What to Do with Your Old Retail Bags
An abundance of old, used retail bags is often seen as a hassle. With some creativity there are a number of purposes that these bags can serve beyond just holding your groceries and retail items.
If you are like me,
you have lots of old retail bags that you are not sure what to do with. However, with a little creativity, you can come up with a variety of uses for your old bags. Whether you have an abundance of plastic, paper, or canvas bags, there is always something that you can do to make use of them.
Plastic Bags
Retail bags that plastic are more difficult to re-use than others. In most cases, your best bet is to find a recycling center that accepts these types of bags. However, there are at least a couple of other purposes that they can serve. The easiest alternate use for these is as a trash bag for your small wastebaskets. Why spend money on trash liners when you've got a pile of them that you got for free from a grocery store. Another useful idea for these bags is to use them as liners for small planters in your garden. Often times, it is recommended that you line these planters with thick plastic liners. However, used bags work just as well.
Paper Bags
Paper retail bags can also be used for a variety of purposes. If you have children, then these bags are perfect for fun craft projects. They are perfect for transforming into hand puppets or masks. All you need is a box of markers, some glue, and an assortment of decorations to fasten on to them. Your kids will have a blast. Paper bags are also perfect for making luminaries when you decorate for your next party. Just cut shapes out of the sides, and carefully place a candle in the bottom of each bag. They will look great lining the walkway to your home as your friends arrive for a night of fun.
Canvas Bags
It is less likely that you have lots of canvas retail bags lying around, but if you do, then you can put them to good use. Since these often have handles, they're perfect for hanging in your closet for extra storage. If you don't have room to keep these bags around, then a great option is to donate them to a local food pantry. Charitable organizations that run food pantries for the less fortunate are always looking for a way to help their patrons transport food, and canvas bags are perfect for this since patrons can bring them back the next time they visit the pantry.
An abundance of old, used retail bags is often seen as a hassle, but with some creativity there are a number of purposes that these bags can serve beyond just holding your groceries and retail items.
