Perhaps you want to save some trees and are looking for a more sustainable option, or maybe youre simply tired of the same ol-same ol and want to spice things up a bit this year. Its bound to melt anyones heart. A little creative writing of the recipients name in a colorful marker, maybe a recycled bow (can even be inexpensive raffia tied in a bow and taped on the package) and youve got yourself tailor made gift wrap. The cutest reusable bags Ive seen are actually at Toys R Us. Chalkboard Paper Gift Wrapfrom Lia Griffith. Never would have thought of using a shopping bag though; thats very innovative. Use the coloured clear plastic newspaper bags. Small white garbage bags make excellent overwrap for baskets and small gifts. In many shops there, they will ask if your purchase is a gift and then do the wrapping on the spotand make it look classy too. I loved your About Me section. Love your list! You have a very cool blog here! Heres How It Can Help Your Skin, How to Do a Full-Body Workout Using Only Water Bottles, Heres What You Need for An Emergency Storm Kit, Taylor Jenkins Reids Latest, Plus 22 More Books to Beat the Heat This August, 10 Book Series Like Virgin River For Those Cozy Romance Vibes. Place gifts inside a DIY purse or tote bag. I take white hobby paint and a stippling brush, and stipple all over the package, as if it were snow. Whats a LISS Workout, and How Is It Different Than HIIT? You can use reusable bags to store almost anything around the house, including more reusable shopping bags! As kids, my mom would give me and my brother the black and white comics from the newspaper and we would color them in and use them as wrapping paper. DIY fabric gift bags are a great option for when you want to wrap a big gift without wrapping paper. Like everybody else pointed out, you forgot the best way of them all FUROSHIKI!!!! Sew Yourself a Merry Little Christmas With These Free Sewing Projects, Download These Free Valentine's Day Printables, 15 Gift Tag Ideas for Making Your Presents Pop, 8 Sets of Free Printable Gift Tags in Different Styles, Get Ready for Summer With These 29 Pineapple DIYs, Discover 6 Ways to Make Your Own Unique Wrapping Paper, Try These 9 Fun and Easy Duct Tape Crafts, 17 Magical Paper Snowflake Craft Projects, Hundreds of Free Christmas Printables for the Holiday Seaon, Make Some Crafty Back-to-School Teacher Gifts With Your Children, The Ultimate DIY Christmas Wreath Roundup. The return label being who the package is FROM:, and the words Deliver to: with the recipients name. Usually they are 10-25 cents, and can be used for years. Get the whole family involved and draw a masterpiece together. Theholidaysare officially here. Love your newsletters, too. I also used a bunch of boxes I have been saving from cereal boxes etc, cut them up smallish and put one potato stamp on each one (actually my 6yo did this) then hole punch then a bit of twine. Great ideas. Some people search out alternative gift wrapping methods because theyre concerned about the environment, wanting a more sustainable option than single-use, disposable wrapping paper. Its pretty rough and scratchy, so it isnt ideal for clothing, but its great for a wide variety of crafts. Who doesnt have a few cookie tins laying around the house? Or assign a few Christmas paintings for your children to do, adding in foam stickers and other fun embellishments. And then there are those who left gift wrapping to the last minute, with no time to rush to the store to grab regular wrapping paper. So I bought several and used them to wrap some of my gifts. Not to mention the manufacture, shipping, packaging, and wrapping of something that is essentially a just digital code. Its a great way to reuse that newspaper and allow the kiddos to make something one-of-a-kind. I use http://www.giftzip.com to give gift cards electronically or print them on recycled paper. Sometimes, the simplest touches are the most effective. Top with pine cones or twigs from the yard. I didnt come up with this myself, and wish I could give credit to the website I found it on You can either keep it simple and leave it plain with no decorations or add your own embellishments. Im not a fan of wrapping paper because it always ends up in the recycling at the end of the day anyway (if it IS recyclable). And unless your recipient tears them when they open their gift, they can reuse the maps a second time to wrap presents next year. As mentioned in with other comments, I used tea towels alot and hand towels to wrap gifts. Gift wrapping doesnt have to be about Santas and snowmen. My mom has this kids arts and crafts books that shows you how to make little boxes and gift bags from paper. This section tackles changing shopping behavior, dealing with the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), and deciding if buying that thing is really Worth IT! Old calendars make great gift wrapping paper, if you use the pictures. Even cinnamon sticks add a nice touch! This 6-pack of bags folds up small, making it easy to stash for later use. Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, articles, and more. Usually I save that clean butcher paper to reuse again, and it works well for wrapping. There are many colorful reusable bags to choose from nowadays. Jill A. Chafin is a freelance writer, aerialist, dancer, food enthusiast, outdoor adventurer, and mama, based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Remember, its what inside that matters most. We save wrapping paper each year. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. However, there are still a lot of old maps lying around (or you can snag a few at the thrift store). Giving a warm winter hat with a pair of gloves? Wrapping paper is big business. Use leftover sewing notions to drape gifts in fabric. Seems the Christmas bags are a big hit also. I love the idea of wrapping things in reusable shopping bags. I love using gift tins because they can be reused in so many ways. Going out and buying a wine bag just seems so wasteful. [] are lots of ways to save on wrapping. I am trying to think of a creative way to present the itmes to them without wrapping them in gift wrap paper. They are usually pink or blue which is fun. Along the lines of your parcel paper you can do the same thing with paper grocery bags as well. If I get gifts in wrapped in gift wrap, I put the used paper through my shredder. Instead of throwing it out or leaving it to collect dust, make it into cute gift wrap with a few of your favorite festive stamps. ), but theyre also extremely versatile. When I cut and wrap meat, its in saran wrap, and then butcher paper. But what other things can you pull out from the trash or recycling bin? Unsub in a click. Thanks for getting the word out about all the cool ways you can wrap sans traditional wrapping paper. Maps are becoming a bit obsolete, what with smartphones and built-in navigational systems in cars. Great article resources such as this will prevent people from spending big bucks on wrapping paper . Not only will this help you save money on wrapping paper, but it will also give you a reason to clean out your attic and downsize a bit. Wonderful IdeasI have used many over the years.I like to make theme baskets, and cover them with cellophane any color. Another more ambitious way is to make your own paper. I reused brown craft paper and brown shipping boxes. Check out this tutorial for more inspiration. You dont need a special cloth to use this method, as any cloth will do too. One year I saved cereal boxes, painted them with acrylic paint and made different designs using sponges,scrunched paper and different colors of paint to decorate the boxes. The kids always loved these loot bags because they were different and free for me.always a bonus! Great ideas! Using cloth to wrap your gifts is one of the most eco-friendly options out there. . This year I packaged all my presents to look like USPS packages. All you need is a big pink eraser to carve into the holiday symbol of your choice. For a lot of us, this means plans are being made, preparations are underway, and holidaydecorationsare infusing homes with all kinds of festive flair. Go ahead and save it all year long, pulling out the box during the holidays. Place your gift in a glass jar (with the lid included) and decorate it with ribbons, gift tags, and more to personalize it. You might be able to put the gloves inside the hat (hat open side upward) and use some ribbon to make a hanger and hand the filled hat like a stocking? I sewed drawstring bags for the grandkids gifts. Put them to use for an educational spin on your gifts. I think that whole business is a crock. [] nice wrappings for the holiday and I found this great website that presents many options. Use kraft paper or regular brown paper bags as your base for this easy, customizable DIY. I love these ideas! I also have some homemade star stencils use an exacto knife and make star stencils out of paper plates. If you keep your eyes and mind open, there are many good ways to reuse, recycle and re-gift! I find mine at garage sales, and especially like finding the large ones that popcorn or something similar has come in. Great ideas for birthdays, etc. Still, you can often find