Why You Should Put Furniture Sliders On The Bottom Of Your Flower Pots

You've tried everything to keep your indoor plant pots from damaging your floors, counters, and furniture: cork coasters, those water-catching plastic or ceramic saucers, pieces of scrap fabric ... But if these solutions aren't working, here's a simple, cheap option that will: affixing furniture sliders to the bottom of your pots. Furniture sliders are designed to stop furniture from scratching or scuffing soft and hard surfaces like flooring or carpet, especially when you're moving it. They can allow you to use indoor containers to help your plants thrive, without worrying about potential damage.

Furniture sliders, sometimes called furniture gliders, are traditionally used by moving companies. They come in a wide range of shapes (think everything from circles to squares to hexagons) and sizes and are made from either hard plastic or felt. Hard plastic sliders help you move heavy furniture and appliances over the carpet. The smooth finish of these sliders won't catch on the loops of wool or other fibers as you push and pull the furniture along. Felt sliders work best on hard surfaces like hardwood, vinyl, tile, and natural stone floors. The cushioning also helps reduce the chance of scuffs and chips.

Some furniture sliders resemble little booties that slip over chair or cabinet legs. These won't work for your planters. Instead, look for flat furniture sliders that sit underneath furnishings. If budget is an issue or you're concerned about having too much plastic in the house, consider furniture sliders that can do double duty. For example, square and round planters will fit within a larger square slider. You can also buy collections of variously sized and styled sliders — like this 52-piece moving kit from Amazon or these reusable felt and plastic oval furniture sliders from Walmart — to fit a variety of planters.

Consider, too, how large and heavy your planter is. Heavy-duty plastic sliders (like this 4-pack of premium reusable heavy furniture carpet sliders from X-Protector) are useful for hefty concrete, stone, or ceramic planters. Lightweight plastic or rattan planters may do better with felt sliders. Floor protectors look similar to furniture sliders, but they have an adhesive backing. These are great for planters with awkwardly shaped bases — stick one in each "corner" of the pot's bottom.

Has your variegated monstera outgrown its original pot? Is it time to split your out-of-control spider plant? One of the best things about furniture sliders is that they're reusable. Store disused sliders in a lidded container or sealable plastic bag; attach them to new planters when transplanting or repotting your precious greenery.

If you don't think this nifty trick will work for you but still want to protect your home from leaking or scuff-mark-making planters, there are other options. As their moniker implies, hanging planters hang from a hook in the ceiling or wall and don't touch any surfaces. You'll need to keep a dish underneath them to catch water, or water them in your sink and let the soil drain thoroughly before re-hanging them. You can also buy attractive plant stands to elevate planters from the floor. Place ugly plastic planters inside soft containers like woven baskets to avoid scuffing surfaces. You could also fit your planters with pot risers or feet.