Double-Duty Decorating Ideas

Use a clothespin to keep napkins neatly stacked at a cocktail party—or from blowing away at a picnic.

Ropes of tinsel, wrapped around a foam circle, make a fun, modern wreath that you can use year after year.

Glam up a bathroom or vanity. Stock soaps and washcloths on top, or showcase your prettiest perfume bottles.

Dab some baby oil on splatters to remove latex paint from skin.

If you have extra tinsel but aren’t feeling a fuzzy tree this year, stuff a handful into clear glass ornament balls. You’ll get tinsel in small, sparkly doses.

Cut stems short and add water to keep blooms upright for a night. (Alas, beauty is fleeting.)

Nothing holds a candle to dining al fresco, unless it’s so dark you can’t see the food in front of you. Place tealights in foil cupcake liners for a little glow at your next outdoor party. They’re cheap enough to use by the dozen, and cleanup is a piece of (cup)cake.

Don’t have a vase small enough to display those pretty buds you picked? A seldom used toothbrush holder fits a small arrangement perfectly.

Hide your picture-hanging mistakes. Smooth wall filler into nail holes and small cracks with the scraper.

Twist foil into links to make a sparkly garland for an almost-instant party decoration (or a rainy-day distraction for the kids).

Hang a lightweight painting. Wrap one end of a strand of floss several times around one of a pair of screws or hooks attached to either side of the back of the frame. Wrap the other end around the remaining screw or hook, leaving some slack. Knot the ends and hang from a nail.

Pretty and functional. Fill a hurricane vase with beans before adding a pillar candle to help keep the candle steady and minimize mess (the beans will catch the wax).

Fill an antique gravy boat with a bar of soap to transform it into an elegant soap dish.

Create a winter wonderland in the entryway. Flatten white paper liners (foil ones will work, too), fold into halves or quarters, then snip out shapes along the folds. When you open them back up, voilà: snowflakes you can string from the ceiling.

Avoid decorating mistakes. Tuck fabric, wallpaper, and paint swatches inside so you can ensure a perfect match.

Arrange a luminous table setting. Write guests’ names on strips of parchment paper and wrap them around votive holders, securing the ends with tape. As an alternative, remove the candles, cut snapshots of guests to match the height of a holder, and then curl around the inside wall.

Show what a creative Halloween party “ghost-ess” you are. Turn white liners upside down, attach spooky googly eyes, and display them by a boo-fet of seasonally inspired treats.

String a popcorn garland for the holidays (after a pit-stop in the medicine cabinet).

Show off. Display small photos and mementos, which look more important on a platform.

Simplify paint touch-ups by pouring a few ounces of each new wall paint into a jar for when those times it’s needed to cover the inevitable nail holes and scuffs.

Add marbles to the bottom of a vase to keep your daisies in the drink and make arranging, well, child’s play.

You baked the cake. Now you’re expected to frost it, too? Take a break from the sticky stuff and use a doily to stencil on a pretty sugar topping. Press a doily flat on top of a round cake and, using a fine-mesh sieve, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar liberally over the surface. Use two hands to carefully remove the doily post-dusting.

Create an enchanting nightstand from a kitchen stool by wrapping a tutu around the edge of the seat and securing it with double-sided tape.

Let’s see—you need milk, eggs…and something to replace the stark white memo board that’s sucking all the style from your otherwise charming kitchen. Frame a pretty piece of fabric or paper, then write temporary to-dos on the glass with a dry-erase marker.

Protect doorknobs and hardware in the kitchen and bathroom when you're painting by wrapping foil around them to catch dribbles. The foil molds to the shape of whatever it's covering and stays firmly in place until the job is complete.

Store delicate tree decor where the fruit once went to protect items from bumps and bruises. (You can also use wine boxes or egg cartons.)

Try this pretty display that isn’t just for the birds. Plant shallow-rooted succulents in the birdbath with soil. The lack of drainage will keep the soil moist, so you’ll need to water even less frequently than usual.

