Binder clips are easy to find in any office space. They aren't quite as common around the house, though. Well, it's time to change that, because binder clips can be used for just about everything.
That's right; binder clips are no longer just for holding together sheets of paper. With the help of just a few binder clips you can organize your fridge and your desk, decorate your house and make your life easier in so many ways.
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1. Toothpaste squeezer
The more toothpaste you use, the more difficult it becomes to squeeze any out of the tube. It all gets stuck at one end of the tube, making your morning routine take longer than necessary. If you want to make sure you can effortlessly use every drop of toothpaste, start rolling the end as far as you can and hold it in place with a binder clip. This will keep enough pressure on the toothpaste inside that it will easily squeeze out next time you need it.
The more toothpaste you use, the more difficult it becomes to squeeze any out of the tube. It all gets stuck at one end of the tube, making your morning routine take longer than necessary. If you want to make sure you can effortlessly use every drop of toothpaste, start rolling the end as far as you can and hold it in place with a binder clip. This will keep enough pressure on the toothpaste inside that it will easily squeeze out next time you need it.
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2. Keyboard feet
Typing on a flat keyboard is terrible for your wrists. Unfortunately, the legs meant to keep your keyboard propped up never seem to last very long. If yours have snapped off, try the trick below to make new feet for your keyboard out of a couple of binder clips.
Typing on a flat keyboard is terrible for your wrists. Unfortunately, the legs meant to keep your keyboard propped up never seem to last very long. If yours have snapped off, try the trick below to make new feet for your keyboard out of a couple of binder clips.
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3. Phone mount for the car
You shouldn't use your phone while driving, but sometimes you need it to provide directions when you're travelling somewhere new. You could hold your phone, but that makes it difficult to steer in traffic. You could set the phone on your leg, but then there's the chance that it will slide off and fall on the floor. Your best option is to mount your phone somewhere close to eye level. But don't buy an expensive phone mount.
You shouldn't use your phone while driving, but sometimes you need it to provide directions when you're travelling somewhere new. You could hold your phone, but that makes it difficult to steer in traffic. You could set the phone on your leg, but then there's the chance that it will slide off and fall on the floor. Your best option is to mount your phone somewhere close to eye level. But don't buy an expensive phone mount.
4. Picture frames
If you have too much empty space on your walls but don't want the clutter of thickly framed photos, try this hack instead. Hammer a few small nails or tacks into your wall and hang binder clips from them. You now have some trendy picture "frames," that won't take up much space and are easy to take down. (You also won't have to constantly adjust your frames to make sure they're hanging straight.)
If you have too much empty space on your walls but don't want the clutter of thickly framed photos, try this hack instead. Hammer a few small nails or tacks into your wall and hang binder clips from them. You now have some trendy picture "frames," that won't take up much space and are easy to take down. (You also won't have to constantly adjust your frames to make sure they're hanging straight.)
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5. Recipe display
Not only can you use binder clips for photos, but you can also use them for recipe cards. Attach a magnet to one of your kitchen cabinets at eye level to hold up the binder clip. Now when you're cooking, you can clip the recipe in a place that's easy to see and protects it from spills and splashes.
Not only can you use binder clips for photos, but you can also use them for recipe cards. Attach a magnet to one of your kitchen cabinets at eye level to hold up the binder clip. Now when you're cooking, you can clip the recipe in a place that's easy to see and protects it from spills and splashes.
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6. Cord organizer (h/t Everyday Dishes)
Have you ever tried to plug in your computer charger but the cord wouldn't stretch far enough? Then, when you investigated the problem you discovered that it wouldn't reach because it was tangled up with your phone charger? You can prevent all of your chargers and cords from turning into a tangled mess by clipping a few labeled binder clips to the edge of your desk and feeding the cords through one of the handles.
Have you ever tried to plug in your computer charger but the cord wouldn't stretch far enough? Then, when you investigated the problem you discovered that it wouldn't reach because it was tangled up with your phone charger? You can prevent all of your chargers and cords from turning into a tangled mess by clipping a few labeled binder clips to the edge of your desk and feeding the cords through one of the handles.
7. Yarn holder
Just like charger cords, yarn also tends to tangle easily. While there are several ways to keep your yarn from tying itself in knots, one of the quickest ways is to attach a binder clip to a bowl. Feed a little yarn through the handles of the clip and you're good to go. The bulk of your yarn can rest in the bowl while only the length you currently need is available through the clip's handles.
