There is nothing like company coming over for a little motivation to clean your house and take care of those put-off tasks. (I’m sure you are much better than I am!) After painting my daughter’s room this summer, I have been lax at putting everything up on the walls. But out-of-town company will be coming soon and I thought this was just the motivation I needed to get her room finished.
Half way through the task of hanging items on her wall, I stumbled on this amazing idea on Pinterest. It is so good, you’re going to love it. It is that good. No more measuring down and over to where the hole should be from the edge of the frame. No more pulling out the measuring tape to hang one picture. It really is amazing! And it is so simple to do.
What You’ll Need: A piece of wood and a small nail. The other blogger used a clothes pin, but I used this little ruler – a promotion item from someone running for election earlier this month. The wood cannot be so flimsy that it will break when you hold a frame from the nail.
How to Make It: Drive the nail through the wood just enough that you will leave a mark on the wall when pressed.
Hang your mirror/picture on the nail, supporting it as needed.
My name is Kristen. I'm a former Wedding & Event Planner blogging about fun ways to celebrate each and every day and the special occasions of life. Here you'll find inspiration for family fun, children's activities, party planning and a faith-filled life. 
when do you take the ruler off?
you leave the nail in the ruler and get a new nail and nail it into the mark that the nail on the ruler made in the wall…
GENIUS!
Love it. Going to use this soon.
“When do you take the ruler off?”
Bahahahahaaaa!
You don’t actually nail the ruler to the wall!! U just make a mark with the nail that is in the ruler then get another nail and nail in into the spot where you made you mark!!
“When do you take the ruler off?”
BAHAHAHAHAHA!
i honestly don’t get it
It’s mainly for pinpointing exactly where the hole in the wall needs to be according to where the item you are gonna hang has a wire or indentation to hang it.
Make sense? I had to re read it too !! Lol
I honestly don’t see the use for it. I hold up and nail. Now, I do need something to measure so that i can hang two pictures side by side and get them even. How do you do that?
I think they were playing with you. Pinterest folks are funny that way. Great idea! Thanks for sharing!!
I’m really confused about why this is so amazing.
ME, TOO! lol I feel like I am missing something.
I can see how this would also work great if you have to hang an item that has requires two nails if you (a) turn the ruler sideways and add another nail at the appropriate place (or use a yardstick if a ruler is too short) and (b) could add a small leveler to the top of the ruler/yardstick that sticks out beyond the picture/item. Then your item would also be level!
I have to so remember that! That’s pure genius!
That makes sense.
Anonymous#1 must have never tried to hang a picture perfectly. This is a great tip! Not rocket science either. 😉
Love this tip.
This is actually a very clever idea especially if you want pictures running parallel with each other. Respect.
I often have purchased items with predrilled(uneven) mounting holes that no amount of careful measuring will allow you to level! LOL Two nails at the exact distance apart,either on the horizontal ruler (or yardstick for larger items!) inserted in uneven holes, would allow me to put a level on top of the item and then tap the marke onto the wall! GREAT IDEA!
Really great Idea and pictures. I will be reposting this at my blog–with credit to you of course.
There’s This Thing Called Google Mom
I don’t think you have to be so rude about it Anonymous #2… To be honest with you, I don’t really get why it’s so great either and I HAVE tried to hang pictures before. I understand the process, I just don’t understand how this method ensures that you will be able to level it, doesn’t it all come down to how you hold the piece of wood?
ooo I get it now! had to read thru a few times! great idea. 🙂
Great item, something everyone needs. Thanks for the great tip. I’m making me one tomorrow.
i just use the toothpaste idea… seems alot less complicated
Another great trick to try if your picture has more than 1 place to hang from is to turn over so back is facing up. Place a piece of masking tape lightly across both holes and then poke a hole in tape where nails need to be. Carefully remove tape from picture and stick on wall where you want to hang and now you have perfectly spaced nailholes. Just nail thru the holes in tape and hang. **make sure holes are level before nailing into wall.
