The Brilliant Way to Make Any Cheap Goodwill Frame Hangable (It’s So Easy!)
It’s no secret: I spend a lot of time at Goodwill. Whether it’s hunting for vintage treasures or a humble basket to serve as storage. I’m always on a quest as soon as I step into Goodwill. One of my favorite things to thrift is wall art, but, like a lot of thrifted finds, some frames need a little DIY TLC to be their very best.
While framed artwork frequently comes with hanging and tabletop options nowadays (often a sawtooth or D-ring hanger and easelback), throwback thrifted frames may not have that handy hanger.
In the past, when I’ve run into this dilemma, I’ve removed the easel from the back of the frame, which can leave behind the hinge and/or pieces of cardboard and leaves you never able to put that frame on a side table or desk. Or I’ve attached a hanger myself. But finding those teeny tiny nails and screws and getting them into the edge of an old frame can be a real trick.
That’s why this hack on Instagram recently caught my eye. Posted by @jeffandlaurenshow, this brilliant hack shows how any thrifted frame featuring an easelback is made hangable with a zip tie.
Use a zip tie to hang artwork with an easelback.
Here’s how you do it: Simply loop the zip tie around the easelback before securing it to create a loop. Then, tape down the easelback using painter’s tape to help the frame hang flatter once it’s on your wall. That’s it! You don’t need a sawtooth hanger with this hack — instead, you’ll loop the zip tie over the top of whatever nail or hook you’re hanging from. One commenter also suggested using biodegradable twine if you don’t have a plastic zip tie.
It’s not the most glamorous hack around (the frame certainly won’t look pretty from the back), and it might take some finagling to get your frame level on the wall — but it’s doable with items you might already have in your junk drawer. And psst: No one will be looking at the back of your frame once it’s hung!
The payoff here is that it’s definitely a time-saver — plus, no screwdrivers or sawtooth hangers required — so I recommend trying it on some small, lightweight, low-value art for a gallery wall, perhaps. Happy hanging!
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
