Have you ever thought of different ideas for brown paper bag uses? If you’re like me, you have a stack of paper grocery bags or(brown paper lunch bags) in your home that you don’t know what to do with. They need to be used in some way, whether it’s paper bag crafts or something else.

Paper bags can be handy for an extraordinary number of uses. From jobs around the house, to fun crafts to delight your kids, paper bags can be the avenue to productivity, fun, and adventure.

If your kids are bored, and you’re looking for a creative outlet, why not put 15 different creative ideas for using paper bags to good use! 

15 Brilliant Uses for Brown Paper Bags

7 Creative Brown Paper Bag Uses for Around the Home

Here are 7 clever and useful ways to use those brown paper bags around the house. You’ll wish you had thought of these ideas sooner! 

Paper Bag Floor | Sweet Lane Events

Did you know that you could use paper bags to create an amazing floor? I didn’t, either! Check out this method.

paper bag floor tutorial

Clean Windows | One Good Thing by Jillee

Many people love cleaning their mirrors and windows with newspapers or paper bags because they do a great job or getting rid of gunk on the windows while leaving a streak-free finish and NO lint! (Yes, I’m serious! Try it!)…

woman using a paper bags for washing mirrors

Brown Paper Bag Bowls | The House of Hendrix

Brown paper bag bowls are perfect for serving up snacks like trail mix, Chex Mix, or popcorn to a group of kids. They do the job very well and  are easy to clean up.

the best paper bag uses include making them into serving bowls

Quickly Ripen Fruit 

Need to ripen fruit in just a day or two? Certain fruits can be placed in a paper bag to help them ripen faster. Try this with bananas, pears, peaches, avocados, and tomatoes.

Store the fruit inside a paper bag, and close the bag by rolling the top down. Then, let the bag sit on your counter for a day (or maybe two). The bag traps ethylene gas that the fruit releases, causing it to ripen faster.

Patriotic Favor Bags | The Country Chic Cottage

If you’re having guests over for any holiday, send them home with goody bags decorated to celebrate. Stamps, stickers, and ribbon can all come together in a festive, patriotic way. This would work just as well for any other holiday you can imagine–even for DIY party favor bags, decorated to match your child’s birthday party theme. Save money and have fun making them with your kiddos! 

Brown paper bag decorated with patriotic stamps and ribbons

Brown Bag Book Cover | The Spruce Crafts

Repurpose a brown paper bag into a book cover and save money, instead of buying store-bought book covers. This project walks you through the process and then you can decorate your cover any way you want to.

Textbook with a brown paper bag cover.
Brown Bag Book Cover from The Spruce Crafts

Wrap a Gift | Momtastic

If you find yourself needing to wrap a gift, but you’re out of wrapping paper, a paper bag does the job nicely. Simply cut open a brown paper bag and use it to wrap your gift. Once your gift is wrapped, you can tie colorful ribbon around it to finish the job!

Brown bag with ribbon and pinecone

8 Adorable Lunch Paper Bag Crafts

“What can I make with a paper bag”, you ask? Oh, so much! Here are 8 fun brown paper bag craft ideas (out of hundreds) that your kids will have a blast making–with you joining in on the fun, of course!

Paper Bag Zebra Craft For Preschoolers | The Inspiration Edit

This is so cute and adorable! Use the easy template to help your preschooler create an animal paper bag they will not want to let go of.

zebra patterned craft bags

Paper Bag Kites | Day by Day VA

Who needs to buy a kite when you can easily create a unique one of your very own by using a grocery bag? Decorate it any way you want, add streamers, and string, and off you go on an adventure in the great outdoors.

paper bag kite
Paper Bag Kites from Day by Day VA

Baby Yoda Brown Bag Puppet | Simple Everyday Mom

Paper bags are excellent for use in more than just craft projects. Combine a craft project with a toy idea by creating these über-popular Baby Yoda bag puppets. Not only will your kids love creating these hand puppets, but they will also love playing with them. Simple Everyday Mom also has many more ideas for puppets that your kids can create.

baby yoda paper bag craft

Artsy Paper Bag Stars | Pink Stripey Socks

Combine art and crafts together to make these creative and artsy brown bag stars. I love that this project will keep the kids busy for a while and allow them to express their own creativity through decoration. Once complete, hang them around your house to celebrate their hard work.

artsy paper bag star
Artsy Paper Bag Stars from Pink Stripey Socks

Paper Bag Houses | Kitchen Table Classroom

Taking the hand puppet idea one step further, create houses out of paper bags. With some creativity, your kids can create an entire village, and then have fun playing make-believe with the village they created. This is a perfect rainy day activity to use their imagination!

paper bag houses

Brown Bag Football | All For the Boys

Any mom of boys knows that the energy just has to come out in one way or another. Use a brown paper bag to create an indoor-safe football that your kids can throw around. This football won’t knock over your lamps!

paper bag football

Cute Paper Bag Monkey For Preschoolers | Hunny I’m Home

Preschoolers love making crafts. Your kids will enjoy making these darling brown bag monkeys. Once they finish this craft, if you need others, experiment with making other animals.

paper bag monkey

Easter Bunny Treat Bags | Drug Store Divas

I love these treat bags! When having people over around near Easter, send them home with these treat bags filled with goodies.

easter treats bag

Use these 15 resourceful ideas to put some of those paper bags you have around the house to good use. Whether you are looking for fun crafty ideas for the family, or ideas to help get jobs done around the house, there’s something here that will enrich your life! 

paper bag uses pin image

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