Skip to main content

21OAK may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Apartment-dweller 101: How to patch holes in walls

Being an apartment dweller sometimes has challenges—noisy neighbors above or below you, lack of storage space, and the dreaded shared laundry room. But then comes the big indignity—when you move out, and your security deposit is in jeopardy due to the little holes left behind once you removed your pictures and artwork from the walls. 

But, why surrender your hard-earned money (aka your security deposit) just because you hung up a few pictures around your place? The good news is, you don’t have to! We’ll show you how to patch walls with foolproof step-by-step directions even the most DIY-challenged person can follow and give you a few no-holes-required alternatives if you’re not willing to risk the ire of your property manager!

How to patch holes in walls—it’s easier than you think!

Even if you don’t think you understand wall plaster patching, follow these steps, and your walls will look as good as new! Note: Before you begin, make sure the walls are dry and clean. 

Step one

After taking the picture down, use a hammer to remove the nail or picture hanger from the wall carefully. For added cushioning and protection, you can slide a paper towel between the hammer and the wall. 

Step two

  • Time to patch the hole. The correct way to patch is to buy a putty knife and some spackle at your local home improvement store (a small container of spackle will do because a little goes a long way). 
  • After stirring the spackle, scoop out a pea-sized blob onto the edge of the knife and cover the nail hole.
  • Scrape the putty with the edge of the putty knife a few times to smooth it out, and then wipe it down with a damp sponge or cloth.

In a time crunch before your walk-through?

You can use an old credit card to apply and scrape the putty if you don’t have a putty knife lying around.

Don’t have putty or time to get any? You can fill the hole with white toothpaste or rub it with a bar of white soap—both are short-term solutions that will hopefully hold up long enough for you to pass the inspection and get your security deposit back. 

How to minimize wall damage when you hang photos and artwork

Sometimes holes are simply unavoidable, but you can limit your need for spackling, sandpaper, or even painting with some easily concealed and filled hanging solutions. 

If the item you are hanging is small and lightweight, opt for thumbtacks or even staples, as both create tiny holes that are easier to fill than nail holes or standard art hooks.

For heavy items, we are big fans of MonkeyHooks. These J-shaped hooks can hold up to 50 pounds but leave the tiniest, easily filled hole on your wall, and they don’t require any tools to install! MonkeyHooks have a self-boring tip that penetrates through the drywall with simple pressure and a back-and-forth twisting motion. The shaft simply slides through, and the self-locking feature locks it securely into place, with only the hook exposed. Hang your picture on the hook, and you’re done!  

Ways to hang art without any holes at all!

Learn to love the wall lean: So simple, yet so effective. Take advantage of empty wall space on top of your furniture to lean artwork or framed photos against the wall. For larger pieces or big framed mirrors, you can practice the lean method right on the floor.

Hang art from molding: If you’re fortunate to have picture rail molding in your apartment, take advantage by finding hooks that fit the width of the molding and some attractive rope or string to hang the art or photos.

Use your mantle: Stop wasting valuable real estate by cluttering your fireplace mantle with knick-knacks or an abundance of photos when you can have it be the place to rest a piece of art that will become the focal point of your room—no hooks required.

Utilize bookshelves: You can use bookshelves for more than just books. Add some smaller artwork or an assortment of your favorite photos to put your unique style on display.

Get an easel: Although easels do take up a decent amount of floor space, they can be a viable option for displaying that statement piece you want to make the focal point of your room.

Walls decorated with artwork, decorative mirrors, and photos deliver the unique style that turns a house into a home. Just because you don’t own your dwelling, that shouldn’t preclude you from expressing yourself. We hope that our suggestions will inspire you to put up the things that make you happy, whether you opt for the traditional method (now that you know how to fill in nail holes) or go the hole-free route. It’s possible to style your apartment your way without incurring the wrath of your property manager.

