Replace Hooks With Sugru + Magnets

There are two sides to everything, shelves are no exception.

For most of us keeping things organised can feel like a constant battle. Declutter your space with this simple idea.

This hack will save you a few seconds, a few times a day, and oh man are those few seconds satisfying!

For this project we used

• x2 minipacks of sugru - buy some sugru
• neodymium disc magnets - we used the magnets in the sugru + magnets kit
• a shelf

For this project we are using the super strong neodymium magnets from our sugru + magnets kit.

You can try this project using your own neodymium magnets + sugru, but make sure the magnets you choose are strong enough to hold what you are going to hang.

If you can, take down the shelf you are attaching magnets to. It will make mounting the magnets a lot easier.

Use a pencil to mark where you want to position your magnets.

Top Tip: Make sure the surface you are applying the sugru to is clean.

At first it may appear sugru will not stick to some porous surfaces, oh but it will… let us explain. To bond sugru to porous materials like wood, build a small base layer of sugru first.

Top Tip: sugru bonds great to itself, so it's easy to build up the base layer one little piece at a time.

Smudge a pea sized piece into the wood with your finger, and make sure you get a good bond. Repeat this until you have a sugru smudge just a little bigger than the magnet you are attaching.

Video Tip: Applying sugru to rough or porous materials [51 secs]

Using the rest of the minipack, squidge a sausage of sugru onto the back of the magnet and press it into a pyramid shape.

Carefully and firmly press the magnet onto the shelf, so that sugru squeezes out around the edge of the magnet.

Enjoy that moment, it's sooo satisfying :)

Press the sugru in around the magnet, ensuring there is a good bond.

Gently rub the sugru with your finger to smooth it.

Top Tip: use a little soapy water on your finger to get a really smooth sugru finish.

Leave for 24 hours to fully cure.

When your shelf is back up, it's ready to defy gravity.

Want to hang something that isn't magnetic under your shelf? Maybe your umbrella? Or a bike helmet? sugru + magnets let you attach anything to anything.

It's simple, just repeat steps 4 - 7 to mount the opposing magnet on these objects.

Just don't forget to make sure the opposite side of this magnet is facing outwards so it snaps together.

Top Tip: If you have ever worked with magnets, you will know that they can be tricky to handle without knowing which sides attract. We designed the sugru + magnets kit to be super simple to use, so we put a small dimple on the north pole of each magnet. Just make sure one magnet is smooth and the other has a little dimple!

Enjoy those saved seconds!

Thanks for being part of the sugru community.