The Mabnol : How to Hang Photos Without Frames

If you love hanging photos but don’t love the idea of spending a fortune on frames, there are many cute and easy ways you can hang your photos, or any pieces of art, without them. You just need some basic materials and your imagination to show off your photos in a personalized style that’s unique to you!

EditSteps

EditUsing Pins and Tape

Use colorful tacks for convenience. Buy some colorful plastic tacks and use them to hang your photos. Or, brush some craft glue on the tops of some metal push tacks and sprinkle any color glitter onto them. Allow these to dry, then use them to pin your photos directly into your walls.^[1]
- To create a gallery, use the same color glitter on as many tacks as you need to hang multiple photos in the same area.
- Tacks will put holes in both your walls and photos, so make sure you are okay with this before using them.
Use double-sided tape as another easy option. Simple double-sided tape can be found at any craft store and many convenience stores. Attach 2-4 small pieces to the backs of your photos, then press them onto your wall where you want them.^[2]
- Double-sided tape may cause paint on your walls to peel when you remove it. Be sure you are okay with the chance of this happening before you use it.
Dart your photos to the wall for a unique look. For a simple and fun option, take a set of darts and stick one into the top center of each photo. Arrange a theme of darted photos to a particular wall area in a circular or square pattern.^[3]
- Darts will put holes into your walls, and your photos, so make sure you’re okay with the size holes they will create in both before trying this option.
Use washi tape to create your own frames. Washi tape is a special Japanese crafting tape that comes in many colors and patterns. It’s similar to masking tape, so it’s gentle on your walls and your photos. Simply cut the tape to create a frame around your photo, and hang it anywhere you like.^[4]
- Look for washi tape at your local craft store or online.
- Arrange a washi tape photo gallery using matching tape and hang multiple photos in the same area.
- Try making a double border with 2 different patterns of tape for an extra creative look.

EditHanging Photos with Different Types of Clips

Use clothespins on a string for a stylish look. Cut a piece of string that’s anywhere from , depending on your preference. Hammer small nails into your wall at the same height and slightly less distance apart than the length of your string, and tie each end of the string to a nail. Take a set of wooden or colorful plastic clothespins to hang your photos along the string in any order you like.^[5]
- Create a bigger gallery by hanging more string with nails above and below your first one, and attach more photos depending on your preference.
- A benefit to this option is you can switch the photos out as you please at any time.
Try matching binder clips to create a photo gallery. Hammer a nail into the wall where you’d like your photo. Open the binder clip so it’s ready to clip something, and hang 1 metal piece onto the nail. Then simply clip the top centers of your photos into the clips, and you’re set to go.^[6]
- Most people like to use a set of black clips for this option, but you can choose any color you like.
- For similarly sized photos, try creating rows with your nailed binder clips. Or, hang various sized photos with a larger one at the center and smaller ones around it.
Use skirt or pants hangers as an ecofriendly option. A unique alternative for larger photos is to use skirt or pants hangers that you have lying around. Use matching wooden, metal, or plastic hangers for the best results. Hammer one nail into your wall for each photo you’d like to hang, hang the hanger onto the nail, then clip the photo in place.^[7]
- This option tends to work best with larger photos. Try arranging them on the wall in 2 vertical rows.
Hang clipboards for larger photos. If you like the idea of still having a background to your larger photos, using clipboards could be a great choice for you. Take some matching clipboards and clip your photos into them. Hang your clipboards with nails in any pattern you like onto your wall – try rows, a diamond shape, or alternating zig-zag rows.^[8]
- To add extra pizazz to some plain clipboards, decorate the borders of them first with colorful paint or glitter.
Clip photos to a string of lights for a brilliant option. Take a string of white or colored lights and hang them in a zig-zag pattern on your wall, attaching each corner of the string to the wall with a nail. Then take any clips of your choice, such as clothespins or binder clips, and attach your photos to the string in various places between the lights.^[9]
- Be sure that you’re close enough to an outlet to plug the lights in if you’re doing this option. Or, use a matching extension cord to reach your light string.

EditCreating a Photo Mobile

Paint a wooden dowel solid black. Buy some acrylic paint and a wooden dowel at a craft store. If you don’t want to make your mobile black, go for a different color. You’ll just need yarn and cardstock to match whatever color you choose.^[10]
Cut a piece of black yarn for your hanger. Tie the ends of the yarn to the ends of the dowel with double knots, then secure the knots to the dowel with super glue. Next cut 3-4 long pieces of yarn, with the length depending on how many photos you want to attach to each piece.^[11]
- Tie these to the dowel in double knots so that they’re hanging down, and secure them with a dot of super glue.
Cut large triangles out of heavy black card stock. Make as many triangles as you have pieces of hanging yarn. You can make them about the size of a photo, or alternate sizes. Punch 1 hole into either the tops or bottoms of each one (you can alternate tops/bottoms to have alternating direction triangles), and tie knots in the ends of your yarn to attach them.^[12]
- Instead of triangles, you can cut circles, rectangles, stars, or hearts for the bottom of your mobile.
- If you like, draw dots or stripes on the cardstock with white paint marker, or decorate them with glitter.
- If your cardstock isn’t very heavy, you can make it heavier by covering the shapes with matching clay. Simply roll out some clay and cover the cardstock shapes with it, shaping it until it’s smooth.
Attach your photos to the yarn using strips of washi tape. Use 2 strips of washi tape on the backs of your photos to attach them to the front of your yarn. Most people put 3-4 photos on each hanging piece of yarn, but you can attach as many as you like depending on how much space you have.^[13]
- You can use glue instead of washi tape, but the glue will stay on the backs of the photos permanently, whereas washi tape can be easily removed.
Hang your mobile anyplace you’d like. Most people hang these mobiles on the wall because of the tape on the backs of the photos, but you can also suspend it somewhere in your home. If you suspend it, you could use more photos and make it double-sided by using rolled up pieces of washi tape to attach the backs of the photos together.^[14]