How to Hang a Wreath Without Making Holes in the Door

A wreath is a lovely way to welcome guests into your home—and not just for one or two marquee holidays. "People are making, selling, and buying wreaths all year round now for every season and occasion," says Sara Jennings, owner of The Wreath Shop. "Christmas is definitely the biggest season for wreaths, but every season is pretty big now. Wreaths are sold for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, all the patriotic seasons like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day—everything really."

Unfortunately, for as festive as wreaths are, figuring out how to hang them can quickly dampen the holiday spirit. To avoid leaving holes in your handsome door, consider these expert-recommended DIY solutions.

Choose Your Wreath-Hanging Method

There are a few different ways you can hang your wreath without causing damage to your home. Before selecting a technique, you must first determine the weight of your wreath and what material your hanging surface is.

Know Your Wreath's Weight

Most hanging mechanisms will denote how much weight they can handle, so you'll want to know the weight of your wreath. To determine this, Jennings says to weigh an empty box, then place your wreath in the box, and calculate the difference.

She notes that most wreaths are pretty light, and often don't weigh more than 5 pounds. This step is particularly helpful if you have taken the time to craft a wreath by hand and don't know the weight of your masterpiece.

Know Your Surface Material

Most products are created to work on drywall, glass, metal, wall tiles, and finished wood, says Anwarii Musa, former Sotheby's art handler and the founder of ArtMatic, which has installed fine art for A-list clients, including the Obamas and Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. He notes that you should assess the surface material before purchasing a hanging mechanism.

Self-Adhesive Strips

Musa's top choice is the 3M Double-Sided Command Strips ($19.99, amazon.com). "This product has a pulling mechanism that you can use to take the item off the wall without damaging it," he says. Pavol Olsavsky of Olart Design, a fine art service provider that specializes in art installation, agrees that self-adhesives like Command Strips can be a great tool for mounting a decorative wreath—here, he explains how to use them for this project.

1. Wipe-down your door with basic cleaning wipes or Windex and a paper towel.
2. Dry the clean surface.
3. Puncture two holes into two pieces of cardboard.
4. On both sides of the wreath, thread a thin piece of wire through the holes and around the wreath to securely tie the cardboard in place.
5. Click the velcro ends of two Command Strips together, pressing firmly to ensure they're securely stuck together.
6. Remove the liner of one side of the adhesive strip so the sticky side is exposed. Place the strip on one piece of cardboard.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 on the other side of the wreath.
8. Remove the remaining liners on the strips so the sticky sides are exposed. Press your wreath to the door where you want it to hang. Hold it firmly in place for 30 seconds until securely attached.

Wreath Hanger

Ideally, you want to avoid making a permanent hole in your door. Over-the-door wreath hangers are the obvious choice, and they can be a great option. If you do decide to go with a hanger, buy an adjustable one, such as the Haute Decor Adjustable Length Wreath Hanger ($10.99, amazon.com). It should be said, however, wreath hangers prevent some doors from closing properly, and the extra hardware could clutter your look.

1. Slide the hanger over the top of your door, exactly where you want your wreath to hang.
2. Place the top of the wreath on the exposed hook.

Ribbon

Sometimes, it's what you don't see that really counts. Suspend your holiday wreath from the top of the door frame with ribbon and avoid making unsightly holes altogether.

1. Cut a 3-inch-wide satin or grosgrain ribbon long enough, when doubled, to hang your wreath at your desired height.
2. Loop ribbon around the back of the wreath, then join the ends and fold them over 1/2 inch.
3. Secure the ribbon at the top of the door with thumbtacks, like these the Hillman Group Brown Thumbtacks ($5.40, amazon.com).

Magnetic Hook

If you have a metal door, thumbtacks won't do the trick. However, you can still use the ribbon method by swapping out the tacks for magnetic hooks. There are plenty of removable hook options, but if can't find one that matches the color of your door, then simply paint it

1. On the back of your door, near the top, place an upside-down magnetic hook such as one of the Bullseye Office Store Magnetic Wreath Hooks ($13.95, amazon.com).
2. Measure your ribbon from the point on the back of your door to the spot on the front of the door where you'd like your wreath to hang. Loop the ribbon through the wreath and tie it.
3. Loop the tied end of your ribbon under your upside-down hook and drop the wreath over the top of the door so that it hangs down in front.

Clear Hook

On a glass door, it's more difficult to hide wreath hangers and tricks. If yours has elaborate glass cutouts or detailing, even a pretty ribbon may be too distracting, but there's a way around this—clear suction cup wreath hooks, like the VIS'V Store Clear Removable Heavy Duty Suction Cup Wreath Hooks ($6.99, amazon.com).

1. Clean the door with basic cleaning wipes.
2. Lift the hook upright and push the suction cup again the door and click the hook down.
3. Hang the top of the wreath on the hook.