Clothes hangers are incredibly versatile household items with a wide variety of uses beyond just holding up shirts and dresses in your closet. With a little creativity, these humble hangers can be repurposed in many clever and practical ways throughout your home. Here are some of the top creative uses for clothes hangers that you may not have considered before.

Making Organizational Tools

Clothes hangers can be transformed into customizable organizational tools to help keep your home tidy and optimize storage space. Here are some creative ways to use them for organization:

Belt Hangers

Slide belts onto the bar of the hanger to keep them hanging vertically in your closet. This prevents tangling and damage.

Scarf Hangers

Drape scarves over the hanger bar to keep them organized and prevent wrinkling in a drawer.

Towel Drying Rack

Bend the hanger into a wide U shape and hang over cabinet doors or the shower rod to dry hand towels and washcloths.

Bag Storage

Use hangers to store purses, reusable shopping bags, and backpacks in your closet without taking up shelf space.

Under-Shelf Storage

Hang a hanger sideways underneath cabinets, shelves, sinks, or desks to create an instant storage rack.

Jewelry Organization

Drape necklaces and bracelets over the hanger bar to keep them untangled and easy to see.

Pantry Rack

Hang a hanger sideways in your pantry and use the bar to hold packets of food, small jars, or other pantry items.

Pot Lid Holder

Hang pot lids on individual hanger hooks on the back of a cabinet door to free up drawer space.

Crafting Useful Household Items

With a little DIY spirit, you can upcycle old clothes hangers into handy household helpers and decorations. Get creative with these hanger craft projects:

Photo Hanger

Straighten out the hook and bend the hanger into a photo display shape to show off favorite pics without needing frames.

Paper Towel Holder

Unbend the hanger and use the bar to hold a paper towel roll in place under cabinets or shelves.

Chip Bag Closer

Straighten the hook and use it to tightly seal opened snack bags, keeping contents fresh.

Instant Trivet

Bend the hanger into a stand shape and place hot pans on top to protect counters and tables.

Holiday Ornament

Shape the hanger into fun forms like reindeer, candy canes, or wreaths and decorate for seasonal displays.

Wall Magazine Rack

Mount a hanger sideways on the wall and use the bar to hold magazines, books, or tablets.

Pot Stirring Tool

Use the sturdy hanger bar as a makeshift spoon when cooking and stir food hands-free.

Wall Hooks

Screw hangers sideways into the wall to create instant hooks for hanging towels, caps, keys, or leashes.

Vertical Garden

Hang a hanger bar-side up and use S-hooks to suspend small potted plants for a unique vertical garden.

Supporting Plants

The versatile shape of clothes hangers makes them ideal for providing support and optimal growth for household and outdoor plants. Here are some clever ways to use hangers for your greenery:

Seedling Support

Use hangers to make mini greenhouses that support seedling stems as they sprout and help tender plants stand upright.

Houseplant Trellis

Crisscross hangers to make a trellis for climbing vines like philodendrons, jasmine, or passionflowers.

Air Plant Holder

Hang air plants from the hanger bar rather than mounting them on the wall to enjoy them at eye level.

Outdoor Vines

Use hangers to support vertical growth for vining crops like beans, cucumbers, peas, tomatoes, and melons in your garden.

Plant Shaper

Bend sturdy hangers into shapes like rings or spheres and place around plants to force them to grow in fun patterns.

Flower Head Support

Insert the hanger vertically into the soil and use the bar to hold up heavy flower heads on sagging stems like dahlias.

Pot Drainage

Place hangers in the bottom of pots and planters before adding soil to improve drainage and aeration in plant roots.

Moss Pole

Wrap sheet moss around a hanger bar to create an easy moss stick or pole for climbing aroids like pothos or philodendron.

Pet Care Solutions

The shape and sturdiness of clothes hangers also make them useful for a variety of pet care tasks. Give these creative hanger hacks a try for your furry friends:

Scratcher

Wrap sisal rope, burlap, or carpet scraps around the hanger bar to make a DIY cat scratching post.

Rodent Playground

Bend hangers into ladders, tunnels, and platforms to make an engaging playground for hamsters, gerbils, or mice.

Bird Gym

String together multiple hangers on a suspended line or bar to create swinging perches, ladders, and gyms for parakeets or finches.

Reptile Basking Dock

Affix a hanger horizontally to basking lamps to make a sturdy dock for reptiles to soak up UV light.

Dog Leash Hook

Screw a hanger sideways into the wall near your entry for an instant leash hook to keep lines untangled.

Pet ID Tags

Use the hook to securely hold pet ID tags, preventing jingling noises from tags hanging directly on collars.

Rabbit Chew Toy

Give bunnies untreated wood hangers to safely chew on instead of furniture legs or baseboards.

Temporary Pet Barrier

Crisscross hangers over doorways or hallways as temporary gates to block pets from entering rooms.

