Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, articles, and more.

By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Curtains are an important piece of decorative yet functional decor, and the way they hang can change the whole look, mood, and light level of a room. If you want more control over your curtains, check out these curtain clips.

Buying Guide for Curtain Clips Our Picks for the Most Secure Curtain Clips Final Thoughts

Meghan Herlihy is a full-time writer for LifeSavvy and has written across a wide variety of topics, genres, and formats, including radio talk shows, local sports journalism, and creative original fiction. She received her bachelor's degree in communications from Ithaca College and a master's in writing from Johns Hopkins University. When she's not writing, you're most likely to find her reading a book, petting every dog within eyesight, and indulging in her love of travel. Read more...

Ellie Miller is a full-time copy editor and occasional writer for LifeSavvy’s reviews articles. With years of experience in substantive and copy editing, proofreading, and publishing, she has edited thousands of online articles, as well as memoirs, scientific essays, book chapters, and workplace training documents. She hopes you’ll find some new favorite products here on LifeSavvy like she has. Read more...

The last thing you want for your curtains is for them to drag on the ground. Not only does this get them dirtier faster, but it also puts them at risk of getting stepped on or caught and torn. Curtains that aren’t long enough can be an irritation, too, whether they’re too short to fully block light from coming in or they just resemble high-water pants too much. If you accidentally bought curtains that are too long or too short, curtain clips are a great way to fix this problem. They can be a quick and inexpensive way to lengthen or shorten your curtains’ hemline without much effort on your end. Some models are also designed to enhance the curtains’ appearance and complement your decor as they perform their designated tasks.

Alternatively, they can also clip curtains back from the window to allow more light in when you want to let in some natural light. You can also buy shower-specific models that pin shower curtains directly up against the wall to prevent water from splashing onto the floor.

What should you look for in curtain clips?

What size curtain rings should you buy?

Your curtain rings won’t do you any good if they don’t properly fit your curtain rod. To ensure that your curtain rings are the right size, you’ll have to know the size of your curtain rod, specifically its diameter. The diameter of the curtain rings should be at least half an inch wider than the diameter of your curtain rod. For example, if you have a curtain rod with a 2-inch diameter, the curtain rings should have a diameter of at least 2.5 inches.

A set of 40 premium metal ring-style curtain clips, each capable of supporting up to 3 pounds of weight.

Pros: It doesn’t get much more classic than these ring-style curtain clips that slide right onto your curtain rod. For one low price, you get a pack of 40 sturdy metal curtain clips, each capable of supporting up to 3 pounds. So when enough of these clips are used together, they’re perfectly suitable for heavier curtain materials, like canvas. The clips have a polished nickel-plated finish to prevent the rings from snagging or getting caught on the rod. This same finish makes the clips look sleeker and makes them resistant to rusting and fading.

Cons: These curtain clips only come in black. Also note that the eyelet rings have an inner diameter of 1.26 inches, which makes these clips compatible with rods that are around 0.75 inches or smaller; they’re not large enough for thicker curtain rods.

Bottom Line: If you have an extra-long curtain rod or many rooms with drapes, this set of curtain clips has you covered. These classic, durable metal curtain rings with dangling clips were designed specifically for elongating curtains and will look great doing so.

Sturdy and beautiful ring curtain clips that can be easily matched to your rod and decor.

Pros: These ringed curtain clips are the perfect blend of strength and aesthetic appeal. They’re made of iron to best support your curtains and draperies. The rings are compatible with any type and style of pole or rod and pinched or pleated panels. They come in two different sizes to increase the chances of fitting on your curtain rod. The clips are as beautiful as they are strong, available in eight different colors. Many of these colors are designed to resemble metals like bronze, brass, pewter, or nickel so that you can match them to your curtain rod or decor. There are also several matte options as well as metallic ones.

Cons: These curtain rings come in a smaller set than most; both sizes are sold in sets of 14. They’re also a bit pricier than many comparable sets, so you’re paying more money for fewer clips, making them less appealing to some buyers, especially since they’re not rustproof.