Editors' Recommendations

Kim Renta
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kim has written for Bloomingdales, Movado, and various e-commerce wine sites. When she's not writing about wine and…
Here’s how to spring-clean your entire house in just 8 hours
how to spring clean in eight hours or less de

When the snow clears, and the time for spring cleaning rolls around again, the task may seem insurmountable. After a long winter, it often looks like it could take several days to get your home back in order. While establishing a home cleaning routine can sound rather overwhelming for homeowners entering the new season, there are plenty of ways to break the job down into smaller, more manageable tasks. So, we’ve gathered some of the best tips on how to get it done faster and more efficiently to come away with amazing results! Here’s how to spring clean your entire house in just eight hours.

Do a walk-through and jot down each room’s tasks
Walk through each room and make a quick list of the necessary cleaning tasks, jotting down how many minutes each one should take. Then, once you begin cleaning, stick to each time limit as strictly as possible.

Read more
Avoid surprise repairs: 77% of new homeowners face these unexpected costs
surprise home repair costs shutterstock 1800995521

Homeownership and interest in buying homes are steadily on the rise. With so many new homeowners flooding the market, hippo.com conducted a survey to see how new buyers were feeling after their big purchase. The survey found that the overwhelming majority of people who had recently bought a new home didn't feel prepared for the experience. A big reason cited was the fact that unexpected home repair costs popped up in the first year. Here are some details about what today's new homeowners are facing with homeownership — and what they can do to improve.

What's important to new homebuyers today?
The economy and the housing market aren't the only areas where things are changing rapidly. Prospective buyers today have a changing set of values that are evident in the way they approach homeownership. In response to economic changes, a bigger portion of buyers is moving away from being the traditional "couple" when buying their first house. Many are going at it by themselves and purchasing a home on their own. Others are buying houses with a friend, family member, or unmarried partner.

Read more
Make spring cleanup easy: The only home maintenance checklist you’ll ever need
spring tulips in front of a white house

The weather will soon be warmer and the days longer, but the effects of winter are still all around your home. That's why a spring home maintenance checklist is so useful. It can help keep you organized as you prepare your home for summer, and it can save you time and money on unnecessary repairs. Here are some commonly neglected items, both indoors and outdoors, that should be on every homeowner's spring checklist.

Outdoor spring home maintenance checklist
If you live in a region with cold weather, the exterior of your home takes quite a beating in the winter. The impact that snow, ice, and freezing temperatures have on the home's structure can make any homeowner nervous. The good news is, you can save yourself some big headaches if you're diligent about inspecting your home in the spring and fixing minor repairs before they become major problems.
Check for and repair damage to roofing
The weight of just a few inches of snow can do damage to your home's roof. Particularly when it comes to older roofs, one big snowfall in the beginning of winter can let in moisture or even cause a leak. Grab your ladder, safety equipment, and a buddy, and climb up to your roof to take a peek. Loose shingles, broken shingles, and popped nails will need to be replaced.
Check for and repair concrete and asphalt damages
Another woe of freezing weather is that it can damage concrete and asphalt. Examine your driveway, concrete stairs, walkways, and patios for any visible cracks. Even if the crack is minor, if water gets inside of it and freezes, it will expand the crack and require an even more expensive repair. It's a good idea to repair the crack while it's small.
Consider an exterior paint job
Spring is the perfect time to paint the exterior of your home since the temperature and humidity won't negatively impact your paint job. If the outside of your home could use a little TLC, put this project on the list for spring home maintenance.
Consider staining exterior wood surfaces
Cold weather and moisture make wood stain fade quickly. Check your decks, fences, and any other wooden outdoor surfaces to see if they are in need of a good staining.
Check window screens and caulking for damage
Just as your windows should be sealed well in the winter to keep the warm air in, they should also be tightly sealed in the summer to keep the cool air in. Examine the caulking around your window panes to be sure no cracks or gaps exist, and re-caulk if needed. Also, check window screens for tears and holes that might let in bugs when the windows are open.
Clean window exteriors and screens
Get all that grime off of your windows' exteriors after the long winter. It's not advised that you use a pressure washer for windows on upper levels since the force could easily break the glass. Instead, climb up on your ladder and clean those windows by hand. Use window cleaner and a squeegee to make them sparkle.

Read more