25 Clever Uses for Ziploc Bags

Ziploc bags are an incredibly handy product.  They are best known for food storage and are great for making prepackaged freezer meals at home.  However,  there are lots of other clever uses for Ziploc bags.  Here are some ideas:

The Gallon Ziploc Bag

• Tablet Protector in the Kitchen:  Prevent spills that will ruin your Kindle Fire or iPad mini while using it to reference recipes from Mommysavers during meal prep.  *Note:  The device’s touch screen still works through the plastic.
• Kids Activity Kits (for Travel):  Go to the Target Dollar Spot or Dollar Store and fill a bag with, little puzzles, travel games, note pads, stickers, crayons, mini books, and other fun things to keep kids busy while traveling.
• Extra Clothing for Kids:  Preschools usually want an extra set of clothing on hand in case of accidents.  Send a weather-appropriate top, bottom, underwear, and socks in a Ziploc bag.  They are also good to keep in diaper bags or in the car.  Plus, it’s a good place to stick the dirty outfit until you return home to wash it.
• Car Care:  Keep a few in your glove compartment for wet collapsible umbrellas.  You can also use Ziploc bags to store your jumper cables neatly.  They also make great garbage bags for the kids’ wrappers after snacking.
• Knead Dough:  Use the bag like a glove and knead your dough, preventing your hands from getting sticky.
• Shoe Storage:  Stick each pair of shoes in a Ziploc bag while traveling to keep your clothes clean.
• Car Mirror Protectors:  If you know there is  going to be a huge ice or snow storm, slide bags over your rear view mirrors.  Then you can just slide them right off in the morning.

The Quart Ziploc Bag

• Travel Kits:  Collect all of those samples and freebies and create toiletry kits for travel.  That way, all you have to do is grab-and-go.
• Essentials Kits:  Create kits with toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, lotion, a wash clothes, and other essentials.  Drop them off at a homeless shelter so the workers can distribute them.
• Kids Care Kits (for the Car):  Keep a Ziploc bag in your center console or glove compartment with things travel sized items like, sun screen, bug spray, hand sanitizer, hand wipes, and other things you always wish you had on hand (it’s better than carrying it all around in your purse!).
• Diaper Disposal:  Keep a couple in your diaper bag for those nasty-smelling dirty diapers.  It will help keep the smell at bay until you can find an outdoor trash can.
• Craft Supply Storage:  After opening a bag of craft supplies, dump it directly into a Ziploc bag for future use.  Examples:  Sequins, buttons, ribbon, pom poms, feathers, shells, etc. Label them and stick them all in a plastic bin.
• Piping Frosting:  Fill bag with frosting, seal it, and cut off the tip of a corner to create an instantly bakery bag.

Sandwich Size Ziploc Bag

• Cosmetic Storage:  Line your makeup bag with a ziplock so your powders and eye shadows don’t make a mess while in your purse.
• Crayon Storage: When school supplies are on sale, buy 8-packs of crayons and put them in bags.  Then you can grab one at a time.  When the crayons in one pack are used, broken, and unwrapped, pull out a “fresh” bag.
• Wax or Gum Remover:  Put some ice into a bag, seal it, and then set it over the spilled candle wax or gum stuck to the carpet.  Wait until the hardens then scrape it off.

Snack Size Ziploc Bag

• Office/School Supplies: Use for thumb tacks, paper clips, erasers, pencil sharpeners, and other objects.
• Sachet Bag:  Fill with potpourri or dried lavender. Poke tiny holes with a sewing pin.  Then you can keep these in a drawer to keep your clothes smelling fresh.

Other Uses for Ziploc Bags:

• Small Toy Storage:  Organizing any small toys like Legos or Polly Pockets and Matchbox cars are a great way to use Ziploc bags.
• Ice Packs:  Keep different sizes of Ziploc bags in the freezer filled with water or gel for bumps and bruises.
• Medications for Travel:  If you need daily doses of medications, put the individual daily doses into a snack size bag.  Label them by name and day of use.  Then seal those into a quart-size  Ziploc bag.
• Waterproof Electronics:  Store your phone, camera, or tablet in a Ziploc while at the beach, by the pool or on a boat.
• Use as a Funnel:  Fill up the bag with whatever you need whether it be water, rice, cereal, stones, etc.  Then snip off the end and hold it over the container you want filled.
• Cooking Oil Disposal:  Used cooking oil can’t go down your drain.  Wait for it to cool, pour it into a bag and seal.  Then throw it in the garbage can.
• Cookie Dough Coloring:  Put the cookie dough into a plastic bag, then put in the drops of food coloring.  Seal the bag and let the kids have fun squishing the dough until the color has spread evenly.  This avoids stained hands.