I normally use reusable grocery tote bags or my t-shirt bags when I go to the grocery store, but despite my good intentions, sometimes I forget to bring them along. Or I do bring them along, but forget to actually bring them inside the store. (I hope I’m not the only one who does this!) And I hate throwing plastic grocery bags away, so I usually end up stuffing them somewhere in my pantry to reuse later.
It’s not a great system, because no one ever remembers where the bags are when one is needed. I decided to figure out a way to store my grocery bags that was both attractive enough that I wouldn’t mind keeping it in a visible location, and would also make them easily accessible. It took me just a few minutes, and I love how it turned out. Here’s how you can make your very own!
Grocery Bag Dispenser
- Empty plastic wipe container
- Fabric (a fat quarter would be perfect)
- Rotary cutter or scissors
- Spray adhesive
Start by cleaning and prepping your container. Wash and dry the inside of the container, and remove the label. (If the label is stubborn, take a look at my post about successfully removing sticker goo.)
Measure the height and circumference of your container. Cut a piece of fabric that matches those dimensions, leaving an extra inch or so of fabric on the width so that it will overlap a bit on your bottle.
Spray the back of your fabric generously with your spray adhesive, then place it carefully on your bottle. Wrap it around and smooth out any wrinkles or gaps, and allow the fabric to dry completely.
Next you’ll prepare your grocery bags. Fold each grocery bag in half, then layer them so that the handles of each bag lay under the bottom of the next bag.
Roll the bags up into one roll, starting at the bottom of the last bag.
When your bags are rolled up, just stick the roll into your decorated container, and pull the handles of the last bag out of the top of the container for easy access.
I’m planning on keeping my grocery bag container in the bathroom, because we like to reuse our grocery bags as liners for the small trashcans in the bathrooms. You could also keep one in your car, so you always have a bag handy for trash or dirty shoes or any other car-related messes.
Or rather than using it as a container for plastic bags, your cute fabric-covered container could also be used to store homemade cleaning wipes or makeup remover wipes. The possibilities are endless!
