Gift Wrapping Ideas That Are Easy

Gift wrapping can be a challenge but it doesn't have to be. There are lots of easy and inexpensive ways to wrap a gift while making it look beautiful.

You want your gifts to look original, fun, pretty and a little different from everyone else. Don't you? I do. Here are a few easy ways to make your gift the first one opened. The one that gets the "oohs and aahs".

Now, one of the first things you need to do is to keep your eyes open when out shopping. So many things can be used for the wrapping and many more things can be used for the bows. Go to the fabric stores and look in their sale bins for ribbons and yarns. At the dollar stores look for attractive and eyecatching boxes, of all shapes and sizes. While at your local Wal-mart or Meijer store check the sale aisles for flower bouquets and discounted jewelry. Another words, you need a "stash" of items.

If you like to garage sale you can sometimes find lots of the above mentioned items. You must learn to train your eye for these types of things.

Keep all of these items in one place so they are easy to find when needed. That way you will always be prepared to wrap your gift.

Be creative, there is no wrong or right.

Balloons and color

Do you know of a child that doesn't love a balloon? Here is an easy gift wrapping idea using balloons instead of a bow.

You can buy the helium balloons that are plain or with words on them like Happy Birthday. You can even buy helium balloons in different shapes. But the idea is to use them instead of the bow or ribbon. Most of the time a child will run off with the balloon and forget about the gift.

You can use multiple colors or stay with a one color scheme. For your older relatives or friends, you know, the ones that are turning 40 or 50 or even 60 the color could be black!

The balloons do not need to be filled. Blow up different sizes or all one size and attach them at the package. Too cute!

Make a statement with your balloons and fill the room with smiles.

Always fun to let the children make their own wrapping paper.

It is always nice to have all your gift wrap needs in one spot. I just love this organizer! It will hang on the back of any door making it convenient but out of sight. Having all your needs in one spot and you will always know when you are running out of something. It is so frustrating when you go to wrap a gift and oops no ribbon or oops no tape. Just make sure that when one of the kids "borrows" something they remember to put it back :)

Part of the gift

You can get very creative with your gift wrapping when it is a baby shower gift.

I've always loved using a stuffed animal in place of the bow or even added to the bow. Something soft and cuddly. Something adorable and sweet. So many to choose from in so many different stores. When you see them on sale add them to your "stash". These are also good for children under the age of 5. Children love their stuffed animals.

You can also use rattles and chew toys. Why not buy some bibs and roll them up and attach them to the ribbon. You can use a receiving blanket as your wrapping paper.

Tuck baby bottles, baby foods, bottle brushes or baby lotions and baby powders under the ribbon. Your new mommy will love it.

Many colors styles and sizes

I love boxes. I buy them whenever or wherever I find them. They are the perfect thing for gifting. Especially for those gifts that are odd shapes or you don't have a square box to wrap.

I buy all sizes and shapes. Round, square, oblong and heart shaped. I buy tiny little crystal boxes to big, colorful cardboard boxes. One year I bought a rather large, heavy cardboard box with little elephants dancing all over it and the elephants were wearing little pink tutu's. I filled this pretty box with art supplies for my 6 year old granddaughter. Every time I went to the store I bought more items until that big box was full. You should have seen that child as she went through every item. Crayons, paper, scissors, glue and, well you get the idea.

I still have the crystal boxes and will save those for a jewelry gift. I bought those at T.J. Maxx in the clearance section for $1 a piece. So, the lesson here is to keep yourself in tune to how you can use these things for gifting. Some of these things can be purchased on sale for less than it would cost you for the paper and ribbon.

Trinkets

I love Christmas and I love wrapping the Christmas gifts. Every year I try to come up with something a little different.

This year it will be Christmas ornaments on the packages. Not only will the packages look great under the tree with the lights shining off the ornaments but the recipiant will have an ornament to use for years to come.

If you have small ornaments use several on the package and if you have large ornaments you might want to use only one.

There are so many colors to choose from now, not just the red, green, silver and gold of past years. Now there are all the colors not to mention the glitz and sparkle that is added. You also have the choice of the other tree ornaments such as angels, animals and Christmas flowers.

There is no limit on what you can add to your Christmas gift package. Try a little angel hair to rest your ornament in.

Economical wrapping paper

Brown paper bag it! It's easy, it's simple and it's cheap. When asked at the store "plastic or paper?" You say "paper please."

The trick to using brown paper bags (or any other color of paper bag) is to iron it. After you have carefully taken apart your paper bag use your iron on low heat to get out the creases. If you leave the creases in, the paper won't bend as easily for you. Ironing helps avoid the struggle of folding it where you want it folded not where it has been folded for who know how long. Tip: If there is writing on the bag make sure that goes on the inside not the outside.

However, I have seen bags that are white and the store name is written all over it in black letters....that might be great looking with black or red ribbon and you would want to leave the writing on the outside.

You can use any ribbon you have available and use any type of bow because you have a blank canvas, a brown paper bag!

Another idea is newspaper. It looks great on square type boxes with bright colored ribbon, my favorite is red. However, there is a down side, while wrapping you will get ink all over your hands.

Please share your tips for gift wrapping.

If I were to give 1 tip it would be: Don't wait until the last minute to wrap your gifts. Give yourself time, don't be rushed because rushing causes mistakes.