I mostly use re-usable grocery bags. Still, I end up with some plastic grocery bags when I buy more than will fit in my re-usable bags, or I forget them, or someone gives me something in one. But that’s not all bad, as I use the plastic bags for mini trash bags in our small waste baskets.
If you’re not careful, though, they seem to multiply in the cupboard and spill out everywhere. Depending on where you’d like to store them, I’ve got 4 possible solutions:
1. Fabric Tube
You can buy bag holders like that shown above in almost any grocery store, Wal-mart or dollar store. It’s also very easy to make your own with a simple drawstring at the top and bottom. If you knit or crochet, you can make them that way, too.
We used one of these aboard Que Tal — left by the previous owner — and just hung it from a hook in a hanging locker. Since it’s “soft” there were never any bumps or thumps, no matter how the boat was moving.
2. Old Sock
If you don’t care about being able to hang the bag container, you can stuff the plastic bags into an old athletic sock. This can make good padding for noisy or breakable items in a locker, but can be a little less convenient when you want to use one. Of course, you could add a hanging loop to the top of the sock — or just cut a small hole to hang it by!
3. Paper Towel Tube
Similarly, you can stuff them into a paper towel tube. This makes a great way to take some along on a beach clean up day, or to stick inside a daypack for a picnic.
4. Plastic Bag Origami
Just as I was writing this article, Jackie on Lively Lady sent me an e-mail saying, “Some people look at me cross-eyed when I suggest this tip, but I’ve found that on the boat we need to find ‘space’ however we can.”
Here’s a link showing how to easily tame plastic bags into cute (and neat!) little triangles.
These are really easy to store and are nice and tidy to take along in a purse, pack or pants pocket. If you have kids aboard, you might even get them to do the folding!
Admittedly, you can buy much more elaborate bag dispensers than those I’ve mentioned here. But most are steel, which rusts easily aboard a boat, and all are larger and heavier. These solutions are free to very cheap, lightweight, and are soft if you happen to bump into one.
Got another way you store your bags? Does it work well? Let the rest of us know in the comments.
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Karen says
We flatten grocery bags, roll them, then tie them in a knot. They serm to take up less room when we toss them in a container.
Michelle Beatty on Facebook says
i use my THE BOAT GALLEY bag when shopping…..:)))))
John Grossman on Facebook says
Empty wet wipe containers work well too…
Kenneth Arnold on Facebook says
I use one like the Pic, $1 at Dollar Tree stores and holds 15+ bags.
Candy Ann Williams on Facebook says
I love the origami idea, but I can just barely get my husband to put them in my cloth bag, I can just see his face if I suggested the origami…LOL! Thanks for smother good tip…I AM going to give the origami a try.
Molly Stokes says
Empty kleenex boxes will give you lots of room to stuff the bags.
MaryJo says
The first thing I do when choosing whether or not to keep a plastic bag is to make sure it’s clean and doesn’t have any holes. Then I always do the origami thing; it’s fast to do (it’s just like folding a flag), and takes up the least amount of storage space. And like you said, it fits neatly into a purse or glove compartment or pocket. Especially handy for the larger bags that are a little heavier and which can be re-used several times.
Cathy says
The origami trick is my favorite – takes no time at all and about a million of them fit in a babric tube-bag!
Darlene Price says
I tried the paper towel roll but the paper got moist. I’m going to try an empty coffee canister this year. The wet ones idea is good, pretty much the same idea.
G says
You go ashore to market and return to your vessel with 10 or more plastic bags and 1 large canister package of kitchen wipes. Remove the wipes from the canister and place them in a large Zip Lock slider bag, they’ll fit! Wad up your plastic grocery bags one at a time and stuff them in the canister. You may not get close to filling the canister with ten bags but on will always be at the top for easy retrieval. You can add more trash bags as needed. This set up is easily stored and won’t rust and I’ve never run out of bags once I filled it.
G.
Judith C says
I use the origami method then store them all in the bottom of the small trash can in the bathroom.
Andie Pope says
My sister in law years ago told me to use a quart plastic milk bottle, cut out the round circle midway up. I wrap a bag around my fingers, and stuff it in. I’ve had the same bottle for almost 10 years. I am amazed at how many bags it holds.
Anne Kenny says
We had two of the folding camp chairs, and their drawstring bags, on the boat. Recently the second chair finally disintegrated. But the bags are like new. and just the right shape and size to store plastic bags. I have one in the house, and the other will go back to the boat.