Six Other Uses for Clothespins

Aside from hanging up clothes on an outdoor line and a wide array of crafts, those simple little wooden or plastic pinching pins have a multitude of other uses.

Chip Clips 

Around my house at any given time a bag of chips can be found staying fresh by being pinched clothes with a clothespin.  We do have the fancier plastic store-bought chip clips but they seem to never be around when I need them, so the clothespin sits in as a substitute and works just as well.

Wire Hanger Helpers 

For those still using wire hangers, clothespins can help to hold clothes on (the plastic hangers are too thick for the pin to fit on).  For shirts that like to slip off the hangers, instead of bending the hanger into some misshapen form, simply put the shirt on the hanger than then secure it at the shoulders by pinching it and the wire in the clothespin.  Also works to pinch closed over shirts or jackets that don’t fasten on their own with buttons or zippers.

Paper Clips 

Obviously, these would make great big, clunky paperclips and would not do for mailing papers or turning in important documents, but for just at home uses when a paperclip can’t be found, clothespins will hold papers together neatly and keeps everything together.

Bulletin Board Helpers 

For magnetic bulletin boards glue a magnet to one side of the clip or use sticky magnet tape.  Stick the clip onto the bulletin board and when you need to hang something up simply pinch the clip open and let it grab notes, artwork, messages, or anything other important papers.

Stuffed Animal Holders 

Instead of having a child’s stuffed animals littering floors or shelves, string up sturdy rope or clothesline and clip stuffed animals by their ears or clothing or use them to hang a mesh bag filled with small and lightweight toys.

Home Décor 

For odd-shaped or small windows purchase a thin wire or straighten out a wire hanger or purchase a 1/8” dowel rod (small enough to fit in the gap of the clothespins).  Hang some metal drapery or curtain brackets and set the rod or wire into the brackets.  Use the clothespin to hang decorative towels or handkerchiefs for a unique curtain effect.  Then, either hang them as you would on a clothesline or for smaller windows hang just a corner of the cloth and let the rest of it drape down.