Rubber bands are kind of like pocket knives – they were designed for one purpose, but you can use them for like a bazillion other things. Seriously, rubber bands can do anything!

Here are 30 innovative ways to use a rubber band:

1. Keep Your Paint Can Clean While Painting

Wrap a rubber band around the center of an open paint can. Instead of wiping the paintbrush along the inside rim, wipe it on the rubber band. This way the side of your paint can stays clean for storage.

2. Unscrew a Tight Cap

Wrap a rubber band around a sticky top and it will provide some extra grip.

3. Silence a Bedroom Door

Loop the rubber bands around both doorknobs of a door so it makes an X in the middle (the thing will look kind of like an infinity sign). The X keeps the latch open. This can be useful if you need to open doors quietly while people are sleeping.

4. Stabilize a Cutting Board

If your cutting board is sliding on your counter while you slice, wrap a rubber band around one edge. This will help keep it steady.

5. Turn Regular Jeans Into Maternity Pants

Make a slip knot around the buttonhole and attach the other end to the button. This will give you an extra few inches before you commit to the elastic waistband.

6. Use It as a Pseudo Earring Back

A piece of a rubber band can stand in as an earring back if you find yourself in a tight spot. Just make sure the earring post is pierced through the rubber band so everything stays where in place.

7. Use it as a Bookmark

You can slide a rubber band around the section of the book you have not read yet. This is a fool-proof bookmark if your book falls off the nightstand.

8. Take Care of a Stripped Screw

If you have a stripped screw, place a piece of rubber band in between the screw and the screw driver. This will add some grip between the screw and the screw driver and you should be able to make it work.

9. A Drink Marker

You can use colored rubber bands to let guests mark their drinks. Each guest chooses a color or color combination and wraps the rubber bands around their cup. This way you won’t risk accidental moochings.

10. Break in a Hat

If you prefer your hat bills to be curved, attach a rubber band to the bill overnight. This will give them that shape.

11. Turn Book Pages

Instead of licking your fingers to turn book pages, you can loosely wrap a rubber band around your finger (no need to cut off your circulation). This will grip the page, instead of dousing it in spit.

12. Charge Your Phone From the Ceiling

Don’t tell me you haven’t tried to use an out-of-reach outlet at a bar or restaurant. I see people let their phones hang from chargers in mid air all the time, and it’s risky behavior. A quick rubber band to a stationary object nearby will prevent some sweat beads.

13. Secure a Blouse on a Hanger

Loop rubber bands around each end of a slippery hanger and your blouses won’t fall to the floor.

14. Implement Portion Control on Pump Top Dispensers

Wrap a rubber band around the bottom portion of the pump. This way you only push down halfway when you’re going to the soap, and you save money!

15. Give a Broom a Facelift

If your broom bristles are getting old and starting to point in weird directions, put a rubber band around the bristles. About halfway down the bristles of the broom, the rubber band will lengthen the shelf life and efficiency.

16. Make an Eraser

Those seemingly useless rubber band balls actually work as erasers. It won’t be as pretty as using your pink Paper Mate because there may be some marks, but it works.

17. Make a Wallet in a Pinch

If you’re trying to leave the house with just the essentials (ID, credit card, courage) or your wallet suddenly breaks on you, you can use a rubber band. Wrap your cards and cash up until you have time to upgrade.

18. Manila Folder Holder

If your manila folders are travelling with you and falling apart, use a rubber band to keep everything together.

19. Make Mod Vases

Use a rubber band as a painting aid to add a pop of color to an old jar or glass vase. Affix a thick rubber band near the bottom of the jar, use it as a painting guide to create a dipped or striped look.

20. A Pencil Grip

Wrap a rubber band around your pencil to use it as a finger cushion. It may not replicate the pure awesomeness of the 90’s grip, but it’ll work.

21. A Key Chain

If you need to quickly attach a key to something, like your belt loop, grab your favorite elastic.

22. Bag Saver

Chip Clips? More like Chip Hassle. Roll your chip bags over and use a rubber band to seal it. Instead.

23. A Pan Grip

Janky pan alert? Use one of those mumbo-jumbo rubber bands, or two, and make a pan grip.

24. Keep Apples Fresh

If you want to slice your apple into pieces to include in a packed lunch you can keep them fresh with a rubber band. Slice the apple and put it back together, use a rubber band to keep it round and the inside will stay fresh.

25. Secure Your Tupperware

Wrap a rubber band around your lunch Tupperware. This way you don’t have to risk spilling pea soup inside your bag on the way into work.

26. Dog-Proof Your Cabinets

Use rubber bands to secure two cabinet handles together so animals and babies can’t get in.

27. Bundle Markers or Crayons

Bags and backpacks sort of function as black holes for writing utensils. There is a solution! Band pencils, markers and crayons together to keep things organized and not lost in the void.

28. Make a Guitar on a Tissue Box

Wrap rubber bands around a rectangular tissue box to make a pseudo guitar for kids or students. Use thicker rubber bands on the top and decrease width towards the bottom. Here’s a blog post with the full instructions.

29. Make a Poster Scroll

Loosely wrap a rubber band around a rolled up poster. Be sure it’s not so tight that it makes indentations.

30. Make a Candle Fit in a Candle Holder

If your candle is wobbly in your favorite candle holder, use a rubber band to thicken the width of the candle. This will fix The Leaning Tower of Pisa on your dining room table.