How to Make a Bag Dispenser Out of a Plastic Bottle

The debate between plastic grocery bags and paper grocery bags has been raging for years. On the one hand, plastic bags clog up our landfills. On the other hand the process used to make paper grocery bags uses more energy and releases more greenhouse gases than the process used to manufacture plastic grocery bags.

Obviously there is no easy answer. However, many people seem to have decided to use plastic grocery bags and then save and reuse them. This is a good idea but it can be difficult since plastic shopping bags can quickly add up and are often not so easy to store. The following project involves reusing another item, a plastic two liter soda bottle, to make a dispenser for plastic bags. The dispenser will help you keep the bags clean and organized; it will also make it easy for you to grab a bag whenever you need one.

Begin the project by obtaining an empty, plastic 2 liter soda bottle. Remove the bottles label and then clean the bottle inside and out with warm soapy water. Rinse the bottle thoroughly with lukewarm water. Then dry the outside of the bottle.

Next cut off both ends of the plastic bottle. Make sure that the outside of the bottle is dry so you do not have any accidents while cutting the bottle. First cut roughly two inches off of the bottom of the bottle. Cut the top off of the bottle just below the narrow spout. After you have cut the ends off use a wash cloth to thoroughly dry the inside of the bottle. It is imperative that the bottle be completely dry before you store any bags inside it, as any water inside can cause mold to grow.

After you have dried the bottle you are ready to mount the bottle in a handy place that's still out of sight such as inside a cupboard, pantry or closet. Attach the bottle, upside down, to the wall or door that you choose. You will need two screws and two washers. Poke or drill two holes, six inches apart in a vertical line on the bottle. Place a washer over one hole and then put in the screw. Repeat the process for the other hole.

Your bag dispenser is now ready to be filled with plastic grocery sacks. Squeeze the air out of each bag and fill the bottle with them. Now whenever you need one you can simply pull one out of the bottom of the dispenser.

If you would like you may decorate the bottle before you mount it by wrapping it with decorative, self adhesive contact paper. Alternatively you can wrap the bottle with pretty fabric and glue it in place.