051 - Should You Use Vacuum Storage Bags? Pros and Cons Explained

Episode Summary: In this episode of Decluttering Untangled, Heather Tingle dives into the world of vacuum storage bags, a popular solution for maximising space. Heather covers the pros and cons of using these bags for decluttering and storage, and shares her personal insights into when and where vacuum storage is most useful.

If you’ve ever wondered whether vacuum storage bags could help you clear space in your home or declutter more effectively, this episode will provide practical advice on how and when to use them—and when to avoid them. From space-saving benefits to potential issues with long-term use, Heather helps you untangle whether vacuum storage bags are right for you.

What Are Vacuum Storage Bags?

• • Vacuum storage bags are thick plastic bags that compress items like clothes and bedding by sucking the air out with a vacuum cleaner.
• Pros of Using Vacuum Storage Bags:
  • Space Saving: Can reduce the volume of stored items by up to 80%, making them ideal for small spaces or items not used regularly.
  • Durability: They’re tough and durable, useful for moving house or storing items for a short period.
  • Great for Craft Storage: Perfect for storing excess materials like wool or fabric, especially when you’re short on space.
  • Protection: Keeps items safe from dust, damp, moths, and bugs (provided the items are pest-free before storing).
  • Budget-Friendly Moving: Reducing the volume of items can lower the cost when moving, as movers charge by volume.
• Cons of Using Vacuum Storage Bags:
  • Not Ideal for Long-Term Storage: Over time, the seals can fail, air can seep in, and they may not be as effective.
  • Quality Issues: Cheaper bags may have poor seals, leading to frustration when they don’t hold the vacuum properly.
  • Unsuitable for Frequent Use: Not practical for items you access often, as resealing them each time can be cumbersome.
  • Damage to Certain Fabrics: Items like down duvets, leather, and delicate fabrics can be damaged by the vacuum compression.
  • Plastic Odours and Sweating: The plastic can sometimes make items smell and can even cause them to swea

Transcript

Heather Tingle (00:01.388)
Hello, Untanglers, and welcome to another episode of Decluttering Untangled with me, Heather Tingle. In today's podcast, I'm going to talk to you about vacuum storage, the pros and cons of it, as it's something that I see frequently mentioned and hailed as a real problem solver way to combat not having enough storage space. And if you're not sure what vacuum storage is, in essence, if you didn't know, it's kind of having a thick plastic bag that you fill with your stuff, usually clothes or some kind of fabrics. And then using the suction of your vacuum cleaner, you suck all the air out. So they take up less space to get compressed. And the idea being it takes up less space. It's meant to keep everything nicely tidied away and safe from damp and dust. So I want to give you a very short but sweet, really summary of this because I see it used as a solution to let go of less. I see it as something that's very useful for putting under beds, putting in cupboards when storage space is really a premium. So let's look at the positives. It can drastically reduce the volume of space that items take up, mainly clothes, and it can be up to 80%. So if you've got very little space and items you don't use very often, it can really feel like a really good idea, it's a real bonus. They can be quite tough, the plastic can be quite thick and they're a good way to move items from one place to another because they're pretty durable. So for me, if you are moving house and it's very short term for your items to be in there, it can be a really good solution because you're taking up less space, you're protecting them and obviously it'll cost you less to move because most movers go by volume.

Minimise the volume, minimise the cost. So that can be a real win-win. I think that's a really good way of using them. Where I've also seen them work really well is with clients with lots of craft type stuff, mainly things like knitting or threads, that they can't enjoy doing the activity. So they can't enjoy knitting an item or they can't enjoy making, I don't know, making something like, I don't know, big... crochet things because they've got so much stuff, they've got no space to actually make the items. So things like material they've not got use for at the moment. And I did it recently with a client with lots of synthetic balls of wool for knitting projects. And that can work really well in that you know what you've got, you can still see it because the plastic can be quite see-through but you're not ready to access that yet and probably won't for another like three to six months. So that can work really well to save space in your craft room, for example. It can also work really well in a very full home. So if you struggle with hoarding disorder and you're struggling to let go after having done a declutter and you feel like you've got rid of as much as you possibly can, you don't necessarily use any of the items, but equally you're running out of space and you want to keep them.

Now, normally I'd say you need to keep decluttering, but I do work with clients with hoarding disorder and they've let us go as much as they can for the time being and just want to stop an avalanche from happening while still being able to see the items. So this can be a really good halfway point for clearing a bit of space without pushing for discards when you're not ready. They can also protect your items from moths and bugs if you're worried about them being contaminated in some way, which can be really helpful but you do need to check that the items going in there are free from them to start off with because they are not a fix all if you've got problems. For me though, as I'm sure you can already tell, apart from very short term use, I think they're massively problematic. I still believe that if you are struggling with storage space, it's because you've still got too much stuff. And I know that's tough love and I'm really, really sorry, but that is just my point of view and it's what works for me and my clients. So you need to, first of all, make sure you're buying really good quality. So they can be quite expensive if you're doing quite a lot of stuff, because if you buy the good quality, so the seal still works and stays working once you've walked away from it, because some of the cheaper ones are an absolute nightmare. So I've been with a client before, they've had
a big duvet they want to put under the bed. And first of all, they had to clean the duvet because it's got to be clean before it can go in there. They've got to air the duvet because you don't want any leftover sweat, for example, on it. You don't want any dampness whatsoever. Then they've got to wrestle it into the bag. Then they've got to go and get the Hoover from downstairs and bring it upstairs. Then they've got to suck all the air out and then the seal fails. There is nothing worse. So
I feel that they are quite a lot of stress for some reward and you've got to make sure that you're getting good quality so that the seal stays sealed when you walk away from it. I will put a link in the show notes if you are going to get some and I would say start off with one and try it and see how you get on with it. Do not just go on a trigger happy vacuum cleaner sucking air out of everything mode because let's face it if you've got ADHD you're gonna want to like do it for everything and yes there is something very satisfying about sucking all the air out of a bag and seeing everything like squish down but honestly it's not the total solution for everything. They're also no good for things that you get frequently out of storage so for most clothes I would say don't really use it, Because in all honesty, it can be quite a battle to put things away and seal it each time and you're not going to do that if you haven't got the motivation to put things away very easily. You're not going to go through that hassle each time. Things like feathers can break the quill when you squish all the air out. So you can't use vacuum storage for things like duvets, sleeping bags, quilts or down jackets. So if you've got anything with a feather, absolutely don't go anywhere near vacuum storage.

Also be careful putting delicate fabrics in them like silk because that can also damage it. And you need to be aware that some things need air to breathe. So for example, leather jackets or coats should not be vacuum packed at all. I find that it works best with big fluffy synthetic fabrics. So you've got a big fluffy throw that you use in winter and you've got it cleaned and dried. That would be the perfect thing to then vacuum pack away for the summer.

You do need to be careful that clothes can have their fibres ruined. So anything that is massively important to you clothes-wise, do not vacuum pack away and make sure that whatever you put in there, you don't put anything in there that won't bounce back easily or something like linen that creases easily. I wouldn't risk that with it as that will really seal in the crease into the fabric. And to minimise that as much as possible,

A little tip for you is to instead of folding items in the bag, so I fold everything, but if I was vacuum packing, I wouldn't, I would, it was best to roll them to minimise the amount of creases and to make sure that you are not overfilling the bag too. If it's overfilled, you're not going to get the best out of it.

A big one for me, given that I struggle with sensory issues relating to smell, is that plastic can taint your items and make them smell. So I've got a very, very keen sense of smell, so it's really important to me. You might not, and it might be okay. But for me, I can't stand the smell of the plastic. And also, plastic can sweat. So also, if something is the slightest bit damp when it goes in, you can still get things going in moulding.

So be careful with that one. You need to ensure that it isn't subject to any extremes in temperature as well. And if like me, you're in your 40s-ish and you're in the UK and you had a record of achievement folder that ended up being in a loft for years and years, you will know where I'm coming from. And that plastic may be great for some things, but it can smell and it can get sticky the older it gets. So do not put anything in there for long-term storage.

You're really looking for items that are freshly cleaned, totally dry, and that are properly sealed as well because otherwise the tiniest bit of air means the whole process is a waste of time. So in summary, I'm sure you know where this is going. It can be a really great short-term solution where items are going to be taken out within a few weeks or a few days even.

They can be a great long-term solution for things like summer or winter duvets and pillows and throws, as long as they're microfibre and not feather. They're great for things where you're going to take items out between three and six months at a time, but absolutely no longer than six months before swapping them out. I hope that's given you some things to think about. And just remember until next time, be kind to yourself, remember you're not alone and keep untangling.