We all have that one cabinet, drawer or entire corner of the pantry stuffed to the brim with plastic grocery bags. We keep them because we're frugal and want to reduce plastic waste, but somewhere along the way, those noble intentions turn into an avalanche of crinkly chaos. You open the door to grab one bag, and 27 fall out like clowns from a tiny car. The question is, how do we store them in a way that’s functional and doesn’t make us want to scream? Content creator Kelsey Nixon (@kelseynixon) has a solution.
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According to Kelsey, the key to organizing your plastic bag collection is to fold each one into a tidy square. It's origami for the frugal and environmentally conscious.
First, you flatten the bag. Then, fold it lengthwise into thirds in a long strip. Starting at the bottom, fold it up into small squares. Keep folding until you reach the handles, then tuck the handles into the last fold. Voila! You now have a tidy little square that can be stacked into a bin with all its equally neat little friends.
It’s adorable. It’s satisfying. It makes you feel like you have your life together.
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Real Talk: Organizational Origami Isn’t for Everyone
I admire people who fold their bags into perfect little squares. I also admire people who meal prep on Sundays and fold fitted sheets. That doesn’t mean I can do any of those things, but if you can, this method is perfect for you.
If you’re like me, you might need a more realistic way to store your bags that doesn't involve arts and crafts time. Here are a few of my favorites.
Get yourself an empty tissue box, a baby wipe container or even an old coffee canister. Shove your bags in one at a time. Pull from the top like you’re grabbing a wet wipe or a Kleenex. Bonus points if you feed one bag’s handles through the next one, so it works like a plastic-bag Pez dispenser.
It’s not the most organized method, but it keeps them contained, easy to grab and there is no folding required.
Still not convinced? Just embrace the bag-of-bags concept, but upgrade your storage. Use a hanging cloth bag dispenser (they sell really cute ones on Etsy or Amazon), or repurpose an old pillowcase by cutting a hole in the bottom and hanging it on a hook.
It’s still technically a bag of bags, but now it’s a vertical solution that saves space, and it doesn’t explode every time you reach for one.
Another option is to find a small basket or bin that just barely fits your average amount of bags. Set a limit! If it overflows, it’s time to cull the collection. This method is great because it keeps your inner bag-hoarder in check. You don’t need 67 plastic bags. You really don’t. Unless you’re building a plastic bag quilt, in which case…I have questions.
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The Goal Is Progress, Not Perfection
Plastic bags seem to multiply when you’re not looking and show up in the weirdest places, but with a little bit of effort (and/or a clever container) you can conquer the chaos.
Whether you’re a folding queen, a bin-and-go gal or just someone trying to keep the bags from overtaking your house, know that perfection is overrated and progress is the goal.
Save the planet one plastic bag at a time, and if that means you stuff yours into a repurposed cereal box and call it a day? That counts.
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