15 Paper Clip Hacks to Make Your Life Easier

MacGyver isn’t the only one who knows how to use a paperclip. With a little ingenuity, you too can come up with genius paper clip uses to make your day better. From getting your bra to fit just right to making a stand for your phone on the spot, your day just got a little easier thanks to these clever paper clip hacks.

Paperclip Uses and Hacks to Make Your Life Easier

Paper clips are found in any office, a box of clips has so many that you buy once, place it on your desk and you seem to have an endless supply of clips.

You don’t even know what to do with them and you just ignore them. Today, I am going to show you just how much you are underutilizing these little wires and how valuable they are to have around the office and at home. Yes, paper clips can be your easy-access life-savers, you just need to learn the simple trick

1. Phone stand using a paper clip

Create a cheap phone stand for your desk out of a couple of paper clips. Clever idea!

Use two large paper clips bent using pliers to stand your phone on the desk in landscape mode. Bend one tip 90 degrees to form the base of the stand and the inner loop 45 degrees in the other direction to form the floor for the phone.

2. Paper clip hacks to fasten bracelets

Fasten a bracelet without help by hooking a paperclip through the clasp hole on the bracelet, using the other end of the paperclip to hold it steady.

Your bracelet will be fastened in 5 simple steps:

First, stretch out the paperclip to make it kind of an “S” hook.
Next, put one end of the paperclip into the hole in which you will hook the clasp.
Hold the other end of the paperclip up in your hand to steady the bracelet while you’re hooking it closed.
Using the other hand, clasp the bracelet.
Remove the paper clip and you are good to go!

3. Straighten up your collar

Straighten up a messy collar using paper clips as the collar stays.

I hate it when my collar flaps in the wind and tries to be part of my lunch. I have to keep straightening it and parting it back into position. Some shirts have little plastics inside that keep the collars straight, but for the rest, a paper clip will work just as well.

4. DIY bookmarks

Don’t pay for expensive bookmarks at the store. Make your own bookmarks by gluing a button or tying a pretty ribbon around the end of a paperclip. You can also use the clip to bind a few pages of interest to you together.

5. Unstuck your zipper

Pull up a stuck zipper easily by looping a paperclip through the zipper.

Sometimes when your zipper is stuck, you tag on it so strongly that you break that little holder. Worry not, a paper clip will make a good makeshift holder and give you that extra grip you need to loosen the stuck zipper.

6. Paper clip hack to unclog glue bottles

Unclog glue or spray bottles by poking a paperclip end through the opening. Simple and effective!

That bottle of glue isn’t used up just yet, it’s just some glue stuck at the opening keeping the rest of the fresh glue from oozing out. Don’t run to the store for a fresh bottle of glue just yet, unfold a paper clip and use it to remove that solid piece of glue stuck at the opening.

7. Clip your tie in place

Hold a floppy tie in place by clipping it to your shirt with a paperclip.

Tie clips are tiny and therefore very easy to lose. Sometimes you look for that clip all morning even as you are running late but they seem determined to hide from you. Worry not, stop wasting time looking for the clip, grab a paper clip and use it instead.

Just remember it’s not as fancy or fashion-forward as the real deal so pin it in a manner that it remains hidden, maybe under the suit jacket or clip behind the upper tie blade. You can always look for your truant clip later and store it somewhere you will remember next time.

8. Bind a bunch of papers

Bind a book or a bunch of papers together using a paperclip and some rubber bands. Great idea for keeping the kids’ artwork together!

This is the reason paper clips are made at the factory, but there are so many other ways to bind papers using a clip other than a small bunch of papers held at the top. You can run a string through the punch holes and secure it using a paper clip.

9. Clip Your Hair

Keep your hair in place. Use paperclips as a substitute for bobby pins.

I once went out on vacation only to find that I had left my bobby pins at home. I did not feel like buying new ones since I already had so many of them. So I took a bunch of paper clips, secured my hair, and had a nice day at the beach not worrying about the wind trying to make me eat my own hair.

This paper clip hack for your hair is especially good since you do not have to learn a new skill, they work exactly the same as bobby pins and you can keep them discreet by having a few locks of hair hiding the clips.

10. Keep holiday lights straight

When Christmas rolls around, keep your holiday lights straight and sparkling with paperclips to keep them in line. Anybody who has tried to hang up those Christmas lights can tell you what a pain they are to secure in place to create nice clean lines spelling out ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS.’ Well, with a bunch of paper clips, this should no longer be a problem,

Watch the short video to find out how. You can also use them to hang ornaments when those flimsy ornament hooks just won’t do. Some people try to use masking tape to hold up the ornaments in the tree but paper clips are much neater and easier to put in place and to remove when the holidays are done.

11. Paper clip hack to pit cherries

Pit cherries with ease. Straighten out the paper clip and form hooks at both ends, push these hooks into the cherry and dig around until the seed pops right out. After a few tries, you will be an expert and you won’t have to dig around so much.

12. Makeshift letter opener

Use a paperclip as a makeshift letter opener. The wire of the paper clip is just strong enough to tear your letter open when the letter opener decides to go hiding. Just straighten out the entire clip, slide the wire into the letter and slit it open with a firm tug.

13. Makeshift luggage lock

Lose your luggage lock? Replace it with a paperclip while you’re on the road. Run a paper clip through the hooks of the zip where the lock goes through and secure your bag. Your zips will not slide open without your permission with the trusty old paper clip standing on guard.

14. Racerback bra

Turn your standard bra straps into a racerback bra by securing the straps in the back with a paperclip. You may want to put some tape around the ends to avoid being poked in the back throughout the day.

Your bra will not slide off your shoulders with this trick and you can have an active day without having to adjust the straps all the time.

15. Pick a lock using the old paper clip hack

Pick a lock when you’ve lost your key. This trick is best used with simple locks, such as those on luggage, diaries, lockers, etc.

Ever watched a spy flick, I bet you anything this simple hack was featured. The hero has managed to sneak into the evil guy’s office but the drawers are locked and he needs to get some documents from within. Doing some quick thinking on his feet, he looks around and finds a paper clip or two. After a few seconds of digging inside the lock and it opens all the drawer’s secrets to him.