Space Bag Pros & Cons

You've seen the commercials – the bag that can be stuffed with old clothes, linens and other bedding without taking up much space. Space Bags or Space Saver Bags are specialized bags that you fill with fabric items before vacuuming out the air. When the air is removed, the vacuum-sealed items take up much less storage space.

The Space Bags do what they claim to do: they save space. Most bags can be sucked down to half or even one quarter of their original size. The items inside the bags then take up less physical space.

These specialized bags are vacuum-sealed with the hose attachment on your vacuum cleaner. This tight seal prevents moths or other insects from reaching your clothing in storage. It also locks away moisture, in case you store items in a damp area like a basement.

A Space Bag is easy to use. Place your clothes or linens into the bag and seal it. Hook your vacuum's hose attachment to the nozzle on the bag and turn on the vacuum until you've sucked out the appropriate amount of air.

A Space Bag can be reused. Once opened and emptied, they can be refilled with new items and resealed.

Space Bags are not known for holding their vacuum seal for long. Air can leak back into the bag from the plastic zipper or nozzle areas, breaking the seal.

For a Space Bag to shrink, it has to be made from a lighter plastic material. Unfortunately, that leaves the material thin and weak, which means it is prone to tears or holes that ruin the bag. If a bag gets torn when it is being opened, it cannot be reused.

The Space Bag does its job by removing all of the air from the contents of the bag. However, without exposure to circulating air, your clothes and other stored items tend to smell like the plastic liner of the bag.