Often, the way you package a present can make it as memorable as the gift itself. Yet, you don’t have to spend money on expensive paper or fancy bows. If you simply use some imagination and take a look at things in your home, you can quickly make appealing, unique gift wraps. You can use these DIY tricks to enhance your gifts for sister, husband or girlfriend and feel great because they’re made with sustainability in mind.
Check out these 10 creative designs you can make using items you probably have lying around.
Newspaper Chic
Repurpose yesterday’s paper by making it into your colourful wrapping material! Vintage art can be created with black and white prints and brightly coloured comics. Add a ribbon or a bit of twine to complete the look of your basket.
Ideal for: Gifts that help the Earth and men who like simple clothes.
Brown Paper and Stamps
Do you find yourself with a paper bag or brown packing paper from your last online delivery? Resize the paper as needed and decorate it with your favourite stamps, doodles or notes in your hand. The casual style of wooden flowers goes well with fancy dried flowers or string.
It’s simple, can be used in many ways and makes any gift more personal.
Festive Ideas for Stickers
It’s fun to use colourful magazine pages as wrap for boxes, books or jewellery items. You can add drama to your walls with bold prints, stylish fonts or artwork featuring nature.
A fun idea: Put fashion spread pages inside wrapping paper for gift ideas your girlfriend will love.
Scarves or Pieces of Fabric (Like Furoshiki Wrappers)
Achieve the style of Furoshiki by wrapping your presents with extra fabric from your clothes. It looks elegant, can be used again and adds luxury to anything you give.
Gifts to share with someone you care about, including your husband or sister, would look great from here.
Recycled Gift Bags & Boxes
You most likely have stored away some old holiday gift bags, boxes or tissue. A fresh tag, a coat of paint or some wrapping paper can make your old items look like new.
An idea: Involve your handwriting by adding tags of your own or bits of herbs to your food packaging.
DIY Gift Tags from Cereal Boxes
Make tags by cutting box packaging of cereal or pasta into shapes, punching a hole and then decorating them using markers or stickers. The addition of these custom tags gives almost any present a nice, handmade look.
You’re reusing and personalising materials as a bonus.
Mason Jars & Reused Containers
Small gifts for men, like grooming kits or spice blends, can be beautifully packaged in jars or cleaned-out containers. Adding a ribbon and writing the name by hand will make everything look extra appealing.
This works best when making goodies at home, bath salts or thank-you notes.
A Collection of T-shirt Gift Wraps
If you haven’t bought wrapping paper, that’s okay too. No problem. Gently wrap odd or unusual shaped gifts in an old T-shirt. Secure the sleeves or use safety pins to tie or glue the fabric uniquely.
As a bonus, it’s something you give and also something to gift wrap!
Handmade Envelopes from Old Calendars
Give your gift cards and letters something special when you make envelopes out of old calendars, scrapbook paper or sheet music. Fold the cards into envelopes, glue them and set a pretty seal or sticker.
Perfect for: Gifting experiences or small surprises, like a gift for a sister.
Personalise Your Gift Wrapping
No matter how you decide to gift packing ideas, remember to personalise it:
- A handwritten card
- A photo
- A small picture or doodle
DIY and upcycled packages can show that you think about the person you are giving a gift to and care, especially when paired with the perfect gift for husbands, the best gift for girlfriends, or a surprise for your sister.
Maybe the best gift wrapping ideas were in your kitchen drawers or recycling bin all along! With these 10 DIY ways, you can make beautiful gift wrap that is both kind to the environment and your wallet, while customizing a special gift to the person receiving it.
So next time you wrap a gift, before going to the store, take two minutes to look at what you have at home. You might just realize that it is much easier to wrap a gift to look fantastic, inside and out!
