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As you might guess from their name, space saver bags help reduce the room items take up for additional travel or storage space. Most space saver bags are designed with an airtight seal and have a valve where a vacuum or hand pump can connect to suck all the air from the bag. This compresses the items inside and significantly reduces the amount of space they take up.
These bags can be an ideal solution for those looking to gain space in closets, drawers, or underbed storage bins. If you’re looking for the best space saver bags, take a few minutes to read through the guide below. It includes key factors to consider before making a purchase, like size, versatility, and how airtight they seal, and lists top picks by category.
- BEST OVERALL: Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags
- RUNNER-UP: GONGSHI Vacuum Storage Bags
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: BoxLegend Premium Vacuum Storage Bags
- MULTIPURPOSE PICK: Hibag Space Saver Bags, 20 Pack Vacuum Storage Bags
- BEST FOR DURABILITY: Storage Master Vacuum Storage Bags, 8 Jumbo
- BEST FOR HUMID CONDITIONS: Ziploc Flat Space Bags, Pack of 6
- BEST FOR TRAVEL: The Chestnut 8 Storage Bags No Vacuum – Space Bags
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Space Saver Bags
Use the features outlined below to help guide your search for the best space saver bags. There are numerous options to consider, and space saver bags can come in different sizes, feature different materials, or be best suited for various environmental conditions or storage durations. Determining your specific priorities can help ensure you select the right product to suit your needs.
Size
The first item to consider when shopping for space saver bags is the size of each bag. Before getting too deep into your search, determine just what you’d like to be able to store in the bags you purchase so you can shop for sizes to accommodate your needs. Most manufacturers offer about four size options, ranging from a small bag around 16 inches wide and 24 inches long to a jumbo bag that is about 30 inches wide and 40 inches long.
Small bags should hold the equivalent of about six or eight sweaters, and jumbo bags typically are large enough for a queen bedding set or two pillows. If the items you’d like to store are not all the same size, consider looking for a set that includes a variety of bag sizes. A set with different size options would make it easier to organize and store a range of items.
Material
Consider two matters regarding material: the material of the bag itself and that of the clothing or linens you’d like to store. Space saver bags are all made of plastic, but be sure to select a product consisting of plastic thick enough to avoid puncturing easily. If the bags are too thin and tear at some point, they will fill back up with air. This will cause you to lose the space-saving benefit of the storage bags and might expose your belongings to dust, moisture, insects, or other potentially harmful contaminants.
Next, consider the material of the items you want to store. Some materials are not well suited to compression for an extended period and might not return to their original shape after removal from a space saver bag. In general, try to avoid using space saver bags to store items with suede, leather, down, wool, or other natural fibers.
Storage Time Frame
Next, consider whether you are looking for long-term or short-term storage for your belongings. Some space saver bags are designed specifically for short-term storage, such as reducing the amount of space needed to pack items in a suitcase.
These travel bags serve their purpose well, but they likely won’t be well suited for long-term storage. In general, travel space saver bags are smaller and not as thick as storage bags since they are designed to minimize the amount of space taken up in a suitcase.
If you’re looking to store items in your home for a few months or a few years, look for space saver bags designed for long-term storage. These bags should feature a heavier-duty plastic material that is less likely to puncture. You should also be able to find larger bag sizes to hold more items together for storage than you’d be able to fit in a travel-size bag.
Environmental Conditions
Consider the environmental conditions of the area in which you plan to store your items. Different areas within a home can have different humidity levels or be more susceptible to mold, mildew, unpleasant odors, or insects. For example, the moisture level in your garage cabinets might be higher than it is in a bedroom closet system.
Keeping the area in mind where you plan to store items can help in selecting a product that will deliver the protection the items need. The airtight seal on most space saver bags allows them to protect items against moisture, mildew, dust, insects, and odors, but check the product description for each item you’re considering to confirm that this is indeed the case.
