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  1. Real Simple Chevron Right
  2. New Uses For Old Things Chevron Right
  3. New Uses for Office Supplies

New Uses for Office Supplies

Pin
Monica Buck
Packing tape, paper clips, and more creative uses for desk accessories.
Start Slideshow

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Pin

Clipboard as Place-Mat Holder

James Wojcik

Hang a clipboard on the wall (or inside a cabinet) to clamp down on place mats—and that old “I can’t find them!” excuse from the person setting the table.

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Gift Tag as Glass Marker

Photo: Erica McCartney; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Personalize key tags and attach to glass stems with a decorative ribbon. This way, each guest can fill their own glass with whatever tastes right!

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Cereal Box as Photo Saver

Photo: Philip Friedman; Styling: Linden Elstran. Photo in box: Renee Keith/Getty Images

Sending Grandpa a shot of the all-star soccer team but don't want the postal journey to bend it (like Beckham)? Sandwich the picture between the large panels of a flattened box.

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Gift Tags as File Label

Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Use leftover, adhesive gift tags to label file folders. Holly leaves = medical records, Santa = bills (obviously—you owe him for the bike, the LEGOS, the dollhouse…).

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Pumpkin as Place Card

Photo: Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Spell out guests’ names with adhesive letters (or write them with a permanent marker); send the mini gourds home as party favors.

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Chopsticks as Glue Stick

Photo: Philip Friedman; Styling: Linden Elstran

To get a tiny sequin in just the right spot during your next craft project, use the tip of a chopstick to nudge it into place without gumming up your fingers.

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CD Sleeve as Confetti Holder

Erica McCartney; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Has your iPod player rendered that stack of CDs useless? Collect the spare sleeves, fill with confetti, and pass out to guests so they’re prepared to send off the happy couple.

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Tissue Paper as Cupcake Wrapper

Photo: Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

This frilly tissue paper wrap makes a birthday treat even sweeter. Cut a circle and gently gather it around the bottom of the cupcake, securing with a rubber band.

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Rubber Band as Jar Opener

Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Get a grip on a tricky top; wrap a rubber band around a slippery or sticky lid to give yourself some extra oomph.

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Cupcake Liner as Mason Jar Lining

Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Secure a cupcake liner over the top of a jar with a rubber band. It can be a temporary fix if you’ve lost the lid, a pretty solution to keep flies out of the lemonade, or a cute topper for a gift-in-a-jar.

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Post-It Notes as Garland

Photo: Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Admit it: You’ve always wanted to unfurl an entire stack of Post-its. Here’s your chance. Gently attach one end to a wall and spread the stack across without pulling too tight (you don’t want the sheets to come un-stuck) to make a quick, graphic garland.

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Sticker Dots as Party Cups

Photo: Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Turn plain white cups into custom-designed party wear with simple dot stickers, available at any office supply store.

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Binder Clip as Ribbon Organizer

Photo: Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Clip one end of the spool to keep the ribbon from unfurling in your giftwrap drawer.

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Rubber Bands as Sandwich Labels

Levi Brown

Distinguishing chicken salad from tuna is no picnic. Next time you’re packing sandwiches, stretch a thick rubber band around each one and label it with a permanent marker. Divvying up lunch will be a snap.

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Kid Art as Holiday Wrap

Photo: Nicole Hill Gerulat; Styling: Kristine Trevino

Oh, that’s grandma dressed as an alligator? Perfect for wrapping her birthday gift. (And the fridge door is full anyway.)

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Newspaper as Packing Material

Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

Pack delicate items. Wrap frames and figurines with several pieces of newspaper, and then crumple the remaining sections to fill extra space in the box.

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Binder Clip as Sponge Stand

Levi Brown

To prevent a smelly, waterlogged sponge, air-dry it in a binder clip away from the sink.

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Corkboard as DIY Coasters

Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

Keep tables safe from water rings. Cut up corkboard to make coasters and place mats.

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CD as Ice Scraper

Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

Too cold to hunt down the real deal? Use a jewel case to clear the frost from your windshield.

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Sponge as Envelope Sealer

Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

Safeguard your taste buds during holiday card season. Replace a dried out ink pad with a damp sponge and use it to seal envelopes and attach stamps—no licking required.

