Don't Throw Out Old Door Hinges: They Make The Cutest Little Photo Stands

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Whether it's time to replace your front door or you have a surplus of random hardware rusting away in the garage, don't throw out your old butt door hinges. Instead, turn them into rustic photo stands using a little paint and a mini clothespin. This photo stand hack is a fun way to add personality to your home using family photos and would make a great addition to a house with a farmhouse or industrial aesthetic.

For this craft, you need at least one old door hinge, some acrylic craft paint, a photo or photos of your choice, and a mini clothespin. If you don't have a mini clothespin, a paper clip or binder clip will also work here. These cute stands can also display small pieces of artwork, postcards, old concert tickets, or really any small paper memento that you have on hand. Smaller items work best to ensure the hinge can support them well. So if you're looking for a quick, easy, and clever way to repurpose old door hardware, this craft is perfect for you.

If you don't have any hinges on hand, head to the thrift store — Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a good spot to look for home items like hinges. You can leave the hinge as-is if you like the look of it. To transform your door hinge, start by adding a coat of paint. For a rustic farmhouse look, white chalk paint will work great. If you're going for a more industrial look, leaving the hinge unpainted or painting it black will garner the best results. Once the paint dries, fold your door hinge so that it sits upright in an L-shaped position. Now you can take your photos, artwork, or even business cards and clip it to the hinge. Clip one item to it, or layer a few related pieces on one hinge. It's that simple.

If you're looking for ways to personalize this craft, you can start by getting creative with the clips you use. For example, a photo of you and a loved one would look even cuter accompanied by a heart-shaped paper clip. If you're making multiple door hinge photo stands, you can try mounting your hinges to wooden blocks of varying heights to create a unique display for your shelf or mantel. For a cute rustic look, use repurposed birch branches instead of wooden craft blocks. You could even print a small weekly menu based on your meal plans and post it in the kitchen on a hinge so your family knows what's for dinner. The small size of these quick DIY photo holders makes them easy to tuck into small areas on shelves, cabinets, desks, or anywhere you want a little personal touch.