Instead of tossing out seldom worn or broken brooches, remove the pins with a wire cutter, glue a magnet to the back of each, then use them to mount postcards, children’s artwork, or this week’s grocery list.

For more serving space (without begging and borrowing from the neighbors) top a bucket with a tray for an instant side table for your lawn chairs. Your guests will have more spots to rest their cocktails.

Create a candle centerpiece to light up your wedding (or you dinner table) by using cake stands as platforms for votive and pillar candles in assorted sizes.
 

If you find yourself with a mismatched collection―or without bubbly―flip thick-walled Champagne flutes upside down to create a beautiful grouping of candle stands for a shelf or a mantel. Use heavy wineglasses for table centerpieces, as the wider mouths will provide more stability to withstand bumping.

Display a collection of photos, treasured items, or seasonal ornaments over the mantel or in a hallway. Use ribbons or strings of different lengths to hang the arrangement from the pegs.

Repurpose mini alphabet cookie cutters as monogramming tools for pillar candles. Hold the candle steady, position the letter, and tap it lightly with a hammer. Do just an initial or go wild and spell out JOYEUX NOEL or HAPPY HANUKKAH.

Help hollow-stemmed blooms, like daffodils, delphiniums, and amaryllis, soak up water and stay hydrated longer with this fresh idea: Cut the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle, turn the stem upside down, fill it with water, and stuff it with a piece of cotton.

For a string of minilights that takes the (cup)cake, poke the pointy bulbs through foil cupcake liners. Use them for the tree or around your little girl’s bedroom mirror to make her feel like a holiday star.

After you’ve thrown out the bouquet, just wash and dry the frog and insert your favorite snapshots.

A fresh perspective changes everything. Here, a gilt frame, laid flat, creates a romantic setting for perfumes and powders. Place a piece of colored paper or fabric inside as a finishing touch.

Framed hooks will keep keys organized―and looking decorative. Eliminate the glass and paint the backing or cover it with fabric or paper. Then attach the key hooks using an extra-strong glue.

Your icebox images will pop once they’re no longer buried under lists and bills. Give them an edge by gluing magnet strips to the backs of small frames, elevating snapshots and postcards to art.

Showcase your gold hoops, pearl drops, and chandeliers with this clever caddy. Here's how to make it:

 

• Step 1: Gather a wooden frame (without the backing and the glass), piano wire, small eyelet hooks (two for each wire), pliers, and a ruler.
• Step 2: Mark where you want each wire to hang. Screw in the eyelet hooks. Using the pliers, pull the wire taut and twist it around the hooks. 
• Step 3: Hang your earrings from the wires. Either mount the display on a wall or place it on a dresser. 

Coil strings of holiday lights round and round for knot-free hall decking. Your reward: You won’t blow a fuse trying to hang next year’s light show.

Create a well-lit path he can follow from his room to the bathroom. Line up stars near the baseboard and make sure they get plenty of light during the day. You'll get fewer bumps (or cries for Mom) in the night.

To keep all types of flowers in place in a wide-mouth vase, stretch a clear hair elastic around the stems, then let the flowers fall naturally. Your beautiful blooms will be styled in a snap.

Ring in the season with a brilliant mantelpiece. Start with a wire wreath frame (this one is 18 inches in diameter, but you can use any size). Then wrap a string of lights around the frame, making sure to leave enough slack to reach the plug; otherwise use an extension cord.

Make a summery shower curtain by hanging two boldly patterned towels using clip-on drapery rings.

Corral bathroom essentials in an eco-friendly (but still pretty) caddy.

Use this office supply staple to create an easy-to-update photo display. Stand clips on their flat ends and place pics between the two arms.

When adhering a print to foam backing for framing, use the spine of a hardcover book to smooth out air bubbles.

When a plain napkin simply won’t do, break out the bangles and dress up a place setting.

