Someone sent me a message today asking what I use to make everything stick in my classroom. I have had others who have asked me the same thing…I use hot glue. Gone are the days of using wax clips, tape, and putty. One of my colleagues taught me this trick. I use hot glue for my locker tags, mailbox tags, my doors, and to adhere anything to those awful cinder block walls. Hot glue doesn’t leave any residue like tape does. It is so much easier to remove tags and other items – you just peel off the hardened glue and it pops off instantly.
A word of advice with hot glue…it gets very, very hot. I suggest keeping the glue gun on a low setting. Also, make sure that you never hold a glue gun straight up or above shoulder level to glue, it will run out of the back of the gun and can burn you. Last year, I made the mistake of holding my gun up too high – pressed the button and all of the glue came running out of the back and on to my fingers. I ended up with 2nd and 3rd degree burns and having to go to the hospital during school hours in an ambulance. I am fine now, but learned a big lesson on glue gun handling! 🙂
I couldn’t function without my handy, dandy glue gun! Once you start using it, you won’t ever go back to anything else.
Happy Decorating!
Melanie
I love hot glue too! My coworkers think I’m crazy, but it does work so well. Thanks for the tip, I don’t think I’m too careful with mine…that must have been horrible!! Back in the day (college time) I stayed up all night working on a project (we’re talking ’til 4 AM) and I didn’t pay attention to the fact the glue stick had run out–the whole gun sparked and burned my stomach a bit! Nothing as awful as what happened to you, but still taught me a new respect for the glue gun!
Kristen 🙂
I have a new respect for it as well! 🙂
Everyone at work hot glues to the walls too! Ha, ha, I thought it was nuts but when we go back to the building after renovations I am going to go for it. 🙂
Ms. M
Ms.M’s Blog
A Teacher’s Plan
Isn’t it crazy how we all learn the hard way! 🙂 I’ve burned myself 100 times using that dang glue gun, but I keep going back to it! 🙂
-Rachelle
whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com
P.S. LOVIN’ YOUR BLOG!!!!
Hi Rachelle!
Thank you so much! I plan to check your blog out as well! 🙂
I just learned about this trick this year! I moved classrooms and couldn’t figure out why the previous teacher had hung things with hot glue…. Silly me, now I know — because it actually works! :o)
Mrs. Lopac Teaches…
Ouch!!! Your story makes me wince.
I just tried hot glueing some things onto my cabinets – it works!!! (I only burned myself once – Didn’t need as much glue as I had put on and it slid down the laminated card quickly.) Thanks for the tip. I am passing it on. Looking forward to your organizing tips too.
I love hot glue! We use it for all kinds of projects around the house.
P.S. Many janitors may not be too fond of the the hot gluing of things to the wall… might want to be discrete and be sure to remove all evidence at the end of the year 😉
I am always discrete when using the hot glue for sure! 🙂
I have used hot glue ever since I started teaching!!!!! My last two classrooms haven’t had cinder block walls and I have really missed being able to use hot glue. Nothing budges!!!!
Well I can’t seem to get it to work for me, ever. EVER. The glue eventually peels away from whatever I’ve stuck with it. It dries way too fast; before I can put my item on it. It leaves strings all over the place. I have been trying to glue ribbon to shells I decorated and as soon as the hot glue dried, it came right off both the shell and ribbon. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but every time I use the hot glue gun, I’m reminded how much I hate it. 🙁