Kid-Friendly Fun

Clothes hangers can be a source of entertainment and learning for little ones. Keep kids engaged with these creative hanger activities:

Alphabet Game

Label 26 hangers with letters and have kids arrange them in alphabetic order.

Shape Sorters

Cut hangers into different shapes like stars or hearts and have toddlers sort by shape and color.

Fishing Pole

Tie a string to the hook end and attach magnets for a fun magnetic fishing game.

Colorful Abacus

Slide colorful beads onto the hanger bar for an easy DIY abacus to learn counting.

Picture Hanger

Kids can shape the hanger and use it to display their art, photos, or projects on the fridge or wall.

Balance Beam

Lay a hanger bar on the floor and encourage kids to walk across while balancing.

Ring Toss

Use hangers as targets for ring toss games to improve hand-eye coordination.

Learning Abacus

Label hangers 1-10 and slide beads to learn addition, subtraction, and counting.

Garage and Workshop Aids

Don’t forget about the garage or workshop! Clothes hangers can lend a hand with organization and storage for hobby and auto supplies as well. DIY your way to a tidier workspace with ideas like:

Tool Hanger

Screw hangers to the wall, pegboard, or workbench to hold drills, saws, pliers, wrenches, or gardening hand tools.

Extension Cord Hanger

Use the hanger hook to neatly wrap up and store extension cords off the ground.

Bike Tire Hanger

Hang bike tires by the rim over the horizontal hanger bar to keep them off the floor and maintain their shape.

Parts Organizer

Use multiple hangers on a rod to organize hardware like nuts, bolts, washers, hooks, and more by size and type.

Sandpaper Hanger

Slide strips of sandpaper over the hanger bar to file them vertically and keep them handy but dust-free.

Safety Gear Holder

Use the hanger hooks to hold goggles, respirators, face shields, or other protective gear.

Ladder Hanger

Screw a hanger into a stepladder to hold paint cans, rollers, or painting supplies.

Buckets and Cans

Hang 5-gallon buckets from the bar to save floor space and keep contents visible.

Seasonal Solutions

As the seasons change, clothes hangers can lend a hand with seasonal tasks like holiday decorating or summer cooling. Give them a try for:

Hanging Window Insulation

Place the hanger bar over a curtain or blinds rod and drape window insulation film over it in winter.

Christmas Tree Skirt Clip

Use clamps made from hangers to neatly attach and secure tree skirts.

Outdoor String Light clips

Cut small notches in the hanger bar to hold outdoor string light wires in place.

Seasonal Flag Hanger

Punch holes in a hanger’s shoulders to hang small flags and banners for holidays and celebrations.

Summer Plant Mister

Punch holes in the bottom curve and place ice cubes on top to let cool water drip gradually onto plants.

Emergency Tools

In a pinch, humble clothes hangers can transform into emergency tools and supplies for unexpected situations at home:

Escape Hook

Unbend the hook and use it to open latched windows or doors in an emergency.

Emergency Candle Holder

Bend the sides up 90 degrees to create an impromptu candle holder during a power outage.

Makeshift Lock

Bend the hanger into a U shape and loop it through cabinet handles for a temporary lock.

DIY Splint

Straighten the hanger and use it to temporarily immobilize sprained wrists or ankles.

Loose Tooth Remover

Gently twist and wiggle a loose baby tooth with the small hook end to remove it if needed.

Improvised Key Retriever

Straighten the end and use the hook to retrieve keys dropped down drains or vents.

Temporary Photo Hanger

In a rental, use Command strips to hang a horizontal hanger and use clothespins to display photos.

Makeshift Pipe Wrench

Wrap the curved hanger end around pipes to get better grip for loosening or tightening.

Conclusion

As you can see, with a little imagination, the uses for clothes hangers extend far beyond the closet. They are inexpensive, readily available, and their sturdy yet malleable wire makes them endlessly useful throughout your home, for hobbies, pet care, kids’ activities, seasonal tasks, and even emergency situations. So the next time you take shirts off the bar, don’t be quick to throw the empty hangers in the recycling bin. Let them inspire you to DIY your way to a more organized and functional home.

Creative Ways to Use Clothes Hangers

Here are some of the most creative ways to repurpose clothes hangers around your home:

Organizing the Home

Belt hanger – Slide belts onto the bar of the hanger to keep them hanging vertically and prevent tangling.
Scarf hanger – Drape scarves over the bar to prevent wrinkles.
Towel drying rack – Bend into a U shape to hang towels.
Bag storage – Use to store purses, reusable bags, backpacks.
Under shelf storage – Hang sideways to create instant storage racks.
Jewelry organizer – Hang necklaces and bracelets to keep them untangled.

Crafting Household Items

Photo hanger – Bend into fun shapes to display photos without frames.
Paper towel holder – Unbend and use the bar to hold paper towel rolls.
Chip bag clip – Use the hook to tightly seal opened snack bags.
Trivet – Bend into a stand shape to protect surfaces from hot pans.
Holiday ornament – Shape into reindeer, wreaths etc and decorate.
Wall magazine rack – Mount sideways to hold books and magazines.

