Alexei Volkov
Plastic bags are piling up in our kitchen cupboards and our oceans. If you're looking for a way to reduce waste and reuse plastic bags, making a homemade dispenser is a great solution. You can use a variety of containers to create a dispenser, such as an old tissue box, a cleaned-out plastic milk jug, or a kitchen towel sewn into a tube. These dispensers are easy to make and allow you to store and access your plastic bags conveniently. With a homemade dispenser, you can fit a surprising number of bags and even decorate your container to match your style.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Materials | Fabric, plastic, cardboard, elastic, glue, tape, old containers (e.g. milk jugs, tissue boxes, cleaning wipes containers) |
| Steps | Cut, fold, glue, sew, decorate |
| Benefits | Eco-friendly, cost-effective, easily accessible, convenient |
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$15.99 $16.99
What You'll Learn
Using an old tissue box
An old tissue box can be used to store plastic bags and keep them organised. This method can be used to store plastic shopping bags, which are useful to have around as small trash bags or for other purposes. It is a simple way to avoid a chaotic pile of plastic bags in a pantry or drawer.
To start, you will need an empty tissue box and the plastic bags you want to put inside. It is best to use a rectangular tissue box as it will fit more bags, but a square one can also be used. You can decorate the box with paint or paper, or cover it with fabric to match your decor.
The next step is to fold the bags. Lie a bag completely flat and fold it into thirds width-wise, and then length-wise. After folding up the bottom to cover one-third of the strip, thread the handles of the next bag around the base of the previous one. Repeat this process until the box is full. You can fit around 20-30 bags in a tissue box, depending on how tightly you pack them.
Now, you have a neat dispenser for your plastic bags. You can pull out a bag whenever you need to use one, and the next bag will be ready, just like with tissues in a tissue box. This method also works with thin produce bags, which can be stuffed into the tissue box without needing to be looped through each other.
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Repurpose a plastic milk jug
Plastic milk jugs can be repurposed into a homemade plastic bag dispenser. This is a great way to reuse plastic bags and the container that holds them. The process is simple and only requires a few tools and about two minutes of your time.
Firstly, you need to wash out the plastic milk jug to ensure it is clean. This is important because you don't want your stored bags to smell or become sticky from any leftover residue or cleaning chemicals. Once the jug is dry, take a utility knife and cut a hole in the jug, big enough to fit your hand inside to pull out a bag when needed. You can also cut a slit on the side of the jug to create a flap that can be secured with tape or a velcro command strip. This will allow you to insert and remove bags easily. If you want to hang the jug, you can add a velcro command strip to the back and attach it to a wall or the inside of a cupboard.
Now, you need to prepare the plastic bags for storage. Lay a plastic bag on a flat surface and push out any air, then fold it in half so that the handles lay one over the other. Repeat this process with another bag, placing it on top of the first so that their handles overlap. Once you have a stack of bags, fold the handle of the first bag back over the stack so that it sticks out to one side. Now, start rolling the bags tightly from the end with the folded handle. As you roll, tuck in the handles of each bag to ensure a compact roll.
Finally, insert the roll of plastic bags into your milk jug dispenser. Pull the end of the roll through the dispensing hole, and you're done! You now have a handy and environmentally friendly way to store and dispense plastic bags. This method allows you to store a surprising number of bags in a small container, and you can always recycle any excess bags that don't fit.
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Make a fabric dispenser
Making a fabric dispenser for your plastic bags is a simple and effective way to store them. It's an easy project that requires little material and can be made without sewing.
To start, you will need to select a fabric. Choose a heavier fabric, perhaps a home décor type, that matches the aesthetic of your kitchen or storage space. You could opt for a fabric that matches the wall colour or go for a contrasting shade. Pre-wash, dry, and iron your fabric to allow for any shrinking. Then, cut a rectangle measuring 18” x 22”.
Now, you will create a casing for the elastic end. Take one of the shorter edges (18” side) and fold it up by 1”, pressing and pinning as you go to keep it in place. Next, you will create a French seam to enclose the raw edges. Place the wrong sides of the fabric together, ensuring the raw edges are lined up. Using a ¼” seam allowance, stitch along the raw edge from the top to just before the bottom, stopping at the stitch line for the casing.
