Don’t get me wrong – I am a believer in those reusable cloth bags for grocery trips. However, for short trips, I tend to forget to bring them with me. I am new at the whole “Green” thing and am still getting used to using them.
So what do you do with those plastic bags?
Don’t toss them – they have many wonderful uses.
Using a nail or thumbtack, hang one plastic bag on the wall in your pantry or laundry room and store the others in it. Larger bags from departments stores get folded and stored in the biggest bag (one of those nice handled paper ones works great). Keep them in a closet.
1. Line small trashcans
This is my favorite use! Use small plastic bags to line the little trashcans in the bathroom that tend to have wet yucky things thrown into them. I like to use them in the kids’ trashcans, too, to avoid having gum or lollipop sticks stuck to the bottom. Now the trashcan will stay clean. Just lift out the bag and tie it up when it is full. I have found storing a few in the bottom of the trashcan before lining it keeps a supply handy, so when I toss one I can quickly replace it.
2. Dog walking bag
There’s no need to buy special bags to clean up after your dog on a walk. Use the small plastic bags. They tie up tightly to help reduce odor.
3. Cleaning out the car
Why is it that my children are unable to make a five-minute trip to the store without taking every small toy they own? Once or twice a week I clean out the car using a couple of bags. One bag is for collecting all the toys scattered around the backseat and another to gather up any trash. With all the toys in the bag, I can easily hand them to the offender with the instructions: “Please put these away.” 🙂
4. Car travel trash bag
Keep a few small bags in the car to gather up trash during long car trips. This also comes in handy just in case someone gets car sick.
5. Donation bags
Those larger bags from departments stores make great bags for transporting items you want to donate. I keep a “donation” bag handy to toss things in. When it fills up, I take it where it needs to go. I do the same thing for clothes I need to take to the consignment shop.
6. Easy transportation
I am always sending in various items to school with my children. A bag makes it easier for the kids to carry them.
7. Packing material
When mailing a package, use them to fill the box instead of purchasing fillers.
8. Diaper disposal
Keep a few in a diaper bag in case you have to do an emergency change and there is no trashcan in sight. It will help reduce the odor in the car until you can dispose of it. This saved me many times when my kids were in diapers.
9. Kitchen use
When cutting up meat, use the bag to catch the yucky scraps and tie it up before putting in the trash. This will help keep the odor of the trash can to a minimum while waiting for trash day.
10. Protect your frozen meats
Wrapping up your meats in a bag before freezing them gives them an extra layer of protection.
Got too many bags to ever use?
Take the grocery bags back to the store and put them in the recycle bin.
Have any other great uses for bags?
I would love to hear them!
Ileane says
I’m with you on this one Melinda. I use those darn bags all of the time. One of the things I use it for is disposing of used cooking oil. I’m always afraid that my trash bag might have a hole in the bottom of it so I would never toss the oil without putting in a bag first.
I must admit that when I had a dog, we never went for a walk without that darn bag. LOL!
@Ileane
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Melinda says
HA HA I totally agree. Murphy’s Law always causes the bag to snag and rip when I pull it out of the trashcan if there is a liquid substance in there.
Patricia says
M,
You should totally post all your tips on the conservation site for NTJWC! They are great! I have to post once a week as part of my recycling initiative and your tips are awsome.
Patricia
Melinda says
Thanks Patricia 🙂
naz says
These are really useful tips for reusing a plastic bag.
The idea is, we know we can’t do without the necessary evil, but if we have to use them, why don’t we use them wisely.
Melinda says
True..if we can’t avoid having them they might as well go to good use.
Eric says
What a great idea using for packing!! Thanks for the suggestion. I wish I had thought of that myself.
Jeannie says
I agree with you that it has many uses. I most often use the bags for #1 and #2, when I had a dog.
Bryony says
They are so useful!! God knows what we will use for all these jobs once the plastic bag has become extinct :'(
Small point, if you’re gonna use them for throwing up into on a car journey — make sure it’s not one with those “please dont suffocate your children” holepunchs!!
Abigail says
Glad to know you’re in for the new fad, the GREEN Thing. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle plastic containers, if not totally get rid of it.