5 handy ways to reuse plastic bags at home – from packing suitcases to storing teabags

It's so easy to build up a huge collection of plastic bags, but what can they actually be used for?

It turns out, plenty! They're not just for bringing home your weekly grocery shopping, either. From sensibly packing for your vacation to storing your favorite aromatic tea bags, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to this grocery store savior.

Here, professional organizers and the expert Homes & Gardens Solved team share their favorite ways to reuse plastic bags for eco-friendly organizing and sustainable repurposing.

5 sustainable ways to reuse plastic bags

1. For lining trash cans

In my household, we're always reusing plastic bags to line our trash cans, particularly smaller ones in bedrooms and bathrooms. This is something Ben Soreff, professional organizer at House to Home Organizing, recommends, describing them as, 'great trash bags.'

Chiana Dickson, content editor on Solved here at Homes & Gardens agrees. ‘I rarely have plastic bags in my home, but when I do I tend to reuse them as trash bag liners – especially the larger, stronger bags that fully fit the larger cans,' she says.

'Which trash can I use them in will depend on the type of bag. Bags with small holes in the bottom are usually used in the home office or bathroom bins, which tend to only contain larger, dry items.

'Bags that do not have any small holes in them are used in the kitchen. I don’t limit this to standard plastic bags, either. Plastic wrapping bags from toilet paper stacks are great make-shift liners for bathroom bins.'

It's still important, though, to regularly clean your trash can to ensure you're not just simply masking trash can smells.

‘I sometimes also keep them to one side to use as trash or donation bags when decluttering,' continues Chiana, useful in general while you work out what to do with items you're decluttering.

'This way, as I declutter, I can quickly categorize items and transport them to my car. Non-recyclable items for the trash can be thrown straight into the tip without having to unload things, and donation items can be dropped off in the thrift store without the awkward encounter of having to ask for workers to unload everything in storage and bring bags or boxes back.’

2. For packing shoes in a suitcase

Going away this summer? If you are, the last thing you'll want is the soles of your dirty shoes ruining all your outfits. That's why I always pack my shoes in a plastic bag before popping them in my suitcase. Then, when I'm away, this handily doubles up as a dirty laundry bag.

I also love organizing my suitcase with this clever packing hack: using Ziploc Gallon Food Storage Slider Bags available at Amazon to pack each outfit individually. It costs less than $10 and is ideal for sorting toiletries, too.

3. To store tea bags

Another clever way to reuse plastic bags is for storing tea, says Punteha van Terheyden, Head of Solved.

She explains, 'I reuse the same Ziploc bag to store my fragrant cardamon tea bags until the zip breaks – the current one is going on six months.

'Otherwise, once I open the 100-count cardboard box my cardamon tea comes in, which isn't fully resealable, the teabags lose their aroma and the half-empty box takes up too much space. With the Ziploc bag, the last teabag from the batch smells just as good as the first.'

For this, you can also use a Tea Bag Organizer, available at Walmart, or airtight containers, such as the OXO Good Grips POP Container available at Amazon, which I use at home.

It's also perfect if you need some new food storage ideas, and particularly handy for pest-proofing your pantry, and food items that have been opened.

4. For waterproofing bags

Often when it's raining outside, you might find yourself in need of a waterproof bag, but not have anything suitable. I know I often do when I'm heading off to work in the morning. This, says Solved content editor Chiana, is the perfect time to reuse your plastic bags.

‘Smaller plastic bags are perfect for waterproofing other bags, such as my canvas rucksack or my fabric tote bags,' she explains. 'If I am carrying something delicate, say a book or piece of tech, that I don’t want to risk getting wet, should it rain, wrapping it in a plastic bag before packing it keeps it safe.

‘Alternatively, if I am transporting a damp object or something at risk of leaking, such as a damp umbrella, a food container that I don’t trust the lid for, houseplants or flowers, or even sweaty gym clothes, the plastic bag keeps the rest of the items in a bag or box safe while minimizing clean up.'

Similarly, Punteha reuses plastic bags from the grocery store or packaging for items delivered to her home for her daughter's swim kit and towels.

She says, 'I don't like having a waterproof bag that you reuse every week as the inside gets wet from the swimwear, towels and chlorine, and always ends up smelling moldy.'

Plus, these are often among the things to never put in the washing machine, which can make keeping them clean and odor-free tricky.

'Plastic bags are one of the plastic items in my house that I re-use and then recycle to avoid any mildew or bad odors,' continues Punteha. 'This also means you can utilise any weekend bag or sports holdall for trips to the pool,' making a good case for why plastic bags are items you should never throw out.

5. For attic storage

Finally, Punteha also reuses plastic bags to organize Christmas decorations in her attic storage ideas.

'I use large bags to store things in the attic that don't need to be in an airtight bin, such as Christmas baubles and festive ornaments,' she says.

'We also use them in the kitchen to gather all our recycling before emptying it into the large recycling trash can outside. This saves us traipsing in and out of the house multiple times a day.'

Just make sure you're aware of the things never to recycle before placing them outdoors for collection.

What to shop

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Meet our experts

Ben Soreff

Ben has been a professional organizer for over 17 years. Working at House to Home Organizing, the company helps around 160 families per year.

Chiana Dickson

Chiana is a content editor and resident 'queen' of non-toxic living at Homes & Gardens. She spends most of her time producing content for the Solved section of the website, helping readers get the most out of their homes through clever decluttering, cleaning, and tidying tips.

Punteha van Terheyden

Punteha was editor of Real Homes before joining Homes and Gardens, giving her extensive expertise and insight into all things organization, decluttering, and cleaning.

'Reusing plastic bags is a double-edged sword, as in a perfect world, we wouldn't have them in the first place,' says professional organizer Ben. 'However, if you have them, it's best to reuse them instead of tossing.'

There are plenty more additional sustainable household swaps you can make, from investing in wool dryer balls to air-drying laundry.