Cut an 8” strip of elastic and insert a safety pin at one end. Feed the safety pin through the bottom casing of the fabric, gently pulling the elastic along. Once the elastic reaches the opening, pin it in place, catching both ends of the fabric loop. Work the other end of the elastic through the casing until it comes out of the other side. Re-pin the elastic, ensuring you catch both ends of the fabric loop. The fabric will be bunched up at this point, so push the excess fabric away from the elastic ends to avoid bulk.
Using a ¼” seam allowance, continue sewing from the previous stitch line along the raw edge, across the casing and both pieces of elastic. Reinforce the elastic seam by backstitching several times. Reach inside the tube and grab the opposite end of the fabric, turning the fabric inside out. Use a tool, such as a chopstick, to push out the fabric along the seam line, and then iron it flat.
Finally, attach a ribbon or fabric glue to the inside of the bag for hanging. Your fabric dispenser is now ready to be hung and filled with plastic bags!
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Use a plastic bag container
Plastic bags can be stored in a variety of containers that can be found around the house. One option is to use a plastic milk jug. Wash out the jug and cut a hole in it, which will be used to insert and pull out the bags. Another option is to use an old tissue box. You can fit around 18 bags into the box and pull them out as if they were tissues.
You can also use an old plastic wipes container. Roll the bags together, removing the air as you go, and then place them in the container. Pull the bags through the hole in the lid. You can decorate the container to fit your personal style. A container that has 75 wipes can hold approximately 50 standard plastic grocery bags, and a container of 35 wipes can hold approximately 25 bags.
Another idea is to use an old juice bottle. Cut the bottle in half and then make a slit on the side of the bottom half. The slit allows the top section to be secured to the bottom part with tape. You can also decorate the bottle with decoupage.
A final option is to use an old oatmeal container. Cut a hole at the bottom of the container to dispense the bags. Flatten and fold the bags in half, layer them, and roll them up. Pull one bag out and the next one will pop out.
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Upcycle a cleaning wipes container
Plastic bags can be annoying to store, but a cleaning wipes container can be an excellent solution for this problem. Here is a step-by-step guide to upcycling a cleaning wipes container into a neat and tidy plastic bag dispenser:
First, ensure that the container is clean. Rinse it thoroughly to remove any leftover cleaning chemicals, as residue can make your bags sticky or cause unpleasant odours.
Next, prepare your plastic bags. Start by pressing each bag flat, then fold it in half lengthwise. This process ensures that the bags take up less space and can be easily dispensed.
Now, you can begin loading the bags into the container. Place a second bag, with its handle overlapping the bottom of the first bag. Continue creating this chain of bags, ensuring that the handles of each bag are lined up with the bottom of the previous bag.
Once you have created a chain of bags, it's time to roll them up. Start rolling from the end with the handles, making sure to push out any air as you go. Squeeze out as much air as possible to maximise storage space in your container.
After you have a neatly rolled bundle of bags, it's time to insert them into the container. Depending on how tightly you rolled the bags, you may need to force them into the container. A container that usually holds 75 wipes can typically accommodate around 50 standard plastic grocery bags.
Finally, secure the lid on the container and pull the first bag's handle through the top, where the wipes would usually come out. Now you have a functional and space-saving plastic bag dispenser!
You can further customise your dispenser by decorating it to match your personal style or home decor. Paint, duct tape, markers, fabric, and washi tape are all fun options to make your dispenser aesthetically pleasing.
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Frequently asked questions
Lay your fabric on a table with the wrong side facing up. Fold the bottom and top of the cloth by 2 inches each. Cut a small square from the bottom corner of the cloth. Secure the folds with glue and leave enough space at the bottom edge to slip your elastic through. Glue the entire top folded edge. Turn the dispenser right side up. Fold one side of the cloth and apply glue to the edge. Then, fold the other side and stick them together. Once the glue is dry, flip the dispenser. Ruffle the fabric and make a small cut on the elastic.
Take an empty tissue box and flatten your plastic bags. Fold the bags in half so that the handles lay one over the other. Place the handles of the last bag over the bottom of the previous bag. Once all the bags are overlapped, fold the handle of the first bag so that it sticks out to the side. Roll the bags together, starting from the end with the folded handle. Push the roll of plastic bags into your tissue box. Pull a bag from the bottom of the box when needed.
You can use common household items such as an old tea towel, old tissue box, plastic milk jug, plastic wipe container, cardboard box, or an old oatmeal container to make a plastic bag dispenser.
