Thursday, April 24, 2008

13 Creative Uses for Plastic Bags


We've been working hard to reduce our use of plastic bags. We take our reusable bags to the grocery store and other retail stores. On occasion we walk out of the house without our reusable bags, so we end up with a nice little collection at home.

Here are 13 creative things you can do with your plastic bags:

1. Use bags in your suitcases for dirty underclothes or for wet clothes from a day at the swimming pool.

2. Use bags to wrap your gifts.

3. Use a bag as you would a rubber glove when you don't have rubber gloves
handy.


4. Use bags as packing material instead of the dreaded white foam peanuts.

5. When your credit card won't swipe, put it inside the bag and try again.

6. Use bags as rubber boots to keep your feet dry.

7. Use a bag as a backpack for your kids by putting their arms through the handles.

8. Put bags on your wiper blades and mirrors in the winter to keep them free from snow and ice.

9. Store your shoes in plastic bags when you have them inside your suitcase to keep clothes from getting dirty and smelly.

10. For easy cleanup, place a 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.

11. Take your bags to the grocery store to reuse instead of getting new ones each time.

12. Donate bags to food pantries, used book stores, libraries, thrift shops, or other organizations. For ease of use, flatten the bags, fold them in half, and place in another plastic bag before donating.

13. Cut head and arm holes and use a bag as a smock for your child's craft project.

If all else fails - drop off your bags in the recycling bin at your grocery store.

Tell me how you are using your plastic bags, I would love to add to this list!


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16 comments:

Laura Paxton said...

We use ours
as liners for various trash cans around the house
and also for lunch bags
and for bags to haul things to the second-hand store

Great T13 for Earth Day!

Neen said...

I use my bags for a lot of those things too.

kay said...

We have reduced our use of plastic, but we store the occasional ones for just the uses you suggest. Good tips.

Anonymous said...

Perfect tips in line with the recently concluded Earth Day :)

Happy Thursday!

SandyCarlson said...

I'll be all over No. 8 when winter comes back! These are great ideas.

Scribbit said...

Great list--perfect for earth day.

JessTrev said...

Love your list - you might enjoy this crafty project too:
http://lifehacker.com/377929/fuse-plastic-grocery-bags-for-crafting

Anonymous said...

Cut leg holes and use as bloomers for potty training kids.

Momisodes said...

That is a wonderful list!! # 13 is genius and I am totally do that next time my daughter paints :) I also never thought to use them for the wipers or packing material either. Thank you :)

organicmom said...

I use plastic bags to wrap dirty (not just wet) diapers in b/4 tossing in the trash can. You can wrap a diaper in the bag twice, then tie off and toss in the trash. I empty the trash each night, and by doing this never have a smell issue.

alisonwonderland said...

i always do #1 and #9; perfect traveling tips! and, like laura, i use them to line trash cans around the house.

happy TT! thanks for stopping by!

Megan@SortaCrunchy said...

Great list Alana! I had NOT thought of the craft smock!!

We use ours as trash can liners, too. When we had cats, I kept a supply of them near the litter box to scoop the stuff into.

Rebecca said...

I am wondering if it's better to reuse a plastic bag instead of just recycling it. If you use it for trash, a smock, or boots, you'll eventually have to throw it away. (You can't recycle bags that are dirty, as far as I know.) I try very hard not to collect these plastic bags, yet somehow I still have a huge pile of them waiting to go in the store's recycling bin!

CanCan said...

I'd like to see some pictures of wrapping a present in a plastic bag, and making it look cute. :)
This is a good list!
I envy the people who know how to crochet and can make things out of strips of plastic bags.

Going Crunchy said...

Gotta say I'm really down to never getting bags. I keep canvas bags at home and in the car, and it's just a habit.

We even "go commando" for vegtables at the store. It doesn't make sense to put them in a bag to take them out at home and wash them.

Tonight at the grocery store 2 people asked me about not using plastic- - SCORE!

Anonymous said...

Great list!

When we had our dog, we used to take plastic grocery bag on our walks to pick up his inevitable messes. :)