Where and how do you store your used plastic bags?
I use a bottom drawer in my kitchen. I admit that I used to loosely scrunch up the bags and stuff them in that drawer. Until one day realized just how many I had in there.
I was looking for something that had fallen underneath the bags, so I pulled them all out. At that point, I realized I had enough plastic bags to cover my entire kitchen. Twice.
Keeping bags in order to recycle them for another purpose is a good idea. We already have too many plastic bags in landfills. But how many do you really need? So here are some ideas that will help you to, first, limit the number of plastic bags you keep, and second, free up some space you could use otherwise. In my case, there are other things I could put in that bottom drawer.
And since we’ve mentioned recycling, most, if not all of these ideas are implemented using something else in your home that you can upcycle or recycle for this purpose.
1. Disinfecting Wipes Container
If you’ve used up a container or 10 due to your new obsession with surgically clean surfaces, you now have a use for your empties.
It will take a bit of work. You’ll need to fold and roll your bags, and then put the roll in the container.
2. Baby Wipes Container
If you have a baby in the house, there is a good chance you have a baby wipes container you can repurpose.
There are multiple ways to do this, but one neat way is to fold up the bags and layer them inside. But you could also insert them so that they could be pulled from the top dispensing hole.
3. Coffee Canister
If you buy the large canisters, you’ll have a lot more storage space for bags! And as with any of these suggestions, you can also decorate your can.
Coffee cans will have a plastic lid, so this makes them a good choice for this hack. Simply cut a hole in the lid so you can pull bags through as you need them.
4. Oatmeal Container
As you can see in the pics, this one is done a bit differently. So far, all the others require you to pull bags from the top. I how this could be put in a cupboard and bags pulled out from the side, without ever having to remove the container from the shelf.
I do expect you would have to hold it in place while extracting a bag, though.
5. Kleenex Box
Another great upcycling idea. Who doesn’t have tissue boxes in the house? And it really doesn’t matter what shape or size they are.
Obviously, if you fold your bags neatly beforehand, you will be able to fit a lot more bags in.
6. Tide Pods Container
This is a good idea—if you keep your bags in the laundry room. Okay, this might only be a problem for me, as I’m a bit anal. I would have a problem with keeping that in my kitchen, and I like my plastic bags to be in the kitchen since I reuse them as garbage bags.
7. Plastic Milk Jug
Wow. I can’t remember the last time I saw a milk jug. Maybe it’s a regional thing, but grocery stores in my city only have bags and cartons of milk. But if you have jugs where you live, you now have another use for them.
If doing this, I would think you might want to use a bit of caution. When you cut out those holes on the side, I’m guessing they could have sharp edges, so be careful!
8. Handmade Bag Storage
Now for something a little prettier. And if you have some sewing skills, this is a dead-simple project. And the best part, at least in my opinion, is that you can shop for a fabric that will match your kitchen décor and make it part of your décor. It doesn’t need to be hidden away in a cupboard or pantry.
You can either cram your bags in there or fold them nicely first. You will fit in a lot more that way.
9. Pringles Can
Now don’t use this as an excuse to run out and buy some junk food. But if you have happen to have Pringles or Lays Stacks cans, you can reuse them as plastic bag holders.
If you want to be really mean, you can leave them as is, fill them with bags, and let unsuspecting people think there are chips in the house. Or you can decorate them like they are in this image.
10. Pop Can Cartons
Or soda cans, depending on where you live. The 12 can boxes work best for this upcycle hack since they have the nice cut out at one end. And like the picture here, I would recommend decorating the box, but that’s really up to you.
If you, like me, had a mess of plastic bags in your kitchen, you no longer have an excuse. There are so many ways you can organize them.
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