An IKEA shopping trip usually means browsing furniture, kitchen supplies, and storage products. But one of the most useful things in the entire store costs around a dollar: the big blue FRAKTA bag.
The FRAKTA shopping bag might look like an ordinary shopping bag, but anyone who owns a few knows how handy they can be. They end up holding laundry, camping gear, children’s toys, donations, and just about anything else that needs to be carried from one place to another.
For such a small purchase, these bags can get an impressive amount of use. They’re inexpensive, roomy, easy to clean, and useful for years.
It’s the iconic blue FRAKTA bag
The bag is officially called the FRAKTA Shopping Bag. The large version measures 21¾ by 14½ by 13¾ inches, holds 19 gallons, and is made with at least 90% recycled material.
Its size is a big part of the appeal. There’s plenty of room for bulky items, and the wide opening makes it easy to toss things inside without having to arrange everything just right.
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It’s much more useful than a shopping bag
Carrying groceries is probably one of the least interesting jobs for a FRAKTA bag. It’s great for laundry, especially large loads of towels, blankets, and bedding that are awkward to carry in a regular basket.
It’s also handy for moving things around the house. Clothes, shoes, toys, blankets, and miscellaneous closet items can all go into one bag when you need to clear a space or move belongings to another room.
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It’s surprisingly useful for camping
Packing for a camping trip can mean dealing with a lot of bulky gear. FRAKTA bags can hold sleeping bags, blankets, towels, children’s supplies, shoes, food, and all the smaller items that seem to pile up before leaving.
The wide opening makes it easy to see what’s inside when unpacking at the campsite. After the trip, the bags fold down nearly flat, so they don’t take up much room until the next outing.
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They’re handy for storage
FRAKTA bags may not look like decorative storage baskets, but they’re useful for keeping things together. They’re a good option for seasonal clothing, spare bedding, stuffed animals, holiday decorations, and belongings waiting to be donated.
They’re also useful during a decluttering project. One bag can hold donations while another collects items that need to be moved to a different room, and both can be folded away once the job is done.
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They’re made for messy jobs
One reason these bags are so practical is that you don’t have to worry about keeping them spotless. Take one to the beach, use it for gardening supplies, leave it on the ground at a campsite, or fill it with dirty laundry.
IKEA recommends cleaning the bag with lukewarm water, making it a good choice for jobs that would leave a regular fabric tote looking worse for wear. Its handles also let you carry it by hand or over your shoulder.
They’re useful for families with kids
Parents know how quickly a simple outing can turn into a packing exercise. A FRAKTA bag has room for jackets, toys, extra clothes, blankets, and beach towels without having to squeeze everything into several smaller bags.
They’re also handy for overnight visits with grandparents or family trips. Instead of trying to fit every toy and blanket into a suitcase, you can toss the extra items into one roomy bag.
Moving is where they really shine
Cardboard boxes are useful for moving, but some belongings are easier to carry in a large bag. FRAKTA bags work well for clothes, pillows, linens, shoes, and other soft items that don’t need to be packed into boxes.
They’re just as useful for smaller jobs around the house, such as clearing out a bedroom, sorting a closet, or carrying belongings upstairs. You can fit several items into one bag and move them together instead of making multiple trips.
You’ll probably want more than one
The funny thing about buying a FRAKTA bag is that one rarely feels like enough for long. Once you start using it for laundry, storage, trips, and moving things around, having a few extras starts to make sense.
For around a dollar, it’s a simple IKEA purchase that can keep finding new uses long after you bring it home. One day it’s holding laundry, the next it’s packed with camping gear, and a few weeks later it’s carrying donations out the door.
