Brown Bagging It.

So you come home from a successful day of holiday shopping and along with your carefully selected purchases you bring home a wide variety of big and small, cute, durable, glossy shopping bags with convenient carrying handles that have such amazing potential... right?  

Bags (big, small, paper, plastic, even canvas/fabric) are a major if not the biggest contributor to disorganization.  Here's why shopping bag storage doesn't work:  You can't see what's in them, you can't stack them, you forget what's in them, and your items will most likely end up dented or damaged over time.  They are a black hole for clutter.  Bags are good for transporting items to and fro, and that's about it.

Let me also remind you that you are paying MORE for the products in that glossy bag because the store is giving it to you.  Someone has to pay for it and guess who, it's YOU.  If more people used eco-friendly, reusable shopping bags, stores could save some money on disposable bags and possibly reduce their prices (not to mention save a few treas or oil). 

I'm not saying you should trash the bags you currently have in your home.  Keep some on hand for transporting items to charity, use them as trash bags or use the plastic ones to pick up after your dog.  If it's irresistibly cute, reuse it as a gift bag but then store it with your other gift wrap supplies.  Ultimately I recommend investing in a couple envirosax or other similar bag you can store in your purse or car so you can avoid bringing extra bags into your home in the first place.

What's the alternative to bag storage?  First, simply put the items away where they belong if you can.  If it contains a current craft project consider using a decorative basket with a handle: it looks nicer sitting out in your living room anyway.  If the bag contains seasonal clothing, transfer it into a med/large clear plastic bin and label with the person's name, the corresponding season, and the size of clothing (especially for kid's clothes). 

Of course there are exceptions to every rule, so I challenge you to email me your brown bagging woes and I will send you a personalized response with at least 2 alternatives for you.