As I grow older, I find myself leaning into the idea of having less “stuff.” So, items that have multiple uses have become quite attractive. Enter the macrame plant hanger. Is it designed to hang plants? Yes! But is that it’s only use? That would be a resounding “NO!” This blog post will give you some creative ideas for what to put in plant hangers, other than plants.
What is the problem with having lots of stuff?
I didn’t realise the impact of having so much “stuff” until after having kids. Having kids seems to suddenly magnetically attract a whole bunch of stuff (both wanted and unwanted) into the house. The negative side of this is having a cluttered house. A cluttered house isn’t enjoyable to live in. It means items are hard to find, there’s no room to do activities you want to do, and it just seems to keep you stagnant rather than moving forward.
Quick tips to keep clutter away
- Keep only what makes you happy and what you use
- Everything in the house should have a home
- Stop using the word “later.” Put items away where they belong straight away
- One item in, one item out (every time you bring a new item into the home, give an old item away)
- Get creative and repurpose items to suit your needs right now
If you need some inspiration and motivation to work through some of the clutter in your house, watch a few episodes of Space Invaders. I love it because Peter Walsh works actually works with the family to change their mindset and form new habits.
Creative uses for plant hangers
So, you have a few pot plants hanging in macrame plant hangers, but you’ve never had a green thumb and sooner or later they all die. Or maybe a friend gifted you a plant hanger for Christmas, but you don’t have any pot plants to put in it? Maybe you just have a lot of plant hangers…
Don’t be so quick to move that macrame plant hanger on! Here are 7 creative other uses for plant hangers, so you can continue using that plant hanger even when you don’t have any indoor plants.
Toilet paper storage
This is perhaps my favourite creative use for a plant hanger because it just fits so perfectly!
Although there are macrame holders specifically designed to store extra toilet paper, the plant hanger almost seems like it was made for the job! It can neatly store 3 rolls of toilet paper vertically and adds a boho vibe to your bathroom.
And you want to make sure you have easy access to that next roll of toilet paper when the previous one runs out!
A place to put utensils
Sometimes it’s hard to find a balance between having kitchen utensils in an easy-to-access place versus keeping the kitchen bench tidy.
Find a large, empty glass jar and a macrame plant hanger can quickly transform into a nifty off-bench storage unit in the kitchen. Use it to store wooden spoons, potato masher, and other utensils you want to have at arms’ reach. Just make sure you keep it away from areas like the stove where oil fumes are present, because this will shorten the life of your planter.
Macrame jar lantern
Similar to the macrame jar lantern I made in this tutorial, a plant hanger can be adapted to also provide romantic lighting.
Once again, you’ll need a clean, empty glass jar the right size to fit in the planter. Place the glass jar in the macrame plant hanger. Then fill the glass jar with battery-powered LED fairy lights or place an LED candle on the base of the jar. Romantic boho lighting here you come!
Fruit bowl
Don’t have a macrame fruit hanger yet? Find a bowl that suits the plant hanger you have, and you have a fruit hanger.
I love the bright and cheery look of lemons in the planter, but it can store apples, kiwifruit, pears, oranges, plums, bananas, and many others. The best thing is that it can even store smaller fruits like grapes that would normally fall through the original type of macrame fruit hanger.
Fruit hangers are brilliant for using in caravans and campervans as they provide a clever storage solution to keep fruit off the bench, but still easily accessible.
Bathroom off-bench storage
Bathroom storage is something that a lot of people struggle with. Rent and you can’t really do much about a lack of bathroom storage. Own your own home and you may be stuck with less bathroom storage than you need unless you shell out $$$ to do a partial bathroom reno.
Find a pretty pot (make sure it’s clean) and place it in the macrame plant hanger. Hang it above the bathroom bench and you have some instant off-bench storage. This can be an excellent storage option for makeup brushes or toothbrushes. Just make sure if it’s likely to get some water on it occasionally, that the area is well-ventilated, so the cotton cord is able to dry.
Extra pantry storage
The pantry is another area in the house where families often have limited space.
Place a glass jar in a macrame plant hanger and hang it fairly high in the pantry to give yourself a special home for those sweet treats. Or place a metal/plastic bowl in the planter, mount it lower, and fill it with healthy snacks for the kids where they can easily access it.
A little safety reminder: If your kids are climbers and have a sweet tooth, make sure the plant hanger is mounted securely and consider using a clear plastic container to avoid any risk of the glass smashing.
Unique home decor
Finally, macrame plant hangers can be used to make unique home decor. The best part about this is that the items placed inside can be changed throughout the year to keep the display fresh.
Find a glass jar or bowl and fill it with decorative items. At the time of writing, Christmas was fast-approaching, so I decided to fill the jar with Christmas baubles and a garland of silver bells. I also placed some LED fairy lights in amongst the items so that it could be illuminated at night.
The glass jar could also be filled with a little water and used to hold any cut flowers received throughout the year.
Conclusion
A plant hanger can easily have many uses other than the traditional one of holding pot plants.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve used any of these ideas for your plant hanger, or if you came up with a creative use of your own.
