Not only handy for 3.4 oz gels or liquids, plastic baggies come in handy in so many ways when traveling – I usually throw a handful of various sizes into my suitcase – they come in so handy!
#1 Furbaby Clean Up
If you’re traveling by chance with a dog, you can use a roll of plastic bags or a biodegradable one during walks.
#2: Use them to keep your cell phone dry!
When I’m thinking I might be outdoors in the rain or near water, I put my phone into a zip-shut sandwich bag before slipping it into my pocket. That way it’s still easy to get to, but won’t get wet. Back at your hotel, dry the bag out so you can use it again on the next appropriate occasion.
#3 Make your own ice pack in a pinch!
If you have a mild injury or even just need something for a daytime cooler to keep drinks cold, just grab a bag, though freezer bags are the best (as they are a bit stronger), grab some ice out of the hotel’s ice machine and you are good to go!
#4 Organizing Your Clothing: AKA Home Made Packing Cubes!
You can use larger storage bags as your own packing cubes of sorts. Take some 1-2 gallon storage bags are excellent for this! For example, you can use one bag for socks, one for underthings, or even better – one outfit per bag. You could even label your outfits if you get some with a label space on them.
#5 Separate Wet or Dirty Items
Examples are bathing suits, wet towels, muddy clothing or shoes… this is handy when you go on a tour or excursion and you expect to get wet or dirty.
#6 Clothing Compression
This is our economical version of the officially marketed as such compression travel bags, but if you put your clothes into one, roll them and press the air out, you can absolutely use this for smaller items! Just keep the airline’s weight limits in mind as you do this.
#7 Organizing other Items
Snack or sandwich size bags are great for small items, such as jewelry, bandages, first aid supplies, cotton swabs, tissues, small candies, cords, plugs, whatever you have that’s small and fits. Easy peasy!
#8 Cleaning Up after yourself
I love to always have a grocery bag in my car for road trips to collect trash from food wrappings, drink containers gone empty, and apple cores for easy disposal at a gas station or destination. When you go on a hike, for example, smaller trash bags may come in handy to collect your own trash as well. You might also add to the hiking pack list a little tissue or toilet paper if there are no restrooms on the trail!
#9 Use a gallon bag to do a mini-laundry load in your hotel
If you put water, soap, and the garment into a sealed gallon bag, shake it rub the clothes in the bag from outside the bag, rise it a few times and there you go! Especially great for delicates or things you don’t want to wait to wash. Definitely flip it inside out to dry so you can use it again.
#10 Holding documents
Of course the fancy or trendy document holders are great, but gallon plastic bags are great for holding documents. They won’t get wet, and fold up full size papers in half to easily fit!
#11 Protect yourself from Germs
This one is especially important in today’s world. You can use baggies to cover things in your hotel such as the remote (one of the most germy things in a hotel, so they say), or store some alcohol wipes in plastic bags so you can wipe down for extra protection – just in case! Hotels are implementing stronger standards for cleaning nowadays, but if you’re extra cautious or something, this is a great idea!