How to hang pictures so they don't move

Are you a picture straightener? Does it drive you crazy when a piece of art you've carefully hung on the wall tilts out of alignment? (Please tell me I'm not the only one!)

I've figured out a way to get my pictures to stay firmly in place when I hang them, which is especially valuable if I'm hanging more than one piece. Here's how I do it.

First, you need two pieces of hanging hardware on the back of the picture frame. When I have things framed, my frame shop always attaches two D-rings on the back of the frame and then strings hanging wire between those two rings.

As soon as I bring the pictures home, I remove the hanging wire so that I'm left with just the two D-rings.

Next, I measure the space between the two D-rings. The easiest way I've found to do this is to use a level. I place the level on the picture frame and use a Sharpie to mark the location of the D-rings.

Then I simply place the level on the wall and use a pencil to mark the position of the two Sharpie marks. Since the marks are on the level, it's easy to be sure that the two marks are level on the wall. Then I hammer in two nails or two picture hooks right on those marks.

For large pieces or for mirrors, I like to use Ook picture hangers. (affiliate link) They are easy to nail in, they hold lots of weight, and they don't leave big holes in the wall.

Once those two nails or picture hangers are in place, it's a cinch to place the two D-rings onto the hangers and voila! You have a picture that's not only perfectly straight, it'll never need to be straightened.

This is especially helpful when hanging a group of pictures in a high-traffic area, such as the dining area of our condo. Naturally, wall art is going to get bumped sometimes, but if a picture is hanging on two nails, it doesn't budge.

No more picture-straightening!

Have you ever used this trick for hanging wall art? Or do you have another way to do it? I love getting new tips!

(Note: This post includes an affiliate link so that you can quickly see the item at Amazon. But you can also find these at big box stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot or at your local hardware store. I've even seen them at my grocery store.)