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Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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Posted by kathec (My Page) on Fri, Oct 30, 09 at 15:39
| I have a bunch of re-usable grocery bags that I buy with good intentions, but have a hard time getting them to the store. The problem is that they are all different sizes and many don't re-fold as nicely as when they were brand spanking new. I've just de-cluttered my laundry room and I want to make a home for these, but I'm at a loss as to how to contain them. Storing them all in my car is not really an option.
I probably have about 10 of the regular grocery sized ones, I've got 4 extra large ones (I just picked at Dick's Sporting Goods 4/$1!!!), a few big IKEA bags and some large Costco bags.
Please tell me how you typically store your bags. If you store them in your laundry room/utility/basement/mudroom or whatever, how do you contain them?
TIA!!
Kathe |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| Put a couple of them in each car, tucked under the front passenger seat, for those quick shopping stops. Put the rest all into one of the bags (whichever one works best) and hang it in a closet near the front door for the big weekend shopping trips. If they won't refold neatly, you can just roll them. |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| I keep all mine inside one bag... and have them in the car. I don't see why you'd want to keep them in your laundry room... unless you use them there. |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| My laundry room is connected to the garage where I park my car. I can't really call it a mudroom, it's not that large. More of a laundry nook with a hallway attached. For me it's the most logical place to store them in the house. I've had them in the kitchen (pantry) and in the hall closet nearest the kitchen, but I could never remember them on my way out the door. Out of sight out of mind. For those who answered that you keep them all in one bag. I think I'm going to try this. I've got some robe hooks that I could hang it from just inside the garage door. I just hope it won't be too bulky. I'll set it up and post a picture in a bit. Kathe |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| I keep different sizes in each of our cars, tucked inside a clear bag, so I can see what I need. (They hang on the back of the driver's seat.) I have insulated bags that hold dairy products, or dinner from a restaurant when there's too much food. There are small to extra large sizes, so I can pick and choose. They have never done me any good inside the house, which is why I keep them in my car. |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| I try to keep them in my car. I was once in line behind a man who was paying for his groceries. He had about ten of those cloth bags and he used them for all his purchases. . What a guy! |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| Thanks for all the advice. The storage inside my car is a bit hard. I've got 3 kiddos, so I can't really hang them from the seats. I've also got a GPS system under the front passanger seat, so that place is out. I've got a trunk and I do keep the regular grocery size ones in there, but the big ones I use for Costco or IKEA were the ones that give me trouble. I am pleased to say that I gathered every bag I own and contained them within one of the larger bags. I attached a robe hood to the wall and they are now living happily in plain sight ready to go. I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to get my washer door opened, but even with bag totally full I can still open it comfortably. I've attached pictures, there's a before & after. Please ignore the blue taped thing. It's a defunct alarm that DH has been meaning to remove. Thanks again!
Kathe |
Here is a link that might be useful: Laundry room before & after
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| I have the same problem as you "had". My dilemma is that I have no garage and no space by the front door to put these bags. I'm sure I have the same amount as you do, including the Ikea ones. It's so hard to just go back to the car to put the bags back in there after I put the stuff away. |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| I have actually switched from bags to baskets. They are easier to pack and to empty, and to keep clean. They are stored on top of shelving near the front door, where they also happen to be nice to look at. Some fit into each other and I almost always take at least one out of the house with me - handy place for the shopping list. I also use glass milk bottles, and I actually have a nice flat-bottomed leather bag that I use for those. It has a permanent home on a shelf, and bottles go back into it as soon as they are washed and dried. I do keep just one cloth bag in the car, stuffed into a compartment, for unexpected stops. But I did do the cotton bag thing for years, as I was an early convert. Here is the gist of my experience that may help to keep those organized: 1. There is such a thing as having too many bags. Assess which ones you need (might be different ones for each store you regularly visit) and assign storage and a routine to those. Donate/discard the others (cotton can be composted). (I think the new polypropylene ones can be recycled too). 2. Cloth bags don't last forever. In addition, they get rather grotty after a certain number of uses. The laundry room is thus a great place to store them as you might think of washing them more often. But even so, rotate. Throw one out from time to time. Everyone's on the bandwagon, you'll get new ones. 3. There are good bags and bad bags. Don't accept them all! For example: handles too long = drag on the ground. I do enjoy having some bags that go over the shoulder though. But my favourites are actually the bags made to the same design as the plastic bags we are all trying to replace. And yes, for storage, one strong hook where you can get to it easily as you leave, and either pack them into each other or hang them separately (I prefer that, as I am often looking for a certain bag - we use the bags for everything as well as groceries). Finally, don't disregard the value of the plastic bags you get from clothing stores and so on. They are usually heavy plastic and will make many trips, and are stronger than normal grocery bags. The bonus is that being plastic rather than cloth, they pack flatter and are easier to keep in the glove compartment or even a purse. KarinL |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| I organize my recyclable soft drink and water plastic bottles (and cans) into Ikea bags. It's easy to take these to the recycling center when it's full. Can I put the freezer bags with the silver on the inside of the bag into the washing machine? Any special tips on washing it? I'm assuming I can't put it into the dryer. Am I correct? |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| Marie, I don't have any insulated bags that will go in the washer. Instead, I just wipe them down with a damp/soapy cloth and air dry if they need it. Those are something else that need to be replaced every so often, but can be used for quite a long time until that happens. Since you can't wash them, you wouldn't put them in dryer! (Think of those needing ''hand-washing/line-drying''.) Mine don't go back out to the car as soon as they come in. Instead, I have a hook like Kathe's that I hang them from, next to my car keys. I always do a bag check on my way to the car, so they go with me. |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| Keep in mind that you have to use a reusable bag over a thousand times for it to be less environmentally costly than one plastic bag per use. It might never break even if you machine wash and dry it. Just being realistic here.... |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| What I use is one of those hanging shelves that have larger square compartments. The kind that hangs on the front closet rod and are soft bodied. I roll them them up and tuck them inside. The extra leftover compartments are used for guest socks (no shoes house) and slippers. I still like to keep a few emergency bags in the car, but I can understand hating to have to go back into the car to put them away after being so tired after shopping and putting groceries away... yuck. |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| I keep my bags in the trunk of the car, even those for dept stores. Instead of going back to the car after unloading bags, I keep them sitting under my purse & take them out the next time I drive. |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| I washed the bag with the silver lining in the washing machine because it was worth trying to save rather than just throw it out. I had been given it at a trade show and it's a better quality than the ones I buy at the local stores. The bag came out like new. Of course I didn't put it in the dryer. |
RE: Need ideas for re-usable grocery bag storage
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| Keep in mind that you have to use a reusable bag over a thousand times for it to be less environmentally costly than one plastic bag per use. Really? What's the source for this piece of information? |
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