Paper or Plastic? 5 Ways Paper Sacks Can Help You Organize

Before I write anything else, I want to say that I greatly prefer reusable bags for shopping, rather than receiving a new bag at the checkout. But if you forget your bags, you might need to answer the "Paper or plastic?" question. I have found so many uses for paper bags in organizing projects that I realized it was worth sharing.

In general, paper bags are perfect temporary containers. They are structured and stand up on their own, they are sturdy enough to hold lots of weight, they won't be missed if they are given away, and they can be labeled quickly with a permanent marker. Many of them even have handles for easier transporting, and they fold completely flat for easy storage. Here are five ways that I use them in our work:

1. Paper bags are great for collecting donation items. We tell our members all the time to create a "Donation Station" in your home and stock it with paper shopping bags to gather up items you've already decided you don't need. When you have filled up several bags, it's time to put them in the car and take them to Goodwill® . You can find your nearest donation center at http://donate.goodwill.org. (Also use the nifty Donation Impact Calculator there to find out how your donations helped people find jobs!) No worries about getting your "good" containers back either.
2. Use paper bags for "Elsewhere" items. While you're sorting in a particular space you will inevitably find things that belong "Elsewhere." Instead of interrupting your project to put those things away, gather them in a sack and write the name of the room where they belong right on the side.
3. Fill paper bags with items you want to give to others. If you find several dresses you'd like to give to your sister, or toys you'd like to give to your nephew, make a sack for each person, write their names on the side, and keep on going with your project.
4. Protect surfaces while you sort. If you need a work surface and you don't want to scratch up your nice table, grab some paper sacks, cut them apart and spread them out. It's better than newspaper since it won't transfer ink.
5. Use paper bags for extra recycling. When organizing a home office you'll probably find plenty of paper to recycle and quickly fill up your bin. Paper sacks provide quick and easy overflow containers and can themselves be recycled.

There are many other great uses for paper sacks other than organizing, such as serving as book covers and liners for various needs. PLEASE do not use this article as an excuse to hoard paper sacks, however. Give yourself a reasonable limit of a number you can expect to use, something like 10 bags, that will not take up a lot of space or start attracting insects, etc.

What are your favorite ways to use paper sacks to help you organize? Anything I have missed? Share in the comments!

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Comments

[Michelle]

Thanks to Lorie, I have been using paper bags in my organizing, and I have found one awesome particular use for them with children's clothes. I have 3 kids with my oldest in Pre-School, all girls, and once upon a time, I did have storage bins labeled 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 18mos, 2T, 3T.... Now I have those storage bins with clothes in them plus clothes of all sizes floating around the house, plus garbage bags full of clothes that people gave me (a long time ago, lol). It's really frustrating to have the chester drawers full of the wrong size clothing just waiting for the baby to grow into them. So now, I keep paper bags labeled in clothing size up on a shelf near the washer/dryer. As I do laundry, when I find clothes that do not fit my kids, they get placed in the appropriate paper bag to later be returned to the storage bin I have. Sometimes I just toss the item into the bag. It's too big of a project to just go through all the clothes on some random day with my kids around. They will just knock over stacks, dump baskets, and so forth. This method takes longer, but it's so kid friendly, mom friendly, and easy.

[Claudie]

I sometimes use paper bags to wrap packages for mailing. They can be cut, folded, and taped to cover the box being mailed, are easy to write on (as you mentioned), and will cover up any original bar codes and/or addresses on the original box, if it's a return package. And, depending on the size of the box (and bag), the bag is often already partially pre-constructed because of the corners. Very handy!
- from a Kindle blog subscriber (and writing to you from my Kindle!)

[Ellen Becker]

Great suggestions...unfortunately my grocer has stopped offering paper bags. Since I shop at a self-service store where cans/boxes are in their shipping cartons, not shelved, I use their 'empties' to carry home the groceries, then reuse them for the same items. If they suffer 'wear and tear' damage, they go in my recycling bin...the store has more just waiting to be reused!

[Krystine]

I like to use a paper bag with handles to hold my supply of paper bags. This keeps me from overstocking!

[mary]

I use paper bags to hold newspapers for recycling- perfect fit. They can also be used to carrying plastics to the recycle bin and cardboard.

I also have a recipe for microwave carmel corn that uses a paper bag.

[John Halloran]

So you are talking about grocery sized paper bags.. but lunch bags can be used and re-used as well - for many of the same purposes. They are the right size for items on a tool bench, marking them appropriately: screws, nuts, bolts, etc. And they are great in the fridge to store vegetables, again labeled. And of course, they are great for lunch bags... same bag, several times/week!

[Lorie Marrero]

Thanks, John, good ideas! :)

Mary, I do the same thing-- our overflow recycling items in the kitchen are great in bags too.

Krystine, I do that same thing with gift bags!

Thanks, everyone!

- Lorie

[Lindsay]

I've dreamed of using paper bags for my husband's projects. One bag should hold enough associated items for a job until you can get to it! ie all the items to be glued back together can sit in a bag with the glue!