Stuff plastic bags inside a paper towel roll to keep them handy in the car
Simple brilliance. From Laura:
I keep a small cardboard box in my minivan to corral essential cleanup items (antibacterial wipes, a roll of paper towels and some diapers and wipes for the little ones). What I found really useful is to stuff the paper towel roll with plastic shopping bags. This serves two purposes: keeps plastic bags handy for bagging up dirty diapers, lunch trash, wet things etc, and keeps the paper towel roll from getting crushed flat.
Why didn't I think of that?









We stuff the plastic bags into an old diaper wipe container. It holds a lot of them and will dispense them easily.
Posted by: hippielunatic | 16 October 2008 at 05:49 AM
I drive a minivan, and it features approximately 20 different little compartments, most of which we don't use. I stuff our plastic bags into one of the ones towards the back. Our van (Toyota Sienna) also has a little hook down by where the front passenger would put his/her knees, and I think that this is actually meant to be a garbage bag hook. That's what I use it for. Sometimes I have to move it if I have a front-seat passenger, but usually it's just me and the kid, so it's great to have a garbage bag there when I need it.
Posted by: Julie Qidwai | 16 October 2008 at 07:12 AM
I love tips that serve two purposes. :)
Posted by: Andrea | 16 October 2008 at 09:44 AM
Julie: I'm wondering if that hook is for a purse?
Posted by: Parent Hacks Editor | 16 October 2008 at 09:42 PM
Editor: That would be a good purpose for it, too, but I think it's not wide enough to hold most purse straps. It's only about half an inch to an inch in length--the part of it, that is, that holds something.
Posted by: Julie Qidwai | 17 October 2008 at 06:32 AM
I use an empty cardboard tissue box for holding all those bags in my cars, at my desk at work, etc.
Posted by: Paula | 18 October 2008 at 09:03 AM
Some great ideas! I love how having kids makes us inventors!!LOL! I stick mine in the backs of the seats but I might try the paper towel roll!
Posted by: South Florida Bus Dealer | 20 October 2008 at 01:56 PM