How to Make a Trash Bag Holder

Soon after their debut toting groceries from the store, the plastic grocery bag often gets a second life as a trash can liner or dog waste carrier. Trash bags may have ugly jobs, but that doesn't mean they have to be stored in ugly places. Make your own homemade trash bag holder that can be hung in your broom closet or pantry.

Dish towel, 15 inches wide, 1/2-inch width hems
Grosgrain ribbon, 10 inches
Elastic, 1/4-inch width, 7.5 inches long
Safety pin, 1 1/2 inches long
Straight pins
Scissors
Sewing machine

Instructions

- 1
  Fold a dish towel in half lengthwise with the wrong side out.
- 2
  Pin the towel along the edges across from the fold.
- 3
  Pin the ribbon ends on either side of the pinned towel edges at one end of the holder to form a hanger.
- 4
  Sew a straight seam along the pinned towel edges, parallel to the fold.
- 5
  Sew the ribbon hanger in place.
- 6
  
  Pull elastic or ribbon through an opening with a safety pin.
  
  Tie a large knot in one end of the elastic and knot the safety pin to the other end.
- 7
  Thread the elastic through the towel's other hem by snipping two small slits in the hem and feeding the elastic through the slits. Feeding the end with the safety pin attached through the hem helps to insert the elastic.
- 8
  Tie the elastic ends together, leaving a gathered opening at the holder's bottom.
- 9
  Turn the holder right side out.
- 10
  Fill your bag holder and hang it within easy reach. Bags enter through the larger opening at the top and are pulled out through the gathered elastic opening when needed.

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