Vacuum Storage Bags: Which Kind Fits Your Closet
For folded clothes and blankets, flat vacuum bags pack them down small enough for a high shelf or under the bed. Cube bags stand upright, so bulky comforters stack on a closet shelf. Hanging bags keep coats and suits on their hangers on the rod. Every kind needs a vacuum hose or a pump to draw the air out, and some sets include a hand pump or a rechargeable one.
By Tess Mullins · Updated
Which one fits what you store?
| If you have | Look at | Deposit Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Folded clothes, sheets and blankets for a high shelf or under the bed | Flat vacuum bags | Low |
| Bulky comforters, quilts and pillows on a closet shelf | Cube vacuum bags | Low |
| Coats, suits and dresses that stay on hangers | Hanging vacuum bags | Low |
Flat vacuum bags
Good for: Folded clothes, sheets and blankets for a high shelf or under the bed
- Deposit Risk: Low
- Landlord Permission: Not usually needed
- Take It With You: Yes
A plastic bag with a zipper seal and a one-way valve. Pack it, zip it shut and draw the air out through the valve until it lies flat.
Check before you buy
Check how the air comes out: some sets include a hand pump, others need your vacuum's hose, and a few let you press or roll the air out. Match the sizes to what you store, and don't overfill: the zipper has to close all the way.
At move-out
For a move, the bags go into a box with the clothes still inside. To unpack, open the valve or the zipper and let the air back in.
Examples on Amazon
Cozy Essential Vacuum Storage Bags, 20 Combo
20 bags in 5 sizes, including 4 roll-up bags, and a hand pump
- Fits
- 4 each: 39.35 × 27.5 in, 33.5 × 21.65 in, 27.5 × 19.5 in and 23.5 × 15.7 in, plus 4 roll-up bags at 23.5 × 15.7 in
- Holds
- Not listed as a weight; for clothes, blankets, pillows and bedding
- Hand pump included; also works with a standard vacuum
- The roll-up bags need no pump
The widest mix of sizes here, so you can match each bag to its load instead of overfilling one size. The roll-up bags work in a suitcase too.
See it on Amazon: Cozy Essential Vacuum Storage Bags, 20 ComboSpaceAid Jumbo Vacuum Storage Bags, X-Large 3 Pack
3 extra-large bags, no pump
- Fits
- 27.5 × 39.5 in each; one full, twin or queen bedding set and 4 standard pillows per bag
- Holds
- 10 lb per bag, per the listing's product table
- Works with a standard vacuum
- Double zipper and triple-seal valve
Three big bags, one bedding set each, for the swap between heavy comforters and lighter sheets. You need your own vacuum.
See it on Amazon: SpaceAid Jumbo Vacuum Storage Bags, X-Large 3 PackGONGSHI Vacuum Storage Bags, 12-Pack Jumbo
12 jumbo bags, no pump
- Fits
- 40 × 30 in each
- Holds
- 10 lb per bag, per the listing's product table
- Works with a standard vacuum
- Double zipper with a slider
A dozen bags of one size for a whole seasonal swap or a move. You need your own vacuum.
See it on Amazon: GONGSHI Vacuum Storage Bags, 12-Pack JumboHefty Shrink-Pak, 4 Large Bags
4 large bags, no pump
- Fits
- About 10 sweaters or one decorative pillow per bag; bag size not on the listing
- Holds
- Not listed
- Vacuum the air out, or press it out by hand
A small pack for a handful of sweaters or a spare pillow. With no vacuum, you can press the air out by hand.
See it on Amazon: Hefty Shrink-Pak, 4 Large Bags
Cube vacuum bags
Good for: Bulky comforters, quilts and pillows on a closet shelf
- Deposit Risk: Low
- Landlord Permission: Not usually needed
- Take It With You: Yes
A bag with a square base that stays upright as the air comes out, so bulky bedding stacks on a shelf instead of sliding off it.
Check before you buy
Measure the shelf against the bag's base, and check how the air comes out: a vacuum with an adapter, a pump in the box or pressing by hand.
At move-out
For a move, the bags go into a box with the bedding still inside. To unpack, open the valve and let the air back in.
