This is how I keep paper bags and reusable shopping bags organised and always within reach in my small apartment.

For the better of our planet, we all know that we need to cut down in our plastic bags usage in daily basis. More and more stores have also taken a good approach by giving paper bag instead of plastic bag as the carrier when you purchase something. Moreover, many also give reusable cloth or canvas bags that are more durable and come in many different designs and sizes!

Although I always try to bring my own reusable bag when I go shopping as much as possible, there are times that I forgot and then end up bringing home a shopping bag or two. I don’t throw away paper bags immediately after I brought it home because sometimes I may need it again and I also don’t throw away reusable shopping bags for more obvious reason. Over the time, I’ve accumulated plenty of bags so I decided to make some space to store and organise them so that they don’t become clutter.

Flatten and Hide the Handle

To make sure I maximise the storage space, I start by flattening each bag. I like to keep the handle inside the bag so it won’t tangle with other bags when they are kept tight together. That way, it will be neater and easier for me when I want to take a bag out.

The storing method for both paper bag and reusable cloth or canvas bag are the same. If the bag is too tall or too wide, I will fold it so that all bags will end up with roughly the same height that can fit the container.

Keep Upright and Align According to Their Group

I keep all the bags in one large plastic container and arrange them according to their type. I keep them standing upright instead of stack it horizontally so that it is easy to find what I need when I need it.

If your container is big and you don’t have too many shopping bags like me, you can use bookend to make sure they stay upright and not leaning sideways to one another. Once the bags are not upright anymore, they will tend to get messy and bags that lay flat on the bottom will be forgotten because it will be such a hassle to take it out.

I put the container in our household shelter a.k.a bomb shelter, in the lowest shelf so that I can easily see the bags and take one out effortlessly when I need. This storing method has been working very well for me so far.