many of us have frustrating memories of trying to hang a photo or a piece of art and making a big, dusty hole in the wall that isn’t even in the right place.  it’s stressful trying to figure out how far below the top of the frame the wire hanger is and how to get your piece centered correctly.  generally, i don’t like drilling holes in my walls because it feels like such a big commitment. and for those of us who aren’t that adept with power tools, there is a strong possibility of disaster. i’m sure this process has caused a lot of strife and swearing in homes across america.  

about twelve years ago, i discovered COMMANDS. i feel a bit like an infomercial right now, but i LOVE this product! they are pairs of sticky tabs. you press the sticky side of one tab onto the back of your frame - the other side has velcro.  you then put a matching velcro tab on top and the other sticky side goes onto the wall. depending on how heavy the frame is, you use one pair of tabs or several. after you place the frame on the wall, you just lean against it with all of your weight and count to thirty.  the directions say you should then remove the frame (leaving one side of the tab stuck on the wall) for 30 minutes or so to allow it to really adhere and then velcro your frame back up there.  honestly, i never do that part.  but it is easy to adjust the frame if you need to and when you push the velcro back together it makes a satisfying crunchy sound. 

if you aren’t happy with the placement of the piece at all, you can pull one end of the sticky tab and it will release completely without pulling the paint off (98% of the time.) the tabs come in pairs with a perforation line down the middle. it’s important to properly separate them, rather than just folding them over onto each other because you will not be able to adjust them later.  i’ve made this mistake before and had to slip a knife behind the frame to cut through the perforation. i am not a particularly handy person and i have singlehandedly hung whole walls of photos with just a ruler and a level.  there is no pressure because you are not making any holes and you don’t have to worry about someone ending up sleeping on the sofa that night.