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Frugal Parenting 22 Creative Ways to Use Plastic Grocery Bags (Plus Readers' Ideas)
Do you have a drawer or closet
stuffed full of empty grocery bags? I hate to throw anything away that could be
useful so I have my share of plastic (and paper) bags. Through the years, I’ve
discovered many ways to use those bags.
More...
Before you discard (or even recycle) another plastic bag, consider trying some of these ideas: 1. Save money by using plastic bags as trash can liners. 2. Don’t buy expensive mailing fillers. Save plastic bags to protect and keep items from moving around. 3. Use plastic bags to protect Christmas decorations while storing. 4. Keep a couple plastic bags in a diaper bag for soiled clothing. 5. When traveling, use plastic bags in your suitcases for dirty underclothes. 6. Place your wet swim suits or other wet clothing inside plastic bags until you arrive home and can launder or hang out to dry. 7. When away from home, put dirty shoes or boots in a bag so you don’t get dirt in your car. (That’s assuming you have other shoes to wear.) 8. Place disposable diapers in a bag before tossing in the diaper pail. It helps diminish odors somewhat. 9. Keep several in your car, especially if you have children. If someone gets unexpectedly sick while on the highway and you’re unable to stop, use double bags. You can knot and dispose–better in the bag than all over the car. 10. Use for puzzles or other items which have small parts that may get lost. My elementary-age sons enjoy putting together (and taking apart) 500-piece puzzles. Unfortunately, some of the puzzle boxes have become worn out. I keep the puzzles in the boxes with a rubberband around the box. To prevent pieces from falling out and getting lost, I then place the puzzle inside a bag. 11. Place food inside a plastic bag before packing in a lunch bag. Even "airtight" containers can leak, especially if the lid is not on tightly. 12. Put sippy cups (even "spill-proof" ones) in a bag to prevent accidental spills in the diaper bag. 13. For easy cleanup, place a plastic bag inside a bucket or pot next to your sink when you peel fruits or vegetables. You can quickly dispose of the bag or place peelings in a compost pile. 14. Double line a bucket with plastic bags. When removing the skin and fat (or even bones) from chicken or other meat, place in bags for easy cleanup. 15. Place frozen ice packs in a plastic bags to prevent condensation from "puddling" in your lunch bag. When we travel, we freeze some water in our water bottles before filling them up with cold water. The bottles produce so much condensation, that it looks like a little lake in our cup dispensers. To prevent that, pack water bottles in a plastic bag. 16. Use for organization in a deep freezer. I stock up on frozen vegetables and place like vegetables together in a plastic bag. (Rotate by putting newest vegetables on the bottom of the bag.) I usually place my vegetables in the freezer in alphabetical order. Doing this helps me know exactly where to find certain vegetables. You can also use various colored bags to sort vegetables. I like using bags to ensure no vegetables get "lost" in the freezer. Plus, I know exactly how many bags I have of each item, and unloading the freezer to defrost and clean is so much easier. Another hint is to list the contents of your deep freezer on a magnetic dry erase board (or keep a paper on top with a magnet). Every time you take out something, delete an item from the list. If you are diligent about this, you will know exactly what needs replacing when you go to the store. 17. When defrosting meats, place a paper towel in a plastic bag and put meats in the bag to prevent messy leaks and cleanups. 18. In the winter, use plastic bags over your children’s snow boots to keep feet drier. 19. Carry a couple bags with you while you walk. You can use it to pick up trash and then dispose. 20. Take bags to the grocery store to reuse instead of getting new ones each time. 21. Donate bags to food pantries, used book stores, libraries, thrift shops, or other organizations. Instead of stuffing all the bags into one bag, flatten the plastic bags, fold them in half, and place in another plastic bag before donating. 22. Fill several bags with food or other items for a needy family. (This is one of the most rewarding ways to use those bags!) 23. Okay, I know I said 22 ideas, but if those bags are still overflowing in your closet, deposit the extras in a recycle bin at your local store. To keep your plastic bags neat and available, you can purchase special cloth bags for storing them, make your own bag, or use an empty tissue box. I find empty tissue boxes to be the most convenient and economical (as well as environmentally friendly) for me. Keep several in different rooms (pantry, closet, basement, baby room for diapers, etc.) and pull out bags as needed. Here’s a hint while at the grocery store. Ask the bagger to put your cold items inside a paper bag. (You may want to have them put the frozen items in a plastic bag and then inside the paper bag.) The paper bag helps to keep the items colder longer, and when you arrive home, you’ll know automatically which bags to empty first. One last caution: Teach your children never to put a plastic bag over their head. If you have young children, keep plastic bags out of their reach to avoid suffocation. Do you have other uses for plastic bags? We would love to hear your ideas! Contact us here... * * * Readers' Ideas
"Crochet bags into door mats, easy to hose off. Around here several people have been crocheting the plastic bags into oval or circular rugs for their entry's, porches, and patios." "Great for picking up dead mice or other things if gloves are not handy." "At a garage sale recently a lady showed us how she folds her
bags--lay out flat and smooth with hands then fold in fourths lengthwise, then
start folding
in triangles as flags are folded line liter pans with plastic bags, double if
needed, easy to dispose of." "I always take stitching or crocheting with me in the car and on trips. I keep it in double plastic grocery bags. They are lightweight, fit in smaller spaces, and if the outer one gets dirty or torn, the inner one is still protecting my project." "I double plastic grocery bags (just in case one has a
hole--no leakage) and use them to collect scooped kitty waste from my cat's
litter box. They are perfect for collecting the solids that are formed
with scoopable litter." "My father (God rest his soul) used to store the bags in a empty paper towel roll. Works like a charm." - ljds "You
already offered so many great tips of using plastic bags. I can not add another
one. I just wanted to let you know that I do not use many plastic bags... as
most of the time I take several bags made of sturdy fabrics with me to the
grocery store (or any other store or the library). They can hold more than the
plastic bags, I can reuse them over and over again (if dirty, just wash them), I
receive a 'bag credit' at the check out and it is very friendly to the
environment. Sometimes I get a few plastic bags anyway, because I forgot my bags
or I purchased more groceries than fit into my bags or I purchased meat, which I
like to have wrapped in a plastic bag in case it leaks. I use those extra
plastic bags for lining my garbage cans." - Sylvia
"I use them to collect and dispose of weeds in my
yard. I use the bags to collect spent flowers when deadheading." -
Jack
"I love your ideas. Here are some more for you to share
with others: Use the boxes that pop cans come in to store your bags. The can
dispenser holes are idea for dispensing the bags. Just use the handle hole as
a was to fill the box up again and again. That way you can recycle two types
of items at once. You can cram so many bags into one of these little boxes and
store the box in a cupboard. Kids and adults can make fun jewelry out of them
by cutting them into strips and braiding them and making bracelets out of
them. Save them to make ice packs in emergencies for sprains and other
injuries." - Donna
"Preparing the Thanksgiving Turkey is a little hard on
my ick nerve. I put my hand inside of a plastic grocery bag before reaching
inside to pull out the neck and gizzards. I pull them out, then, with my other
hand, pull the bag in the other direction so they're inside of the bag, tie it
and dispose." - Angie * * *
Copyright © 2005 by Rachel Keller. All rights reserved. Readers' Tips compiled by Michelle Jones, editor of BetterBudgeting.com. Want more money-saving tips? Get a FREE Subscription to our monthly newsletter!
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