11 Clever Uses for Safety Pins

There are lots of reasons to keep a stash of these tiny tools around. This article originally appeared on goodhousekeeping.com

Sypsie Designs

Sure, safety pins are helpful for fixing a dropped hem or ripped seam in a pinch, but you already knew that. Here are some more ways they can solve problems all over the house:

1. Zip up your dress.
When you can't quite reach a back zipper (read: never), try this trick: Clip a safety pin to the zipper and tie long piece of dental floss to it. Then, you can pull it up without the contortion act.

2. Remove leftover garlic from a press.
Poke a safety pin through a garlic press's teeny holes to get rid of any sticky remnants from dinner.

3. Add an extra bit of security to your purse.
If you're going to a crowded event or city, loop a safety pin around your bag's zipper, and then pin it to the strap or purse's fabric. This will make it much harder for unwanted hands to sneakily open your bag.

Peter Rosa/Studio D

4. Quell static cling.
Affix a safety pin near your pant leg's hem. The metal will put a stop to irksome static electricity.

5. Keep socks with their mates.
Pin socks together before you throw them in the hamper each day. Then, they'll stay linked through the washer and dryer, and require zero sorting as you fold and put clothes away.

6. Take a lazy approach to reupholstering.
Jodi at Sypsie Designs found a super easy solution to covering a tired headboard. She used a fabric shower curtain and simply pinned it around the piece's frame. Because the pins are hidden, no one needs to know that her project is "unfinished."

7. Stash them in a first aid kit.
Safety pins can help secure a bandage or remove a splinter (if you sterilize it first), so take some along on hiking and camping trips.

8. Keep arm chair covers from falling off.
Pin these pesky pieces of fabric to a discreet spot on your sofa so you're not constantly picking them up off the floor.

9. Create DIY plate hangers.
Hanging a gallery of pretty plates is a beautiful way to fill a blank wall, but the hardware to do so can be pricey. Linda at Craftaholics Anonymous discovered that safety pins will get the job done much more cheaply when paired with a super-strong craft glue.

10. Draw curtains closed.
If light leaking through the crack between your curtain panels drives you crazy at night, use a safety pin to hook them closed (and get finally get some shut eye).

11. Rethread a drawstring.
When the string from your hooded sweatshirt or coat gets sucked into the depths of the garment, use a safety pin to help you guide it back through the hole. This video shows you how.

TELL US: How do you use safety pins around the house?

More Clever Uses:
10 Super-Helpful New Uses for Magnets
10 Smart Ways to Use Sticky Notes
16 New Uses for Rubber Bands

Photos: Getty, Peter Rosa/Studio D, Sypsie Designs, Craftaholics Anonymous

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