The $6 Office Supply a Travel Pro Always Puts in Their Suitcase

As a food and travel writer I spend a lot of time in airports and hotels, which means I’ve curated a lineup of tried-and-true travel hacks — but I’m always excited to find a new one. A while back I wrote a story about the unexpected items travel pros carry, and one of my travel writer friends, Jill Schildhouse, mentioned that she always keeps binder clips in her bag when she travels — and it took me by surprise!

Schildhouse noted so many uses for binder clips while you’re traveling — from clamping curtains closed to avoiding gaps that let light in (especially useful for sleeping well in hotels) to squeezing everything out of a tube of toothpaste. I was inspired to give it a try in my own travels. Here’s how I was able to use them.

I ordered a budget pack of Amazon brand binder clips, which came out to $6 total for 24 of them. I stashed some in my carry-on bag for my next trip and have uncovered so many uses for them since.

On that first trip that I brought some binder clips on, I was staying in a Santa Monica hotel that had its rooms in a poolside bungalow format. The curtains didn’t quite close all the way, and I discovered that other people sitting by the pool or walking the grounds could easily see inside my room. But with a quick clip, I was able to keep those curtains closed and maintain my privacy. As an added benefit, when the sun rose in the morning light didn’t pour through the gap (as it no longer existed). 

I have a policy of never buying mini bar snacks when I’m traveling. They are so overpriced, and simply not in my budget. Instead, I like to buy some bites from a local convenience store, and I’ve recently found that having a binder clip on hand is so useful for closing the unfinished package of chips or cookies so they don’t go stale or spill crumbs into my bag. This same trick is helpful with any bagged snacks you take on the plane, too.

When I’m traveling, especially for work, I’m taking a whole lot of photos. And a binder clip? Well, it can double as a mini camera stand (it even works with GoPros!). It also can clip together all those random cables and cords I travel with, and keep them from getting into a tangled mess in a bag. I’ve even used it on a cruise to keep clothes attached to a chair to dry after sink rinsing. That way, there was no risk of them flying off into the sea!

If you’re traveling ultra light, you can also use a binder clip as a no-fuss wallet. I’ve used it to clip cards together or wrap cash around something extra-sensitive, such as IDs. Because much of my travel is work-related, I often keep schedules and itineraries and accumulate more paperwork as I go, from menus to maps. Clipping these together helps keep things consolidated and organized, and, when clipping items such as receipts on business trips, it’s very useful come tax season prep.

I did try Schildhouse’s toothpaste tube trick, and the binder clip was great for squeezing out the last bits. I used the same concept on a tube of sunscreen while trying to eke out a little more on my recent cruise, as well as with my tube of travel anti-frizz cream for when I restyled my hair — very necessary in tropical environments. When packing up toiletries, binder clips are also useful to put over your razor’s blade before packing so you don’t accidentally cut yourself (you’re also protecting any TSA agent who may have to inspect your bag, too).