Plastic bags re-use and recycle ideas

So I posted this on facebook tonight but it was still bugging me so I decided to write down all the ideas to re-use these nasty plastic bags. I'm sure I'll keep adding to it so make sure you check back! I'm also adding labels to group like things together to make it easier for you to search for things. Just because I love you. 

Attempting to clean out my inbox and I came across this statistic from BabyWeekly and it shocked me!
Plastic bags - In each year from 1980 to 1987, 15 children under five years old suffocated to death from plastic bags.
How do you store your plastic bags? I have them in the laundry in a fabric holder except they've kind of had babies and exploded into three other bags :/

Feeling a little crafty? 



1.  Try a fused plastic bag! 

2.  Make pom poms

3.  Make mini-ghosts by taking a white plastic bag, roll another into a ball, place it (inside) at the far end of the other bag, make a tie piece by cutting a thin strip of plastic from another bag and tie around the ball, this makes a head or what will be a ghost. Use black felt market to draw a spooky face on the head. Trim the bottom of the outer bag to make it flowing. Save your rubber bands from newspapers and use them to attach to trees in the front yard. You can make as many of these as you want and cover an entire tree with ghosts.

4.  Make parachutes for action figures to heighten the adventure at playtime. Cut out a square from a bag, and poke a hole in each corner. Cut four pieces of string (or dental floss) at least a foot long and loop one through each hole, tying a knot to secure it; tie the other end of each string around the toy.

5.  Sew a fabric tube and stuff it with bags—then keep it next to exterior doors to stop drafts.

6.  Make a kite. Punch a hole in each corner of the open end of a bag. Tie a long piece of string in each hole, gather the ends, and glue some streamers onto the open end. The natural shape of the bag will catch the wind, which will lift it into the air

7.  cut into strips and braid into braclets

8.  cut into strips for holiday wreaths, use pinks and reds for valentine. Green, white and red for christmas. Tie strips onto coat hanger stretched out and hang on door with hook.

9.  Crochet a rug for the front or back door, take a plastic bag and cut it circularly about 5cm thick (like you're peeling an apple). It becomes one long piece. Using a LARGE plastic crochet hook, crochet a rug with this "yarn." Tie on a new piece when you get to the end. The plastic has a bit of a "nap" to it when done up this way and you can easily remove move, etc., from shoes. Then, when it looks ratty, toss it.

10.  Use for puzzles or other items that have small pieces when their box wears out

11.  Donate bags to food pantries, used book stores, libraries, thrift shops, pre-schools or other organizations. Instead of stuffing all the bags into one bag, flatten the plastic bags, fold them in half, and place in another plastic bag before donating

12.  Pop them into the Coles recycle bin (A great idea from Fiona) Although i'd love to know what Coles does with them exactly?

Kitchen

13.  If something is stinky put it in a plastic bag and pop in the freezer till garbage day, For example: my mum has koi and she rescued one from a bird but it died from its injuries...after chasing my sister around the yard with it (insert evil laugh) we froze it in a plastic bag till garbage day. Just don't forget it is in the freezer!

14.  Place frozen ice paks in plastic bage before putting them in your lunchbox, keeping condensation from getting everything wet.

15.  Instead of buying a salad spinner, put wet lettuce in a plastic bag with a paper towel and spin it around to dry it

16.  Put defrosting meats in plastic bags to contain the mess.

17.  Double or tripple line bags with other plastic bags, in order to dispose of broken items such as glass, light bulbs, dishes, etc. This is not only safer for your family but for the waste disposal workers as well.

18.  I use my plastic bags to bin nappys, cat and dog poop and to hold dirty clothes when out and about

19.  I use my plastic bags for small bins around my house

20.  Place unripe fruits or green tomatoes in plastic bags. The bag traps ethylene, the natural gas released by ripening fruit while still providing ventilation that helps fruit ripen faster.

21.  Moving soon? Wrap fragile items in plastic bags before placing in boxes

Painting

22.  Put wet paint brushes in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator when stopping mid-project. This keeps the paint wet, so you can pick up where you left off the next morning or after your lunch break without having to rinse the brushes first.

23.  A popular painting technique that has come about is bagging. You paint them use a thinned paint of the same color or lighter color that is thinned with glaze and use a very wrinkled up plastic grocery bag to blot on paint, it ends up looking like Venetian wall treatment, it is very pretty

Out and About- I like to keep a container of bags in the car

24.  Bring them with you to garage sales.

25.  Put wet swimmers in from swim lessons

26.  use as umbrealla holders on rainy days, I like to use the bags the free community papers come in for this

27.  Carry a plastic bag with you on evening walks and pick up litter along the way

Garden and Outside

28.  Protect small plants from frost by covering them with plastic bags in the winter.

29.  Hang a bag on the wall or your garage or shed to keep soiled work gloves or rags in.

30.  Wrap one around each shoe to keep your entryway mud-free when coming inside on rainy days.

31.  Keep your feet dry in bad weather by wearing bags on your feet between your socks and boots. 

32.  Keep manuals for your lawnmower, whipper-snipper, and leafblower handy by storing them in a plastic bag that hangs in the garage

33.  Stuff one in the bottom of a plant pot to fill up space between the bottom and the dirt