In Praise of IKEA’s FRAKTA Bag

What’s big, blue, and one of my all-time favorites from IKEA? At $0.59, the FRAKTA bag is cheaper than a soft serve cone from the Swedish behemoth, and it just might be the brand’s most versatile product. What’s it good for? How much time have you got?

• Laundry – The FRAKTA is enormous and weightless, which makes it great for hauling dry cleaning and laundry. The flat bottom even makes it work for collecting clean folded laundry before putting it in its place.
• Off season storage – I have to believe that this epic winter is finally over, which means that my family is ready to cycle out snow pants, winter coats, hats, and scarves. After washing everything, I can collect it in a bag, tie the handles together, and store it.
• Gathering donations and hand-me-downs – At $0.59, I can bear to part with the occasional bag. Instead of filling three big garbage bags or five paper shopping bags, I can load up a single FRAKTA bag and get unwanted stuff out of my house, posthaste.
• Estate/yard sales – The FRAKTA folds down to nothing, so it’s easy to carry a spare in your bag, on your bike, or in the trunk of your car. When you hit the motherlode of yard sales, you can bust it out and fill it with your finds.
• Shlepping dirt – Or firewood, or whatever. Made of 100 % polypropylene, the FRAKTA is as durable as it is easy to rinse and dry, which makes it great for gardening and other outdoor duty.
• Moving – For a local move, the 19 gallon FRAKTA is ideal for transporting clothing, linens, and assorted randomness.
• Quick clean ups – The big blue bag can quickly swallow up and conceal your household’s indignities. Tackling paper clutter at the dining table when friends call to say they are coming for an impromptu visit? Bag it up and stash it.
• Beach/pool bag – It isn’t the prettiest, but just try finding a bigger, lighter, easier solution for hauling all of your summer stuff. Last year I used one for my family of five; it held beach towels, water bottles, and snacks, and I clicked the kids’ puddle jumpers onto the straps for easy transport.

What’s in your FRAKTA?