newspapers at your local grocery store, or collect them from neighbors and friends. Wrap gifts in an old (clean) handkerchief. If you want to decorate it yourself, you can go to town with a Sharpiemaking shapes, patterns, writing inspiring words, or even taping on a few pictures. So go ahead and get creative! Great ideas! I like the baby gift in swaddling clothes and the wrappings made of cloth. It can be anythinga pretty landscape, a portrait of Santa Claus, or something more abstract. If you dont get any newspapers, you still get those direct mail pieces. Smaller things can be worked in as you wrap. If I am buying a gift in a store that has its own nice bags, I make sure I get one and then place the gift in that bag, add a ribbon or a bow and voil. Once you have your supplies, which you can find at any craft store, its time to get creative. I used some of it this year in the packages I sent in the mail. I feel incredibly frugal when I do this! DIY Duct Tape Ribbons& Bows fromLines Across. DIY Vintage Map Christmas Gift Wrap and Gift Bags from DIY Mommy. If youre into perfection, heres how to paint perfect stripes. I use towels, as they can purchased cheaply at the dollar stores and who doesnt like getting new towels? This year I bought paper but next year I am planning on using old magazine paper to wrap my gifts. Dig out your old road maps and atlases and put them to good use by wrapping gifts in them. This cute idea is perfect for those you want to send a special message to. A pair of socks with a Christmas theme makes a great wrap for a bottle of wine. The upcycling right might not be for everyone, but its tough to beat how it enables you to really tap into the reuse part of the ol reduce/recycle/reuse mantra. A few more to add: Not to worry, though, because burlap is decorative enough on its own. Thats what Im using this year. You can always dress them up a bit by painting them or stamping them. They had some of those little foldable shopping bags made of recycled plastic. I tried something new this year. These drawstring reusable bags are festive and funbound to last for years to come! Found some old kite string in the garage and tied that around. Attached the labels with a glue stick. Your alternatives to the wrapping paper certainly look very yummy themselves!! Apparently plastic cards put 75 million pounds of toxic, carcinogenic polyvinyl chlorine into the waste stream. The readers are smart. In the old days I used to use the funny pages out of the Sunday paper. I wrapped the trinkets in the yarn by rolling it into a yarn ball around the little stuff. I enjoy the other ideas Ive seen listed. Backpacks, totes, cloth advertising bags all found at garage sales a lot of times free! Give a gift and give it in a reusable bag. Get some crinkled gift paper and wrinkle it some more. Use any fabric available to you. Fortunately for us all, the design folks atSisters Whatwere well aware of the magic that can be made with this idea and are sharing it with the world. This also works for Birthdays for grandkids. How to Wrap A Gift In A Reusable Bag from neatntiny. Best of all, if youre a AAA member, maps are free at local offices. The extra folds and wrinkles give it an intentionally disheveled feel. I gave a kitchen basket and used the tea towels as wrapping. These are all great ideas. If the gift will fit in a bag, thats what I use as I have quite a collection. 1. Who knew that melted crayons could make such stunning gift wrap? Last year I didnt buy any gift wrap and just used things I already had. A paper bag, a few crayons in your favorite colors, and a free afternoon will leave you with the most creative presents out there. If youre wanting to get a bit creative with your gift wrapping this year, weve got some great ideas. Its like two gifts in one! I have a large package that needs to be wrapped and I searched for ways to do it without wrapping paper. Put the bottle in one and tie the other around the neck of the bottle like a scarf. This goes over big with the grandparents! It looks like a mini treasure chest! I have used it to wrap gifts and also for several origami projects. We have a large roll of plain white paper that we use for art projects with our daughters, and I like to let the girls color, paint, or stamp whatever they want on the paper before I wrap a gift. I havent bought wrapping paper for years and have used most of the above mentioned ideas. Ill share the proven ways to cut costs on everything from food to gadgets all without hating your life. We went on a 3 mth trip across USA (to celebrate our early retirement) We learned on that trip, there