Bottom Line: This is another excellent choice of ringed curtain clips for those who want to extend the length of their curtains, especially if you have a shorter curtain rod that doesn’t require a few dozen clips. And they come in a much wider variety of colors than most curtain clips to boot.

If you have a wire or traverse curtain rod, these unique hook-style clips will be perfect for your curtain-lengthening needs.

Pros: These unusual hook-style curtain clips may look small and flimsy, but don’t be fooled by their appearance. Each clip is made out of stainless steel, so they’re much stronger and longer-lasting than you might think. They’re sold in packs of 60 and 100, so you’ll always have plenty of clips on hand when you need them. And since the price is comparable to smaller quantity sets of curtain clips, you get excellent bang for your buck. They’re available in two different sizes, and since they’re rustproof, you can use them for shower curtains as well as regular window curtains. They can be hung from almost any chain, wire, string for hanging photographs, string lights, dish towels, or holiday ornaments. You could even hang them upside down so that the hooks dangle free for hanging hats and scrunchies.

Cons: Due to the size of their hooks, these curtain clips are too small to fit around standard curtain rods unless they’re extremely thin. They’re really only meant for traverse or wire curtain rods. And since the hooks aren’t fused close the way ringed curtain clips are, there is the risk that they’ll fall off by accident.

Bottom Line: Thanks to the hooks they hang on, these curtains clips are quite a bit more functional than the more standard, traditional types.

Unlike most curtain clips, the adhesive backing on these allows you to place and use them anywhere.

Pros: If you’re looking for holdback curtain clips, this set is worth a look. They’re great for keeping curtains securely fixed to the edge of windows; this is ideal for ensuring light doesn’t creep in at the cracks, preventing drafts, and maintaining your privacy. They’re a bit different than most holdback curtain clips in the sense that they have an adhesive backing that will stick to pretty much any smooth, flat surface—not just walls but glass, tile, marble, metals, and even mirrors. This makes them great for shower curtains as well as window curtains, as they’ll close any gaps where water can splash out and ensure your privacy while showering. You can buy these clips in sets of four, eight, or 12.

Cons: Since these curtain clips are plastic, they aren’t as strong or durable as metal clips and can’t hold or support thicker, heavier curtains. And as is sometimes the case with adhesive backings, you can’t remove and reattach or reposition these clips, so make sure you place them in the right spot before sticking them to the wall or window frame.

Bottom Line: These self-adhesive holdback curtain clips are a little different than standard curtain clips, but they serve a very useful function nonetheless. Whether you want to keep light and prying eyes out or water in, you’ll be able to attach these curtain clips pretty much anywhere, at whatever height is most suitable for your curtains and your needs.

Made specifically with shower curtains in mind, these unique clips use their weight and magnets to hold curtain fabric in place.

Pros: Neither ring nor hook nor holdback style, these heavy magnetic curtain clips are designed to keep curtains (namely shower curtains and liners) in place rather than fix curtains to a rod or hold them open to let light in. They’re heavy enough to keep your shower curtain or liner from blowing around or shifting while your shower, keeping water in and cold drafts out. All you have to do is separate the clip into halves, place one on either side of the curtain with the magnets facing inwards, and the magnetic attraction will take care of the rest. The N45 magnets are strong and anti-rust. To further shield the magnets, they have a sturdy, dustproof, and waterproof silicone cover that is protective and less noisy than similar models with glass covers.

Cons: These curtain clips were designed with shower curtains and liners in mind, so they may not work on regular window curtains.

Bottom Line: This set of magnetic curtain clips can serve an important function in your bathroom. If you have issues with your shower curtain or liner holding steady or letting in drafts as you shower, these strong little magnetic clips offer a solution.

Curtains clips are handy little accessories to have around your home. They’re inexpensive, easy to add or remove from your curtain rod, and can make a big difference in changing the light and thus setting the mood of the room.

This is no ordinary newsletter.

By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.