When it comes to DIY projects and MacGyver tricks, the binder clip is one of the most versatile things around. Here are our top 10 favorite hacks you can pull off with the $1 office supply.


10. Make a Smartphone Stand


You can make a smartphone stand out of just about anything these days, but it doesn't get much simpler than sticking your phone between the tabs of two binder clips. That way you can watch your movies or take your pictures without having to hold it in your hands the whole time. Of course, if you want something a bit more professional for picture-taking, you can always hack a binder clip onto your tripod for super steady smartphone shots.



9. Display Photos Without a Frame


If you have a few small binder clips lying around, they're perfect for displaying photos or drawing attention to a note on the counter. Just close the clip, put the photo between the two arms of the binder clip, and stand it up on end. If the surface isn't stable, a bit of sticky tack or silly putty can help keep the binder clip in place, too.



8. Keep Your Sponges Dry and Grime-Free


Sitting your sponge on the edge of the sink can set the stage for mold and mildew to build up on the wet underside, but a simple binder clip can solve all those problems. Just like the above photo trick, just put your sponge in the clip and stand it up on end. The sponge will dry much quicker and last you longer.



7. Gather Your Notes Into a Hipster PDA


The Hipster PDA, invented by productivity guru Merlin Mann, is essentially a stack of index cards held together with a binder clip. It's a pretty cool way to keep track of your to do list and other notes, and you can make a lot of improvements on the idea with labeled binder clips or leather tabs. Check out our introduction to the Hipster PDA for more info.




6. Make Your Keyboard More Ergonomic


Everyone should take a look at your office and make it a bit more ergonomic, and the first place to start is your keyboard. Lots of keyboards have feet on the ends to elevate them to a more friendly height, but if yours doesn't—or if the feet are broken—a couple of binder clips will get the job done nicely. Just take two of the metal wings off and stick them into place.



How to Ergonomically Optimize Your Workspace If you’re someone who spends most of your day sitting at a desk, chances are you know how awful it Read more


5. Close Up Toothpaste, Potato Chips, and More


Of course, don't forget the more obvious household uses for a binder clip: clipping things together. Can't find a chip clip? Keep your chips closed with a binder clip. Toothpaste tube giving you trouble? Roll it up and stick the flat end in a binder clip. And when you run out of chips and toothpaste, it can hold your grocery list on your cart, too, so you remember to buy more.



Nine Great Uses for Binder Clips Binder clips are the underdog of the office supply world. Everyone can rave about alternate uses… Read more


4. Neatly Wrap, Shorten, and Store Cables


Fighting tangled cables can seem like a losing battle, but a few well-placed binder clips can do wonders for keeping everything neat and organized. Clip your cables together for storage, hang them on your desk, or even use them as a cable shortener for your headphones. If done right, you can avoid a lot of the tangles and knots that always seem to plague your cable collection.




3. Stack Beverages in Your Fridge


If you have limited space in your fridge, you can usually use your vertical space to fit more things in at once. One of the best ways to do that? Stick a binder clip on the shelf. You'll be able to stack bottles and cans sideways without them sliding around, meaning you can fit more beverages into one corner of your fridge.




2. Keep Cables from Slipping Off Your Desk


Laptop users have it rough—every time they unplug their ethernet, speakers, or power cables, the cables fall right off the desk. Sure, you could buy a really expensive docking station for your laptop, or you could just give those cables something to catch on when you unplug them, and that's where binder clips come in. Just slide the cables through the metal wings and you're good to go. Of course, you can get a slightly cleaner solution with the addition of a few magnets, too.




1. Mount Your Smartphone or GPS to Your Car's Dashboard


Why buy an expensive car dock for your smartphone when you can make one out of a binder clip? This project is a tad more involved, requiring you to bend the binder clip's arms and wrap them in yarn, but when you're done, you'll have the cheapest, most effective car mount your smartphone's ever used. Plus, if you clip it to your air conditioner vent, it'll keep your phone from overheating during long GPS-driven trips.

