Indoor Planter Hanger Guide for Small Spaces

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Choose an indoor planter hanger by its length, the pot size it fits and the weight limit on its listing. An indoor planter hanger lifts plants off the floor and shelves by suspending a pot from a ceiling hook, a wall bracket or a bar. Macrame hangers made of cotton cord are the usual choice, and a metal hanging bar suits a row of plants along a window. The three products in our research data include a single 35 in macrame hanger rated at 22.1 pounds, a three-pack with lengths of 34 in, 41 in and 46 in rated at 12 pounds each, and a 70.8 in metal bar with six chains. Hang plants where nobody will walk under them, and measure your ceiling before you buy.

Quick compare: the products in this guide

Sizes come from the Amazon listings as we read them; check the product page for the current details before you buy.

Product	Listed details	Link
Mkono Macrame Plant Hanger Indoor 35 Inch Hanging Planter Basket Ivory 1Pc	35 in long; 22.1 pounds capacity	See details on Amazon Affiliate link
MIPON 3 Pack Macrame Plant Hangers, Hanging Planters for Indoor Plants	34/41/46 in lengths; 12 pounds capacity each	See details on Amazon Affiliate link
Galood Plant Hanger Indoor with 6 Hanging Chains Hanging Planters	70.8 in long; 6 chains	See details on Amazon Affiliate link

Why hang plants in a small space

In a small apartment, tables and shelves are crowded. A hanging planter takes no floor and no surface area. Trailing plants such as pothos look best when their vines can fall, so hanging gives them room that a shelf cannot. A hanger can also lift a plant out of reach of pets.

The trade-off is that hanging plants need a secure hook and a little care. A pot full of wet soil is heavy, and it is easy to underestimate. The right hanger and a solid fixing matter more than the style.

Three hangers from the listing data

Everything below comes from product pages in our research data. Where a number is missing, check the listing.

• Mkono Macrame Plant Hanger, 35 in, ivory. A single cotton-cord hanger, 35 in long, with a stated capacity of 22.1 pounds. The listing says it is handmade, with four leg strings that expand around a pot, and that it works indoors and outdoors. Pots and plants are not included.
• MIPON 3 Pack Macrame Plant Hangers. Three cotton hangers of approximate lengths 46 in, 41 in and 34 in, each with a 12 pound capacity, plus metal hooks. The listing says they fit pots from 5 in to 10 in and can be set up without tools.
• Galood Plant Hanger with 6 Chains, metal. A black metal bar listed at 7.8 in deep by 73 in wide, with a stated length of 70.8 in. It mounts to the ceiling or a wall, and the listing says it has threaded joints and all mounting hardware. It lists no weight capacity in the data we have, so check the page.

Macrame or metal bar?

Macrame hangers

Cotton-cord hangers are light, soft-looking and easy to change. They suit a single plant or a cluster at different heights. You can adjust how a plant sits by changing the knot or the hook position, and you can swap one out without any tools. Their limit is weight and wear. Cotton rope can fray over time, and a pot that is too big for the hanger strains the knots. Stay within the pot range on the listing.

Metal hanging bars

A metal bar with chains holds a line of plants at the same height. It suits a window, because every plant gets the same light. It fixes to the ceiling or wall at a few points, so it needs more careful installation than a single hook. It also leaves the plants closer together, so check the width of the pots against the spacing of the chains.

Length: how low will the plant hang?

Hanger length decides where the pot ends up. Listings give the length of the hanger, but where it is measured from can vary, so check how each maker measures it.

A longer hanger lowers the plant, which is useful in a room with a high ceiling. A shorter one suits a low ceiling or a plant near a window. The three lengths in the MIPON set let you stagger plants in one corner, which looks fuller than three at one height.

Worked example: hanging height in a room with an 8-foot ceiling

This is our own planning example, with the arithmetic shown. Say your ceiling is 96 in (8 ft) and you hang three MIPON hangers from hooks at the ceiling. We assume, for the sum, that the length listed runs from the hook to the bottom of the hanger. Check how your maker measures it.

Vertical layout (floor to ceiling only):

• 34 in hanger. 96 in minus 34 in equals 62 in from the floor to the bottom.
• 41 in hanger. 96 in minus 41 in equals 55 in.
• 46 in hanger. 96 in minus 46 in equals 50 in.
• Stagger. 62 in minus 55 in equals 7 in, and 55 in minus 50 in equals 5 in between the bottoms.