Airtight Seal
When selecting vacuum storage bags, it is essential to find a set that offers an airtight seal. Without a truly airtight seal, air can get back into the bag, which will cause the items to expand back to their original size. This will obviously defeat the main purpose of the storage bags, which is to reduce the amount of space items take up.
When shopping for the best space saver bags, look for information about how the bag seals to ensure that air doesn’t get back into the bag too easily. Many bags feature a double-zip design to create a reliable seal. You also might want to look for bags that come with a clip to help zip the bag closed to ensure each part of the seal is latched, since even a small gap in the seal will eventually allow enough air in to cause the items and bag to fully expand.
Versatility
Last but not least, consider how versatile each product is for storage. Even when purchasing space saver bags with a specific need in mind, those needs could change in the future, and it might be nice to have a bag that could hold other items. It helps to look for sets that include a wide variety of bag sizes to accommodate items of different sizes.
A more versatile purchase might also be a set that includes a hand pump. Purchasing a set with a hand pump allows you to pack the space saver bags into a suitcase and bring the pump along to repack them before the return trip.
Our Top Picks
This list of best space saver bags offers several options to address the considerations outlined in the previous sections. Any of these options can help organize and protect items and reduce the space items will occupy when in storage.
Best Overall
Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags
This Spacesaver Premium vacuum storage bag set includes six different bags to store a variety of soft items around the home. Two small (24 inches by 16 inches), two medium (28 inches by 20 inches), and two large (24 inches by 36 inches) bags come in the set.
Each small bag can hold the equivalent of six to eight sweaters, each medium bag fits the equivalent of eight to 10 sweaters, and each large bag should hold the equivalent of 10 to 12 sweaters or one pillow.
Simply place the items in the bag and tightly close the double-zip opening to create an airtight seal. Then, open the turbo valve and use an attachment from any vacuum to suck all remaining air out. Replace the cap on the turbo valve to prevent any air from escaping.
The double-zip seal and turbo valve work together to ensure these bags won’t let air in, and the heavy-duty plastic helps minimize tears for long-term use. A travel pump also comes with this set to help reduce how much space items take up in a suitcase.
Runner-Up
GONGSHI Vacuum Storage Bags
The GONGSHI vacuum storage bags are designed for use with any standard vacuum cleaner. After placing items in the bags, use the slider to close the double-seal zipper, and use an attachment from the vacuum to remove all the air from the bag. Replacing the lid on the triple-seal turbo valve will help ensure air stays out of the bag to keep items protected and reduce the amount of space the items take up.
This is a set of 12 space saver bags for travel or long-term storage. Three small bags (24 inches by 16 inches to fit the equivalent of six to eight sweaters), three medium (28 inches by 20 inches to fit the equivalent of eight to 10 sweaters), three large (32 inches by 24 inches to fit the equivalent of 10 to 12 sweaters or two pillows), and three jumbo bags (40 inches by 30 inches to fit the equivalent of one queen-size bedding set) come in this pack.
Each bag is made from a thick plastic material designed to resist tearing and last for a long time to ensure safe storage.
Best Bang For The Buck
BoxLegend Premium Vacuum Storage Bags
Save both space and money with this BoxLegend set of eight vacuum-sealed space saver bags. The set includes two small bags (16 inches by 24 inches), two medium bags (20 inches by 28 inches), two large bags (24 inches by 30 inches), and two jumbo bags (28 inches by 40 inches) to offer a range of storage options from smaller clothing items to bedding sets. Since these space saver bags reduce the space linens or clothing take by up to 80 percent, they can help free up closet or drawer space.
Featuring an airtight double seal, these bags also protect items from dust, moisture, insects, mildew, and odors to ensure they remain in excellent condition when in storage. After filling up the bags and closing the double-zip seal, remove the cap from the triple-seal turbo valve to suck the air out of each bag with the included hand pump or any standard vacuum cleaner.
