If you think you don’t need a zip tie, think again. Before you throw out zip ties, take a moment to check out this list. You might find a hack or two that could be useful.
Unless you’re an electrician, plumber, or super-spy, you might not have a lot of extra zip ties. Used primarily to hold items such as cable and wire, these handy tools can quickly fasten items together. Especially, you can put zip ties to work around the house and garden.
1. Attach plants to a stake
Plants such as tomatoes and cucumbers need a little extra support to grow properly. Use a zip tie to gently attach the vines to a stake. They hold up under the weather and you can cut off the ties easily after the growing season.
2. Childproof your home
Keep little ones out of dangerous cupboards such as those storing cleaning supplies by using a zip tie to keep the doors closed. Or use zip ties to temporarily secure a piece of wood to a stair banister so you can put up a baby gate without damaging the banister.
3. Make a drain snake
Cleaning out a drain is quite possibly one of the most disgusting parts of cleaning the bathroom, but it’s a necessary task when the water won’t drain properly from a sink or bathtub. If you find yourself dealing with a clogged drain and you don’t have a drain snake handy, don’t worry. Try the technique below and create a drain snake by cutting slits in a zip tie.
4. Fix a zipper
Need to fix your zipper in a pinch? Slip a zip tie through the zipper loop for a makeshift pulley to close the zipper.
5. Store Christmas lights
Untangling Christmas lights is a drag! Keep holiday decor more organized by rolling lights around your arm and then securing the strings with a zip tie.
6. Repair a toilet handle
Did the chain on your toilet handle break? Use a zip tie to secure the lever to plugin the toilet until you can replace the chain.
7. Create storage space
Snag a few milk carton containers for a few dollars and hook them together with zip ties for an easy DIY storage solution on a budget.
8. Repair a bag handle
If your suitcase handle breaks unexpectedly, place a zip tie where the handle was attached and use it as a temporary handle.
9. Temporarily replace shoelaces
If your shoelace breaks while you’re hiking in the woods, keep shoes closed with a zip tie.
10. Hang lights in the garden
Hang some cute tea lights or one of these adorable mason jar projects using zip ties around a branch or sturdy post.
11. Keep hubcaps attached to the car
If your hubcaps have developed a sudden distaste for staying ON your tires, keep them in place by zip-tying the hubcap onto the tire. It’s not pretty, but it gets the job done.
12. Organize office or craft supplies
Keep office or craft supplies organized by attaching plastic containers to a pegboard with zip ties. You’ll have easy access to all of your supplies and an easy way to keep them together.
13. Attach outdoor decor
Keep outdoor plants or seasonal decorations in place with zip ties. Use the ties to hold lights onto your home or in trees. You can even use them to securely attach other things to the exterior of your home. Zip ties will keep the decor in place better than tape and won’t damage anything like a nail would.
14. Lock a bag
Secure your backpack or suitcase with a zip tie. If security must check your bag at the airport, you’ll be out a dollar instead of the $10 you spent on a suitcase lock. You can also use this to lock a backpack at after-school practice.
15. Hold clothes together while moving
Moving is kind of a pain, but one of the worst parts is transferring one outfit at a time into a bag or suitcase. Instead of going to all that trouble, slide several hangers together and wrap a zip tip around the hooks. Tighten the zip tie and easily transport multiple outfits at once.