How To Properly Fold And Store Plastic Grocery Bags

Despite your best efforts to use paper or reusable canvas bags, almost every household has an ever-growing pile of plastic grocery bags. Plastic grocery bags are one of the more harmful single-use plastics, with National Geographic noting that they aren't biodegradable, and most recycling plants don't accept them. This means that they sit in landfills until they become harmful microplastics.

An easy solution to this problem is to turn plastic grocery bags into multi-use plastic. This can mean a variety of different things, from using them for picking up pet waste, storing items, or as garbage bags for smaller trash cans. That still doesn't take care of the chaotic pile of plastic bags taking over your home, though. There are much better and more effective ways to store your plastic grocery bags than just shoving them into a random cabinet or corner in your home. Keep reading to learn how to properly store your plastic grocery bags.

While it may not have crossed your mind to fold your plastic bags, it is a great way to not only keep them organized in a drawer or dedicated area but also take stock of how many you have. There are actually a few ways to fold plastic bags for optimal storage.

One way to fold your plastic grocery bags is into a small, compact triangle, per Heather Poppins. Begin by laying the bag flat and smoothing it out. Then, fold it in half lengthwise, so each of the handles are lined up on top of each other. Fold it in half again, so you have a long, thin rectangle. Then, on the end without handles, fold a corner to the edge, creating a small triangle. Keep folding this triangle on top of itself until you get to the handles, and then twist the handles over the triangle to keep it in place. This will neatly fit into any bag, dispenser, drawer, or other storage option.

Another great option is to create a sausage roll with multiple bags, as done by Instructables. Fold multiple bags in half lengthwise, and then line them up in a long strip on top of one another. Fold the handles of the first bag outwards, and then roll the bags tightly into one large log, keeping the original handle out. This creates a spool of yarn effect, allowing you to pull one bag out at a time.

Now that you know how to fold your plastic bags for optimal storage space, you can decide how you want to actually store them. If you opted for the rolling method, Instructables also has a follow-up storage option. Clean and dry an empty plastic container like the kind used to hold cleaning wipes and thread the handle through the dispenser teeth. This allows you to easily just select one when needed.

You can also simply store folded or rolled bundles of plastic bags in an empty drawer or cabinet, of course. There are also dedicated storage options available for purchase, which will look much neater and save potentially valuable drawer and cabinet space. For example, there are small, wall mountable dispensers like this one from Amazon or over-the-door holders for the insides of pantries, like this one also from Amazon. For cuter displays, consider getting a fabric drawstring storage bag, like this one available from Amazon.