Some of the best things you can decorate with are undeniably fragile, and when there are certain members of your household who can’t be trusted — think accident-prone kids, or cats who love to make your home their climbing frame — you might think these decorative beauties aren’t worth the risk.
But what if I told you there is a way to secure (or at least better secure) your home decor in any and every room? What if I told you it didn’t involve damaging adhesives or unsavory velcro? And what if I declared it one of the best tools to help you style a bookcase better?
This is what I’ve discovered in “museum gel”, a viral discovery all over social media that helps you keep your decor in place.
Your new favorite decorating hack
Have you heard of museum putty (which you can buy on Amazon) before? I hadn’t, but I have heard of (and used) its cousin, mounting putty… to mixed results. But what I love about this derivative idea is that we’re not mounting anything, really; at least not in the traditional sense. Instead, we’re using this sticky, tacky (literally) product to secure our decor in place on tables, shelves, and more, not hang anything on the wall. That’s what really caught my eye. Let Annika (@sweetandtidy), a former interior organizer and the content creator from whom I discovered this idea, explain.
@sweetandtidy_
♬ original sound – speedz!
“If I’m ever decorating with anything that is glass or fragile, I love using this museum gel to keep everything in place,” Annika muses, “especially for things like candles, which are so lightweight and they can easily slide around.”
She just grabs “a small amount” and places it “on the bottom of my decor,” where it “does such a great job” securing the item. And the best part? It’s not sticky it doesn’t leave a residue, and “it’s not hard to get off. It just holds things in place for as long as I need.”
Annika raises a good point about this hack, especially if you have pets or small kids. Not only is this putty helpful for anchoring decor (she’s right, candles do slide easily), but it adds an extra layer of protection against errant paws or tiny, curious hands. Accidents happen; wouldn’t you rather your precious family vase have a security system of its own?
Price: $11.46
Size: 4 oz.
This clear, adhesive gel secures your valuables in place without staining or marking furniture. Once secured, you can move an object to a different location by twisting and pulling until it separates from the shelf or surface.
The gel is clear (so it’s aesthetics friendly!) reusable, and non-toxic, and promises not to stain or “otherwise mark” furniture, according to its Amazon listing. Upon further inspection it actually looks like its intended use is to protect valuables during earthquakes. We don’t have too many of those here in Pennsylvania, but if you’re out on the California coast, we may have unlocked a new use case. Again, this isn’t strong enough for hanging pictures or posters. But if you’d prefer your decorative seltzer bottles intact or you’re top-of-toilet decor in place, this should do the trick.
I’m actually about to order some myself — I think I’ll use it to keep my stack of coffee table books looking just so (I like to offset the bottom book and the top book at a certain angle. It’s a whole thing). And it looks like I’m not the only one adding to my cart. According to Amazon, 10,000 units were purchased in the last month alone.
Wrote one reviewer: “Our cat knocks over things so this avoids breakage. You could also use it to stick down your security cameras on flat surfaces. We have cameras on top of our fridges pointed at doors in the kitchen and garage. Very effective.”
Added a second: “Just what I needed for temporarily affixing metal items to a metal tray so that they would stay put. Easy to use & cleanup was a breeze! Worth the price! Give it a try.”
And not for nothing, this jar of putty just looks a bit sleeker than its counterparts. I know functionality reigns supreme with this kind of thing, but I can’t help but comment on the aesthetics. With “museum gel,” you don’t have to choose between security and a ding on your chic bookshelf vignette. As a disciple of interior design trends, that beautifying touch goes a long way with me.
6 additional methods for securing lightweight pieces
Still not convinced? Well, you know I love a bit of variety. Below, I’ve linked and discussed six other tools for securing our mounting valuables, all sourced with functionality in mind.
Scotch Restickable Squares
Price: $5.92
Includes: 72 squares
Similar to the museum gel, these sticky Scotch squares are reusable and lightweight, with the ability to hold up to half a pound. The brand suggests using them to mount gaming and computer accessories, specifically.
Gorilla Double Sided Mounting Tape
Price: $10.98
Includes: 1″ x 150″ strip
From the geniuses behind Gorilla Glue comes a much stronger variation of double-sided tape — so strong, in fact, that it can hold up to 38 lbs (perhaps it’s time for some new living room art?). It’s allegedly weatherproof, so you can use it outside, and its clear finish won’t yellow over time. Take if from me, though; you want to store this properly. A few months rolled up in my toolbox did nothing for its efficacy. That’s definitely on me, but don’t make my same mistake!
Clear Sticky Tack Adhesive Poster Tacky
Price: $13.99
Includes: 350 dots
I’m thinking of these sticky dots as essentially pre-portioned bits of the museum putty; they seem to work in the same way. Place one dot (or two, or three) on the bottom of loose decor and secure to your wall/shelf/table/etc.
Duck Brand Reusable and Removable Poster Putty for Mounting
Price: $7.83
Includes: Two 2 oz. packs
This poster putty from Duck looks and feels a lot like clay, but it can hold drawings and decorations up to 1 lb. Customers say it works well for posters or lightweight decorative objects like glow in the dark stars. One buyer said he used it to keep picture frames level and in place.
Removable Dots Dot N’ Go Dispenser
Price: $4.99
Includes: 200 dots
Glue dots, which in this instance are stored in this fun and easy dispenser, seem a better option for, say, posters and paper than museum gel or mounting putty. They purport to be totally removable, without leaving a residue. Could be great if you’re also a big crafter.
Velcro Brand Sticky Back Hook and Loop Fasteners
Price: $4.79
Includes: 15 dots
Prefer a Velcro hold? Try these dots and fasteners, the back of which stick to anything and the front of which stick to eachother. Reviewers say they are strong, long-lasting, and “may even be better than duct tape.” Strong words!