What would you do if you had a red paper clip in your hands? Prior to today, I would have used it in a file to hold something together and moved on.
But when Kyle MacDonald, was sitting at his desk and asked himself that very same question, he decided to find out just how much potential this seemingly simple item held.
Inspired by a childhood game called “Bigger and Better,” he posted the paper clip online and asked strangers if they would trade something for it.
Curiosity can turn a simple experiment into a journey far beyond expectations
Kyle is a Canadian blogger and project enthusiast who enjoys turning unusual ideas into ambitious challenges
Kyle grew up in Belcarra, near Vancouver, Canada, and describes himself as someone who enjoys starting projects that become slightly obsessive. Before the paper clip adventure, he had worked on a bunch of temporary jobs and taken on different projects. The project became his most famous experiment, earning him the nickname “the Red Paperclip Guy.”
On July 12, 2005, MacDonald posted a photo of the paper clip on his blog and Craigslist. Within days, he swapped it for a fish-shaped pen. He traded the pen for a doorknob, then the doorknob for a camping stove. With each trade, he got something bigger, something better. After 14 trades, he reached a two-story house in Kipling, Saskatchewan.
The idea has inspired people to create their own trading challenges for years
Kyle’s story still resonates today because the basic idea is so easy to understand: start with almost nothing and see where it takes you. During the pandemic, Demi Skipper took that idea to TikTok. She started with a single bobby pin in 2020 and documented her attempt to trade her way to a house, eventually completing 28 trades and reaching her goal.
The red paper clip has inspired its own trend on social media: the TikTok Trade Up Challenge. It describes people starting with objects such as paperclips, hairpins, or pennies and trading them toward cars, tiny homes, land, or other ambitious goals.
From casual swaps to charitable efforts, the idea behind the original challenge continues to evolve
People continue to make smaller versions of the challenge, simply to see how far they can go. The appeal comes from not knowing what comes next. Each trade comes with a story.
The red clip has also transcended social media. Inspired by Kyle's experience, The Epilepsy Association of Calgary created its own Trade Up Challenge. Participants receive a purple paperclip and trade it with the eventual goal of turning the final item into money for epilepsy programs and services.
The idea of trading up to a home feels different when buying one has become increasingly difficult
Kyle's experiment feels strangely relevant in today’s economy. Buying a home has become harder for millions of people, particularly as prices have risen faster than their incomes. The European Parliament reports that average house prices across the EU rose by 53% between 2015 and 2024, while rents increased by 27.8% between 2010 and early 2025.
In the United States, the situation is very similar. In 2025, the median monthly mortgage payment for homeowners reached $1,600, according to the Federal Reserve. Sadly, for people who are trying to enter the market today, Kyle’s paperclip experiment might sound more like the only option.
In the end, his story is not really about the house, nor is it about the red paper clip either. In his TEDx talk, Kyle explains that the real adventure came from the people he met and the experiences they shared along the way.
Sure, you can use the clip to hold some papers, but you can also trade it and change your life.
Some people admired Kyle’s ingenuity while others remained amazed, proving how this story is still incredible up to this day
