Reusing Wire Coat Hangers

Wire Hanger Cookbook Holder

To hold your cookbook open and slightly upward to read it easier, you'll need a wire coat hanger. Bend the two arms of the hanger toward each other until they form at least at a 90 degree angle from each other (I like mine wider than that, depends on the book). Now bend the top hook to about a 90 degree angle from the body of the hanger and flip the whole thing over, to rest on the tips of its two arms and it's hook, like a tripod.

You can slide your open book between the top and bottom sides of the legs (just behind the base of the original hanger that is now an angle). Just slide the book in there. You can bend your holder outward if it is a larger book or bend the hook if you want a different reading angle. Make it comfortable to your eyes!

Note: Because wire hangers are so hard to find nowadays, be sure to keep the holder after you make yours!

Source: My grandma taught me this when I was a little girl.

By Lisa from Prineville, OR

Wire Coat Hangers for Welding Rods

A pal came through for some items I was giving away. One item he was overly joyed with was a stack of wire coat hangers. I inquired if his closets needed some. He said "no, they make really nice, inexpensive welding rods."

Source: Since I didn't know this, maybe it's news to someone who welds.

By Terri from NV

Hang Jeans On Wire Hangers

A great use for wire hangers is to bend each end up toward the top so that you can insert belt loops of jeans and hang them.

Carol S.

Use Small Children's Clothes Hangers for Pants

When my son was younger I loved the small kid-sized hangers to hang up his clothes. When he grew out of the small hangers and into the larger hangers, I didn't know what to do with them. I gave away a bunch of them before I realized they were perfect to hang my pants on, right next to my shirts in my closet!

Now they are used for many more items than just my pants, I use them for everybody's pants. No more wrinkles! They are also perfect for small items like ties and other items that don't hang on larger hangers well because they slip to one side or the other.

By Andrea from Bremerton, WA

Reusing Dry Cleaner Hangers

I like to reuse dry cleaners hangers by saving them up all year (I throw them out in the garage in a trash bag). Then when we go on vacation for a week at a hotel I'll bring them with me and I'm able to hang up all our clothes to keep them wrinkle free and give us more room in the drawers.

I also invariably give some to our friends who come on vacation with us for their room, so it's good that I have saved so many. We take lots of weekend trips throughout the year, and it's nice to have a dozen extra hangers with us since most hotels only give you about 6, and I tend to hang up all our clothes instead of keep them in drawers.

By Jazzy from Ellicott City, MD

Wire Coathangers For Gardening

Re-use old coathangers by twisting to desired shape to hold climbing plants, like roses, in place on lattice or wire structures. Once the cane is trained, you can remove and use elsewhere. Much less painful than tying back! Also handy to hook onto high canes to pull down and position.

By Susan M. from Tasmania Australia