10 Uses You’ve Never Thought of for Vacuum Seal Bags

We all love seal bags. From the humble zip-lock to the machine vacuum seal bags, they have so many purposes. Not only are they ideal for storing fresh produce and giving food a longer shelf life – but can be used to protect and store a variety of useful items.

Whether you’re a home handyman or the small business owner – or both, vacuum sealing can be used for more than just storing meat and vegetables. Here’s some of our favourite ideas:

1. Emergency Items – Store matches, candles, torches and batteries to protect them, plus makes it easier to grab them when needed in an emergency.
2. First Aid Supplies – Ideal for storing band-aids, bandages, gels and other supplies you need to ensure are kept very clean and dry. Gels can often dry out, crack or leak. By vacuum sealing them, you can help prevent them from becoming damaged or unusable.
3. Decorations – What do you do when Santa has left town? Or the parties over? Bundle up your seasonal decorations and know they’ll be in great condition when you need them again next year, even if they have lived in the shed for all that time.
4. Smartphone / Tablet – Don’t let that expensive tablet or smartphone get wet when around water. Whether fishing, at the pool or beach, vacuum seal these items to keep them waterproof – and you can still use the touchpad.
5. Matches – Waterproof your matches when camping or fishing by vacuum sealing them. 
6. Money – Whether you are collecting coins or travelling with foreign currency, vacuum seal them to protect them from outside elements and keep waterproof.
7. Documents – protect your precious documents by vacuum seal and them keep safe, waterproof, and protected.
8. Camping / Boating Gear – There are plenty of non-perishable items you can vacuum seal and keep safe and waterproof, plus prevents mold or rust from damaging them. Especially true of items that may sit in the shed through winter, until you’re ready to use them again.
9. Nuts and Bolts – Have you ever put together that item and there are random nuts and bolts left over? Try vacuum sealing them together and keep stored in a cabinet or drawer. This also comes in handy for when you are moving and need to keep bed and cupboard bolts together for the reconstruction at the other end. 
10. Electronic Parts – Safely store leftover computer pieces or electrical goods parts in a vacuum sealed bag so they don’t get separated or lost altogether. It’s best to use a marker to write exactly what the pieces are for because six months from now it may not be too obvious.

And here’s five more that didn’t make the top 10, but we thought were pretty good ideas too:

1. Herbs and Spices – Buy bulk spices and separate them to keep longer in vacuum seal bags. Create your own combinations and rubs and then vacuum seal them for use later.
2. Liquids – You can save anything from marinades to molasses, and they store much longer in the fridge or freezer.
3. Cheese – Vacuum seal an open block of cheese to keep it fresh three times longer than in a regular bag. Shredded cheese can also be stored.
4. Oil and Vinegar – If you love different types of oils and vinegar in your pantry then vacuum seal the ones you open, and they’ll stay fresher longer.
5. Lettuce – Yes you can!Also, create your own pre-mix salad and just grab it out ready to enjoy at the BBQ.