Frankenstein's grocery cart: retrofit my transformer hand truck

May 22, 2024 1:52 PM

Problem: I currently find transporting large loads of groceries from my semi-distant parking garage to my apartment to be a major drag. Existing resource: I own a multi-functional and fabulously useful Cosco 4-in-1 convertible hand truck. Desired solution: Is there a way I can attach some sort of soft add-on bag structure to my existing hand-truck, so I can easily carry groceries with it (ideally with the hand truck in the traditional upright position)?

I need a better way to transport groceries from truck's parking garage to my apartment. The trip involves walking inside a building, briefly walking outdoors, passing through three doors (including one particularly annoying one that has no ADA button), and using two separate elevators.

I see lots of rolling grocery carts designed for public transit or walking. I would love one of these, but I do not have space to store an extra item in my small apartment.

I already have and use my Cosco 4-in-1 hand truck frequently for various tasks. I'm wondering if there's a simple way to adapt it to easily and securely carry groceries. I'm planning to use it in the upright position for this task (so like a traditional hand truck), especially since that's the easiest way to get through the non-ADA doorway.

I need the bag system to be made from soft material so I can easily flatten and store it. I'm not looking to store milk crates or other hard-sided items in my apartment or pickup bed. (Also: anything stored in the truck would need to be returned to the truck after being unloaded, which will 100% never happen; it will instead take up permanent residence in my narrow hallway, posing a trip hazard and generally tormenting me for all time.)

I also need the system to be simple and quick to attach/detach. I don't want to have to do a complex ritual with bungees and velcro and Adventure Scout knots every time I go shopping. One or two sets of velcro closures is fine, but anything spectacularly fiddly is out.

Also not interested in sewing this myself. I don't currently have the skills or the time to develop them.

Ideas? Is there anything purpose-made I could use? Maybe some kind of tall and narrow drybag with some velcro?

posted by cnidaria to Shopping (15 answers total)

Except dry bags are round, and it feels like something rectangular would be nicer for groceries... hmm.
posted by cnidaria at 2:00 PM on May 22

Are your groceries already bagged? If so could you attach hooks to the cart so that the bags will just hang on the hooks?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:09 PM on May 22

Something involving large-size binder clips, canvas grocery bag(s), and cable-ties to attach them to your 4-in-1 frame.
posted by Rash at 2:13 PM on May 22

Home Depot and other places carry a gigantic carabineer that you could clip through multiple grocery bags and then use to clip onto your handtruck's crossbar.
posted by drezdn at 2:25 PM on May 22

Yeah, I do have reusable bags already I can use. Hooks sound great!

Any ideas on how to make them easily removable? I often use the hand truck in horizontal mode to carry 400 lbs of scuba tanks, or other large heavy items, and I wouldn't want to use and discard zip ties for every use.

On preview: carabiners! Great idea!
posted by cnidaria at 2:27 PM on May 22

Maybe a Hulken would work for you? It folds down flat.

Alternatively, get one of those fabric collapsible laundry bags and a luggage bungee.
posted by purple_bird at 2:29 PM on May 22

I think a handful of carabiners and maybe 3 luggage bungees are going to do the trick here -- thanks, hive mind!

Definitely open to more ideas, though! <3
posted by cnidaria at 2:36 PM on May 22

We use what is sometimes called an equipment bag to transport our dizzying array of pillows and cat bed and stuff, as they are looong rectangular bags meant to carry long sporting sticks of various types.

I think a 46" or maybe a 50" is what we have because my body pillows are around 43" long, and that will bungee upright on a hand truck. A cargo net would be even better for groceries, just using the same twoish bungees to wrap it tight around the bag and cart.

Note: it ABSOLUTELY looks like you're in the middle of a Weekend at (an alarmingly small) Bernie's situation, and if that doesn't amuse you it might be worth searching around for a brightly-colored bag, or maybe put some jaunty patches on it.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:21 PM on May 22

How about a laundry hamper with a collapsible metal frame?
posted by ShooBoo at 3:24 PM on May 22

Similar to Lyn Never's suggestion, there are moving totes like this that are slightly smaller but similar.
posted by stormyteal at 3:26 PM on May 22

I use Ikea bags to carry large amounts of groceries from car to door. You could easily attach it as per suggestions above. Or a hockey equipment bag (hat tip to Lyn Never). They are huge.

Quite frankly, similar to farmers wanting to have boys to help on the farm, this was what my teenage kids were for. "If you want dinner tonight or this week, please bring in the groceries from the back of the car."
posted by JohnnyGunn at 4:32 PM on May 22

Ooh, maybe carabiners and a cargo net! Options. Cargo net could potentially do double-duty for certain applications in the truck bed.

JohnnyGunn -- I have tried this tactic on my cat, but unfortunately it has been unsuccessful thus far. What a freeloader!
posted by cnidaria at 5:15 PM on May 22

I was thinking those Ikea bags. :D But you can find hard-side containers that fold down to a very reasonable size and still bungee'ed to your handtruck. That goes in the bottom, then the soft-sided one goes on top of it.
posted by kschang at 6:22 PM on May 22

There exist bags for hand trucks.

As a source of inspiration, the Burley Travoy trailer has a system for easily detachable bags.
posted by oceano at 7:51 PM on May 22

If you're not tied to using your hand truck, I have one of these I use to carry groceries up a long driveway. mac sports folding wagon.

I really like it, no balancing required, no futzing, folding it takes no effort and its easy to roll around.
posted by just.good.enough at 11:49 PM on May 22