Most things I hang have two hooks so would have to use two sticks. Hmmmm wonder if that would work? Also I want to hear the toothpaste idea!
Omg, it seems most people here don’t have minimal common sense. Toothpase… duh.. you dab some toothpaste on where the hook is, press it against the wall and you have a spot on the wall where the nail should go (because the toothpaste left a mark on the wall). I have never heard of this method, but it only took 1.5 seconds for me to figure it out…
I’m also really surprised at all these ‘not-understanding-this’ posts.. just read and use your common sense.. or maybe I’m daft??
I understand, but i don’t find it useful or amazing.
Love it!!! Can’t wait to put it to use!!!
I don’t understand this at all.. U still have to measure everything!! And u keep the ruler on the wall?? This makes no sense!!
It makes sense and it’s a great idea! Thanks! I will be moving soon into a newly painted house and I’m excited to try this 🙂
Young House Love had a great suggestion too, especially if you are hanging a group of frames. Cut pieces of newspaper the size and shape of each frame and mark a small X over the hangers. Then simply arrange and tape the papers to the wall. Once you have them where you want them, drive nails through the X’s, remove the paper, and hang the pictures. It would be a simple process to level the paper regardless of how wonky the hangers on the back of the frame are.
Toothpaste!! Put toothpaste on the hook,press to wall, place nail where toothpaste mark is! Much easier and only 1hole if you change your mind
I don’t get the ruler/stick thing, either. At all. Totally lost. However, I love the masking tape and toothpaste ideas for those pictures with 2 hangers on the back!
this makes no sense at all
I don’t either…and nobody seems to be nice enough to try and break it down a little better. Oh well, I’ll just do what I usually do…it’s worked fine for me in the past.
Okay, I didn’t get it either at first so I’m gonna try to explain it. You take the nail, nail it into the ruler to where it’s sticking out on both ends. You take the picture frame (or whatever you’re hanging) and hook the nail on it. So now you have the picture frame hanging on the ruler with the nail in it in your hand. Now…hold it up on the wall where you want to hang it and just tap it with the hammer enough to where you’re marking the spot on the wall where you’re going to be hanging the frame. Now take the ruler and pull it out of the wall and you’ll see a little hole in the wall. You put a new nail in the wall where you’re hole was and hang your picture. 🙂
Thank you, 10:21pm Anonymous, for explaining this without being rude or implying that those who don’t quite understand it are stupid.
I didn’t get it at first either but I do now. It would be a great way to hang things evenly beside each other. I have tried to hang things evenly and no matter how many times I measured I was always off.
Great idea.
Girlfriends Are Like Shoes
The ruler isn’t used to actually measure. Its just a handle. You hang the picture on the nail thats in the ruler so its hanging like it would on the wall, but still moveable. When you move it all around and find the spot you want it in, then you push on the picture and sick together. Pushing on it will make a little indention in the wall where the nail was poking through the ruler. You then look for that indention, hammer another nail there, and then hang your picture. I would assume that you could keep the nail in the piece of wood to reuse as a picture placement tool. Hope this helped! 🙂
Goodness, I had a blast just reading all these comments! … and It is a good idea! Thanks for the tip!
Look at the original post on The Scrap Shoppe she cited. It’s much clearer and the pictures are better.
http://mmscrapshoppe.blogspot.com/2011/07/picture-frame-hanging-tip.html
Love this idea! Thank you! I have two large pictures I need to hang side by side and was wondering how I was going to get them even because they hang by wires and the wires are not the same height!!!
For those not quite getting it, I added an update with step-by-step instructions. Hope it helps! I love your other tips with toothpaste, tape and hanging multiple pictures. Thanks for sharing!
Genius!! I’ve tried putting a pushpin in the hole frame but would always move sideways or fall etc. LOVE this!!!!
