Hallway Memo Board Tutorial- Getting Organised in the New Year

How do you set yourself reminders as you leave the home? Are you a tech-savvy reminders App kinda person? Or are you more like me- with a random note sticky taped to the front door? “Don’t forget PE kit”, “take out bins” scrawled on the back of a random envelope… it might not be pretty but it does the job, right? But I have been thinking “there has to be a better way to do this” but I’ve not really fallen in love with whats available in the shops. But then inspiration struck and I thought of a way to up-cycle picture frames (perfect for those frames that might have gotten a bit scratched up) and add a bit of extra functionality with some of my trusty Sugru. So here’s my tutorial on how to re-use a picture frame to create a hallway memo board and get you organised for the New Year!

*This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Sugru. 

Hallway Memo Board

Like I said, this is the perfect project for those frames that might have a gotten a bit scratched up. We have a couple of frames sitting waiting for us to get some glass recut to size but let’s be honest, that’s not happening anytime soon. You might even find some frames in the clearance aisles in the stores too. Or perhaps you’ve completely lost the the glass- keep reading and I’ll give you a tip on how to re-use those frames too.

Before we start, remember our working time with Sugru is around 30 minutes before it starts setting.

Instructions

1. Let’s start by creating our ‘whiteboard’. Cut a piece of white card or paper down to size to fit into the frame and replace the artwork/backing paper. The glass will be our wipeable board.

If you’ve lost the glass completely you can cut down some whiteboard paper instead and pop that in the frame as-is or stick it to some cardboard.

2. We’re going to create a pen holder on the side of frame. Roll out some of the Sugru to create a long sausage around 6-7mm thick and 10cm long.

3. Meet the ends together to create a loop.

4. Check your white board fits through the circle you’ve created. You can stretch it out carefully if you need to.

5. Press the tail ends firmly into the back of the frame and bring the loop around to the side, pressing it firmly to the side of the frame.

6. Use something thinner and smooth (I’m using a kids paintbrush but you could use a thin pencil, toothpick or skewer) to smooth out the inside of the loop and also press it against the frame to make sure it sticks firmly. Double check your pen still fits and stretch out as you need.

7. Now we’re going to create some hooks for keys etc. The Sugru Blog have a great post on how to create all sorts of hooks- from flat to pisa hooks. I’m doing a rhino hook style. Start by rolling a small sausage- keep it slightly thick.

8. Press one end into the back of the frame along the bottom.

9. Pull the end of the hook around to the front of the frame and curve upwards.

10. To make sure the hook is pressed in nicely, I also pressed it into the bottom edge of the frame.

11. Repeat until you’ve got as many hooks as you like. You could even stick on a wooden peg to hang tickets/receipts from.

12. Let the Sugru cure/dry (24-48h). You might need to secure your hooks and loops in place to help it dry in the right shape but I found just positioning it carefully on my desk kept the hooks where I wanted them.

That’s it! Super simple steps and easily customisable to make your frame suit your needs. I love how it breathes life back into an otherwise neglected frame. Plus it looks great in the hallway! If you do give it a go, make sure you tag me.