Home New Uses for Old Things at Home Five Rubber Band Hacks That Will Make Your Life Easier Put the office supply essential to use with these easy solutions. By Brandi Broxson Brandi Broxson Instagram Twitter Website Brandi is an editor and writer with more than 15 years in the magazine and newspaper world. She was with Real Simple for nearly seven years and oversaw personal finance, pets, product testing, and career content. She ideated the magazine's first money issue in 2019 and created two virtual money summits which drew thousands of attendees. Brandi was a longtime editor of Real Simple's popular Clever Items franchise and tested hundreds, if not thousands, of products during her time at the brand. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 27, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Open a junk drawer or take a look around your home office and you're bound to find a rubber band or two. Sure, they can corral a stack of mail or bunch up a handful of pens, but they really shine out of the office and around the house. Read on (or watch the video above) for ways to give them a new purpose. 01 of 05 Open jars with ease Feel like you need a lot of elbow grease to unscrew the lid on that brand new jar of pickles? You’re not alone. Luckily, a rubber band can come to your bicep’s rescue. Just place the rubber band around the lid of the jar and it will act as a grip for your hand, making it easier to twist and remove. 02 of 05 Earring back in a pinch It’s a common dilemma: You want to wear your beautiful tassel earrings but the back is nowhere to be found. Or perhaps you’re out and about and (gasp!) the back falls off your earring. The good news is that you can snip a bit of rubber band and use it to keep your earring secure until you can find a replacement. 03 of 05 Canister contents helper Many of us have beautiful opaque ceramic canisters filled with staples like flour, salt, and sugar. But when you’re rushing around trying to get a grocery list together it can be time consuming to check each individual one to see if you need to replace what’s inside. Place a rubber band around the canister and use it to mark the fullness level of what’s inside. Next time you use some flour just move the rubber band down to the new level on the container. This way you know how much is available with just a quick glance. 04 of 05 Portion control pumps We’re all washing our hands more and soap is like liquid gold. But maybe your soap dispenser lets out too much of the sudsy stuff or your child is a little too enthusiastic about pushing the soap handle and some goes to waste. Simply affix a rubber band around the spring mechanism of the dispenser to reduce the amount of soap that can come out. 05 of 05 Prevent cutting board from slipping Cutting boards, especially the wooden type, tend to slip and slide on a countertop. Place a rubber band around each end of the board to provide some grip to the board and make your dinner prep a little safer. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit