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Original poster

How many reusable bags is too many?

86 replies

MissDollyMix · 17/08/2024 10:54

(lighthearted) DH and I have had a major disagreement this morning as to how many carrier bags we should be keeping in the house. He’s got into my carrier bag drawer and started declaring that I don’t need all the bags I have. He reckons (and I personally think this is an over-exaggeration) that I must have 100 bags. I disagree. Anyway, there are different categories and hierarchies of bags. For example bags for the kids to put their muddy shoes in or carry their food tech items to school in. Or nice bags which aren’t gift bags but are nice if you’re dropping something off for a friend, or supermarket bags which I like to keep a few of in the car for emergencies or cotton tote bags which are good to use in lieu of a handbag or to fold up and keep in your handbag for shopping trips…. And so on and so forth. He thinks I’m being utterly unreasonable ! So come on mumsnet! Am I being unreasonable?!

OP posts:
Aussieland · 18/08/2024 18:22

Team DH. 100 is insane. Even for all those different needs

Original poster
MissDollyMix · 18/08/2024 18:21

redalex261 · 18/08/2024 17:26

Always recuse gift bags! Family has strict instructions NEVER to write on tags! 🤣🤣

I see writing on the tag of a gift bag as the ultimate passive agressive micro aggression!

OP posts:
Doggymummar · 18/08/2024 17:36

I gave hundreds too. I keep them in the car boot as there are too many for the house.

redskydarknight · 18/08/2024 17:32

Do you actually use all the bags on a regular basis?

If you don't, they are not "reusable" bags, but simply "bags taking up space in the drawer".

Auburngal · 18/08/2024 17:28

The problem I find now with chargeable bags is that when I want to donate to the charity shops, i don’t have bags to give away. I used a shopper bag which was coming undone at the bottom which can’t be repaired well.

if I get a charity bag in my letter box, I keep those - turn them inside out and use those

redalex261 · 18/08/2024 17:26

Always recuse gift bags! Family has strict instructions NEVER to write on tags! 🤣🤣

redalex261 · 18/08/2024 17:24

I have loads, mainly because I forget to take them into the supermarket and end up buying more. I too must have over 100 😬 Am amazed at the number of bag folders! My MIL did this and I thought she was unhinged.

Does no-one else ram stacks of crumpled bags into one of the expensive square bottomed supermarket ones and chuck them in the boot?

margotsdevil · 18/08/2024 17:18

@SummerSplashing how did you know I was getting some... unplanned renovations Grin

Wolfpa · 18/08/2024 16:40

I am on your DHs side. The point in a reusable bag is you reuse it.

how many times have you had to use all of them together?

SummerSplashing · 18/08/2024 16:34

margotsdevil · 17/08/2024 23:20

Are you me? Similar disagreement in this house just a few days ago Grin DH just does not understand the hierarchy and then seems surprised when I get upset that he used my lovely brand new canvas tote (souvenir) for loose potatoes and veg Angry

@margotsdevil

how is the new patio coming along??

RosesAndHellebores · 18/08/2024 16:27

I just have plastic and the boxier supermarket bags. I put any cotton totes straight into the charity bag. Smart gift bags/bottle bags are kept next to the tea towels in the tea towel cupboard.

I have a large shopper on the kitchen handle with folded bags in it; bags from little shops are put in there over the course of a couple of weeks. When DH is sick of seeing it, he moves it to the boot room. When the supply in the car boot is getting low, it goes on the kitchen handle. Three lots therefore rotate!

There should be fewer bags than there are, but every time dd buys something from a supermarket she buys a bag. I guess we have 40 to 50.

rosiebl · 18/08/2024 16:23

The only sensible way to reply to this post is by you displaying your bags (in category order), count them and then send us a pic with how many you have in each category.
(Also wondering if this method will help with your bag hoarding so you can 'see' them all).

Original poster
MissDollyMix · 18/08/2024 16:15

puddingisgood · 18/08/2024 08:43

I'm with OP.
But then my bag collection is organised into size categories (small, medium, large), with each category stored in a reusable bag! Blush
Some, especially the small ones, are from shops long gone, so it's like a little memory when one gets used!

I think we’d get on 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
MissDollyMix · 18/08/2024 16:13

HelenWheels · 18/08/2024 09:07

you can get a bag holder, but then you wont know what is coming out until you pull it

Ooh bag lucky dip!! I’d end up pulling them all out looking for the ‘right’ bag for the occasion… no doubt the dog would run off with several in the process… it’s a nice idea in theory but in reality it would probably be carnage!

OP posts:
Original poster
MissDollyMix · 18/08/2024 16:11

Sirzy · 18/08/2024 09:19

I get the different uses but personally I would give a large chunk to the food bank and just keep what will realistically be used

Problem is, I feel I will realistically use all of them (at some point!)