is no place like home! I also had a drawer full of old paper maps that needed cleaning out when we got home not wanting to just throw the lovely maps into the recycle bin For Xmas the year after our trip, I themed Our Xmas, No-Place-Like-Home. While its excellent for decorating dioramas and making paper snowflakes, butcher paper has a wide variety of purposes. I had a end of roll of butchers paper, got some potatoes and made x-mas tree, bell, star and santa hat shapes and used a tiny amount of acrylic paint i had laying around (red and green) and stamped it nearly to oblivion. We all seem to appreciate them and re-cycle them. Let this simple tutorial guide your way. I put my handmade cards in a clear envelope along with a white envelope and adhere the card to the outside of the plain gift bag so it dresses it up quite nicely! in the UK you can get free wall paper samples from many diy stores.I havent bought wrapping paper in years! So pretty. No matter who youre gifting to this year, theres no doubt that they will appreciate a reusable shopping bag. Once I got a box of about 20 rolls, assorted new and used, all for $1 . For stripes, I often paint random and uneven lines to give it the homemade look. This step-by-step tutorial will show you exactly how to make gorgeous, professional-looking fabric bags in a cinchno needles required. LifeSavvy is focused on a single goal: helping you make the most informed purchases possible. Reusable shopping []. *Newspaper or for smaller presents, colorful magazine pages Ugh. Pick out some bright and colorful pieces, taping them together to make unique wrapping paper. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. Anyprettypaper, after years of spending big bucks on wrapping presents, Ive decided to put a wrap on this needless expense. Enjoyed reading all the neat ideas for wrapping gifts. If you have a stash of saved up paper bags from shopping trips, nows the time to put them to use! We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. One year my friend asked that we consider giving her children clothes for presents as they needed them far mora than new toys. If you have an expense, this section can save you money. How to Save Money I wrote the book on saving money (Its called 397 Ways to Save Money for real). Whether youre pressed for time or youre simply as in love with this idea as we are, using yarn scraps as gift decor is an easy, colorful way to present striking gifts. Whatever the reason, its okay to break out of the box and do something different. Im always amused at the cost of gift wrap after the holidays, its 50 percent off. Gift wrapping doesnt have to be fancy. Make a bunch and wrap your gifts with them. However, its getting harder and harder to get your hands on traditional newspapers, unless you have them delivered to your house. Im pretty excited about making her unroll the ball and have all the fun stuff fall out! Re-gift those gift bags and see if you get yours back next year. We select and review products independently. Weve already talked about newspapers and paper bags. How to Wrap a Gift Easily and Beautifully from Maison de Pax. Go postal with some simple brown postage paper and add some painted stripes. Economical and earth/environmetal friendly too. Reusable shopping bags reduce the number of plastic bags released into our environment and provide an awesome alternative to gift wrap. Obviously you could use any sort of paper for this. Just wanted to share a couple of mine. Also, as mentioned, about shopping at yard sales, I look for table clothes to use or blankets in good shape, throws, etcMy sister even uses clothes, such as sweaters to wrap in (2 gifts for the price of one!) If youre in the mood to get creativeandcustomized with your gift wrapping this season, then check out this printable chalkboard paper from Lia Griffith. Everyone seems to really enjoy their special gift wrap, and inside are just little homemade items like jams & baked goods, etc. I just have my kids save the bags and return to me for gift giving the next year. I am giving the children at Children Church hats & gloves for Christmas. By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Just tie at the top with a ribbon and attach a name tag to ribbon. Lauren Murphy is a crafting expert and writer with experience creating unusual but highly useful DIY projects. Its actually a lot of fun to do! Because of its rough surface, burlap is not the easiest surface to draw or paint on. VOILA. I found this site off a green blog and have been using it for the last week or so. Thanks! Very quick and simple and no mess of