The Viral String Hack That Makes Hanging Plants A Breeze

Suspending your plants from the ceiling is a great way to keep them away from curious pets and ensure they get plenty of light from higher windows, but hanging plant holders are often an unwanted extra expense, especially if you splash out on something more decorative or trendy. Macrame plant holders have been around for a while as a stylish solution to this problem, but learning how to create the complex knots and intricate weaving patterns they require can be intimidating enough for many people to skip the idea altogether. Thankfully, however, a new method has been blowing up on TikTok that only requires one loop of string and a couple of twists to complete.

This hack offers a cost-effective solution for beginners that aren't quite ready to learn macrame or don't have time to shuffle around a dozen cords at once, and it can be completely customized to fit whatever pot you plan to hang or whatever materials you have on hand. After you get it down, you'll be able to create your own plant holder in seconds.

To do this yourself, you're going to need to start with a length of sturdy rope or string. This can be whatever material you prefer, as long as it's strong enough to withstand the weight of your pot without breaking. You can also cut this rope to whatever length you desire, but a good rule of thumb is to cut it to about four times the length you want your pot to hang from your ceiling, plus about a foot so it can fully wrap around the pot.

In a popular video, TikToker @kl_cool_gadgets displays the process in an easy-to-understand flat lay on a table. Start by tying your rope in a knot at the ends to create a loop, then twist this loop so there is another smaller loop at the top. Place the base of your hanging plant at the intersection point of the smaller loop, then thread the larger loop cord through the smaller loop. After you pull this piece through, loop it over the top of your pot on the other side. Pull the bottom loops on either side of the pot over the top loop and then pull taught, essentially creating handles. These two handles will act as your string to carry or hang your plant front a hook on the ceiling.

This hack is super simple and automatically creates a custom fit for whatever sized pot you're working with, but there are still a few things to keep in mind. First, the shape of your pot. This design works best with pots with straighter sides, like the classic terracotta or plastic pots you'll find at the plant store. Rounder, more bowl-like planters will still work, though it might feel a bit less stable with movement back and forth.

The other major concern is the weight of your pot. String and cord are surprisingly strong, but soil and pottery can also be surprisingly heavy, especially when wet. For something like this, it's always better to err on the side of caution and go for a thicker cord that can withstand more weight. Something like this cotton macrame cording from Michaels is a guaranteed safe bet, and it's still much more inexpensive than buying your own pre-made plant holder.