Just like charger cords, yarn also tends to tangle easily. While there are several ways to keep your yarn from tying itself in knots, one of the quickest ways is to attach a binder clip to a bowl. Feed a little yarn through the handles of the clip and you're good to go. The bulk of your yarn can rest in the bowl while only the length you currently need is available through the clip's handles.
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8. Hot glue gun stand
If you're a crafty person, then you probably own at least one hot glue gun. There's also a chance that one of these guns is on its literal last leg and no longer stands up on its own. Instead of throwing it away and buying a new one, use a large binder clip to help hold it up. Just rest the tip of the gun in one of the handles of your binder clip and you'll no longer have to worry about it falling over.
If you're a crafty person, then you probably own at least one hot glue gun. There's also a chance that one of these guns is on its literal last leg and no longer stands up on its own. Instead of throwing it away and buying a new one, use a large binder clip to help hold it up. Just rest the tip of the gun in one of the handles of your binder clip and you'll no longer have to worry about it falling over.
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9. Freezer organization
Unless you have a large chest freezer (or even if you do) you've probably dealt with limited freezer space. Bags of fruits and veggies, cuts of meat, ice and frozen pizza sometimes take up more room than you have. One way to free up a little space is to hang any bagged frozen food from the shelving wires with large binder clips. Not only will this give you more room, it will also help keep previously opened bags from falling open and exposing the food to potential freezer burn.
Unless you have a large chest freezer (or even if you do) you've probably dealt with limited freezer space. Bags of fruits and veggies, cuts of meat, ice and frozen pizza sometimes take up more room than you have. One way to free up a little space is to hang any bagged frozen food from the shelving wires with large binder clips. Not only will this give you more room, it will also help keep previously opened bags from falling open and exposing the food to potential freezer burn.
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10. Razor cover
If you travel frequently you probably already know all the tricks for easily transporting your toiletries from one location to another. But for those of us who don't travel for work, we can always use a tip or two. Speaking of tips, don't slice open the tip of your finger by reaching into your bag only to discover that your razor's little plastic cover has fallen off. Instead, close a binder clip over your razor to ensure that it (and you) arrive safely at your destination.
If you travel frequently you probably already know all the tricks for easily transporting your toiletries from one location to another. But for those of us who don't travel for work, we can always use a tip or two. Speaking of tips, don't slice open the tip of your finger by reaching into your bag only to discover that your razor's little plastic cover has fallen off. Instead, close a binder clip over your razor to ensure that it (and you) arrive safely at your destination.
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11. Drink stopper
There are countless ways to make space in your refrigerator for drinks, once of which is to stack them in a pyramid. But doing this also brings up the risk of your drinks rolling all over the place. To prevent this, stick a binder clip or two on the wire shelf to hold your drinks in place.
There are countless ways to make space in your refrigerator for drinks, once of which is to stack them in a pyramid. But doing this also brings up the risk of your drinks rolling all over the place. To prevent this, stick a binder clip or two on the wire shelf to hold your drinks in place.
12. Chip clip
For many of us, sitting down and eating an entire bag of chips is all in a day's work. But for those of you with some self-control, you might be interested in this DIY chip clip. Once you've opened your chip bag and eaten all you can, you still need to hold the bag closed to prevent the chips from going stale. A quick way to save your chips is to simply snap on a binder clip.
For many of us, sitting down and eating an entire bag of chips is all in a day's work. But for those of you with some self-control, you might be interested in this DIY chip clip. Once you've opened your chip bag and eaten all you can, you still need to hold the bag closed to prevent the chips from going stale. A quick way to save your chips is to simply snap on a binder clip.
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13. Doodle pad
Do you have artistic kids? Do you need a new way to keep them busy? Take a stack of paper and a sturdy piece of card stock and hold them together with a binder clip. Then tie a piece of string around a pen and around one of the clip's handles. Your kids now have a doodle pad with a pen that won't get misplaced.
Do you have artistic kids? Do you need a new way to keep them busy? Take a stack of paper and a sturdy piece of card stock and hold them together with a binder clip. Then tie a piece of string around a pen and around one of the clip's handles. Your kids now have a doodle pad with a pen that won't get misplaced.
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Now that you have some new uses for binder clips, make sure you raid the supply closet at work. Or, you know, buy some of your own. And make sure you share this list with your friends on Facebook! (But make sure you hide the post from your boss so she doesn't suspect you when a box of binder clips goes missing.)