wrapping paper to dispose of and the grandchildren loved being able to carry their own sack of goodies home themselves. Glass jars are versatile and reusable, making them gifts in and of themselves. You can embellish the plain white bage however you like. Nice. Make your own gift boxes with paper towel rolls. Use that to stamp a pattern onto your paper and you've got extra-special gifts to place under the tree this year! They have many of the previous things mentioned, like maps and parcel paper, but also things like blueprints (from an architect or building site), and movie posters. The folds and wrinkles can be ironed outit looks good as new. Heres a frugal Reusable Grocery Tote Bag 6 Combo Pack ($9.95 Amazon) in multiple colors. Something about butcher paper is so reminiscent of elementary school. Ive got one to add. Every year, my neighborhood has a green wrapping party. 7 Ways to Stow Your Stuff on a Limited Space. Shes had them for 7 years and they look as good as new. Take all those advertising flyers, old newspapers, and mail you want to shred, and put it through your cross shredder. For more wrapping ideas visit Squakfox. Thanks for the inspiration to actually do so! Try to cut out sections that seem interesting, like the cartoons or even an intriguing news story. The kids loved opening their presents, Mom appreciated the clothes, and the kids and I enjoyed the new toys! You can cut them open, turn them inside out (so the store logo is hidden), and wrap up any sized gift. Traditionally, furoshiki involves square-shaped cloths to wrap items for transport. Theres yet another way, and its called furoshiki. People are more excited about whats inside, so whatever wrapping you choose is just the icing on the top. These days, it comes in an endless variety of colors and patterns that can instantly transform a bland wrapping job into an awesome one. Now you have the beginnings of pulp. I stencil stars over the snow (using a metallic blue hobby paint over white snow paint is really gorgeous). Made fake shipping labels, printed them from my own printer on plain white paper and cut them out with fisker sissors that made the edges look like stamps. The bonus is you use the bag to clean up after the party! DIY Melted Crayon Wrapping PaperfromSisters What. Tie it in a scarf to complete the set! In the end, a gift is a gift. And Squawkfox is too- thank you for your fantastic ideas of how to wrap gifts! Duct tape has come a long way from being all-silver, all-the-time. Dont feel limited if you dont have a nice, square cloth, though. You can also add cute chalkboard gift tags like the ones in this tutorial. You make the gift recipient happy with a small effort (from a big heart!). DIY Word SearchbyGrasping for Objectivity. Also looked RAD. Wrapping the entire gift with photo paper may damage the photo, so make a small DIY photo tag for your gifts instead of going that route. This year Im getting creative, green, and frugal when wrapping presents for loved ones. This time of year stores tout it in their displays, tempting us to wrap our gifts in shiny, colorful, and expensive papers. The Budget Diet LLCMade with in Seattle, 16 Ideas for Wrapping Presents Without Wrapping Paper. My biggest pet peeve has always been the brand names covering the reusable bags, but these only have the brand on the side in smaller print. Don't let the idea of making your own fabric gift bag intimidate you! Vintage cookie tins make especially nifty gifties. This idea is for childrens birthday party loot bags. DIY GIFTS | Make Your Own Wrapping Paper from Threadbare Cloak. Investing Basics Youve gotta start somewhere and Ill get you there. Copyright 2008-2022 Kerry K. Taylor All rights reserved. I use the pretty pink Red Rosin paper left over from our hardwood floor installations. 5. And a 2nd on the cookie tins. The kids can see through them, so they dont feel the need to unwrap their goodies on the spot either!! The cloths usually have hemmed edges and sometimes even hand-painted designs. Im a huge fan of using anything other than wrapping paper! I actually LOVE wrapping in magazines and newspapers!! If not, check out your local Tourist/Visitors office since they usually have maps for free as well. I love this article! Anyone who sees your work of art is guaranteed to smile. Customize Your Presents With Chalkboard Paper, How to Wrap a Gift Easily and Beautifully, DIY Vintage Map Christmas Gift Wrap and Gift Bags, Get Artsy and Make Your Own Wrapping Paper, Think Green and Place Gifts in Reusable Bags. Squawkfox.com is the site and they have perfected the art of being frugal and eco-savvy! I