Switching to Reusable Cloth Bags for Groceries & More

Go Green in 2014: Week 5

I'll admit, it's not easy to get into the habit of bringing reusable cloth bags to the grocery store. Although we had a decent collection of cloth bags at our house, I was lazy about using them. For one, we never remembered to bring them along. It's too easy to just grab my list and run out the door.

But now that I have the motivation to start using them, I have been really trying to remember my cloth bags. I don't always remember, but our collection of plastic bags has been slowly getting smaller, so that's a good sign.

Remembering to bring your cloth bags to the store

The hardest part is remembering to bring your cloth bags to the store. If it helps, set them by the door so the next time you go out to your car, you will remember to bring them out. Then, you will have them ready the next time you need to stop for groceries. You might want to leave the bags in the front of the vehicle where you can easily remember them, at least until remembering them becomes automatic, to avoid running back out once you have started shopping.

More ways to use your reusable cloth bags

Get the most out of your cloth bags by using them for more than just groceries. I have used mine in a number of different ways:

• Crochet projects. I actually keep all my yarn in one large bag, but if I had a much larger yarn collection, I would keep only my current works-in-progress in a cloth bag to keep them all together. This is handy if you plan on crocheting while traveling.
• Pet travel supplies. Our Maltese-Yorkie, Mila, doesn't have her own duffel bag, like we do, so we keep her food and supplies in a reusable cloth bag while traveling. And by the time we return home, it is usually full of random things I have tossed in during the trip.
• Gifts. Instead of using wrapping paper or gift bags, use a (new) reusable cloth bag to "wrap" a gift.
• Dirty laundry. Rather than tossing your dirty clothes back into the suitcase with your clean laundry, place it all inside a cloth bag. When you arrive home, you can easily toss it all - including the cloth bag - into the wash.

I'll stop here, because I'm sure you get the idea. In what ways do you use your cloth bags, besides for carrying your groceries?

What can you do with those plastic or paper grocery bags?

Although I am trying to use my cloth reusable grocery bags more often, I still have a collection of plastic bags in my kitchen. They may not be the greenest option, but there are a few ways you can get more use out of them. Do you have used plastic grocery bags lying around? I have published an article at Yahoo! Voices highlighting a few ways I reuse mine. --read article--

How to do you reuse your plastic or paper grocery bags?

~ ~ ~

Your challenge: This week, bring at least one reusable cloth bag along when you go to the grocery store. You can always bring more later, as your collection grows.

~ ~ ~

Tip: Make sure to wash your reusable cloth bags on a regular basis to avoid getting sick from contaminated food.

______________________________________________________

**This post is part of a weekly challenge {Go Green in 2014}, during which the author has challenged herself - and you - to find 52 ways to lead a greener life in 2014. You can follow the weekly posts on this page.**