How to Place Tissue Paper in a Gift Bag and Make It Look Good

Many people are choosing gift bags over the traditional and more time consuming wrapping paper alternative. These days we are all in such a hurry the gift bag is a quick and easy method for "wrapping" your gift. However, many are at a loss at what exactly to do with the tissue paper. Everyone knows it goes in the bag, but just how do those boutiques and fancy department stores make their gift bags look so picture perfect?

This article will illustrate how to use two methods for achieving a professional look when preparing your gift bag. Covered, are what this author terms the Fan method and the Wrist Flick method. Both are beautiful. The fan method takes slightly longer, but each method only takes a minute or two once you practice it a few times.

1. Lay a piece of tissue paper on a flat surface. Ideally choose a colored piece that matches a color in the gift bag. You can even choose two or three colors that all complement the gift bag's color and design.
2. Grasp the tissue paper on the sides and bring them toward one another. You may either grasp horizontally or vertically depending on the size of the gift bag and how long you want the tissue paper to stick out of your gift bag. In this example, a large gift bag is being used; therefore the long sides are grasped.
3. Gather the paper together in the middle so that you are able to hold it in your non-dominant hand.
4. Hold the gathered paper in one hand while using your other hand to tug lightly on the edges of the paper. Doing so will begin to make nice little creases in your tissue paper. The more expensive the tissue paper, the easier it is the make the creases. Hint: If you have less expensive tissue paper, you may wish to help form the creases using your fingers as shown in the image containing yellow paper here.
5. After you've worked your creases you should still be holding the tissue paper and it will look like a fan on both sides.
6. Now fold the sides together so that they meet to form a larger fan. Alternatively, you can fold them so that one fan is in front of the other and a tad lower.
7. Repeat the above steps with several more pieces of paper. The more the better. Three to five sheets often suffice. As you create a sheet tuck it into the gift bag. Tada, you have a beautiful finished product.

1. Grasp a piece of tissue paper in the middle.
2. Make a flicking motion with your wrist and arm. The paper in this image is wee bit old, the newer the paper the better it will "poof up" when flicked. However, this older saved tissue paper will still make a beautiful gift bag, as you shall soon see.
3. Smooth the whipped piece of paper in a downward motion with your other hand.
4. Turn it upward and it should be ready to place in the gift bag. If you feel it necessary, you can tug lightly on the edges a bit to get the paper to look as you wish; however don't do too much tweaking or the paper will begin to look used and unfresh.
5. Repeat the steps above with four or five pieces of color coordinated paper. Place them all in the bag. Wala! You have a beautiful finished product that only took seconds to create.