Plastic bags . .what do you do?

[OkieJonesClan]

So, being new to all of this, I am currious as we have run up to a new challenge. We are washing and reusing plastic zipper type bags. The bags from lots of stuff, actually. But sotring them is the challenge. I have not come up with a good way to store them in an organized way.
What do you do to store them after you have washed and dried them? Do you have a way of organizing or sorting them?

 

[Beekissed]

Back into the boxes from whence they came? Just save your empty boxes and reuse them, as they have that handy opening on the top. Old tissue boxes are great for this also.

 

[FarmerChick]

plus for me, I hate washing those bags honestly.

I have converted to reusable tupperware mostly. Now I use plastic baggies for frozen meats and such and do not reuse meat bags.

I bought the small containers for little things like dressings to be stored for salads when needed for a traveling lunch...etc. I have the Wonder Bread sandwich holders...those are great, no squish!

So with the containers I use WAY less bags than before actually.

hope some of that helps. but BEE had a great response, back into the box they came from.

 

[punkin]

I'm like FC. I try to use plastic containers as much as possible.

I will reuse a baggie if it was double-bagged or if I am keeping scraps for the chickens or dogs.

 

[curly_kate]

I've tried washing them & reusing them, but I haven't found a good way to get them to dry out. I do reuse them a lot when I have the same thing to put back in them. I make bread, so I save my bread bag & put the new loaf in it. We always reuse them for lunch, since it usually is sandwiches, chips, etc. DH used a bunch for the coffee that he roasted, but they all smell like coffee, so they're hard to reuse for other stuff.

 

[OkieJonesClan]

I turn the bags inside out and wash them. I leave them inside out to dry them and hang them over a wooden soon or some other utensil in the dish drain that sticks up a bit or over the top of a bottle or jar or something like that .. they dry faster (the part you want to use). I use lots of tupperware and plastic tubs and such as well. Thanks for the idea about kleenex boxes. We started useing them for plastic shopping bags too. I hadn't thought of them for the other bags . .duh . .

I haven't bought any new bags in quite a while (maybe two months) we have just been reusing the ones we have on hand, but we have such limited space and I use them for lots of things, even for non food items.

 

[Henrietta23]

We've been avoiding them too but when we do use them we do wash them out. They get hung inside out by clips to a hanging basket I have near my sink. Lovely, I tell you... :/ but I don't have counter space for one of those stick things.
I've putting my son's sandwiches for school in these for a couple of years now: http://www.wrap-n-mat.com/
He hasn't complained about the bread drying out yet. I use pyrex containers with plastic lids because I usually microwave leftovers for lunch. I won't microwave in plastic anymore so these work well for me. I use a piece of paper towel over the top instead of the plastic lid.

 

[makerofstuff]

I don't reuse plastic zipper bags. I have a fear of cross contamination. So I use freezer box systems. For recycling grocery, bread, or other plastic bags... I cut them into yarn and knit or crochet them into rugs or market bags. I have made purses, and my current project is to make crochet basket style pots for my garden. Some will hold herbs some will perhaps be hung for some up side down tomatoes. I have also heat fused them together using an old iron and made a lunch sack for myself. Though I do not recomend that to anyone for the fumes stink and can't possibly be good for you or the enviornment.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I use very little plastic ziplock style bags. The ones we do use we try to reuse over and over again. DH will use his sandwich one all week and when packing snacks to go for the kids I will reuse them.

Shopping bags I use my own and if I get a few store plastic ones, I will use them to line garbage cans in the bathroom and bedrooms.

DH went shopping with me a little while ago and was surprised at how many people do not take reusuable bags to shop with. I was surprised as when I first started he thought I was nuts.

 

[mrs.puff]

What really torks me is I cannot find a brand of freezer bags that do not leak. They all somehow lose their anti-leak powers in the freezer, and I have to thaw out food in a pan, otherwise meat juice goes everywhere. All we freeze is meat, BTW.