A Little Tipsy

Creative Tips & Ideas

Make Your Own Key Hanger

By 39 Comments

I wanted to get all of our keys out of a jumbled pile, but could not find a cute key hanger I liked so I decided to make my own. I like the sheet music and Typewriter trends out there right now, so I decided I would incorporate all 3 types of keys: music keys, typewriter keys, and car keys.

And of course being the kind and generous person that I am, I made you a tutorial because good things are meant to be shared right?!

Supplies needed:

  • 9×12 wood board (Wal-Mart)
  • Black & Brown Craft Paint
  • Mod Podge
  • Foam Brush
  • Sand Paper
  • A few old sheets of music (D.I.)
  • 8-1″ hooks
  • 8-1 1/4 inch Washers
  • 4-1 3/4 inch Washers
  • Oil rubbed bronze spray paint
  • E-6000 or other industrial glue
  • Little letter stickers (Robert’s)
  • Cream and black card stock
  • Free Typewriter font
  • Picture hangers (Robert’s)

How to Make a Key Hanger:

1. Sand the edges of the board smooth. Mix the black and brown to somewhat match oil rubbed bronze paint. Apply to the edges of the board with a foam brush. It will probably need a couple coats. Rough up the edges a little with the sand paper.

2. My sheet music was not as wide as the board, so I cut it in strips and used 5 strips (about 1 3/4 inch) across to cover the board. Just line up the music and you can barely tell it came from another page. I left a 2 1/4 inch space at the top of the board for the label. My sheet music had a nice break where I wanted to add the hooks for my keys. Mod podge the strips to the board one at a time to cover the board. I left the black/brown paint residue in the container I put the mod podge in so it would give it a antiqued tint.

3. Cut a strip of black card stock (about 2 1/4 in tall) to cover the top for the label where it will says “KEYS.” Mod podge it on. Cut a strip of cream card stock slightly smaller to create a black frame and mod podge it on.

4. Screw the tiny hooks into the top of a box for easy spray painting. Cover your area and spray paint the hooks and washers with a few coats according to the directions on the paint can. Let dry.

5. Attach the 8 small washers where you want the hooks with industrial glue. Let set.
6. Add tiny letter stickers to those spots you want labeled. I name our cars Tuck (Hyundai Tuscon) and Tepid (97 Dodge Intrepid that someone needs to haul out of our driveway). I left the top shorter hanging area spots unlabeled for random church keys, relatives house keys, etc.
7. Screw the tiny hooks in with your sheer strength and bare hands.

8. Print out “KEYS” using the free typewriter font on cream card stock. I think I used 90 pt font to get it the right size. You’ll want them to fit on about 1 1/2 inch circles. Trace the circles around the letters and cut them out.

9. Glue the letters to the big washers. Then, glue the big washers to the label area on top of the board.

10. Attach some picture hangers to the back and hang.

Now I can grab my keys off the hanger as I head out to the garage and not have to sift through a pile on a shelf. Yay!


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Comments

  3. THis is awesome. I should talk my kids into making one for me. They’re so sick of me hunting for my keys right as we’re supposed to take the ride-group to school.

    Reply

  6. It was so great to meet you at the CBC! You are so super cute!!!!!! Hopefully your creativity will brush off on me some;)

    ~Goodnight moon!

    Reply

  7. SO cute! My husband can’t keep track of his keys to save his life! I have taken to hiding the spare set from him so that at least I have one on hand. I’ve been meaning to create a key “spot” for years now. this is cute enough I think I might finally do it!

    Reply

  10. This is super cute!!!!
    You should link it up to CSI…the challenge over there is to use hardware on your project! I linked up this morning!!
    =)

    Reply

  14. Very cute idea.. and i love the use of the sheet music! We have a mirror hanging on the wall in our doorway, with hooks on it.. for the very purpose of hanging keys and such on them. However my husband never uses them and always forgets where he puts the keys! And sometimes misplaces MY keys!!! grrr… lol maybe if I did one of these he would get it! haha

    Reply

  31. How did I not get the “keys” theme the first time I saw this? I’m so glad I came over and read the whole post. I am in love with the fact that there’s a theme. The whole thing is just lovely, and darling. (did I mention that I like the whole theme thing?)

    Reply

  33. Such a great key holder. It has so much style! We tweeted about it!

    Thanks so much for linking up to The CSI Project’s hardware Store Challenge! We hope you will come back next week for the Martha Stewart-inspired challenge — The MS Craft Department are our guest judges!!!

    XOXO
    Jen

    Reply

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