A seldom-used bread plate from your grandmother's formal china set, placed under a small houseplant, will dress it up while serving the practical purpose of catching excess water.

Showcase favorite walletsize photographs, or make a timeline of school portraits by stashing them in a business card file on your desk.

Put your cake dome to good use as a terrarium. Covering small potted plants will help speed their growth. And when birthdays roll around you can remove the plants and use it for cake.

Once the little ones are potty-trained, give your changing table new life as a potting bench. A coat of semi-gloss or high-gloss paint will protect it from the elements. Stack pots on shelves and stash seeds in drawers. Fill an easy access hanging nylon or canvas diaper bag with shears and gloves.

Avoid hammer accidents (and protect your thumb!) when hanging a picture by using a clothespin to securely hold the nail instead of your two fingers.

Adhere a wide grosgrain ribbon to the wall with double-sided mounting tape, then attach holiday cards up and down it for a jolly–and changeable—seasonal exhibit. Both regular-size and mini clothespins will work.

Paint like a pro. To make a splatter shield for when you’re painting a high surface, cut a slit in the center of a lid and pull the paintbrush through.

Revamp a sofa that's seen better days. Center the coverlet, leaving at least three inches of fabric puddling on the floor in front of the sofa. Use a wooden spoon to tuck the coverlet deep between the cushions, smoothing as you go. Fold back any excess material at the front edges of the sofa and pin it underneath.

Send a message that speaks volumes. Make a blow-up copy of an entry that relates to the occasion (for Valentine’s Day, try kiss or love) and use a highlighter to mark your most heartfelt sentiments.

Liven up a child’s chair with colorful stripes. (Use lead-free or plastic tape.)

Framed inspiration. Glue a favorable fortune onto a piece of colored construction paper, then trim the paper to create a small border around the fortune (as shown above, in red). Adhere the fortune to a mat and stick the mat in a frame.

Mark playful place settings at a dinner party with alphabet magnets for each guest’s first initial.

Add a few pops of color to the topsoil of a potted plant.

Anchor artwork against the wall. Cut erasers from a pair of pencils and glue them to the bottom corners of a frame for added stability.

Stash fabric swatches and paint chips in the album so you can make sure that lamp matches perfectly before you get it home.

When autumn comes and the temperature dips, outdoor decorating becomes more challenging. Collect pinecones and pile them in an empty flower box for a pretty, no-maintenance display.

Create festive party lanterns for any season. Count the bulbs on a strand of holiday lights and cut X's into the bottoms of the same numer of small cups. Then push a bulb through each cup's center and hang the string from a doorway or window.

Give your table a cozy vibe by covering it with an extra quilt. Just make sure it is machine washable, so a spill won't ruin an heirloom.

Create an unexpected guest book by having everyone sign the surface of a flat stone with a paint pen or permanent marker. Then display in a tall clear vase.

Insulate potted plants with a layer of decorative pebbles on top of the soil.

Deck out a rec room by painting X's and O's on top of small stones, and drawing a grid on any square surface (try a chalkboard or an old serving platter). You'll have a pretty game that you'll actually want to leave out on the table.

Construct an outdoorsy coat rack. Use a polyuerthane-based glue (try Gorilla Glue) to attach rocks to old drawer knobs, then screw the knobs into a plank of wood and mount it on a wall at eye-level in an entryway.

Keep books straight on a shelf. Add an earthy vibe to your reading collection by subbing in large smooth rocks for bookends.

Place a wreath of pinecones or faux evergreen in a paper bag with a 1/4 cup of salt. Fold the top of the bag over and gently shake.

Dish out decorative soap in a refined way and present it on a patterned tea saucer.

Grow herbs or other diminutive greens. Layer large shells with soil and plant seeds inside.

Enhance flavors—and your table setting—with a salt pinch pot made from a shell.

