Before & After: DIY Instax Photo Holder Wall Hooks

Today's post is in partnership with Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia.

We recently gave a set of decorative wall hooks a mini makeover, refreshing them as instant photo holders with a modern look and personalized touch. We're loving them right now to organize mudroom type supplies like Basil's leash, reusable grocery totes and keys. They're so versatile though and would also make fun small space solutions for back to school dorm decor or to spruce up an entryway.

 

One of the things that Tim and I share is a penchant for treasure hunting, which has us ducking in and out of local thrift stores here in Richmond and when we travel. A go-to of ours is Goodwill — they're recognizable and each one is filled with budget-friendly finds great for repurposing with the right mix of creativity and imagination. The stores are organized similarly which makes thrifting them quick. We have a strategy — I usually head straight for the housewares section while Tim beelines for the vinyl records. It's true, some of our best vinyl was scored at Goodwill!

Image by Emily J. Krapf

During a recent visit to our local store, we'd come across this set of three "LOL" hooks in the home section. While not our style, they had a solid foundation, were filled with potential and rang in at under $5 for the lot. What caught my attention was their size — they reminded me of the mini rectangular shape of Instax photos, and that's when the vision for re-purposing them hit me.

Making one or a set of these wall hooks is a simple, budget-friendly project that can be completed in just a few steps — the majority of time goes into treasure hunting for a set you love and waiting for paint to dry.

You'll need: 

• Wall hooks (Goodwill)
• Spray paint
• Metal clips
• Glue gun
• Instax camera + film (or, you may already have a handful of fave snaps to use)

Give the hooks a gentle wipe down to ensure they're clean, dry and smooth before freshening them up with a new coat of paint. Spray paint gives a nice polished finish, but acrylic paint brushed on in thin layers would work just as well. Allow the paint to dry fully, about 2-4 hours.

Secure a metal clip to the top of each hook with a dollop of adhesive (a glue gun works wonders!). Once dry, they're ready to hang on the wall and personalize with your favorite photos.

Use them to keep any small space organized and rotate in new photos when the seasons change or a photo-booth strikes!

No time to DIY? There are so many unique and creative options for displaying Instax photos right now — check out a few of our favorites below:

We were thrilled at the opportunity to partner on today's post with Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, an organization with a mission we support and regularly shop + donate with. If you liked this project, we have a whole slew of other fun DIY project ideas and inspiration to browse right here.