12 Handy Ways To Repurpose Magnets Around Your Home

You likely don't think all that much about what kind of magnets you have at home or how they're used, but that's all about to change. Whether you're a collector of magnets from different places or have simply amassed a collection of ugly promotional magnets that seem to have taken over your fridge, it's likely that you have some extras that aren't serving all that much of a purpose in their current state. With some creativity, however, you can use their unique ability to connect items together without adhesive to your advantage. 

In basic terminology, items become magnetic because most of their electrons spin in the same direction. All magnets also have north and south poles, and when the north pole of one magnet is exposed to the south pole of another magnet, the atoms align and create a magnetic field. It's all a bit complex, but thankfully, these DIYs don't require a wealth of special scientific knowledge. As long as you have the correct materials on hand, you can easily use your existing magnets in new projects, helping to both clean off your refrigerator and create something new and potentially useful that can serve a purpose elsewhere in the house.

Cooking can get messy, and even if you clean your countertops during the process, your recipe can quickly become covered in the ingredients of whatever you're making. For a simple solution to this problem that keeps you recipe visible, out of the way, and free from damage, consider making a magnetic recipe board. All you need is a piece of magnetic metal — anything can do, but a baking sheet is a particularly accessible option if you're already in the kitchen — and a magnet. Attach your recipe to the board with your magnet, and you're ready to cook and read hands-free.

If you're looking for a way to both repurpose wine corks around the house and use up some of your existing magnets, this tiny succulent planter idea is perfect for you. Take an existing wine cork — both artificial and real cork are fine — and drill a hole in the middle to create a cup shape. Then, cut your existing magnet down to size or remove the decoration on the front to make it more low profile. Next, glue it to the back of your cork. Add either a faux tiny succulent or a real one with soil into the cork, and you have an adorable decoration.

Sewing, whether you're making your own clothes or DIYing a throw pillow, requires you to use a ton of tiny, easy-to-lose pins. While losing one on your workspace isn't the end of the world, it can become a serious issue if they end up on the floor where you can step on them or curious pets can try to eat them. A pin cushion certainly helps to lower the risk of this happening, but for an added level of security, consider creating a magnetic pin bowl. Attach a strong magnet to the bottom of an ashtray, ramekin, or saucer, and your pins will stay perfectly in place.

When you have a large collection of photos, artwork, and sentimental items, it can be difficult to choose what to display and what to keep stored away. With this idea, you can easily swap pieces as often as you want, all without having to go through the annoying process of changing out frames or causing damage with pushpins. Take a piece of wood, then embed strong magnets into the back, making sure that they're powerful enough to still work through the material. Hang it up, then use additional magnets with opposite poles facing the large magnet on the other side to hold onto your items.

Having a bottle opener handy, especially if you're building your own home bar, is absolutely essential, but if you've ever used a wall-mounted option, you know the struggle of having to chase down the metal bottle cap after it inevitably ends up falling on the floor. Luckily, you can fix this issue with one simple addition: a magnet. By gluing a magnet onto your wall-mounted bottle opener directly in the cap's path, you can rest assured that the bottle cap will stick rather than falling onto the floor. It's an incredibly simple change, but it can make a major difference in the functionality of a go-to item.

Are you lacking counter space in the bathroom? Do you or your kids always seem to misplace your everyday essential toiletries? With a couple of magnets, you can solve both of those issues in one fell swoop. Place a small piece of magnetic metal on your bathroom wall, then attach magnets to the back of your most-used items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and combs. Stick them to the metal piece to keep them organized and out of the way. This idea is great for anyone that needs some more organization, but it can be particularly helpful to make cleaning up more fun for kids.

Office supplies can be notoriously bland, so if you want to add some more personalization, try repurposing your old magnets into decorations. Old promotional magnets can be cut down and attached to just about anything you want to display, from family photos to decorative flowers, and then attached to metal office items like your pencil cup, desk organizer, or even the desk itself. It's an easy way to bring some personality to an otherwise-corporate feeling space, and if you want to change up the look, you can swap items without having to deal with sticky glue or tape residue.

Curtain pullbacks are a necessity if you enjoy both letting in natural light during the day and getting some privacy at night, but many of the options available require some kind of mounting on the wall or having to tie and untie annoying knots every time you want to open or close your curtains. With the help of some magnets, you can make a secure curtain pullback without those drawbacks. Take two magnets with opposite poles facing each other, then attach them to either end of a piece of string or ribbon. The magnets will connect around your curtain to close it without having to tie anything down.

Clothespins are already useful for plenty of different jobs around the house, but if you want to make them even more convenient, glue a magnet on the back. This way, they can still be used to hold papers, chip bags, or clothes, but they can also easily be stored on your fridge or other metal surface to help minimize clutter. This hack can be accomplished with just about any magnet but is great for promotional magnets that you can easily cut into strips. The graphic on the front will be hidden and the thin material will ensure the clothespin is still low profile.

Whether you're trying to teach your kids responsibility or are looking for a way to keep yourself on track throughout the day, a chore chart can be a serious help. You're able to physically see what you have to accomplish that day without having to repetitively write out a to-do list, which can both serve as a reminder and make you feel better about crossing off your tasks. Take some old magnets, cover the existing graphic with a sticker or piece of paper to represent your common responsibilities, and then add them to a board with a to-do and done side. 

Investing in a toolbox is already a great step towards organizing your garage, but having to dig through every drawer to find what you're looking for can get frustrating. If you frequently face this issue, consider adding on some magnetic labels that show you what's in each drawer without having to open it. These labels can be made in just about any style, but by attaching a magnet to the back, you can easily place them on your toolbox without an adhesive. If you decide to reorganize your toolbox down the line, all you have to do is shift around your labels to match the new system.

Nowadays, it seems like we have to have a charging cable handy for just about everything. Because of this, you might find yourself having to dig through a tangled mess of wires on your floor just to charge your phone at the end of the day. This idea can help prevent that issue and better streamline your storage. Take a couple of binder clips and attach magnets to the flat side with glue. Clip them onto the edge of your desk or nightstand and attach the metal tops of your chargers to the magnets to keep them off the floor and make them easy-to-manage.