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CD as Invitation

Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

Make jazzy (or rockin’) invitations. Jot down party details on the shiny side and mail the CD out in a cushioned envelope (postage: about a dollar).

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Binder Clip as a Wallet

Charles Maraia

Make a clip-on key chain/money holder that's ideal for your morning walk. Take a 1¼-inch binder clip and pinch one of the wire arms toward the center to release it from its hinge. Slide on your key and refasten. Clamp to your waistband with a few bucks for coffee and a paper. No more wondering where to stash your key and cash.

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Poker Caddy as Pencil Organizer

James Wojcik

Dialed back on late nights? Corral some clutter with that poker caddy. Glue a poker chip to the bottom of each slot, then close the gaps on the sides with playing cards to create compartments for stray pens and pencils.

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Greeting Card as Bookmark

Photo: John Lawton; Styling: Linden Elstran

You'll never spend a penny on a bookmark, plus you'll get a special surprise each time you pick up your book.

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Paper Clip as Zipper Pull

Photo: John Lawton; Styling: Linden Elstran

Temporarily replace a broken zipper tab by threading a paper clip through the hole. A safety pin also works. Submitted by: Katie12 

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Magazine Files as Kitchen Storage

Photo: John Lawton; Styling: Linden Elstran

Corral boxes of waxed paper, aluminum foil and plastic wrap in a magazine file. Submitted by chels926 

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Binder Clip as Chip Clip

Photo: John Lawton; Styling: Linden Elstran

Secure half-eaten bags of potato chips with a binder clip for an easy way to keep your favorite snack fresh and crunchy.

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Paper Clips as Wrapping Paper Holder

Photo: John Lawton; Styling: Linden Elstran

Use paper clips to keep wrapping paper from unraveling.

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Rubber Band as Earring Backing

Jim Cooper

When you’ve lost (another) backing to the Bermuda Triangle of jewelry, mosey on over to the junk drawer and cut out a small square from a thick rubber band.

 

 

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Binder Clip as Linens Organizer

Monica Buck

Store sets of napkins clipped together and they’ll always be ready to set the scene at dinnertime. You'll restore order to your linen closet and save minutes searching for elusive matching colors.

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Cereal Box as Drawer Organizer

Levi Brown

If you're the flaky type, cereal boxes (including the single-serving minis) can corral desk-drawer chaos. Slice off the tops and the bottoms and fill them with loose odds and ends.

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Pencil as Key Lubricant

James Wojcik

If a key is sticking in the lock, scribble on its edges with a trusty number two. Graphite in the lead helps the key glide and turn more easily (so it also makes your day go more smoothly).

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Bubble Wrap as Jewelry Organizer

Ellen Silverman

For tangle-free jewlery on the go, place chains and earrings on a length of wrap, roll tightly, and tape closed. Your necklaces will emerge from your suitcase ready to wear, even if the same can't be said for your clothes.

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Bubble Wrap as Produce Protection

Kate Sears

Use bubble wrap to save fruit and vegetables from bumps and bruises. Cut a piece to fit into the bottom of the refrigerator drawer as a pillow for your produce. Say goodbye to squished squashes or mushy mangoes.

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Business Card Holder as Sugar Packet Carrier

Antonis Achilleos

Use a business card case to make packets of your favorite sweetener portable. You'll always have coffee your way―without a purse full of powder from torn packets.

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Business Card Organizer as Gift Card Holder

Mark Lund

Reduce handbag clutter by catalogging the family’s club cards and gift cards according to store name. Your back will thank you for toting a lighter wallet around.

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Checkbook Case as Travel Wallet

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

Separate foreign currency from American bills in your handbag or wallet so you don't mix up your paper trail.

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Cupcake Carrier as Knickknack Organizer

James Wojcik

For the 359 days of the year when you’re not hauling cupcakes, use the cups to store jewelry or craft supplies.

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Desk Organizer as Cupboard Divider

Andrew McCaul

Sort cookie sheets, cutting boards, and jelly-roll pans in the kitchen for easy access (and no more cymbal-crashing sounds) in an overstuffed cabinet.

