It’s important to me that all my watercolor supplies be cute, even the most mundane. So when I adopted Kolbie Blume’s method of holding sketchbook sheets taut with binder clips, I didn’t want to just get plain old ugly black binder clips. I wanted something cute! But this most boring and common of office supplies proved somewhat hard to find in a pretty pattern. Of course, when it rains it pours, and when I finally did find a couple of options, I found too many and bought them all at once. Here are my findings. (Not sponsored. None of these are affiliate links.)
My Recommendation/Best Value: Momenta the Explorer Journal Binder Clip Set, $3.99
These were the best for my purposes because they’re the largest, 1.5” wide each and opening the largest, so they easily fit around my entire sketchbook including the covers. They come in a pack of 3, which is exactly right for putting on each side of a sketchbook except the binding. I don’t find the patterns the cutest, but they’re definitely cute enough, and each clip is a different design, which I prefer. (I like it eclectic.) They’re also the cheapest set in absolute terms, though at $1.33 per clip, not the cheapest per per unit. But I like that you don’t get anything unnecessary. These are the ones I use the most.
Cutest: A tie between Rifle Paper Co. Binder Clips in Lively Floral and Emily Ley Simplified Journal Binder Clip Set
Both of these sets are extremely cute, and they’re very comparable. Both come in a pack of 8, with four designs. Both are the same size, a fairly standard 1.25” width. This is a tight fit around my sketchbook, especially if I’m toward the beginning or the end and there’s lots of pages to clip down, but you can make it work if you hold the clip open firmly. Both sets cost $16, or $2 per clip, making them the most expensive binder clips on this list (both per-unit and for the set). Plus, since they’re only available online, you have to either pay shipping or fill your cart with more stuff, like washi tape and pencils, which you may or may not already have too many of at home. Is the cuteness worth it to you?
Runner Up for Best Value/Easiest to Find: CVS U Style Decorative Large Binder Clips 8-Count, $5.79
After buying a bunch of clips online, I stumbled on these in person when I went to my local CVS to get vaccinated. They’re the same size as the Rifle Paper and Emily Ley ones, and honestly just as cute! They only come in two designs, with four in each design, but whatever. At 72 cents per clip, they’re a much better value.
Cheapest Per Binder Clip: Target UBrands Binder Clip 24-Pack in Soft Dye, $4.99
Although this massive pack is by far the cheapest per unit at roughly 20 cents a clip, I didn’t list them as a good value because I found them all useless! Even the largest size is too small to fit over my sketchbook, no matter how firmly I grasp it open. And most of them are extremely tiny. Maybe they could be used to hold down a small piece of paper to a small board in a plein air kit? Anyway, the only thing I’ve used them for so far is makeshift board game pieces. I do like the tie-dye color pattern, which looks kind of like watercolor.
Cute wasn’t the concern I had. Grumpy over the divots the binders cause in my paper.
I’d rather use something a bit more useful like a large elastic band. Cheap document folder-bands can fail. Drafting board clips were better but expensive.
The papelote is what I use mostly. Was a great suggestion.
https://shop.papelote.cz/en/c/pouches-pencil-cases-and-pen-loops/elastic-pen-loops/