Are you a paper or plastic kind of shopper? I like to reuse both- paper bags are super handy when I need to tote clothes to the local thrift store, want to do fun craft projects with my kids, or need to carry several goodies around the neighborhood. Plastic bags are great for throwing away diapers, tossing wet/moldy items, using as a garbage liner, all that nasty business. But, let’s be honest- unless you’re repurposing for some other use, plastic and paper bags are not really the most environment friendly way to go. But we all need groceries, and no one wants to unload their groceries from the car one at a time! A great way to take care of both needs is to use reusable shopping bags.

There’s all kinds of reusable shopping bags. Some are fancy and fold in together, some can hang onto your shopping cart- but really, you don’t need all the fancy bells and whistles. Most reusable shopping bags are just glorified totes! In fact, who says you can’t just use a tote? Well, me I guess- because I’m a BIT of a germaphobe. Thinking of everything that goes into a shopping cart (raw meat without a plastic bag, kids- which means their shoes that have just been in the public restroom, or their pants- which may or may not be clean….)- the last thing I want to do is use my beautiful totes! But what about making your own specific shopping bags?

There’s actually more than one great reason for this- for one, you’ll be showing some love to the environment. You’re not a bad person if you use plastic or paper- but you’ll be going the extra mile by minimizing the waste! You also don’t have to stress about your grocery bags ripping; is there anything worse than trying to unload groceries only to have a bag rip and all your beautifully just-purchased food rolls around the garage floor or spills everywhere? Having some sturdy reusable shopping bags could definitely combat this.

Plus- they’re cute!! When making your own, you can literally use any fabric you want! Floral. Boho. Stripes. Geometric. Princess. Star Wars. Captain America. The sky’s the limit!

And the best part- you can wash them!! Which means no more raw meat or bathroom floor germs on your kitchen counter! Just unload them and throw them in the wash!

Really, any basic bag tutorial will do. But here are a couple I’ve linked for you. One gives detailed instructions for a durable shopping bag. The other just uses basic bedsheets! You don’t need anything fancy- just some basic sewing skills and access to a sewing machine (or a lot of patience ;) ).

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/durable-reusable-grocery-bag-2977439

https://www.craftstylish.com/item/39876/how-to-turn-bed-sheets-into-shopping-totes

Do you use your own shopping bags? I’d love to see pictures if you do!