When visiting her clients, professional home organizer Britnee Tanner frequently discovers extra reusable bags stashed away beneath the kitchen sink or crammed into a corner of the pantry.
"They just are sneaky," said Tanner, who lives in Salt Lake City. "I purchased a handful of these and then somehow I've collected ones I've never purchased, and I don't really know where they've come from."
Reusable totes are designed as long-lasting alternatives to disposable plastic options, yet accumulating an excess from event giveaways and grocery store freebies happens effortlessly.
Because the environmental impact of a reusable tote is relatively modest, gathering a large collection is not a major issue. Still, paring down your stash clears out cluttered cupboards and leaves a smaller collection that will actually be used. Surplus bags can be donated to thrift stores and food pantries.
"You don’t want an entire closet of reusable bags," said sustainability scientist Shelie Miller with the University of Michigan. "You want well-loved reusable items, and that’s really what gives the environmental benefit."
Reusable bags are helpful but can accumulate Single-use plastic grocery sacks are not designed to last; they become environmental litter or decompose in ecosystems, releasing harmful microplastics. A total of 12 U.S. states have banned single-use plastic shopping bags, while several cities and towns have instituted their own initiatives, including bag taxes.
Consequently, many people stock up on reusable options made of cloth, canvas, or thicker plastic. A few durable bags used for errands or groceries can endure; environmental economist Kimberly Oremus uses hers for up to a decade. Yet additional bags of various shapes and sizes regularly creep into homes unexpectedly.
Like any product, reusable bags require energy and natural resources to produce — such as water used for growing cotton. Researchers have found that the number of uses needed to offset a bag's manufacturing cost varies widely depending on what it is made of.
There is no single target number of uses, but thicker, more durable bags carry a larger environmental footprint than flimsy plastic totes, requiring more repeated uses to balance out their impact.
Reusables "are generally good for the environment, with the caveat that they have to be reused," said Miller.
Save your best reusables and donate the rest The simplest way to reduce a tote collection is avoiding new ones. Yet life intervenes, and shoppers get stuck at the store empty-handed. When Oremus forgets her reusable bags, she asks employees if they have empty cardboard boxes for her purchases.
"If you forget it, it's not the end of the world," Oremus said. She tries to use her reusable bags until they can no longer be used, then donates the scraps to textile recycling centers.
If you have already accumulated a crowded kitchen cabinet, keep the best and donate the rest.
Home organizer Tanner tells clients to choose their favorites and assign a specific job to each. Reserve one bag for library books, several for groceries, and another for packed lunches. After using one, return it to its original spot — like a car trunk or handbag — so it is ready for the next use.
As for extras, give some to friends or offload larger quantities by donating. Reusable totes generally cannot be recycled through standard curbside programs.
Tanner brings her extras to thrift stores. Other stores or food banks may also accept donations.
Las Vegas Books accepts reusable bag donations to hand out when customers at the Nevada used bookstore need one. Burbank Animal Shelter in California uses larger totes for food, toys, and pet care supplies.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey has collected reusable bags since 2022 for neighbors visiting its food pantries. They welcome donations provided the items are reasonably clean and untorn.
"They're always something that our pantries need, and that we have available on hand whenever we can," said the organization's president, Elizabeth McCarthy.
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