Free Stuff to Hang on Your Walls: Maps and Other Home Decorations

So you’ve moved into a new flat, and you’re flat broke? You can still decorate for nothing by compiling an eclectic array of free items to hang on your walls. “Free stuff” can even be your theme – until you can afford to furnish more formally. Take advantage of handouts from eager businesses, discarded advertisements, and “found” objects in your own piles of stuff. Betwixt what people will give you, what you can take (legally) in public settings, and what you already have lying around, you can find plenty of free items to hang on your walls. These approaches probably won’t result in refined decor, but they may be a fun, short-term solution to bare walls.

1. Transit Maps. Not only are they often colourful, but they’re incredibly practical. And did I mention free? If you live in a city with bus service, subways, or light rail, pick up a map of the system and puddy it to your wall. Transit maps can set a tone of exploration and organization, and they’re readily available from transit headquarters or stations, public buildings, and sometimes the trains and buses themselves. If you want to go overboard, you can even pick up timetables for various routes and make your living room look like a central station. If you’re a regular rider, these schedules serve the dual purpose of keeping your walls covered and keeping you informed.

2. Other Maps. City, state, and world maps can all make easy decorations. Just about every state has a tourist board that maintains a website. If you poke around, there’s usually an online form that will let you request tourist information, including a map. As an example, Texas lives up to its reputation by sending out huge maps of the state along with hefty brochures and guides. Since it doesn’t cost you anything and you can easily recycle whatever you don’t want to keep, go ahead and request some free tourist information. Beyond US states, some foreign countries and travel agencies will have similar “request info” forms which allow you to receive maps or posters that can make great wall art.

3. The Indoor Clothesline. With some thick string, twine, or even metal wire, you can create what amounts to an indoor clothesline along a stretch of wall. Just hammer two level nails at a distance from each other and tie your choice of line taut. Using clothespins (which are only $1 if you don’t have any), hang whatever lightweight objects strike your fancy. Consider the line to be an ever-changing art installation in your dirt cheap living room gallery. You can use pictures, magazine ripouts, tickets, flyers, scarves, hats, and anything else that will reveal your personality when strung together on a line next to a host of other “found” objects.

4. Retail Posters. Have you considered acquiring a giant poster from a discontinued ad campaign? If you have a friend who works at a clothing, music, or video store, it’s time to hit that person up for some free, cheesy decor. I was once offered a 7-foot cutout of Prince by a friend who works at a record shop, and while I do respect “The Artist”, I had to decline the offer based on his majesty’s cardboard size. But I’ve seen people cover their walls with giant GAP ads (smuggled by employees), movie posters garnered from local theatres, and old bills from theatre productions. If you don’t have an inside contact but you’re eyeing something near the end of its commercial usefulness, it doesn’t hurt to ask anyway. Depending on how flashy and commercialized you want your walls to be, you may be able to get something glossy for free. When you tire of it, throw it out or recycle it. Remember: it was probably headed to the trash anyway.

5. Mount Your Bike. If you already own a bike and you like the way it looks, why hide it in a closet, garage, or storage space? Suspend it from the ceiling or hang it from the wall. With some inexpensive hardware, you can turn an existing possession into a “found” sculpture. Don’t have the whole bike anymore? Then just mount a wheel or two on the wall for a curious effect.

6. Commercial Calendars. Many local businesses, from floral shops to auto repair garages, will make free calendars available to their customers. Take advantage of their desire to advertise and find something interesting and practical for your otherwise empty kitchen. Or start a collection of tacky calendars so you can cover the kitchen walls, letting commercial outlets outdo each other.

7. Rug Board. Do you have an old rug that isn’t so attractive anymore? Maybe you just have an extra carpet remnant? With a quick go-round in the washing machine and some long, round-head pins, you can make an interesting bulletin board for next to nothing. Just hang the clean rug as though it were a corkboard, and use the pins to secure whatever items you like to it. If there are any stains or flaws, you can cover them up by pinning items to cover the problem areas. The juxtaposition of a textured rug with paper (especially white paper) creates an especially pleasing contrast – and a conversation piece.