No need for hours and scissors/paper cut outs of your items to guide you here… only supplies needed are a throw blanket, tape measure, 3M Command Picture Hanging Strips, maybe a level if you’re feeling fancy.

Step 1: Stare at blank wall for at least one year, preferably while watching every episode of Gossip Girl on Netflix (and Googling why Georgina Sparks could not stay away from the Upper East Side).

Step 2: Collect random pictures and items that may go on a gallery wall and place them in guest room closet.

Step 3: Find out every member of your husband’s family is flying in for his 30th birthday weekend. Panic. Drag all items mentioned above to the living room.

Step 4: Measure the area on the wall you want the gallery wall to fit into (a foot down from the ceiling, a foot above the couch, a foot on each side away from the corner and door). Decide you have a throw blanket approximately the same size. Lay the throw blanket on the floor and contemplate.

Step 5: Place collected items in some kind of order on the blanket. Rearrange until you’re satisfied or until a dog walks through your artwork. Take a picture so you don’t forget.

Step 6: Start hanging items on the wall, referring to your picture for spacing.

Step 7: Go to Michaels and pick up a few extra items (the ampersand) and fill in the remaining spaces hours before company arrives.

Step 8: Post photo of gallery wall on Instagram and revel in the praise.

Voila! Gallery wall.