space saving bags (how much, cleaner, room, leaks)

[newhandle]

I am thinking of buying some of the plastic bags that you suck the air out of with a vaccuum cleaner with the clothes inside. Are they worth it? Or will just using a heavy plastic bag and the vaccuum cleaner work as well?

[South Jersey Styx]

Buy one and see if you like it. The thinner the fabric, the flatter the bag will become. Space Bags will get your stuff down to 1/4 or 1/3 (or more) the size of your original pile. Just don't overstuff the bag.

There are some other brands out now that do the same thing as Space Bags but I am not sure about the durability.

[iceshots]

A heavy plastic bag will not work because you will not be able to seal it off. The key trick to the space saver bags are the one way valve that lets you suck teh air out without letting it back in.

We used these when we moved from Canada to Texas and loaded three months worth of clothes and other items into a station wagon and small trailer. These saved about 75% of the room the clothes would have taken up, and they are pretty easy to move around when the air is sucked out. The bags go rigid so it is like picking up a box or a piece of wood.

Be careful how much you pack in there. You are removing air, not weight. An extra large jumbo bag can get quite heavy (50 - 70 lbs) depending how much you stuff in there and how much air you take out.

If you are moving these around, they will not last long. Most of our bags had sprung leaks by the time we arrived in Texas, a 5 day trip. If you are using them to store things, they should last longer.

We tried both the space saver bags, and some other brand we found in WalMart. Both worked the same, just a different valve design.

You have lots of different sizes and shapes. Select the best one for your use.

[Poltracker]

My personal opinion is that they are great for storage. I use them for my seasonal stuff mostly.