It's the thought that counts when it comes to gift giving, but that doesn't keep you from wanting your present to look presentable. But a beautifully wrapped present isn’t as easy as it looks. According to Pam Beesly of The Office, if you're using more than three pieces of tape to wrap a present, you're doing it wrong, but we disagree.
Any way you package it, the recipient will love it, but if you’re looking to uplevel your wrapping skills (and make your gifting a little more eco-friendly) read on. We tapped the experts and came up with 8 tips to help you perfect present wrapping.
How do you become a pro at gift wrapping?
It all comes down to practice, Sandy Sandler, DIY craft expert and creator of Bowdabra, says. Embellishing your gift with ribbons, bows or other gift tags will add some extra pizazz.
Not good at making bows? "Use a bow making tool, such as the Bowdabra, to make beautiful, easy and affordable bows out of ribbon scraps to create a unique bow," Sandler tells Lively.
Top Gift Wrapping Tips
Head To YouTube
There are tons of tutorials for gift wrapping out there. Following along with a YouTube video is a great place to get started if you're hopeless at wrapping a gift evenly or without one side having way too much paper that gets crumpled up or your wrapped presents look plain messy (guilty).
Once you've mastered the basics, you’ll find tips on wrapping a gift with no tape to getting creative with brown paper bags, ribbons or florals. You’ll become a pro in no time.
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Get Creative & Wrap Sustainably
While fancy wrapping paper is pretty to look at, it comes with a cost. Most wrapping paper is not recyclable and goes straight to the landfill. For a more eco-friendly option, head to a thrift store Sandler tells Lively. Hats, socks and pillow cases can be great for wrapping with, as can brown paper bags, empty collagen canisters or cereal boxes.
"Gift wrapping does not have to be an expensive tedious process. It just takes a little money and a lot of imagination and love," Sandler says.
Sarah Smith, founder of Wrappily, suggests making sure your wrapping is eco-friendly.
"Most wrapping paper cannot be recycled because it's dyed, laminated, or contains non-paper additives," Smith says. "Renewable newsprint, which is what we use at Wrappily, is an answer to the tons of trash generated by wrapping paper every year."
Sandler's Sustainable Tips
- Create your own gift tags from last year's holiday cards. Embellish the gift tags with buttons, candy, scraps of ribbon, or glitter.
- Use an apron as a unique way to wrap a hostess gift. This idea is especially creative when giving cookware or food items.
- Wrap presents in children's artwork. This is a great gift-wrapping option for children and young adults and is a gift in itself for those receiving the presents. Plus, your children will be extremely proud you are using their artwork as gift wrap.
- Create art from scraps. Don't have enough of one wrapping paper to wrap an entire present? Make a mosaic of wrapping paper. Embellish the seams of the wrapping paper with ribbon, beads or colored duct tape.