OP posts:
Original poster
MissDollyMix · 18/08/2024 16:09

Turophilic · 18/08/2024 09:42

Gurdrun Sjorden used to give a free cotton bag with every purchase. Different patterns every season, it was GREAT!

@MissDollyMix If you literally have 100, you’ve lost the plot. If it’s more like 40, that makes perfect sense with your hierarchy.

I have cotton shoppers rolled up small (like a pair of thick socks) and stored in each handbag, rucksack, glove compartment, , motorbike, pocket of big coats etc so we always have a reusable bag when out.

Plus the big bags for life in the car, the tatty ones for going to the bottle bank, fancy ones for putting gifts in, drawstring for keeping mucky stuff etc etc

Show quote history

I’m a middle-aged perimenopausal woman with teenagers. There is every chance I have lost the plot but I'm not sure the bag situation is symptomatic of that. I haven’t counted them but I’d say there’s definitely less than 50

OP posts:
Original poster
MissDollyMix · 18/08/2024 16:06

Bjorkdidit · 18/08/2024 10:11

The question should be why do you have so many? Do you not understand the point of bags for life is to reuse them, meaning they shouldn't be building up like this.

Resolve to get no more bags. Any that are grubby or scruffy get reused as bin bags. Put any that are torn in the recycling.

Make whatever changes needed to make sure you take bags to the shops with you. You take your phone, means of payment and keys don't you? If you can remember these things, you can remember bags. And if you don't, get a box in the supermarket.

For any that are in decent condition, food banks often need bags, so offer some to them.

Different bags have different purposes! Also I give a lot away so need to keep a plentiful stock for that… plus and this is my fault- I like to keep a stash in both cars so I always have some to hand but I tend to then bring them into the house once I’ve used them and not remember to take them back out to the car!

OP posts:
CrushingOnRubies · 18/08/2024 12:01

Oh I get the hierarchy system. And some bags are smaller than others so each have different uses

100 is bonkers though feel like we have 50ish and that's plenty

Bjorkdidit · 18/08/2024 10:12

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 18/08/2024 09:53

Your DH would hate my house! Our entire cupboard under the stairs is full of reusable bags!! Literally stuffed into every crevice. Bags within bags.

At least yours is ordered and neat 😂

Edit - just to say cupboard is about 3ft by 3ft - not a ‘harry potter’ style one!!

Edited

Again, why aren't you reusing them?

Bjorkdidit · 18/08/2024 10:11

The question should be why do you have so many? Do you not understand the point of bags for life is to reuse them, meaning they shouldn't be building up like this.

Resolve to get no more bags. Any that are grubby or scruffy get reused as bin bags. Put any that are torn in the recycling.

Make whatever changes needed to make sure you take bags to the shops with you. You take your phone, means of payment and keys don't you? If you can remember these things, you can remember bags. And if you don't, get a box in the supermarket.

For any that are in decent condition, food banks often need bags, so offer some to them.

yg38 · 18/08/2024 10:10

I think around 20 would be enough.

I keep a jute bag in the utility and it has around a dozen bags for life and half a dozen cotton totes.

I always carry a foldable nylon shopper with me for impulse buys.

But if I'm doing a supermarket shop or other shopping trip, I take a bag of bags with me.

The reasons they all don't live in the car permanently is because (a) the car boot is already full of DH's crap golf clubs, and (b) I sometimes walk to the shops for fresh bread / salad / veg / fruit during the week.

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 18/08/2024 09:53

Your DH would hate my house! Our entire cupboard under the stairs is full of reusable bags!! Literally stuffed into every crevice. Bags within bags.

At least yours is ordered and neat 😂

Edit - just to say cupboard is about 3ft by 3ft - not a ‘harry potter’ style one!!

Turophilic · 18/08/2024 09:42

burnoutbabe · 18/08/2024 09:34

I went with my mum to a wool shop last weekend and she got offered a free fabric bag with her purchases.

Was the highlight of our day!!

Show quote history

Gurdrun Sjorden used to give a free cotton bag with every purchase. Different patterns every season, it was GREAT!

@MissDollyMix If you literally have 100, you’ve lost the plot. If it’s more like 40, that makes perfect sense with your hierarchy.

I have cotton shoppers rolled up small (like a pair of thick socks) and stored in each handbag, rucksack, glove compartment, , motorbike, pocket of big coats etc so we always have a reusable bag when out.

Plus the big bags for life in the car, the tatty ones for going to the bottle bank, fancy ones for putting gifts in, drawstring for keeping mucky stuff etc etc

burnoutbabe · 18/08/2024 09:34

KimberleyClark · 18/08/2024 09:26

Personal,y I think there’s no such thing as too many cotton shoppers…..

I went with my mum to a wool shop last weekend and she got offered a free fabric bag with her purchases.

Was the highlight of our day!!

KimberleyClark · 18/08/2024 09:26

Personal,y I think there’s no such thing as too many cotton shoppers…..

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