Headroom check. The US Access Board’s guide to protruding objects requires at least 80 in of headroom along a circulation path, and limits objects between 27 in and 80 in high to a 4 in protrusion. That is a public-building rule, but it is a useful yardstick. A pot that hangs with its bottom at 50 in to 62 in from the floor is in the zone where it can hit a head, and its 10 in width is more than 4 in, so do not hang these over a walkway. Hang them in a corner or beside a window where nobody walks.

Weight check, per MIPON hanger. The listing gives 12 lb capacity.

• Say a 6 in pot with wet soil and plant weighs 4 lb.
• 12 lb minus 4 lb equals 8 lb of spare capacity.
• 12 lb divided by 4 lb equals 3, so the hanger is at its limit with three such pots, which it should never carry. One pot per hanger is the design.

Spacing on the Galood bar. The bar is 70.8 in long and has 6 chains. If you space the plants evenly, 70.8 in divided by 6 equals 11.8 in per plant. With 10 in wide planters, 11.8 in minus 10 in equals 1.8 in between pots.

Choosing the right hook or fixing

The hanger is only as secure as what it hangs from. A hook screwed into a bare plaster ceiling will not hold much. Look for a joist or a proper ceiling anchor. The MIPON set includes metal hooks, and the Galood bar comes with mounting hardware, but check what suits your ceiling, since hardware in the box is generic.

If you rent and cannot drill, think about other options: a tension rod across a window, a curtain rod rated for the weight, or a wall-mounted bracket. Do not hang a wet, heavy pot from an adhesive hook unless the maker rates it for the weight.

Pots, soil and watering

• Pot size. The MIPON listing says its hangers fit pots from 5 in to 10 in. A pot outside that range will not sit well.
• Weight. Wet soil is much heavier than dry. When you water, take the pot down or water slowly with a tray to catch drips.
• Drainage. Use a pot with a saucer or an inner pot that you can lift out. Water dripping on a floor or a sofa is the main complaint with hanging plants.
• Light. A plant that hangs near a window gets light from one side. Turn it every week or two.

Who should buy an indoor planter hanger

• Renters and small-space gardeners who want greenery without shelves.
• Trailing-plant fans who want vines to fall freely.
• Pet owners who want plants out of reach.

Who should skip it

• People who cannot fix a hook securely. A loose ceiling is a bigger risk than a tall plant.
• Anyone with a low doorway ceiling where hanging pots would be in the way.
• Households with big, heavy pots. Use a floor stand instead.

Common mistakes

• Hanging over a walkway or a sofa. A pot at head height is a hazard.
• Underestimating wet weight. Soil plus water adds up.
• Using one hook for three plants. Each hanger needs its own fixing.
• Ignoring the pot range. A pot that is too big strains the knots.
• Leaving cotton wet. Cotton cord in damp conditions can wear faster. Keep drips off the cord.

Keep reading

These guides cover related picks and sizing checks for a small space.

• Indoor Planter Shelf: Metal Rack Buying Guide
• Indoor Plant Stand Table: Sizes for Small Spaces
• Indoor Plant Hanger: Length, Weight and Hooks

Frequently asked questions

How much weight can a macrame plant hanger hold?

It depends on the product. The Mkono listing in the listing data states 22.1 pounds, and the MIPON listing states 12 pounds per hanger. Always compare the hanger rating with the weight of your wet pot.

How long should a plant hanger be?

Pick the length from the height you want the pot to hang. For the sums above we used 34 in, 41 in and 46 in lengths on a 96 in ceiling. Check how the maker measures the length.

Can I hang a plant from the ceiling without drilling?

Some hangers are designed for hooks that screw in, and others need rods or brackets. If you cannot drill, use a rod or bracket rated for the weight, and test it with something heavy first.

Do hanging plants need special pots?

Not special, but light, with a saucer or an inner pot for water. Per the MIPON listing, pots from 5 in to 10 in fit its hangers.

Are metal bars better than macrame hangers?

A bar holds several plants in a line and looks tidy. A macrame hanger is simpler and lighter. Choose by how many plants you have and how you can mount them.

Products worth checking

We have not tested these products. Sizes and features come from the Amazon listings as we read them; where a listing does not say, we say so.

Sources checked

• US Access Board, Chapter 3: Protruding Objects
• Amazon listing, Mkono Macrame Plant Hanger 35 inch (B07L4J1P9P)
• Amazon listing, MIPON 3 Pack Macrame Plant Hangers (B0B3F5H2ZK)
• Amazon listing, Galood Plant Hanger with 6 Chains (B0D4YRGBYY)

Specifications come from the Amazon listings as we read them for this guide. Product details and availability can change, so confirm on the product page before you buy.

How we research our guides