Kathi
http://www.kathiscreativetherapy.blogspot.com
I don’t understand why this is so great either. Why don’t you just hammer a nail where you want the picture to be why go through all this trouble. ?!
Great ideas. I’m going to use this tomorrow on the project I’m working on in my bedroom. Thank you.
i get it but this doesn’t seem like it’s that great of a tip. i think that’s why people are getting so hung up on it.
“Hung up”on it!!! AWESOME!
I get it, it makes sense…a paint stir stick would work great for it.
Thanks for all the explanations…I understand the process, I just don’t understand how said process makes two separate pictures EVEN with each other???
So all the people that don’t get why it is so useful for hanging pictures, I did not either. But the blog she mentions has a picture of the final project. It can help you to place pictures for a collage type thing on your wall so, if you have the other frames up already, you can place it perfectly. I guess it would help if you were hanging pictures beside each other too, just hang up one of the picture first and this method will help you hang the other perfectly. That’s where I wasn’t getting it. I did not realize you were comparing it to another picture already on the wall.
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1:04 anonymous, no need to be so rude.
This is a Great idea. I wish I would have known this for many years. Will pass this tip to all my family and friends. Thank You for posting.
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Sooooooooooo glad my husband found this… will make his job easier! 🙂
Refering to toothpaste…….you can also use ‘white’ toothpaste to fill holes where former picture frames have hung if the wall paint is white.
If I didn’t have the “Hang and Level”, I would have been happy to use this version!
I have no idea why this process is necessary..I don’t get it.
This tip is only useful if you are hanging 1 picture at a time and it has a hook that is more than an inch or so lower than the frame (who can’t eyeball less than an inch? Use a pencil to mark). I read the step-by-step blog and it wasn’t any more specific on how this would assist in hanging multiple pictures and making them level. Because: IT DOESN’T.
The masking tape tip is great if your picture has multiple hooks. But really this tip should be called, “How to not have to measure anything when guessing where you should hang your 1 picture with 1 hook”.
I am absolutely going to do this, and I even have one of those little rulers! Thanks so much for your easy to follow steps and for sharing!
This method would not actually work if you needed something centered on a wall, would it? You would still have to measure…
Wow, that’s a lot of comments about a ruler and toothpaste. I bet that’s the next find on Pinterest!
You people are all snotty and rude. I’m sure the idea is helpful.
Thanks for the tip! This is really helpful…despite all the negative comments. Thanks for sharing!
Home Depot and Lowes give away the sticks for mixing tape…..Another idea instead of the ruler!!!
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You don’t leave the ruler in the wall. You hang the picture from the ruler. Figure out exactly where you want your picture to be. Once you have your picture in the correct position, gently press against the picture causing the nail to leave a small mark. Then remove the picture and ruler. Nail a permanent nail where the ruler nail left its mark. Then you can hang your picture on the permanent nail. The ruler and the nail in the ruler are then ready to hang the next picture.
Great idea! I am SO using this idea!
Makes perfect sense!! Thanks so much for this brilliant idea!
Thanks – I found this post (as well as the comments) helpful. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Great……now I know how to hang a ruler!
Omg.. I don’t know how many people have posted this and how many people have tried to clarify.. YOU DON’T LEAVE THE RULER THERE.. NOR DO U HAVE TO USE A RULER.. You get a piece of wood, put a nail through it where it is sticking out on both sides.. Hang your picture on the nail and place it up to the wall wherever you wanna hang it.. Then gently tap the frame where the nail is to make a lil hole to mark where the nail needs to be.. Remove the picture and stick (in this case ruler) and get a nail, hammer it in your hole and put your picture up….
Not all frames sit on the nail or hook the same exact way. And the clasps (thing on the back of frame that catches the nail) aren’t all placed the same exact distance from the frame sides. So really, there could still be a tad bit of measuring or leveling if trying to hang several pictures at a certain angle or in a straight line. This helps so as long as you know where the edges of your frame should be, you don’t have to formulate where to put your nail. You just press & whalah!
