Never afraid to think outside the box, here is a rundown of our favourite, and most unusual, ways to use cable ties!
Luggage security
When travelling, unless your luggage is within sight the entire time, it can be difficult to know whether it’s been tampered with. If your suitcase or backpack has two zips, simply thread a cable tie through both and secure. It will deter a would-be thief and gives you a visual indication of whether your case has been interfered with.
Mobile phone stand
Following a how-to video on a mobile phone can be tricky if you need to put the phone down while watching. Simply pop a nylon cable tie round each end of the phone, with the heads pointing down towards the edge of the phone, and you will be able to watch your video easily.
Tie-dying
Much simpler than wrapping yarn or elastic bands round a tee-shirt, cable ties will make quick work of prepping your favourite festival tee for tie-dying! Simply tighten as much as you want and off you go!
Paint mixer
We will admit that we haven’t tried this for ourselves but we like the idea of it working! Secure a cable tie to a drill when mixing paint to make life easier.
Uncork a bottle of wine
The cork has disintegrated as you’ve tried to open your favourite bottle and you need to get it out before pouring your guests a mouthful of cork bits. OR, you have no corkscrew to hand. Simply push the cork into the bottle and with a cable tie loop ‘catch’ the cork and pull it out. It takes a bit of practice but is remarkably effective.
Ring binders
Need to collate papers but have no ring binder or treasury tags to hand? Simply punch some holes in your pile of paper and thread a cable tie through. This is a great way to keep children’s artwork together and can be used to create books from their stories.
Drill depth gauge
When drilling to a precise depth, simply secure a cable tie around your drill bit to the required depth and you will be unable to drill any further.
Drain unclogger
A personal favourite – cut diagonal notches on alternate sides of the cable tie and then slide the tie down a plug hole or shower drain away. Wiggle it around before pulling it back out. You should find it has pulled hair and debris with it.
Childproofing cupboards
As a temporary safety fix, perhaps if you have visitors and don’t need a permanent solution, wrap a cable tie around cupboard handles and secure tightly. When visitors have gone, simply cut the cable tie off. Better still, use a releasable cable tie that can be used again and again.
Cable tie furniture
Our absolute favourite use for a cable tie is to create beautiful works of art and furniture! Do you think you could while away a few hours in the Sea Urchin chair by Dutch designers Oooms? We could!
Image credit: Oooms, Amsterdam
So there you have it – some great ideas for your cable ties. And of course they are fabulous for bundling cables and wires together! Check out our blog for more creative uses for cable ties and some cable tie hacks you may not have thought of.
