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First-time visitors to Philadelphia are often surprised when they catch sight of the giant metal clothespin that dominates Centre Square near City Hall. Dedicated in 1976 as part of the city’s public art program, the steel sculpture was designed by Claes Oldenburg, who is known for his artistic interpretations of everyday objects. His sculpture, which has weathered from its original black to a warmer reddish-brown, does highlight the simplicity and elegant lines of the incredibly useful clothespin.
Although one-piece wooden “clothespegs” were around for at least a century beforehand, it was not until 1853 that David M. Smith of Springfield, Vermont, invented what we recognize as the modern clothespin. His invention featured two wooden prongs connected by a fulcrum, plus a spring.
In 1887, Solon E. Moore improved Smith’s design by adding a “coiled fulcrum” made from a single wire to hold the wooden pieces together. The United States Clothespin Company opened in Montpelier in 1887 to manufacture Moore’s design, which soon became a big hit with Americans.
Now fashioned in plastic as well as wood and available inexpensively online or at the dollar store, clothespins still remain the best tool for hanging up laundry to dry on the line. However, there are many other uses for this ingenious device—uses that could help you survive off the grid.
Here are 23 survival uses for clothespins.
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1. Seed I.D.
You can use clothespins in two ways to mark your home-grown seedlings. One option is to write the name of the plant directly on the clothespin with a sharpie. Or you can use the clothespin to hold a seed pack to identify the plant. Stick the clothespin label in the ground or clip it onto the rim of the pot or planter.
2. Backpack Holder
You can use clothespins to attach lightweight gear to the outside of your backpack or bug-out bag.
3. Clamp Objects
Are you making repairs? Clothespins are perfect for holding thin objects in place until the glue sets.
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4. Nail Guide
You can forget about hitting your fingers with the hammer when you use a clothespin to steady the nail while you work.
5. Page Holder
Clothespins do the trick when you want to keep a cookbook open to a certain page. They also are handy for holding sheet music at the piano or music stand. (If you’re performing outside, they’ll also do double duty by preventing your music from blowing away!)
6. Fabric Gripper
You can use clothespins to hold pieces of fabric together while you sew by hand or with a machine.
7. Yarn or String Organizer
Here’s an easy way to keep yarn, thread, string, and ribbon tidy in between uses. Just wrap it around a closed clothespin before tucking the loose end inside the clamp. Voila!
8. Temporary Hem
Clothespins can work as a temporary hem to keep clothing out of your way. You can use them to secure your pants legs before biking, for example. Or to hold sleeve openings tight to your body to help prevent insect bites.
9. Burn Preventer
Don’t you hate it when the match burns your fingers before that votive candle lights? Try pinching a match with a clothespin to keep your fingers safe when lighting fireplaces and candles.
10. Curtain Clipper
Often there’s a gap that can allow sunlight into your room when you want to sleep. Clothespins come in handy as a way to keep curtains fully closed.
11. Mark Garden Spots
You can push clothespins into the ground to mark where you want to plant new bulbs in the fall.
12. Cord Separator
Are your electronic cords in a tangle? You can use clothespins to help separate the cables and to identify them. Just write the name of the device on the clothespin with a permanent marker.
13. Decorative Lights Holder
These days many people decorate all year round with mini lights. Whether yours are indoors or outdoors, up for Christmas or all-year-round, you can use clothespins as an easy way to secure them to walls and ledges.
14. Bag Clasp
Keep bags of snacks and cereals fresher longer by securing the top of opened bags with clothespins. You can also use them to close frozen vegetable bags that you have only partially used. Just roll the bag opening, secure it with a clothespin, and pop the bag back in the freezer.
15. Leaf Bag Holder
If you place leaves in large plastic or paper bags as part of your fall clean-up, you know how frustrating it can be when the bag won’t stay open. Here’s an idea. Shake the bag fully open, and then use clothespins to attach one side to a fence or something else sturdy. You’ll be able to fill the bag more easily.
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16. Mark Garden Spots
You can push clothespins into the ground to mark where you want to plant new bulbs in the fall.
17. Tinder
In an emergency, you can remove the metal parts of a clothespin and use the wood as tinder in building a fire.
18. Makeshift Hairclips
The look will be, shall we say, rustic, but you can use clothespins to keep your hair up, back, and out of your way.
19. Tablecloth Securer
Clothespins can help keep a tablecloth from blowing away from an outdoor table.
20. Note Holder
Yes, you can use sticky notes, but another option is to secure reminder notes with clothespins to cabinets, doors, placemats, car sun visors, folders, etc. Another idea is to glue a magnet to a clothespin to hold notes on the fridge.
21. Sock and Glove Keeper
Use a clothespin to keep pairs of socks, mittens, or gloves together in your backpack, closet, or drawers.
22. Trash Can Liner Holder
If you line your trashcans with plastic bags, it can be annoying and messy when the bag slips down. Simply secure the bag to the edge of the trashcan with a couple of clothespins, and your problem is solved.
23. Hanger Helper
You can convert any hanger to a pants or skirt hanger with two clothespins. Clothespins also come in handy when you want to secure a piece of clothing that tends to slip off a hanger.
You can find clothespins for sale in bulk quantities online and in the laundry or arts and crafts sections of most retail stores. Some stores sell jumbo and tiny-sized versions as well. What other uses for this handy device have you discovered?
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