Give unattractive filing cabinets the boot and store all bills and documents inside shoe boxes covered in decorative paper.

Arrange an easy centerpiece. Fill with a little water and float flowers on the surface, or stack citrus fruits inside.

A sweet flower vessel. Your (topless) sugar bowl is just the right size to hold a single head of hydrangea or a half-dozen sweetheart roses. Crop the stems very short so the bouquet is tight, full and spilling over the sides.

Keep a plaster wall from chipping when you hang a picture by placing a small piece of tape over the spot where you plan to hammer in the nail.

Slide socks onto the legs of chairs and tables so they don't scratch the floor when you rearrange the room (yet again).

Display family photos inside tall cylindrical glass vases of various sizes for an unexpected arrangement on a bookcase or mantel.

Prop up your bestsellers with an empty glass vase. Make a quick swap with the fillers for a seasonal update.

Tidy countertops by gathering kitchen tools like spatulas and spoons in a widemouthed vase.

Add personality to a shelf. A collection of seashells, marbles or other small objects corralled inside not only increases the vase’s appeal, but also gives it enough heft to step in as a bookend.

Assemble an herb garden. Fill the bottom of the vase with pebbles (for drainage) before transferring small potted greens.

Stick a few pieces of velcro to the back of a lightweight frame and to corresponding spots on a wall.

Remove the clock’s plastic front or back and detach the hands from the battery mechanism. Using the existing face as a template, trace the outline on the back of a piece of wallpaper. Apply a multipurpose adhesive to the original face, then affix the new one. Reassemble and hang for a unique design that makes a statement time after time.

Stack several of your favorite (but infrequently read) volumes next to a sofa or chair for an easy side table.

Protect your fingers while hanging a picture, by holding the nail in the tines of the comb.

When the rest of the set is too stained to use, salvage a cloth napkin by turning it into a slipcover for your store-bought brag book with a length of ribbon and some fabric glue.

All out of premade bows? Tie up wrapped gift boxes with cooking twine and farfalle pasta.

Plastic greenery tends to look, well, plastic. But place boughs of holly, evergreens, or mistletoe in clear glass jars or vases and they make for a glossy yet understated table decoration. Group various sizes and shapes together for a stronger statement.

Make hard-to-maneuver files easier to remove from high shelves with the help of pretty knobs (available at home stores). Punch a small hole in the file with the tip of a pair of sharp scissors, push in the knob, then secure it from the inside with a small screw and nut.

Keep your papers in check—and mimic the look of the wooden racks in library reading rooms—with a painted ladder propped against the wall. Drape newspapers over the rungs and let them hang until you're ready to toss them into the recycling bin.

Why keep pretty printed scarves and beloved beads tucked away? Dispatch a ladder to artfully display some of your favorite things―and to introduce color and patterns into a room.

Instead of installing a typical metal rack to hold your towels, enlist a ladder made of bamboo (or some other wood that can withstand humidity) to do the job. No tools required.

All you need is a folding ladder and some lumber (pine or poplar, cut at least ¾ inch thick, works well and can be easily painted). Then follow these steps:

• Step 1: The plank shelves should be deep enough to hold your kitchenware (here, each shelf is two planks deep) and long enough that they extend at least a few inches beyond the sides of the ladder. Cut the wood to size, or let the pros at the lumberyard or home center do it for you. 
• Step 2: Set the planks on the rungs to create shelves. 
• Step 3: Arrange items. To help keep the system stable, place heavier items near the center of the shelves, taking care not to set objects too far outside the rungs.

Use a lazy Susan to simplify egg dying―you don't have to precariously pass those cups of green, red, and purple dye. And you won't end up with a "tie-dye" finish on your kitchen tabletop.

Need a quick refresher? Learn how to hard-boil an egg.

Place an inexpensive full-length mirror (the kind you attach to a closet door) atop the dining-room table. Set vases or candles of various heights on the mirror. It's an easy and elegant way to adorn your table.