Tossing Out Dust Bags When Decluttering Is A Big Mistake. Here's Why

If you've ever splurged on a high-end handbag or accessories, chances are that your purchase came with a dust bag. Typically made of luxurious natural materials like linen, velvet, cotton, or satin, dust bags are designed to protect your designer goods from environmental damage, such as sun exposure and moisture, as well as regular wear and tear, color transfer, and of course dust. They are especially useful for materials like leather that can become damaged from light and heat. 

If you spent a small fortune on your prized accessories, we wouldn't blame you for wanting to display your handbag collection, but you may want to think twice before getting rid of the dust bags they came with. Given their many potential uses, it would be a shame to simply toss them out. Of course, they can be used to protect the goods they came in. If you ever wanted to sell your luxury items, you'd also want to have them on hand. But you can also repurpose dust bags for chic bathroom storage, fresh-smelling scent pouches, living room decor, or even planter accessories.

The features of your dust bag, including its shape, size, and material, will vary depending on what's inside. For example, handbags and wallets typically come with a cotton dust bag with a drawstring closure. Smaller accessories such as luxury sunglasses, jewelry, and watches may come with a satin dust bag with a flap closure instead of a drawstring. For high-end clothing, you may receive a dust sack with handles that doubles as a convenient tote bag. No matter which one you get, you'll discover countless creative ways to reuse it.

Depending on its size, your dust bag could be the perfect storage pouch for small accessories such as gloves, scarves, and jewelry or electronics such as cords, power banks, and headphones so you don't lose track of your tech. Repurpose it into a travel kit for your makeup, a lunch bag, a gym bag storage pouch for your sweaty workout clothes — the list goes on. Dust bags are also a genius item you can use to organize your bathroom; fill it with your skincare products, spare toiletries, or bars of soap and stash it in a cupboard keep your countertops clutter-free. 

If the dust bag is made of a breathable material such as cotton, create a scent sachet by filling it with dried lavender to keep your closet smelling fresh. Make multiple mini scent pouches by cutting the dust bag into smaller strips of fabric, adding your dried flowers, and tying it off with twine. 

If the cover of your dust bag goes with your home decor, you can easily transform it into a decorative throw pillow. Place a pillow insert inside of a standard handbag-sized dust bag and seal the opening with adhesive tape. If the dust bag has a drawstring closure, you may need to cut the drawstring channel with fabric scissors, fold the edges down, and sew or tape it shut. Dust bags can even be used as a fabric cover for a small planter. Measure your planter and cut the dust bag to the correct size, trace and cut a hole for the base, then sew a durable liner fabric to the interior.