Has anyone not seen those commercials from Command? You can actually hang pictures on the wall with zero holes and not ruining the paint. Can move the pictures around as often as you want if you don’t like the placement. Can be found at any store like Walmart. They are cheap and work great, even for heavy wall hangings.
I think you confused some people by using a ruler…they think you are measuring with it,,,,
There’s no way someone didn’t understand it the first time! Thanks for the hint!
i think the word ruler is what is confusing everyone, but at the beginning of her post she said that is what she had. awesome idea thank you for the tip.
This is brilliant & clever. Thank you for posting it.
I completely get how the ruler helps mark the spot with the nail. What I don’t get is how it eliminates measuring. If my other wall picture is exactly 2.5 feet from the ceiling, I still need to measure 2.5 feet from the ceiling so they match. Kwim?
Okay, I get it! I actually saw the one the other lady did with the clothes pin, but I really didn’t understand what she was trying to do ( I guess I’m just slow).
Good grief I guess someone will need to post a video wirh step by step instructions. Its not that difficult and your overthinking it! The “ruler” really has nothing to do with it, its just used to put “Nail A” in…if you dont have a ruler use something else, like a dowl rod or something, its basically used to hold the nail that will mark the wall where you will hang your picture…
Great tip! Thanks for sharing.
This is a great tip!! Those who don’t get it should spend more time reading it over again, and less time being critical!! And if you don’t think it’s that great a tip, then move along. Not every one has the same opinion but negative ones don’t always need to be expressed, especially if someone was only trying to pass on some advice. I appreciate it, I never heard it before, and I am a fairly accomplished handyperson. Thank You!!
This is a very clever idea. I’m definitely showing this to my wife so that I can cut back on my bad cursing habit. 😉
this is a great idea no more unwanted holes lol
It’s not that I don’t get this, it’s that it’s way too complicated. The toothpaste trick is way quicker, easier, and works a lot better.
Great idea! I love it! Thanks for posting! 🙂
You can use a paint stirrer for this. Free at the paint or hardware store.
I have laughed so much over the series of comments on this post. Maybe its just my sense of humor but Im not sure who was being serious and who was pulling your leg!!…it just got funnier and funnier like a comedy sketch.
I’m laughing so hard! hahahaha!
Got me laughing, too!
How can anyone NOT understand the instructions??
I think anyone who couldn’t understand the original instructions shouldn’t be wielding a hammer. . .Lol
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Great idea! Your instructions are totally clear…thank you. You may have just saved our marriage!
Alright, you’all are like a thirsty camel that needs a couple of bricks to get a drink….here ya go: http://mmscrapshoppe.blogspot.com/2011/07/picture-frame-hanging-tip.html
This is my first “pin”! What a great way to start. I hate hanging things, everything is always uneven. Finally, I want to go hang my pictures! I got this! Thanks for the helpful tip!
After reading some of these comments, I’m not sure that some even know what a picture is!
Anyway, it’s a great tip. Thanks!
Go to http://www.innovativetoolsinc.com and get a Hang It Perfect, makes hanging a picture a million times easier! Even easier than this method!
I will definately use this tip. Thank you for sharing it. My husband will appreciate fewer holes in our walls. p.s. I felt like your initial explanation made perfect sense.
I wonder if this pin would win the prize for the most comments. Haha, too funny reading all the comments. I liked all the hints. Thanks.
People who don’t see the use for this have obviously never tried to hang pictures that line up. Yes, if you want the picture in the middle of the wall you will need to measure. However, you will also have to measure down from the top of the frame to the bracket. And if there is more than one bracket, you will also have to measure in from the sides. this is wonderful, wish I had thought of it!!
