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Email a FriendOur current house has plaster walls which is *awful* for hanging anything. With sheet rock, I used to use push pins! They can hold a fair amount of weight and left a teeny hole. Plus no hammer needed - just push.
Mother's Little Helper
Rachel Recommends!
Posted by Rachel Balducci in Family on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 9:30 AM
I love hanging pictures. I love that feeling of pushing through the angst of putting a hole—a hole!—in my wall and then having something lovely and soothing and wonderful to look at. It can be scary, committing to hanging something. I went a lot of years not putting anything anywhere because, what if I didn’t like it? What if I messed up? What if I destroyed the entire house in my efforts to beautify? It was all too (pathetically) overwhelming.
Driving a nail into the sheet rock can be scary, and I have learned to ask myself: what’s the worst that can happen?
Two things: one, I won’t like the picture placement. I might hang something on the wall and after a few weeks decide it’s not really working for me. That’s fine—that’s where a dab of joint compound covers things nicely. Nail holes are generally quite small and often don’t require touch up paint. (True this is not always the case, but there are also remedies for that.)
The other Worst Thing is that I can try to hang pictures and it looks all wrong. For years, this was my problem. I would have an arrangement in mind, and by the time I got things up on the wall, it was a disaster. What was supposed to be three even rows of two came out as a non-linear grouping of six. Not what I wanted!
Enter: the Laser Level.
My dad bought this for me a few years ago and it has revolutionized my picture hanging abilities. No more holding up a picture, eyeing, nailing, hanging and—rats!—starting all over again. The laser level allows you to measure and hang and keep everything in a nice little row.
If you are intimidated by hanging pictures I have two words of wisdom. The first is: don’t be afraid. It’s only a tiny hole!
The second is: get yourself a laser level. You will be amazed at what you will be able to do.
Comments
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Posted by Allie on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 4:33 PM (EDT):
I have a severe wall hanging phobia/ commitment phobia. I thought I was the only one. 2 homes now have looked like we just moved in - for many years. I was looking at some pictures of my home before I was married. Seriously needed something on walls. I tend to sore things in the closet to hang… someday…. until they are no longer in style and I get rid of them., I think my husband has a laser level somewhere in the garage…..... is there hope?
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