With winter well behind us in most parts, it is once again time to stow away all those bulky blankets. Here is a dead simple tip on how to save loads of space with nothing but a vacuum, a garbage bag, and a rubber band!
What You Need
Bulky blankets, pillows, linens, clothing, you name it!
Vacuum with a hose
Garbage bag
Rubber band
Instructions
1.Fold the blanket, winter coat or whathaveyou. Stack several on top of each other if desired.
2.Place the folded material into the garbage bag.
3.Insert the vacuum hose into the bag, making sure it doesn't touch the plastic.
4.Form a seal around the hose with with one hand and turn on the vacuum.
5.Watch as the vacuum suctions the air from the bag and shrinks everything down. At this point you can employ a helper to squish the bag and speed up the process—just be sure not to puncture it!
6.Once the bag has shrunk as much as possible, remove the hose as tie of the end with the rubber band.
7.Ta-Da!
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(Image: MaryAnne Petrella)
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Doesn't the bag slowly inflate as air leaks back in?
Seriously? I was hoping for more than home made space bags
wow! This actually saves a lot more space than I thought it would. I don't know what Heidi's problem is, but I had never even considered using my own vacuum to "vacuum pack" my linens as a possibility before reading this post. I appreciate that it is a simple fix, with things I already own, and by using a rubber band I can even re-use the bag next winter!
Thanks MaryAnne!
Space Bags are pricey, but so are good-quality trash bags; if you have to open/re-seal your bags somewhat frequently, it might be just as cost-effective to go ahead and buy the real thing.
But for someone like me, who stores/unearths stuff once per year, this is great. I also like the suggestion to use duct tape for a more airtight seal. Might not work for everyone, but the fantastic thing about the internet is that detractors aren't obligated to comment on everything... seriously.