Examples on Amazon
TAILI Jumbo Cube Vacuum Storage Bags, 4 Pack
4 cube bags, sealing clips and a vacuum adapter
- Fits
- 31 × 40 × 15 in; 3 to 5 quilts, blankets or comforters per bag
- Holds
- 50 lb per bag, per the listing's product table
- Valve works by hand or with a vacuum and the included adapter
- Seals with a clip
Built to stand upright, so a stack of comforters stays put on a closet shelf. You can press the air out by hand if you don't own a vacuum.
See it on Amazon: TAILI Jumbo Cube Vacuum Storage Bags, 4 PackVacbird Vacuum Storage Bags with Rechargeable Pump, 15 Pack
15 cube bags in 3 sizes and a rechargeable pump
- Fits
- 18.5 × 25.2, 21.2 × 29.1 and 33 × 24 in, each 4.7 in deep; the listing doesn't say how many of each
- Holds
- Not listed; for coats, quilts and bedding
- Cordless pump with USB-C charging, up to 100 uses a charge
- Dual zipper
The pump comes in the box, so you don't need a vacuum, which helps in a first apartment. The listing gives two different figures for space saved, so go by the sizes.
See it on Amazon: Vacbird Vacuum Storage Bags with Rechargeable Pump, 15 Pack
Hanging vacuum bags
Good for: Coats, suits and dresses that stay on hangers
- Deposit Risk: Low
- Landlord Permission: Not usually needed
- Take It With You: Yes
A long bag with a hanger hook at the top. Hang a few garments inside on their hangers, zip it shut and draw the air out, so they take less room on the rod.
Check before you buy
Check the bag's length against your longest coat and how many garments each one holds. Some only work with a vacuum nozzle of a certain size, so check yours against the listing.
At move-out
Lift the bags off the rod and lay them in a box for the move. Open the valve to let the air back in before you hang the clothes again.
Examples on Amazon
VELMADE Hanging Vacuum Storage Bags, 6 Long
6 long hanging bags
- Fits
- 53.1 × 27.6 in each; 4 to 5 garments on 5 hanger rings
- Holds
- 10 lb per bag, per the listing's product table
- Works with a vacuum nozzle 3 to 5 cm across, or by pressing; not with robot vacuums
- Double zipper with a slider
Six long bags for coats and dresses. Check your vacuum's nozzle against the listing before you order.
See it on Amazon: VELMADE Hanging Vacuum Storage Bags, 6 LongDUORAN Hanging Vacuum Storage Bags with Electric Pump
3 long and 3 short hanging bags and a cordless pump
- Fits
- Up to 5 garments per bag; the listing gives 57 × 28 in without saying which bag
- Holds
- Up to 15 lb per bag
- Cordless pump, up to 40 uses a charge
- Zipper that changes color when it's sealed
The only hanging set here with its own pump, and two lengths for jackets and long coats.
See it on Amazon: DUORAN Hanging Vacuum Storage Bags with Electric Pump
Compare them side by side
Every size and rating is the maker's own. Swipe sideways on a phone to see every column.
| Product | Kind | Fits | Holds | Deposit Risk | Permission | Take it with you |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cozy Essential Vacuum Storage Bags, 20 Combo | Flat vacuum bags | 4 each: 39.35 × 27.5 in, 33.5 × 21.65 in, 27.5 × 19.5 in and 23.5 × 15.7 in, plus 4 roll-up bags at 23.5 × 15.7 in | Not listed as a weight; for clothes, blankets, pillows and bedding | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| SpaceAid Jumbo Vacuum Storage Bags, X-Large 3 Pack | Flat vacuum bags | 27.5 × 39.5 in each; one full, twin or queen bedding set and 4 standard pillows per bag | 10 lb per bag, per the listing's product table | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| GONGSHI Vacuum Storage Bags, 12-Pack Jumbo | Flat vacuum bags | 40 × 30 in each | 10 lb per bag, per the listing's product table | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| Hefty Shrink-Pak, 4 Large Bags | Flat vacuum bags | About 10 sweaters or one decorative pillow per bag; bag size not on the listing | Not listed | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| TAILI Jumbo Cube Vacuum Storage Bags, 4 Pack | Cube vacuum bags | 31 × 40 × 15 in; 3 to 5 quilts, blankets or comforters per bag | 50 lb per bag, per the listing's product table | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| Vacbird Vacuum Storage Bags with Rechargeable Pump, 15 Pack | Cube vacuum bags | 18.5 × 25.2, 21.2 × 29.1 and 33 × 24 in, each 4.7 in deep; the listing doesn't say how many of each | Not listed; for coats, quilts and bedding | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| VELMADE Hanging Vacuum Storage Bags, 6 Long | Hanging vacuum bags | 53.1 × 27.6 in each; 4 to 5 garments on 5 hanger rings | 10 lb per bag, per the listing's product table | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
| DUORAN Hanging Vacuum Storage Bags with Electric Pump | Hanging vacuum bags | Up to 5 garments per bag; the listing gives 57 × 28 in without saying which bag | Up to 15 lb per bag | Low | Not usually needed | Yes |
Before you buy
Sort what you’ll store. Folded clothes and sheets go in flat bags, bulky comforters in cube bags, and coats that should stay on hangers in hanging bags. A mixed pack of sizes lets you match the bag to the load instead of overfilling one.
