Best Way to Hold a Paper Bag Open to Receive Paper for Recycling?

September 17, 2015 4:24 PM

I just use paper grocery bags to hold paper or plastics/metal for recycling. I feel like there's got to be some doo-hicky that will hold the bags open to make chucking recyclables into the bag a little easier.

I'm looking for something easy to attach, creates a nice wide opening, and doesn't get in the way (i.e., low profile). Closest I've come to success is an old skirt hanger (separating clips meant for skirt on either side of paper bag), but it's too long and looks awful. As I've become unhealthily obsessed with solving this relatively minor inconvenience in my life, please help.

posted by Jon44 to Home & Garden (13 answers total)

How about just using a plastic tub or bin, and then on recycling day dump it into the paper bag?
posted by clone boulevard at 4:30 PM on September 17, 2015

(Or dump it directly into your recycling bin and avoid the whole paper bag thing entirely, depending on your town's regs)
posted by clone boulevard at 4:32 PM on September 17, 2015

Fold the top edge of the bag inside out. This will hold it open.
posted by bq at 4:33 PM on September 17, 2015

I found this contraption, but I can't figure out if it holds grocery-size bags or not.
posted by TooFewShoes at 4:35 PM on September 17, 2015

Reusing paper bags for composting
posted by bq at 4:37 PM on September 17, 2015

What bq said about folding the rim down, like rolling up the cuffs on your shirt or trousers. I pre-crease the rim, so it's less likely to tear out on the corners. If I make two turns, it's often sturdy enough to use dozens of times before a corner or the glue seam gives out.

Google rolled down edge on paper bag for examples. I didn't see any images of a neat, ship-shape job on the first two pages of results, but there were several with a rough example.
posted by Bruce H. at 4:48 PM on September 17, 2015

I used to use an empty cardboard box (specifically one for Kirkland baby wipes, but I'm sure many Costco-sized boxes would work)--it was the perfect size to stand up a paper grocery bag, but only about half the height. Once in the box, you to sort of pop out the bag creases and it'll stay standing up.
posted by Jemstar at 4:58 PM on September 17, 2015

It's much easier to fold the edge down inwards—you aren't as likely to tear it—and that will hold it open almost as well as folding it outwards.
posted by bricoleur at 5:04 PM on September 17, 2015

Id go with bendable flexible wire - sold at home improvement stores near electrics (lighting). Wire covered in silicone very flexible.

Other wise just double bag or shape a box to hold it and use wire clips to hold to the shell. Like these.
posted by tilde at 6:20 PM on September 17, 2015

This is designed to hold a paper grocery bag for trash/recycling. It seems like the bag would tend to stay open, but if for some reason it doesn't you could clip two sides with a clothes pin or similar.
posted by drlith at 9:03 PM on September 17, 2015

I use one of these bins from Ikea along with brown paper grocery sacks.

Critically for the holding-open-the-paper-bag part, the entire lid (outer frame + flip-up part) lifts off the bin. I set the bag in the bin, open the bag and drape the handles over the flat rim, and then put on the lid to hold it in place. The lid flips up and can be left open for maximum recycling efficiency.
posted by brackish.line at 8:50 AM on September 18, 2015

@ brackish.line

That's pretty close to ideal--is the 7 gallon the size that fits a paper bag?
posted by Jon44 at 12:08 PM on September 18, 2015

There's also the paper bag holder from Everyday Design, but it's a lot pricier than the Ikea product.
posted by jeri at 12:45 AM on September 22, 2015