Appreciation post: The plastic grocery bag trick for wet umbrellas

Last month during a crazy rainy week here in Portland I figured out something simple that saved my sanity on the bus. I always hated sitting down with a soaking wet umbrella dripping all over the seat and floor, making everyone annoyed. So now I keep a couple of those thin plastic grocery bags in my backpack and just slip the wet umbrella inside before I sit down. It keeps the water contained and I just toss the bag in recycling when I get to work. No more spreading puddles across the aisle or getting the person next to me damp. Has anyone else found a random household item that fixed a commute annoyance for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_thea7h ago

Grab one of those reusable shopping bags too if you want sturdier. I keep a wet bag in my backpack specifically for umbrella duty. Also works for gym clothes after a swim.

the_linda6h ago

Oh yes, the wet bag trick is genius... I started doing that after one too many soggy bus rides home. My gym bag is basically a wet bag hotel now - one for swim stuff, one for wet umbrellas, one for muddy shoes after hiking. The waterproof ones from the camping section work great too, they don't leak at all. I actually bought a pack of three different sizes and use them for everything now, from wet towels to leaky water bottles. Once you start you'll find yourself grabbing them for all sorts of wet messes...