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Secure a Belt With Double-Sided Tape

John Lawton

Don’t let your too-long belt tail get caught between your legs. Keep it in line with a small bit of Scotch. Neat.

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Binder Clip as Picture Frame

Mark Lund

Use this office supply staple to create an easy-to-update photo display. Stand clips on their flat ends and place pics between the two arms.

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Business Card Organizer as Photo Album

Monica Buck

Showcase favorite walletsize photographs, or make a timeline of school portraits by stashing them in a business card file on your desk.

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Checkbook as Ruler

FORMULA Z/S

Size up a piece of fleamarket furniture. Checkbooks are roughly six inches long, making them ideal on-the-go measuring devices.

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Electrical Tape as Chair Decorator

Alexandra Rowley

Liven up a child’s chair with colorful stripes. (Use lead-free or plastic tape.)

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Emery Board as Eraser Saver

Antonis Achilleos

To revive a dried-out eraser or clean a smudged one, lightly rub it over an emery board. The board's fine grain will shave off the eraser's old top layer, leaving you with a good-as-new mistake-removing surface.

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File Folder Labels as Cord Identification

Antonis Achilleos

Attach adhesive file-folder labels with the names of the cords' owners (for example, phone, computer, fax, and lamp; or TV, DVD, VCR, and phone) near the plugs. This way, you can quickly ID which cord belongs to which machine—and you won't unplug the wrong one.

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Letter Opener as Cereal Box Opener

JAMES BAIGRIE

Neatly split a cereal-box lid without breaking a nail–and the entire box!

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Name Tags as Food I.D.s

Annie Schlechter

Differentiate the cheddar, machego, and chèvre at a cheese-tasting party.

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Name Tag as Potluck Dish Label

James Wojick

Introduce a signature dish—or at least make sure your brownie tray finds its way home from the potluck. Stick a label on the pan’s bottom.

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Paper Clip as Phone Book Marker

James Baigrie

Find the number for your favorite restaurant faster by clipping its page in the phone book.

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Paper Clip Dispenser as Bobby Pin Holder

Aya Brackett

Corral bobby pins and hair clips in a paper clip holder. The magnetic ring makes them easy to dispense.

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Paper Shredder as Gift Wrap Maker

Mark Lund

Dress up presents by running tissue through a shredder instead of scrunching it inside boxes and gift bags.

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Paper Shredder as Confetti Maker

Antonis Achilleos

Feed colorful gift-wrapping tissue through your shredder to produce instant Easter-basket grass.

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Pencil Eraser as Wall Protector

Monica Buck

Anchor artwork against the wall. Cut erasers from a pair of pencils and glue them to the bottom corners of a frame for added stability.

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Pencil Eraser as Earring Securer

Paul Wicheloe

If the backing for one of your studs goes AWOL, slice off a disk-shaped wedge from an eraser. The earring will stay put, even if your pencil looks denuded.

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Tape as Plaster Securer

Alexandra Rowley

Keep a plaster wall from chipping when you hang a picture by placing a small piece of tape over the spot where you plan to hammer in the nail.

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Tape as Keyboard Cleaner

Burcu Avsar

Make cleaning your computer keys simple: Slide a 2½-inch strip of tape between the rows of your keyboard. The adhesive side will remove dust and crumbs.

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Double-Sided Tape as Hem Securer

Alexandra Rowley

Fix a fallen hem when there’s no time for a trip to the tailor.

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Duct Tape as Luggage Tag

Alexandra Rowley

Make your suitcase easier to identify. Stick a few pieces of duct tape to the sides of the bag to avoid the usual "Is that mine?" routine at the baggage carousel.

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Packing Tape as Nut and Bolt Holder

Alexandra Rowley

Gather loose bolts and nails in the garage by sticking them to a length of tape and layering another piece of tape on top.

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Jewel Case as Recipe Card Holder

Antonis Achilleos

Easily display a recipe card during meal prep by opening the CD case and bending it back as shown, then place the card (after cutting it to fit, if necessary) on top.

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Magnetic Clip as Recipe Holder