven’t hung anything on the walls, first tenants in the new place so would be much harder to cover marks.
Hair-dryer. Give it a blast for 10-15 seconds first. It softens the mounting strip and stops that exact thing from happening.
Thanks for the tip, will give this a go next time.
I had bad luck with these in my last living situation in QLD. They wouldn’t hold. I broke the glass on a picture frame AND an entire wall clock when the 3M command hooks fell off the wall. Before you ask, yes, I used the 3M brand.
I saw a different style and brand “Just StickiT” of removable hooks on sale at Dymocks by a visiting vendor a couple months ago. They don’t have adhesive tabs, they’re just big flat transparent plastic surfaces (apparently with some clear post-it-y type adhesive back) with a hook on the front. The fact that there is so much contact area between hook and wall reassures me that these will hang onto my walls better than the smaller-contact-area 3M hooks.
So far it’s been a couple months, and a hook has been used daily to hang my robe and towel post-shower, and still seems to be holding fine. They cost more than the 3M hooks, but IMHO, they’re worth it, and I’ve since bought more (they make a special bathroom one for toothbrushes, too!). They claim to be removable and re-usable, but I have no idea how the adhesive works after the first time round.
Worst thing you can do it stick it to the wall then hang something onto it straight away.
The trick to get a good attachment with 3M is to push it onto the wall, then using your body weight push against it for a good few minutes, then leave it for at least a hour (I leave it overnight), then you are ready to use.
These things dont tend to stick to walls very well especially in hot weather. They fall off easily. So unless you’re hanging up something thats of little value, unlikely to be damaged, or easy to replace, I’d say keep away from these stick on hooks. The idea for the bin and hiding cables is fine, although I would NEVER use these for a tablet or router holder thats for sure.
I haven’t had any problem with these hooks. I even hung some heavy artwork with them (a lot of them). I’m definitely going to try some creative solutions with them.
I’ve used these a lot in the past, always successfully. I think many people don’t read the hanging instructions. Make sure the surface is flat (ie not embossed wallpaper or anything with a texture) then give it a wipe with a wet chux first. Once that dries, stick on the hook but keep a constant pressure on it for 30 seconds (at least). Wait for at least an hour before hanging anything.
Also, make sure that you buy a hook that is rated for the weight that you want to use it with. If you’re unsure, get the next size up.
Just moved house and signed the tenancy agreement, these are listed along with blu-tak and nails as not to be used on any walls. So much for ‘rental safe’ hooks, not any more.
We rent and 3M is the only brand the real estate agent will let us use. I’ve had good experiences in the past but, maybe because I’m paranoid, I need a lot of them. Anyone know where to get them cheap in bulk? We have a lot of pictures…