Zip tie hacks that make DIYing a cinch

Are you tired of losing your garbage can lid? “Hinge” it to the barrel with zip ties. Drill 6mm holes for the ties and double them for extra strength. The lid will flip open and stay attached to the barrel. You’ll never have to search for your lid again! Smart, right?!

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Throw a few silica packets in the bottom of the bag to soak up that gym smell. Or you can make your own silica pouches. Just wrap a generous scoop of silica crystal kitty litter in a piece of breathable fabric and tie it shut with a zip tie.

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You can improvise a caulk gun instead of buying yet another one. Just zip-tie the tube of caulk to the bar of a trigger-style clamp and stick a wood scrap in the tube’s end to act as a plunger, dispensing caulk as you squeezed the clamp’s trigger.

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Moving is always a pain, but using plastic containers that don’t stay closed adds even more frustration. Zip ties to the rescue! After putting on a container lid, drill a small hole through the lid and handles. Run a zip tie through the holes and you’re on the road.

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When referencing projects plans or a photo for inspiration while working on a DIY project, most of us use our phones to display images or instructional videos. The only problem with this method is that our phones don’t prop themselves up, making it difficult to see at the images while working. You can make a smartphone stand out of just about anything these days, but it doesn’t get much simpler than looping zip ties around your phone (two on each side). All you have to do is tighten the zip ties until they are snug to the phone with the zip-tie heads facing down and near the edge of your phone. Now you can watch video instructions or look at project drawings without having to hold it in your hands the whole time.

Next time your bathroom sink gets clogged, use a long zip tie. Cut several notches on the end of the zip tie. It’ll hook the hair clog, allowing you to pull it out. Problem solved. The size of the eye of the zip tie should prevent you from inadvertently pushing the tie past the stopper. You don’t need chemicals to unclog your bathroom sink!

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Zip ties are great to have on hand for quick repairs and fastening jobs around the shop. Use a zip tie on one end of an electrical cord so it stays with the cord reel. Just keep the connection loose enough that will allow you to pull out enough cord to reach an outlet.

When it comes time to move, this tip is especially useful for packing – and unpacking – your closet! There’s no need to take your clothes off of hangers, fold them and stack them in boxes. Just grab a handful of your hanging clothes and wrap the tops of the hangers together using bendable electrical wire or a zip tie. Drape a garbage bag over the clothes, pulling the tops of the hangers through a hole in the bottom of the bag. Then cinch up the garbage bag handles and tie them together.

Your clothes will stay organised and clean while moving them to your new place. To unpack, just remove the bag, untwist the wire and hang your clothes in the closet.

Getting your vines to run up just how you want can be tricky. To direct the vines, fasten zip ties around the stalks, strapping them to anything stable. Don’t strap the vines too tightly. They need to be able to move and grow.

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The insulation on knob-and-tube wiring gets brittle with age. When you’re working with it, the insulation may just crumble in your hands. You can easily re-insulate a section using a length of the plastic jacket from a piece of non-metallic sheathed cable (often referred to as Romex) and secure it with a zip tie.