OMG, Kristen you have extreme patience to explain the concept all over again for those who were clueless. Kudos to you…LOL 🙂
I completely agree with anonymous march 9 2012 445pm. The reason you do not MEASURE is because when you are trying to line up two pictures you should be able to eyeball it as long as you can find out where the darn bracket or hole or wire is that you hang it by. That is where this method comes in handy 🙂 thanks – great advice. also i think this would be easier than the toothpaste example because if you use the toothpaste method you will have to know exactly where you want the pic before touching it against the wall or you could end up with toothpaste in several places lol
Reading these has been hilarious! I got it the first time and it’s a great tip! Thank you so… much! This could have been an episode of Seinfeld. You guys are too funny. Good idea, bad idea, I don’t get it, uh boy :-). Let’s all laugh and have a great day.
I understand this idea I just don’t see why it is necessary if the picture still won’t be centered corrrectly.
how sad it is to see how many people are just plain rude and critical. if you don’t like a pin, don’t comment. if you see people that don’t get it, leave it alone and don’t make fun of them. this is a great idea, and I will use it as I hang frames comparing them to one another. It will be particularly useful with those that have hangers further down on the frame. And incidentally I agree with previous posts…I can’t believe the number of posts on this pin!!!
Don’t get it.
I am sorry, but I giggle each time someone says they don’t get it. This method is pretty clever. Basically, you take any piece of wood…she happened to use a ruler…and nail a dang nail in it. Then “hang” your picture on that nail while you hold the wood. Hold your picture up to the wall (by holding the wood with nail- that’s it’s hanging on) push and mark the wall. Take down. Nail a nail in the wall. Hang picture up (after you move the wood piece off). Done. Use the same piece of wood with the nail in it OVER and OVER again to hang your stuff! It’s a marking device people!
read all the comments and some r just cracking me up! I can’t decide if some r trying to be difficult?, or if using the ruler to hold the nail that JUST marks the spot messed with their minds?, or if perhaps they read the instructions wrong and are just finding it harder than need be to get past their first thoughts about the procedure? but, when the connection is made, or they try it for real, I think they’ll appreciate the tip…and some may have little pieces of wood sticking out behind every portrait hung in their house! lol.. and to U, ya know, the no good deed thing : ) lol, right? …thanks for sharing, I’ve enjoyed it!
I think this is the first DIY kerfuffle I’ve ever run across. It’s definitely taken on a life of its own! (And I pinned the original; thought it made a lot of sense.)
I have just wasted the last 15 minutes of my life reading all the comments to this post. It’s hilarious!! For starters, the explanation was clear and I think it’s an awesome idea. Also, this is the first blog I’ve ever commented on, so that says something about how entertaining the comments have been. =)
This is a great simple tip that works very well. No, it probably won’t work for EVERY situation but then few things do. I understood it immediately, but I do a lot of diy stuff and my mind just works that way. Some people do not think that way and it takes a little longer to catch on, doesn’t mean they are dumb. I bet the original poster was sorry she ever even mentioned it! Thanks for the tip, I will be using it soon!
I have been DYING laughing for the past 10 minutes! My husband just ran in here to check on me because he thought I was crying! These comments are too much.
@Anonyous 3/31 9:41pm – Lol! You made ME laugh!
this thread is unbelievable. talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill (or nail hole, for that matter.)
This is ridiculous..the only time it would MAYBE be helpful would be if you were hanging multiple frames at the same level. If you are only hanging one thing it would be a complete waste of time…
This is genius – makes me want to hang a picture. Or go and REHANG all the crooked ones in my house!
I love the idea of giving this to someone as a housewarming gift. Deliver it with a gift card to Lowes, Home Depot, or a framing store like Aaron Brothers. What a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
This is so awesome…thanks a lot for sharing. I really liked the follow up too; just in case. 😉
CWE
You don’t need to push on the picture frame to get the impression of the nail into the wall. Just hang the picture on the nail, get it positioned where you want it, take it off, and then push directly on the nail. Then you don’t run the risk of damaging/putting a hole through your picture or back of the frame.
