Design your life to include more money, health and happiness with less stuff, space and energy.

Design your life to include more money, health and happiness with less stuff, space and energy.

Baggu: Celebrating the Mundane

When they were putting together “The Best Gear for Small Apartments” guide, the editors over at The Sweethome asked us if there was anything missing from their quite comprehensive list. While I use stuff all the time (in fact, I’m typing on a computer right now, which is stuff), I can be bashful about encouraging people to buy more stuff, even if it’s stuff I enjoy and think is worthy of including in my life. I figure we need more barriers to purchases, and the recommendation from some ostensible expert (i.e. me) might inspire people to buy stuff they don’t need. But there are a few things I feel pretty passionate about. There is life-changing,  waffle-weave towel, of which I reference often. There is the E-Cloth, a killer microfiber cleaning rag that requires no cleaning supplies (both of these made it onto the guide). But there was one other piece of stuff I love and cherish, one that I use ever day, one I thought had to be on the list. It’s the Baggu reusable grocery bag. It holds stuff…really well.

I received a set of Baggus as a stocking stuffer several years ago. My stepmom gave me a set of four or five, stuffed into a small sack. In the following years, the bags have become an invaluable part of my life. I use one for my kid’s toys and diapers. I use another as a gym bag. When I travel, I organize clothes and other stuff in separate Baggus. Of course, I use them for groceries.

A few things make them so remarkable:

  1. Strength. They hold up to 50 lbs. They are far stronger than either disposable paper or plastic bags or those weird laminated ones with the stitched handles they sell at Trader Joes, Whole Foods and other places. If you’re carrying more weight than that, you probably want wheels.
  2. Size. The standard version is 15.5 x 25.5 x 6″ with a gaping opening perfect for overstuffing. It’s rare that I want anything bigger.
  3. Compact-ability. This is where they smoke canvas totes and most any other type of reusable bag. Their ripstop construction makes them extremely small when crumpled or folded up. I often stash one in my pant pocket in the event I need to make an impromptu shopping trip. They come with a stuff sack, but I tend to just throw them in my backpack.
  4. They are easy to wash.

They come in a huge array of colors and patterns. One bag will set you back $9. I have about eight of them. And while I got mine as gifts, I would totally buy them again.

Check out the “The Best Gear for Small Apartments” guide for more info and a comparison test (spoiler: Baggus are the best).