Ordering our Homes- Grocery Bags

During this series I wanted to cover how to organize those little things that have a habit of taking over or causing a lot of clutter. With seven people in the house I can think of several things that left to themselves would take over the entire house. Usually these things are either small or they have several multiples (like shoes or gloves). They also are usually things that we need on a regular basis; but because there are so many of them or they seem so small an insignificant we have a hard time finding a place for them to stay.

Plastic grocery bags can be that way for me. Now I know that you can use cloth bags and eliminate the plastic bags altogether. However, I do like having some around for use around the house. I use my bags to line trash cans, put in diaper bags for trash bags or laundry bags, and other obscure uses that seem to come up for their use from time to time.

These bags have a tendency to multiply and I have wondered if they do that in the dark! I was hit with an idea one day to take one of Anna's old dresses and sew up the bottom of the dress. The back of the dress has snaps. After the bottom was sewn up I took and hung it on a hanger and only buttoned the first snap. The other two snaps were left open so that I could have an opening for the bag storage. I placed the dress on the nail next to my cleaning supply shelf. It has worked out nicely. I also love looking at the dress - as it was one of my favorites from when Anna was a bit smaller.

However, finding a keen place with which to store these plastic bags, does not take the frustration out of reaching into the storage place and having to wrestle a bag loose from all the other bags entangled around it! I have been storing my bags wrapped a certain way - and love being able to reach into the bag and pull out just one - neatly wrapped. This works nicely also, when I just need to grab a couple for the diaper bag. I can get them and put them neatly into the diaper bag without having to stuff and wad a bag up.

Here is how I 'wrap' my plastic bags for storage:

First, take the bag, with handles down and smooth it out into a straight line. Keeping the end of the bag in the palm of your hand.

Then, take and wrap the bag loosely around your palm.

When you have the bag wrapped around your hand, simply tuck the end into the area around your hand as you are removing it from your palm. Don't tuck the end in too tightly.

There you have a little plastic ball 'bag' to store away for future use.

I then just take the bag and tuck it away into the dress to await for a time needed.

I usually do not have way too many bags sitting around now that I shop at Aldi's. If they start to be overflowing - I simply either refuse the plastic bag at the counter - by bringing my own bag or I ask for paper bags. I do like to have a few of the paper bags around.

How do your store your plastic bags? Or, do you even use plastic bags?