New ways to gift-wrap

photo by May in Rain City on Flickr.

The holiday season is soon approaching and we will no doubt have trashcans overflowing with gift-wrap.  The gift-wrap industry accounts for $2.9 billion in retail sales.  There are many fun and creative ways to gift-wrap, with materials you have right in your home, as well as ease your portion going into the landfill.  Another great fact is all these ideas are tape free.

Reuse gift bags– save the gift bags you receive and put them to good use

Paper grocery bags-decorate the bags with your own personalized touch using stickers, stamps, decoupage, crayons, paints, and markers  fold over or bunch the top with a reusable ribbon

Reusable cloth bags– generally some already has ribbons attached or you can make your own by sewing fabric scraps together or buy from Luckycrow, Wrapsacks

Old fabric scraps and scarf’s– and learn how to wrap the Furoshiki way

Boxes-boxes are classic and easily reusable and often times already decorated, just fill with shredded newspaper

Old socks-put the gift in the center and tie each end and cut the ends for a ruffled effect

Newspaper, comics {funny pages}, magazine pages, crossword or sudoku puzzles, old calendars– a great source of large sheets of paper and once read have virtually no use to you now, but a great way to wrap a gift with a colorful bow

Wallpaper samples- a perfect square and ready to go

Old Maps- especially if you know the recipient has traveled there a fun reminder

Jars and cans-remove the labels and a great way to display baking ingredients {i.e. Santa’s pancakes, or all the ingredients to make cookies}

 Appliances boxes, mail tubes– especially large toys which require lots of wrapping paper, just pop the gift in and put a creative label with a marker

Decorative details

Ribbon is one thing I will always buy and have on hand and to me it is the finishing touch to the package.  But go beyond just the bow and add things from around your home to personalize the gift {pine cones, pine boughs, cinnamon sticks old cars or small toys}.  I have a tendency to stock up on colorful 5” tulle it stretches and ease to use.

Start saving now and you will be all set for the holidays!