Multipurpose Pick
Hibag Space Saver Bags, 20 Pack Vacuum Storage Bags
Those looking to clear out their closets and store a lot of items should consider the Hibag Space Saver Bags. This set includes 20 bags in a variety of sizes to accommodate various clothing and linens, 18 of which are vacuum seal bags: two small (15.7 inches by 23.5 inches), two medium (19.5 inches by 27.5 inches), two large (21.65 inches by 33.5 inches), and two jumbo bags (27.5 inches by 39.35 inches). Two travel-size roll-up bags measuring 15 inches by 21 inches also come with this set for use in suitcases.
These Hibag space saver bags feature a stay-on clip that makes it easy to seal the zipper. To help ensure that each bag is thoroughly sealed before sucking the air out, the zipper design features yellow lines on one side and blue lines on the other; when properly lined up for a tight seal, the yellow lines rest between the blue lines. These storage bags also feature a waterproof design to protect items from wet environments while in storage.
Best For Durability
Storage Master Vacuum Storage Bags, 8 Jumbo
The Storage Master space saver bag set includes eight jumbo bags designed to help save space in closets or storage areas. Each bag is generously sized at 27.5 inches wide and 39.5 inches long. This set of space saver bags is also durable; the material is a blend of polyethylene and nylon plastic. This material is thick and flexible and features an innovative embossing technique to resist puncturing and ensure the seal remains airtight.
These space saver bags feature a double-zip seal to provide a barrier that prevents air from escaping. They also have a triple-seal valve so vacuum attachments or the included pump can efficiently suck all the air out of each bag to fully compress items and reduce storage space.
Best For Humid Conditions
Ziploc Flat Space Bags, Pack of 6
These flat space saver bags from Ziploc allow users to fit up to three times as many items in a storage area. They feature a double zipper with a slider for easy sealing to create an airtight seal. Once sealed, the bags offer protection against moisture, mildew, odor, insects, allergens, and other contaminants.
This set includes six bags: two medium (18 inches by 22.5 inches), two large (22 inches by 30 inches), one extra-large (27 inches by 34 inches), plus one roll-up bag for a suitcase (18 inches by 22.5 inches). The bags are designed to stay flat so users can stack multiple bags for compact storage.
Best For Travel
The Chestnut 8 Storage Bags No Vacuum – Space Bags
Frequent travelers may want to consider bags that roll up, like these Chestnut storage bags. The eight bags in the set feature a rolling design, which allows air to be removed from the bag without using a vacuum or a hand pump. Once the bags are filled, use the slider to zip the bag closed and roll the bag up to remove all remaining air through valves. After the air is removed, the bag can stay rolled up or be unrolled to lie flat for packing.
There are four large and four medium bags included with this set. The medium bags are 16 inches wide and 24 inches long, and the large bags are 20 inches wide and 28 inches long. In addition to using these bags for packing, store items in them around the house to make the most of available space. The airtight seal of each bag provides protection against moisture, odors, dust, and bugs.
FAQs About Space Saver Bags
After reading through this list of some of the best space saver bags, you might still have a few questions. Read through the FAQs and their corresponding answers below to see if your questions are addressed.
Q. Is it safe to place items that contain down in space saver bags?
No, items that contain down, such as jackets, pillows, or comforters, should not go into a space saver bag. Compressing these items could damage the feathers. If you are going to try to store items with down in a space saver bag, take care not to vacuum out all of the air to ensure the delicate feathers are not fully compressed.
Q. Are space saver bags allowed on planes?
Yes, space saver bags are allowed on planes. However, if TSA agents think something in your bag looks suspicious, they might unseal the bag. Once unsealed, the items would decompress, which could make it challenging to get them back into your suitcase.
Q. Can I repair damaged space saver bags?
Yes, in some cases you can repair a space saver bag. If a bag gets a hole that allows air to seep in, use duct tape to cover the hole from both sides to ensure the bag can retain its airtight seal.
Q. How long do space saver bags last?
If there aren’t any tears in the plastic, a space saver bag can last for a long time. Many manufacturers also offer a lifetime replacement if one of the bags you purchase malfunctions.