Here’s a little industry secret. Professional organizers use Ziploc baggies to organize their client’s homes all the time. These plastic bags are used to group small items together during a large organizing project. From stray bobby pins to coins, plastic bags are genius helpers in conveniently grouping all those little odds & ends that are sprinkled throughout a room.
By quickly bagging these items together rather than leaving a loose pile, it’s easier to add to these groupings as you find more ‘odds & ends.’ And this, my friend, is crucial in making an organizing project go smoothly.
In the end, the process is quicker and more manageable because your sorting table is is covered in easy to move and manage bags. Once the main sorting process is over, the bag contents are transferred into drawer dividers, containers, or cloth bags.
While we typically use these bags for temporary storage, there are long-term storage uses for this inexpensive and functional product. I personally love what Ziploc has done with their recent “Organizing the home” campaign, that I’ve pulled a lot of inspiration from their site.
Keep in mind that these plastic bags don’t need to be “Ziploc” brand. There are plenty of other effective baggies made by other companies, like Glad or Hefty. So grab those bags from your kitchen drawer, and get ready to transform your entire life (or home)!
BATHROOM / MEDICINE CABINET ORGANIZING
If you have lots of little bathroom items to store under your sink or in your drawers, group like items together with plastic bags. This will allow you to quickly grab your medication, travel containers, or cotton swabs in a flash! image via Ziploc
ENTRYWAY COMMAND CENTER / MAIL ORGANIZING
Managing the incoming and outgoing papers for the entire family can be tricky. Grouping mail, school paperwork, and other paper items by person is a great way for staying on top of all the pending to dos. Place a bin or basket in a high traffic area by the front door, and keep some Ziploc bags and sharpies close by. image via Ziploc
CRAFT SUPPLIES ORGANIZING
Separating craft supplies into clear plastic baggies is a perfect way to containerize these items in a drawer or bin. I personally keep my bags of craft supplies in a bin on a shelf in my office closet. The baggies don’t even need to be labeled because I can see the contents inside. image via DIY n Crafts
DIAPER BAG ORGANIZING
Traveling around town with your toddler or baby can be an organizing nightmare if you don’t have a solid system. Grouping your little one’s outfit changes, utensils, diapers and toys together is a great way to streamline your diaper bag. This will save you a ton of time and hassle during your outings with the babe(s). image via One Sneaky Moose
KIDS TOY ORGANIZING
Children’s toys and games come with so many pieces! When it comes to small toy, like legos or puzzles, it’s so important to have an easy and inexpensive way to organize them through the years. Encouraging your kids to group their toy pieces into Ziploc bags is a super simple way to teach them how to organize their belongings at a young age. image via Ziploc
ELECTRONICS ORGANIZING
Grouping your electronics with their corresponding cords, instructions and accessories is a great use for Ziploc bags. This means that you won’t have to dig through a sea of cords or gadgets when you’re hunting down your camera, label maker, baby monitor, or other gadgets parts. Label the outside of the bag with a sharpie for quick and easy recognition of your items. image via The Sunny Side Up
MEDICATION ORGANIZING
If you have medications that have lost their original box and are floating around your cabinet without a home, a plastic bag may be your solution! Groups similar types of medications and clearly labeling the outside of the baggie for quick and easy retrieval. image via Mrs. Mommy Holic
MAGAZINE CLIPPINGS & RECIPES ORGANIZING
Who knew that medium-sized Ziploc baggies could double as binder folders! While there are binder folders and dividers in every color at Staples, Ziploc baggies can be a whole lot cheaper. I typically prefer the traditional binder products but would definitely use this trick in a pinch! image via Ziploc
CORDS ORGANIZING
Cords can be a total drag to organize if you don’t have a way to prevent them from tangling. They’re also challenging to identify at a glance. Using Ziploc baggies to group and label your cords is a really helpful way to organize them. A wicker basket is a pretty and functional way to store these bags of cords in a shelf or closet. image via Lil Blue Boo
TRAVEL PACKING ORGANIZING
If you don’t like to think twice on your travel outfits, this trick is for you! When I pack for a trip, I plan my outfits down to the accessories. This allows me to get dressed quickly, so I’m not wasting time contemplating my outfit when I should be hitting the streets. This packing trick is especially helpful if you’re traveling with your children. All you have to do is pull out all your kid’s “Friday” outfit bags and you’re almost on your way. Talk about time efficient! image via Ms Giggles
During your travels, it’s crucial to keep your dirty clothes separated from your clean ones. Some people have separate pockets in their suitcases or special cloth bags, but this is a really inexpensive and foolproof tactic. Throw a couple Ziploc baggies in your suitcase before a trip, and you’ll be all set! image via Diply
HAIR ACCESSORIES ORGANIZING
Little hair helpers really have a tendency for dividing and concurring our purses, drawers and counters. Chasing bobby pins and hair ties around the house can be a pain. Grab a plastic bag, and group all your stray hairbands, clips and bobby pins in one fell swoop. Your purse pockets, bathroom drawers and countertops will thank you! image via Ziploc
OFFICE SUPPLIES ORGANIZING
Use push pins and Ziploc baggies to organize small office supplies on a bulletin board. This is such a clever way to organize small office supplies outside of a desk drawer. I can imagine this being very helpful for a small shared office with limited storage space. That way, everyone knows where they can find the binder clips or tape because it’s pretty hard to miss! image via Ziploc
BOARD GAME ORGANIZING
We’ve all been there! You gather the family around to play a board game, and the pieces are mysteriously missing. Either that or the pieces are so jumbled around in the box that it takes more time to set up than to play. To keep your game night experience a bit more easy, use some plastic bags to group your pieces. You’ll thank yourself later. image via Babble
SCARF ORGANIZING
I’ve never seen such a unique use of Ziploc bags in the closet!! This blogger grouped her silk scarves by color, and clipped them on a hanger. Not only do the plastic bags separate her scarves and make them easier to hang, but the plastic actually protects the scarves from dust. image via Unknown
HOLIDAY DECORATION ORGANIZING
If you’re not already using Ziploc baggies to group your holiday decorations together, chances are that unpacking your decorations is a total pain! The beauty of using clear bags for Christmas lights, ornaments and nicknacks, is that you can see everything you own so easily. image via Ziploc
Before you go, you must watch these organizing videos by Ziploc’s team. They are both dazzling examples of the transformative power of these little bags. Enjoy!!
