Everyone has hangers in their closets, right? They’re inexpensive and absolutely essential when it comes to, well, hanging stuff.

Yes, they’re the perfect tool for the job of organizing your closet, but like plastic wrap and aluminum foil, hangers are surprisingly versatile and have all kinds of alternative uses if you have a little bit of time and creativity.

1. Double up your space.

Clothing racks never seem to have enough horizontal space, but there’s usually plenty of vertical space. Gina from The Shabby Creek Cottage shows us that you can double up your space by using something as simple as the tab from a soda can.

2. Hang and hold books.

The clips on pants hangers are perfect for holding books — especially sketchbooks — open. You can also combine this method with the hanger’s hook to conveniently hang cookbooks and recipes for quick reference.

3. Sort out your spectacles.

Victoria from Sf Girl shows off a chic way to keep your various glasses and shades accessible. Take an attractive-looking hanger out of your closet, mount it on the wall, and just like that you’ve got a unique glasses rack!

4. Hack your own towel rings.

For a lightweight, discreet towel ring that can hang from an existing rack in your bathroom or kitchen, try this one on for size. Shayna from The Wood Grain Cottage made this rack by modifying a wire coat hanger.

5. Make your hotel room nice and dark.

Hotel curtains never seem to close all the way, negating the point of having them in the first place. Most hotel closets have hangers with pants clips on them, so put them to good use and shut those curtains!

6. Help hangers get a grip.

If your garments are constantly slipping off those slippery plastic hangers, this simple hack is just the ticket. A bit of hot glue (or even rubber bands) will give your hangers some much-needed extra grip.

7. If you need a shelf…

This won’t win any architectural beauty awards, but sometimes you need to rig up a shelf. A couple of sturdy hangers and a flat surface make for a quick and handy closet shelf.

8. Hang something else on them.

Blogger Jen shared this hack on her site EPBOT. Basically, take a wire hanger, keep the hook intact, snip the bottom part, and bend it into a shoe hanger.

Just brilliant!

9. Make a wreath.

Elsie and Emma from A Beautiful Mess shared this fun idea. If you like having seasonal wreaths on your door, wire hangers provide an inexpensive and customizable base for your favorite DIY wreath.

10. Hang paper towels in a pinch.

This isn’t the most attractive option, but if you need quick access to paper towels in your workshop or the home you’ve just moved into, rig up a holder by breaking the bottom bar of a coat hanger.

Kinda genius, right?

11. Say goodbye to creases.

Anyone who’s tried to hang pants on a standard plastic hanger knows that creases are an inevitability, but Karen from Sew Many Ways knows how to get rid of them. It’s as simple as adding some foam tubing to a hanger.

12. Tame those unruly cables.

Cable management is an important practice in our tech-driven world, and the Krazy Koupon Lady shows us this simple method for keeping her extension cords neat and tidy.

13. One hanger, many shirts.

A sturdy hanger combined with a package of shower rings makes a great hanging solution for light shirts like tank tops or anything else that has thin straps.

14. Give your laptop some chill.

To maximize your laptop’s lifespan, it’s important to prioritize air circulation. This simple modification of a wire hanger creates a minimalistic frame to keep your laptop elevated and cool.

15. Hangers aren’t just for clothes.

You can use them to hang your bike, too! Not only is this solution pretty affordable, you can use this hack as home décor, inside or out.

16. Clips always come in handy.

Those cheap plastic hangers with clips are pretty flimsy overall, but the clips are super sturdy. Just cut the clips off and use them for bags of chips or anything else that needs sealing.