Paper bags have become more popular since the recent introduction of fees for plastic bags in supermarkets and shops in the UK. Environmental issues have really risen to people’s consciousness now because of this – and we’re definitely not complaining! Paper bags are a thousand times better for the environment, are a lot safer when for kids and pets in the home, and have tonnes more used that their plastic counterparts.
Admittedly, paper bags may be a little more flimsy than plastic ones, and can’t be used, as plastic ones typically could, as substitute bin liners, but before you discard them as useless, consider the ideas below for innovative ways of re-using your paper bags. After all, we’re a society now that prides itself on reducing, reusing and recycling!
Gift Wrapping
With Christmas coming up fast, you could save yourself a pretty penny by considering using old paper bags to wrap the odd present with. Admittedly, this may sound cheap, but really, if your kids have tonnes of presents, how much attention to they actually pay to the wrapping paper? It’s discarded in about 0.2 seconds!
Furthermore, decorating your own wrapping paper made out of old paper bags can actually be a nice, fun Christmas tasks to do with your kids in the run up to the big day!
Lining Animal Cages
If you’re a pet owner, no doubt you’re already well-practised in coping with animal droppings. One way of saving a little money is to line you pet’s cage with old paper bags, or even shred the bags and use it for animals such as hamsters and gerbils. For cat litter trays you can layers the bags, although they will need to be replaced quite often.
Packed Lunches
Plain paper bags are great to use for packed lunches, whether they’re yours, your children’s or your partner’s. Like with the Christmas wrapping paper tip, you can add little notes to the bags or decorate them with funny pictures to make your family laugh at lunch.
Moving Home
Packing to move house can be stressful to say the least! And one of the major stresses of moving is worrying over whether your fragile items will make it to your new home in one piece. Paper bags are perfect for this job – wrapping many layers of them around each breakable will help protect them and keep them secure, clean, and intact during their journey. If you have to put your things into storage, you may want to check out websites such as https://www.boomboxstorage.com/commercial-storage-units and make sure you have enough paper bags to wrap your items, or use more reasonably sourced wrapping.
Ripening Fruit
Did you know, sealing fruit in a paper bag rapidly speeds up the fruit-ripening process – put your paper bag to good use if you don’t have the time to wait for your fruit to ripen!
Cleaning Windows
This trick only works with clean paper bags – get you brown paper bag, spray the window with some white wine vinegar mixed with warm soapy water, and wipe the mix away. Who needs nasty chemicals? Try it, and you see a perfect shine each time!