Plastic Shopping Bags Uses and Storage

I know many of you have already started using those wonderful reusable "green bags" when you go shopping.  But, if you are like me, sometimes I get to the store and realize I forgot them.  Or, you are just running in for a couple items and you forget them in the car or don't want to bother for such a small order.  You opt for plastic over paper and now you have some of those plastic shopping bags.  Most would maybe reuse it in it's original form to carry things once or twice, recycle it, or toss it, but I have found some great additional uses for these bags that save me money.  I also found a great way to store them so they don't take up too much room either.

1. Free trash liners for your bathroom trash cans.
2. If you have cats, they are perfect little trash bags for scooping the litter clumps.
3. If you are already recycling or composting, you probably don't have half as much kitchen trash as you used to.  Why do you still need the industrial size trash can in your kitchen?  Downsize to a 3 gallon/11 liter waste basket, roughly the size you might use under a desk.  The plastic bags fit perfectly so you don't need to purchase kitchen trash bags anymore, either. Just make sure the bag doesn't have a hole in the bottom or you might end up with a mess if you put wet stuff in the trash.  Mine fits perfectly under my sink, so its out of sight and the pets can't get into it.  With these smaller size trash cans, you might even have room under your sink for a separate trash and recycle waste basket.  This will make it more convenient to recycle, so you will be more likely to do it.  With a smaller trash container, obviously, it will fill up a little quicker than a big one, but you will be able to keep smells to a minimum inside your home since you will be taking the trash out more frequently.



Upcycled plastic baskets by bagsagain.etsy.com

4. This one might be a stretch for some of you to make yourself, but I have actually seen people cut these into long strips like yarn and knit, crochet, or weave them into rugs, beach bags, purses, place mats, baskets, accessories, and other amazing creations.  Check out some some of these very affordable items others have made out of plastic shopping bags that are for sale on etsy.com  They will blow your mind!!  Some Etsy sellers even sell patterns for those of you who might want to try to make some of these, and "yarn" that is already pre-made for these creations, if you don't want to take the time to cut it up yourself.

Now that I have you thinking a little differently about these plastic shopping bags, here's my trick to making them compact for easy storage.  

1. Stick a couple fingers of your right hand through the handles of the bag.  Keep your fingers in these holes the whole time until right at the end at step #4.
2. Using your left hand, starting near the handles, smooth and pull the bag into a long plastic strip.
3. Grasp the "bottom" of the bag with your left hand and with a twisting wrist action, roll the bottom of the bag up around two fingers on your left hand all the way up to the handles creating a little "ball" around your left hand fingers and twisting the bag around your right fingers creating a small "loop"
4. Flip the "loop" from the handles around your right hand fingers over the "ball" wrapped around your left hand fingers.  This will keep this tight little ball secured and compact for easy storage.  
5. A small box, basket, or drawer will hold a ton of them in this compact form until you are ready to use them.  Simply unhook the loop, unwind, and they are ready to use again.