7 Ways to Reuse Plastic Shopping Bags Around Your Home Instead of Throwing Them Out

Think you can't find a use for that growing pile of plastic shopping bags under your kitchen sink? Think again. There are actually lots of practical ways to repurpose plastic grocery bags, both inside and outside the house.

Here, professional organizers share seven of their favorite ways to give new life to plastic bags. You'll be surprised you hadn't thought of some of these solutions yourself.

Reuse Them at the Grocery Store

There's no reason to see plastic bags as single-use items. Shantae Duckworth, founder of Shantae-ize Your Space, often brings hers on extra grocery trips.

"I always keep a couple in my big reusable bag so that if I have meats or liquids, I can wrap them in the plastic bags," she says. This helps prevent spills from affecting your nicer totes.

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Line Small Trashcans

Plastic grocery bags make great trash can liners for smaller cans, like the ones in your bathroom. This keeps the base of your actual trash can clean, Duckworth explains.

Wrap Shoes for Travel

Many people don't like their shoes touching other items in their suitcase when packing for a trip, and with good reason.

"Traveling can be dirty," says Jill Moore, founder of Organized Jill. "Your shoes pick up a lot of dirt and debris from airports, bathrooms, and amusement parks that you don’t want on your clothes and souvenirs."

Moore recommends wrapping pairs of shoes in plastic bags and then placing them in your suitcase. The bags act as a barrier, helping keep your clothes and other items clean.

Recycle Them at the Grocery Store

While you can bring your plastic bags to the store for shopping, as Duckworth mentioned, you can also drop them off for recycling if you have too many.

"Many local grocery stores have recycling bins right by their entryway doors," says Moore.

She suggests keeping plastic bags in your car so you can drop them off after loading your new groceries into the trunk.

Store Wet Swimsuits

When heading to the pool, it's smart to toss a plastic bag into your beach tote. When you change out of your wet swimsuit later, you’ll have somewhere to put it so it doesn’t soak your bag, Moore explains.

This is a budget-friendly alternative to buying a special pouch. Plus, if the bag starts to smell or tear, you can simply throw it out when you get home.

Collect Trash in the Car

If your car usually ends up filled with trash, placing a plastic bag in the car is a smart solution, Moore says. Everyone can use it to toss wrappers and juice boxes, making cleanup at the end of the week easy.

Use Them to Pack Lunches

Sending your kids off to camp or school with a homemade lunch? Pack it in a plastic bag, Moore suggests. It makes it easy for your child to carry their food throughout the day, and they won't have to remember to bring home an empty lunchbox.

Plus, older kids and teens might prefer the simple look of a plastic bag over a more juvenile lunch tote.