Supporting Plants

Seedling support – Make mini greenhouses to support tender seedlings.
Houseplant trellis – Crisscross hangers to make a trellis for climbing vines.
Air plant holder – Hang air plants from the bar at eye level.
Outdoor vines – Use to support vertical growth of garden vines.
Plant shaper – Bend into rings/spheres to force unique plant shapes.

Pet Care Solutions

Cat scratching post – Wrap sisal rope or carpet around the bar.
Rodent playground – Bend into tunnels and platforms for small pets.
Bird gym – String together on a line for swinging bird perches.
Reptile basking dock – Affix horizontally to basking lamps.
Dog leash hook – Screw sideways by the door to hold leashes.

Kid-Friendly Fun

Alphabet game – Label letters and have kids arrange alphabetically.
Shape sorters – Cut into shapes and have kids sort by shape/color.
Fishing pole – Tie string and magnets for magnetic fishing.
Colorful abacus – Slide beads onto the bar for counting.
Balance beam – Lay bar on floor and have kids walk across while balancing.

Seasonal Uses

Christmas tree skirt clip – Use bent hangers to clip skirts in place.
Outdoor string light clips – Cut notches to hold wires in place.
Flag hanger – Punch holes in shoulders to hang banners.
Plant mister – Punch holes and place ice to mist plants.

Emergency Tools

Escape hook – Unbend to open latched windows or doors in an emergency.
Emergency candle holder – Bend sides up 90 degrees for power outages.
Makeshift lock – Bend into a U shape to loop through cabinet handles.
DIY splint – Straighten to temporarily immobilize sprains.

Conclusion

With just a bit of creativity, the possibilities are endless for repurposing old clothes hangers around your home, garden, garage and for fun projects with kids. They are inexpensive, handy and durable – giving them endless usefulness beyond just hanging clothes in your closet!

Creative Ways to Use Clothes Hangers

Clothes hangers are incredibly versatile items that can be repurposed in many clever ways throughout your home. Here are some creative ways to use clothes hangers beyond hanging clothes:

Organizing and Storage

Belt hanger – Slide belts onto the bar to hang neatly in the closet. Prevents tangling and damage.
Scarf hanger – Drape scarves over the bar to prevent wrinkles.
Towel drying rack – Bend hanger into wide U shape to hang-dry hand towels.
Purse hanger – Use to store purses, reusable shopping bags in the closet. Saves shelf space.
Jewelry organizer – Drape necklaces and bracelets over the bar to prevent tangling.
Pantry organizer – Hang sideways to hold food packets, jars and more. Frees up drawer space.

Crafting Household Helpers

Photo hanger – Bend into fun shapes to display pictures without frames.
Paper towel holder – Straighten and use bar to hold paper towel rolls under cabinets.
Chip bag clip – Use the hook to tightly reseal snack bags, keeping contents fresh.
Trivet – Bend into stand shape to protect counters and tables from hot pans.
Holiday ornament – Shape into decorative forms like wreaths and reindeer. Decorate!
Wall magazine rack – Mount hanger sideways to hold magazines, tablets and more.

Supporting Plants

Seedling support – Make mini greenhouses to support fragile seedlings as they sprout.
Houseplant trellis – Crisscross hangers to make a trellis for climbing vines and houseplants.
Air plant display – Hang air plants from the bar at eye level to enjoy their beauty.
Garden plant support – Use hangers to support vertical growth of vining crops like beans, tomatoes.
Flower stem support – Insert vertically into soil to support heavy flower heads like dahlias.

Pet Care Hacks

Cat scratching post – Wrap sisal rope around bar to make a DIY scratcher. Saves furniture!
Small pet playground – Bend into tunnels and ladders for hamsters and gerbils to play on.
Bird perch gym – String hangers together to make swinging perches and gyms for parakeets.
Reptile UV basking dock – Affix horizontally to UV lamps as a basking dock.
Dog leash hook – Screw horizontally by door to hold leash and prevent tangling.

Fun Kids’ Activities

Alphabet game – Label letters and have kids arrange alphabetically. Teaches sorting.
Shape sorting – Cut into shapes and have kids sort by shape and color. Fun and educational.
Magnetic fishing – Tie string and magnets to hook for a fun magnetic fishing game. Develops hand-eye coordination.
Colorful abacus – Slide beads onto bar for a DIY counting abacus. Great for learning math.
Picture hanger – Kids can shape hangers to make picture frames. Display their art!

Seasonal Solutions

Holiday tree skirt clip – Use bent hanger to neatly clip skirt in place around tree.
String light clips – Cut notches in bar to hold outdoor string lights in place.
Seasonal banner hanger – Punch holes in shoulders to hang flags and banners.
Plant mister – Punch holes and place ice on hanger. Lets water gradually drip on plants.

Conclusion

As you can see, a humble hanger can be repurposed in many clever ways beyond the closet. With a little creativity, they are