wrapped ALL of our presents in old paper maps. Kelly Weimert is an interior design expert and writer with over a decade of experience covering topics for home design publications. Reusing old materials, or something useful (like a scarf) is a great way to get the job done. Used Green and Red ribbon to get a little bit more traditional feel. (I still have lots of maps and will continue to wrap presents (as appropriate) in them until they have found new life before the recycle bin. I put one glove inside the other, put a small gift card inside, looped some ribbon and a jinglebell at the top to make a loop, so they could be hung like christmas stockings. It worked great as a buffer for the smaller packages in the box. also! By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. it looks RAD. All Rights Reserved. Recycled gift bags are by far my favorite way to accomplish that []. Since I got a GPS device a couple of years ago, I dont need my outdated atlas. []. The holes are small enough that the identity is not revealed, but adds a bit of color to the package. These fold up to the size of a deck of cards and fit in your purse, but can hold as much as a regular paper grocery bag. Get gifty this year by placing presents in a simple can. You could even use an old pillow case for that. Type in make your own paper into your search engine and youll find many wonderful resources for making various types of paper. Spruce them up by adding bows, ribbons, or a hand-written poem. Wrap a food gift in a Safeway or other grocery announcement. 2. If youre a craft enthusiast, then no doubt you have a ton of scrap paper piling up. They arent pretty but you can get them for under a dollar at Walmart. Its a natural brown color that adds a nice rustic and natural look to any project. Also, I re-use gift bags, and make my own cards. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dont leave without becoming a Squawkfox Insider! And they are reusable year after year! If youve got a new parent on your gift list, try swaddling holiday baby presents in a receiving blanket. Not only do reusable bags make grocery shopping much more eco-friendly (goodbye, single-use plastics! This year Im wrapping all my packages in fabric. She shares her love of crafting projects ranging from DIY heating pads and cupcake stands to Ouija boards, cat scratching posts, stress balls, and more. Endless possibilities. Consider wrapping your gifts in a reusable grocery bag, a cozy blanket, wallpaper scraps, or old gift bags you have lying around. If youre not into giving food then place toys or other smaller items in a jar, then put a lid on it. My roommate knits a lot, and does other crafting projects, so for her Christmas present, I bought her a skein of yarn and a few crafty trinkets (beads, fabric paint, etc.). Gifts Kids: How to set gift expectations with your kids, The 9 Best Toys of All Time Dont Cost a Thing, The Comedy Network: Camping out with The Late OClock News to save money, My Gingerbread House Fail: Dont sweat the small stuff, Wrap Gifts With Reused Items | Her Guide to Green, Why Material Things Wont Make You Happy (and what will), Track your money with the Free Budget Spreadsheet 2022, How to Become a Millionaire with Andrew Hallam, Getting out of debt with the Debt Reduction Spreadsheet 2022, A short resignation letter example that gets the job done. I pull an interesting page out of a magazine and wrap my smaller gifts with that. Here are 11 frugal (and green) alternatives to wrapping presents without gift wrap: Many readers have mentioned they are wrapping their gifts in reusable shopping bags this year. I also save our daughters art work through out the year and wrap prezzies with them (she comes home with so much from preschool!). Its extremely versatile in paper crafting, so having some on hand is a must if youre crafty. 4. This year I decided to use old pillow cases. A simple bandana would work. Great ideas. I even re-used the ribbon that was holding the tea towels together in the store for a pretty bow. Help!!! If you have children, put them to work with crayons, markers, stickers, and stamps, making the gift a unique piece of artwork. And made a cute little ornament as a package tag announcing No Place Like Home. My mom has a bunch of holiday boxes that are reuseable, theyre printing and they nest inside each other for storage. I also use brown paper bags, or an inexpensive roll of brown paper wrap. and increase financial wellness. Cardboard boxes both shipping boxes and cereal or oatmeal boxes work great also. Dont forget newspapers and magazines as sources of paper, too.