Whether plastic or wood, these old laundry standbys have loads of household potential beyond the clothesline.
I can remember being a child at my grandmother's house and helping her hang the laundry from a line that stretched the length of the backyard. She would hoist a sheet up to the line and I would hand her a clothespin from the pin bag as we worked side by side.
Then when we were finished I would grab of few of those clothespins and get crafting. With a little creativity, you can transform the clothespins into whimsical works of art. On a rainy day, dig out your craft supplies and let your imagination run wild. These household helpers can be turned into little people, , or giant snapping bugs running after my little sister.
Household Uses for Clothespins
Now that I am grown I can appreciate those little clothespins even more for all of the help they can give around the house.
If your vacuum cord keeps retracting on its own. Clip a clothespin onto the cord up near the vacuum. The clip will keep the cord extended out instead of all twisted and knotted together.
Speaking of cords, label the side of some clothespins and use them to identify cords on your electronic equipment, you won't have to crawl under your desk or behind the TV cabinet pulling on cords to figure out which connects to which device. Plus, the clothespins won't damage the cords because they have a channel near the top that's the perfect size for those cords to slip through.
Photo: mrsfixit.com
Ironing pleats can be a real pain, but if you
clip a clothespin onto the bottom of each pleat you'll not only be able to see where they are and where they're supposed to be, but they'll be much easier to iron as well. And if you don't have any straight pins on hand, use a clothespin to hold a hem in place while you stitch the hem back together.
In the kitchen,
clothespins are an inexpensive way to close up bags to keep food fresher longer.
Looking for a cute way to display your children's artwork? Thumbtack a line of string or yarn across one wall and use clothespins to attach their works in faux-clothesline fashion.
domesticat, Flickr
You can also glue magnets to the back of clothespins to
hold important papers or kids' drawings on the fridge.
OTHER IDEAS:
Use a clothespin to hold a tiny nail so you can easily drive it into place.
Clip your shoes or socks together with clothespins so you don't have to hunt down the other half of a pair.
In the office,
use clothespins to keep stacks of papers together if you're out of binder clips.
Turn an ordinary hanger into a skirt hanger with the use of a couple of strategically placed clothespins.
Use a pair of clothespins to
secure the edges of a garbage bag to the rim of the pail so it won't slip down.
** We want to know: What are YOUR clever ideas for using clothespins? Tell us in the comments below! **
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Make A Rustic Sawhorse Table For Under $40
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Reader comments (Page 5 of 6)
Few use clothespins on the clothesline any more(no clothesline!!)
ReplyVery useful though as bread closer, bag closer etc. etc. Lots of good ideas outtthere!!
i've taken them apart and used them to level furniture that tends to tip forward because of the tack strips along the walls in a carpeted room
ReplyI use them to label indoor plants. Clipped to the rim of the pot, it mights say "Needs reportting" or "Orchid - lavender" or "Make cuttings in April" or "Cactus - red" oe "Cactus - pink" (hey, who wants to mix up cuttings from both in one pot?).
ReplyA bag of clothes pins can keep a child occupied on a rainy day. 1) They can be clipped onto clothing as decoration (a fringe around a skirt, etc.) 2) They can be hidden around a room for an easy game of "Find 10 Clothespins". 3)They can pin bedsheets together to make an "inside-the-house tent".
ReplyI used them to make a chore chart for my children. List all of the household chores on a piece of paper & laminate it. I like to make mine look fun, kind of like a game board. Write each child's name on a clothes pin and clip it next to a job. That is their job for the day. Rotate the pins daily, weekly, or whatever works best for your house.
ReplyI have to use deer netting in my garden to prevent deer and bunnies from chewing off the buds from my young plants. It was especially frustrating with the tomatoes and roses. As the plant grows, I am able to adjust the netting and just reposition the spring clothespins. It works very well, and frustrates the wildlife.
ReplyI use a clothespin to secure my bath towel around me. I also put one at the bottom of my bathroom window curtain so when the window is open and I'm taking a shower, the curtain stays together when a breeze comes in giving me absolute privacy and fresh air too.
ReplyOn my nose to stop bad odors...
ReplyKeep a clothespin in your car on the visor for the times you need to use your headlights during the day. Then clip it to your ignition key or key ring as a reminder to turn off your lights when you get out. No more dead batteries. If you have trouble remembering other things in the car, you could keep several on the visor with appropriate labels such as "lights" or "baby" -- whatever fits your situation.
ReplyI have used these for years to hold my pages while reading - they work great on the beach or when trying to read while eating!
ReplyI use a clothespin hanging from my cabinet door to hold my recipe while I'm cooking
ReplyI use clothespins to keep my sheet music on the stand in windy areas like outdoor concerts or in my room when I practice.
ReplyIn addition to using as fasteners for plastic bags filled with food or other items, they are great for fastening lettuce, treats, etc. to cockatiel cages. I use them for most anything that needs to be fastened. Glue a magnet on the back and put on refrigerator door to hold papers.
ReplyA note of caution. Don't let small children play with them. I once knew a youngster who was blinded in one eye when the spring popped loose from the pin.
When I hadf cars without auto day running lights i used to keep one clipped to the ashtray, when i had to turn on the ligths in the rian during the day I would put the clothespins on my key chain hanging from ignition so when i turned it off i would remember to turn off the lights.
ReplyKept a 2nd one in the car to attach notes to visor when i had to get sdomething or do something again to remind me.
At cub scout day camp and VBS, I've played a game with the kids. You mark off a 10' x' 10' square on the ground and clip 10 clothes pins to each child's shirt on the front and back. The kids get in the square and have to try to steal the pins from other players, pin them on themselves while guarding the pins that they already have. In a timed period [be the judge by age], who has the most pins wins. Lots of fun!
ReplyClothespins are wonderful for making reading or math games that require matching a specific answer.
ReplyI use a clothespin on my seat belt to give me a little slack by holding the belt in a looser position. This does not in any way effect the safety that the belt is intended to perform.
Replywooden clothes pins are getting hard to find and the plastic break
Replyhard to find wooden clothes pins now all plastic like every thing else
ReplyI use them when I am try to adjust the hem of pants and skirts before I use pins to hold in place to sew.
Reply