Who wants to spend more on gift-wrap than they did on the gift itself? On the other hand, there is no denying that an attractively wrapped gift is extra appealing and makes special occasions even more memorable. Here are a few inexpensive, creative gift-wrap ideas that can make your gifts really stand out.
1. Try using plain craft paper or butcher’s paper as a base. A giant roll does cost quite a bit more upfront than dollar store wrapping paper however you’ll be able to use it to wrap gifts suitable for all occasions for years. The relatively thick paper allows for crisp corner and can look quite posh and luxurious if you use care in cutting and folding the paper.
The possibilities are almost endless. You can leave the paper plain and use beautiful ribbons, bows or accoutrements made of natural materials to make the gift stand out. Stamps and stencils can be used either before or after the gift is wrapped to customize the paper for the occasion or recipient. If you have children, do allow them to make their own wrapping paper with paints, crayons or markers to use on presents for family and friends.
2. Save recycled and up-cycled materials to use for wrapping, tags and cards. If you don’t have one already, find a box or bin to designated as a catch-all for those bits and pieces that are suitable for crafts. Most people already save gift bags for re-use, but you can also save greeting cards, wrapping paper, ribbons and other gift-wrapping accessories for re-use. Little charms and gee-gaws that come with packaged goods or gift baskets can also be re-used.
Your local library will have copies of books and magazines such as Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes and Gardens and Family Fun that can provide you with tons of inspiration. Grab a handful to bring home and flip through to help you decide how to best re-use your treasures.
3. Pieces of cloth, scarves, napkins and tea-towels can all be used as gift wrap. Bojagi is the Korean art of using cloth as an environmentally friendly way to wrap gifts. There are many videos on YouTube that can teach you the basic techniques. The best part about wrapping with cloth is that the wrapping becomes part of the gift. You can get creative with themes, for example using a tea-towel to wrap up a cooking-related gift or a vintage scarf to wrap up a matching brooch.
While you can buy special cloths made for the purpose, a more frugal idea is to look for suitable clothes at thrift stores, dollar stores, clearance racks and your own attic.
4. Similar to using cloth to wrap, you can also sew your own gift bags or sacks out of fabric. This can be a great solution to wrapping those awkwardly shaped gift. Again, using re-purposed or re-cycled fabric can make this a very frugal solution. As a bonus, the recipient can re-use the gift bag next year for wrapping their gifts! Larger bags can be used as laundry bags or for storage. A simple websearch can help you find a pattern suitable for the size and shape of gift that you are trying to wrap.
5. Visit a restaurant supply store for inexpensive cardboard boxes, disposable loaf pans, Chinese food cartons and other containers that can be used to wrap gifts. While these are ideal for wrapping up homemade goodies, they can be used for wrapping anything. They can also be a great place to find unique containers to use as goody bags or favors for parties.
Don’t forget to keep all of your gift wrapping supplies and tools well-organized so that you’ll be able to find everything when you need it. You’ll save a lot of time and money if you keep your supplies in a designated place and keep them safe from moisture, pets, children and water damage.
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