Keeping it together...

One of the things I love about the stationery and gifts business is discovering items that elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary. Seeing, touching, and using small tools, supplies and items that are useful in our daily lives and showcase their beauty at the same time. Some such objects are seemingly simple. One example of a humble tool is the paperclip. 

This little helper has been around for well over a hundred years. It was invented by a Norwegian in the mid-to-late 1800s and made out of steel wire. One of the amazing things about the paper clip is that, although there are different configurations and designs out there, the basic model has remained the same for over a century. You know a great design when it withstands the test of time.

This Thursday, May 29th is Paperclip Day. As an expression of gratitude for this small gadget and its role in our lives of keeping things together, I've taken a look at the various functions it performs on our behalf. It certainly holds papers together very well. It also has the flexibility to be a trusted friend and help us out with many of life's funny predicaments.

• create a holder for your USB or other slim cords by stretching the paperclip open, then taping one half under the edge of your desk or table and using the other exposed half as a hook
  
  
• use as a compass by holding one pencil stationary inside one end of the paperclip and placing another pencil inside the opposite end and swinging it around in an arc or circle shape
  
  
• make a bookmark flag by folding over a piece of washi tape on one side of the paperclip (or, make a bookmark ribbon by tying a short piece of ribbon to the clip)
  
  
• two large paperclips can be used as a landscape-oriented phone stand by using pliers to bend one loop in each clip to form the base and to bend the inner loops of each in the opposite direction to cradle the phone
  
  
• summer is around the corner and cherry season won't be far away - straighten a paper clip and create a hook at the end to use it to pit cherries
  
  
• also appearing in the summer are racerback tops - turn your regular bra straps into a racerback bra by fastening the two straps together with a paperclip to keep your undergarments tucked under your clothing
  
  
• secure your backpack compartments by affixing two zipper pulls together using a paperclip slid through the holes of each and bending it in place
  
  
• rescue a necklace or bracelet with a broken clasp by making an S shape with the paperclip, slippng it through each end and hook it closed
  
  
• fix your glasses by using the ends of your paperclip as a makeshift screwdriver
  
  
• will you be fishing this summer? Unbend one end of your paper clip and bend the other end into a J shape to make your own fishing hook.
  
  
• slip an elastic band through each end of a paper clip to make your own notebook band and keep it secured shut.
  
  
• unbend your paperclip, then wrap it around a pencil to create overlapping rings and creating a makeshift key ring.
  
  
• keep your spiral-stored wrapping papers or any other papers from unwinding by securing each end with a paperclip

As well as a problem solver, the paperclip can be fashioned into clever design elements and has ornamental value:

• bend the two parts of the clip toward each other to make a heart-shaped paperclip
  
  
• make tiny hangers for dolls or as ornaments to hold miniature sweaters by bending the wire
  
  
• bedazzle your paperclip by threading a few beads of your choice onto it

A few paperclips at Figg Street Co.:

Have you ever used a paperclip in an unconventional way? What tips and tricks have you discovered? We'd love to hear about it!