Save Time Looking For The End Of Your Painter's Tape Roll With This Clever Paperclip Hack

Few things are quite as infuriating as losing the end of a roll of painter's tape. However, just one simple hack can make that a thing of the past. Grab a paperclip, and you're already halfway there. 

Scratching to find the end of tape is never a welcome task — and when you're scrambling to find that pesky end because you have walls to paint, it's even more frustrating. That almost universal irritation has led to a number of semi-solutions you've probably heard of at some point, from folding it over, to placing a piece of paper right at the end. But, while that can be helpful, you will end up losing tape in the process. Granted, that may be a small price to pay for your sanity, but if you've opted for a more pricey painter's tape, it can be downright annoying. Luckily, there is another way to do it. Enter, a solution MacGyver himself would be proud of. 

Painter, meet paperclip: the easiest way to save your place in a roll of tape. Extra emphasis on the easy, here. This really is as simple as placing the clip under the edge of the tape.

The next time you use a roll of painter's tape, keep a paperclip handy. Once you've cut what you need, grab a paperclip and place it under the end. Ideally, a small part of it should be sticking out slightly, for easy lifting the next time you need to use tape. Stick the tape back down — and just like that, you've got yourself a solution just as friendly on your fingernails as it is on the tape's adhesive. 

Speaking of the adhesive, a note on what makes paperclips so useful in this situation. While the tape will stick to the clips, they can also be easily removed without affecting the stickiness. In other words, on top of not struggling to find the end, you'll also be able to make the most of every last piece of your tape for your next painting projects.

If you're all out of paperclips, and want to get started before Amazon can deliver a box, one easy alternative for this hack that you probably have in your kitchen already is a leftover bread clip. As with the paperclip, you'll want to leave a small section of the clip outside so it can be used to lift the tape. Looking for the end of a painter's tape roll never needs to be a hassle, again!