Everyday Home Items You Can Use For Storing Plastic Bags

Dealing with all those plastic bags can be a real hassle, huh? You might have a big ol’ bag stuffed with even more bags, or maybe they’re just scattered around in a drawer or cabinet. Folding them up into little triangles can be a pain. Why not make things easier on yourself and turn something you already have at home into handy, even stylish, plastic bag storage?

Just make sure whatever container you use is clean and dry before you get started. Some options, like tissue boxes and wipes containers, are designed to let you pull out one item while the next one pops up. You can recreate that same easy-access system by linking your plastic bags together and loading them into the container.

A baby wipe container is perfect for storing plastic bags – it’s already designed to let you easily pull things out. You can leave it as-is if the design is nice, or give it a little makeover with paint or decorative paper. The size is convenient, especially for keeping in your car for when you need a bag on the go. And you can even make a few to keep in different rooms of your house.

Instead of just using a regular tissue box, you can get a little fancier with a tissue box cover. These come in all kinds of cool materials like acrylic, rattan, metal, and more to match your decor. You can hang it on the wall or just keep it on a shelf, and the bags are easy to grab and reload whenever you need one.

The cylindrical shape of those cleaning wipe containers makes them a handy size for storing plastic bags. You can keep one in the kitchen or car so you always have a bag on hand. Once you’ve used up the wipes, decorate the container however you like. You can even roll up your linked bags into a cylinder to fit right inside.

PVC pipe is super versatile for DIY projects like this. You can get it in different diameters and cut it to the size you need. A 4-inch wide, foot-long piece is a good starting point and will hold around 4 dozen bags. Just cut a little mouse-hole shape in the side to pull the bags out, and add an end cap to keep them in. Mount it on the wall for easy access.

Oatmeal containers make a decent plastic bag storage option too. The cardboard is a little thin, so you might want to decorate it with adhesive paper instead of paint. Cut a small hole in the top to pull the bags through. Just be sure to disguise the original oatmeal branding so it looks more intentional.

Here’s a unique idea – use an old pant leg or shirt sleeve as a bag storage container. Sew a hem at the top and bottom, thread a drawstring through the top, and an elastic through the bottom. Load the bags in the top and pull them out from the bottom. Repurposing clothing is a great way to reduce waste!

Those cylindrical chip cans make compact, portable bag storage too. You can cover up the branding with some scrapbook paper and washi tape. Just affix it with hot glue. Add a label if you want, and voila – a space-saving way to keep plastic bags handy.

For a bigger bag storage solution, try repurposing an old wine gift box. The top comes off easily so you can load more bags, and you can even glue on a little drawer pull to make it even easier. Cut a hole in the bottom to dispense the bags, and you can even mount the whole thing on the wall. Now that you have a convenient organizer, you can focus on actually using up those plastic bags!