This can be a great idea….Wow…..you people are so thick headed.
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Fantastic idea! I don’t know what the fuss is above, it’s pretty clear to me. Hold picture to wall in exact spot, hold the ruler still. remove the picture, make a little dent, carry on as normal. Right?
Either way, great great great idea here! I featured it on my blog and am sending my readers your way to read the full post. Thanks!
http://ninered.blogspot.com/2012/04/hanging-perfect-pictures.html
This is genius. We just moved into a new house and it’s hard enough with the walls here (we live in Italy) but then watching 2 men trying to figure out where in the heck to put nails for shelves, I always feel so bad for them when I have to tell them it’s wrong!! But we will deff be trying this!!!
ROTFLMBO !!! “When do you take the ruler off” ? BWAHAHAHAHA !!! I love this idea and will utilize it since we just remodeled our whole house and have yet to hang the first pic. I was going to do the clothespin thing but like this much better and will do the masking tape thing for two-hole frames..Thanks again for a GREAT LAUGH tonite…some of these posts are priceless !!!
I guess I must be one of the “slow” ones. If I want to center a picture on the wall, or worse yet, hang two pictures centered and spaced evenly, how does this method begin to eliminate the need to measure?
IT DOESN’T! This method is not meant for measuring. Only for eyeballing where you want the picture to hang. What it does is, it helps you find the distance between the top of the frame and the hanger on the back of the frame when hanging a picture using the eyeballing method.
Egads! The comments are so funny. I don’t understand why people don’t get this method. It’s not rocket science, folks. And it has nothing to do with measuring. It’s just a handle to make the eye-balling method easier.
OMG! I have had the best time reading these comments!! I’m not sure which ones are funnier, the “I don’t get its” or “the ones trying to explain it for the hundredth time”
Thank you all for replying
Wow. I don’t even know why I posting on here, other than I can’t help myself! First, as far as “no measuring needed” is concerned, I believe they mean from edge of frame to wear the hook for the nail on the frame is. Say you are wanting to hang a frame UNDER another frame – if you simply pound a nail into the wall and try to place the new frame on that nail, you may have placed the nail TOO CLOSE to the frame already hanging on the wall-not giving you enough room for the the 2 frames to be placed near each other. Meaning you have to take the new nail OUT and try again…. This method eliminates that type of measuring. You simply put a nail onto a stick-like object, hang new frame on to that nail, place against wall, press into wall if you are not worried about harming the frame OR take the frame off (not moving the “stick”) and THEN press into the wall. Then remove stick with nail, hammer new nail into wall and place frame on to that nail. NOW-if you are wanting to hang side by side- that is a totally different story and THIS particular type of “no-measure” method would NOT work. I saw a post toward the beginning of this thread that mentioned taking a Yard stick with a nail in each end-or spaced however close you want the frames to be- then place a level on top of the yard stick ( I would suggest gluing it in place or it will fall off) then you could use that device in the same way as the original stick & Nail-place against wall, make level, remove frames, check that its still level, tap nails in to wall, remove, put new nails into said tap holes, hang frames. Simple-and now I want to make a whole new DIY blog for hanging photos since apparently there is a need for it! LOL. Hope that clarified for everyone a little 🙂
Reading all these comments is like a classroom on human obnoxiousness. Not because of the people who didn’t understand the instructions but because there were so many ugly, negative, and arrogant put downs from those who did. Yes, it’s a great idea, but the instructions as posted here didn’t really do it justice. Really, if you have to read something 3 times to understand it, it needs a little editing – even the original writer saw that.
I just tape a put a piece of chalk or a crayon bit on the back of my picture/frame – over the spot that hooks onto the wall nail. Then hold the picture up and press on the wall where you want to hang it. This leave a colored mark on the wall where the nail needs to go.
SO EASY! Perfect for aligning picures. Put one up, then hold the next picture next to it, marking the wall, and so on….