SPACE SAVING BAGS

     This is yet another invention I wish I had invented.  It is clever, useful and now inexpensive.  Many companies make them.  They are offered as the original Space Saver Bag at Wal-Mart, Walgreens and other department stores and general pharmacy stores.  There is a generic version available at Harbor Freight and even Dollar Tree. 

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     The original Space Saver bags are the flat bag in many sizes.  The small roll up bag is great for camping and hiking.  If you have wet or dirty clothes and you don’t want to leave them in the river where they got wet, you whip out a small roll up space saver bag.  Place the wet clothes inside, stretch the opening as you match the ends so there are no air holes.  Roll the air out from the bottom.  It will save the rest of your gear from getting wet or save your food from smelling like day old wet drawers! 

travel-goods.org

     The cube shape bags made loading a bit easier.  I like the bags that vacuum down into a canvas bag with handles.  If you pack them evenly and don’t over pack, they stack without falling over.  Over packing is a real temptation.  It is in your best interest to follow directions and let the bag do its job. 

walmart.com

     I like the new innovation of color coding the contents by placing them in a colored bag.  For me, I like the Red bags at Harbor Freight that signify to me the presence of medical supplies.  I find the idea of marking a product with a color stealthy and low key. 

     The commercial advertising always touts the closet angle for which the bags were designed.  That’s great but as a housekeeper; I always suggest the homeowner stop storing those bulky bedding toppers in a corner.  Put all the pillows you keep for company and the bed shawls and duvets that match and get them in a space saving bag under the bed.  They will be there when the in-laws visit and I don’t have to dust them!

     Store toilet paper with or without the card board core in a space saver bag.  Do you really need to spend the money for a big bulky rectangular plastic box?  Two space saving bags can store as much as one box.  You don’t need to vacuum out all the air either.  You can stack and store all you want and only remove half the air.  It will still be water proof, and stackable just not crushed. 

     I store all the wool and wool blended items in space saving bags.  This is Florida.  When I want a warm blanket, I have two.  They are in the bag with some wool socks and woolen sweaters.    Moths cannot get into the bags.  I don’t have to add moth balls or wait till the smell of moth balls to disappear to wear them.  You can wear all the Olive Drab clothes you want in the dark of night, but add a moth ball soaked sweater and I will smell you coming from a good block away.  So will any prey you stalk or danger you are trying to avoid!

     When winter comes, replace your winter wear with the summer clothes you won’t wear till spring.

     If you have a good supply of gravy mixes or dehydrated mashed potatoes or sacks of flour or sugar, they will also store in space saver bags to protect them against water and vermin.

     Space saving, color coding, flat bags or stackable cube shapes, space saving bags are a good prepper item for preserving stored items.