Check how the air comes out. Some sets include a hand pump or a rechargeable one. Others need your vacuum’s hose, and some only fit a nozzle of a certain size. Without a vacuum, look for a pump in the box or bags you press or roll.
Measure the space. Measure the shelf, the space under the bed or the length of the closet rod, and compare it with the bag sizes in the listing. A packed bag gets thinner, but it keeps most of its width and length.
Know what not to compress. Makers say to keep out leather, fur, food and anything sharp, and to go easy on down. Store clean, dry things only.
At move-out
Packed bags travel well: put them inside boxes so nothing in the truck tears them, and keep the hanging bags flat on top. In the new place, open the valve or the zipper and let the air back in, then fluff and air out the bedding before you use it.
The move-out checklist lists what to pack and clean room by room, and the move-in checklist covers the first walk-through in the new place.
Need somewhere to put the blankets you use every day? A storage ottoman hides them and adds a seat, and an over-the-door organizer uses the back of the closet door. If the closet is full of hanging clothes, a freestanding clothing rack adds a rod without touching the walls.
How we chose the examples
- A zipper seal and a one-way valve, with bag sizes and capacities published by the maker.
- A clear way to get the air out: your vacuum's hose, a hand pump in the box or a rechargeable pump.
- A mix of shapes: flat bags for shelves and under the bed, cube bags for bulky bedding and hanging bags for coats.
- Reusable, and easy to pack into a box when you move.
Each kind shows three badges: Deposit Risk, whether you'll usually need Landlord Permission, and whether you can Take It With You. They're general guidance, and leases differ, so check yours. We describe products from the makers' own specs and instructions. Unless this page says otherwise, we haven't tested them ourselves.
The links to Amazon are plain links: we earn nothing when you buy, and no brand pays to be here.
Frequently asked questions
What shouldn't you put in vacuum storage bags?
Makers say not to store leather, fur or food in them, or anything sharp. Down-filled things need care: Ziploc says to compress them only about halfway, and both Ziploc and Vacwel suggest taking filled items out to fluff them every six months.
How long can clothes stay in vacuum storage bags?
Makers set no hard limit, but a bag can slowly let some air back in, especially with big changes in temperature. Check the bags now and then, draw the air out again if they've puffed up, and fluff filled items every six months.
Do you need a vacuum cleaner for vacuum storage bags?
Not always. Some sets come with a hand pump or a rechargeable pump, and some bags let you press or roll the air out. Others need a vacuum hose, and a few only fit nozzles of a certain size, so check the listing against your vacuum.
Can you reuse vacuum storage bags?
Most are made to be used season after season, as long as the zipper and the valve still seal. Keep sharp edges, like zippers and buttons on the clothes, from pressing into the bag.
Where should you keep packed vacuum bags?
Somewhere cool and dry, out of direct sun and away from rough or sharp edges, such as a closet shelf, a bin under the bed or the top of a wardrobe.
Are vacuum storage bags good for moving?
They shrink soft things like bedding and coats so they take fewer boxes. Pack the bags inside boxes rather than loose, so nothing in the truck tears them.
Next step
Move-Out Checklist for TenantsPick your rooms to get a move-out checklist with the paperwork, cleaning and photos that help protect your deposit. Check off tasks as you go, then print it or download the PDF.
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