When I was younger, I remember seeing a house on TV that had a dedicated gift wrapping ROOM. It had walls of built-in cabinets designed for rolls of wrapping paper that were stored by color and theme. It had a dedicated cutting station and double sided tape everywhere you looked. I now interrupt this programming for reality. My reality, which is that I scored the lower two shelves of a hallway closet to store my gift wrap. Oh well. But dammit it’s organized. My goals with gift wrapping have shifted a bit. It went from rooms of color-coded gift wrap to… “I need the easy button early and often.” Here are a couple of things that I have found make my life EASIER when it comes to managing the part time job of gift giving.

Make a Station

With kids, it feels like there is a birthday party EVERY week. Not to mention my own friends, family, bachelorette parties, baby and wedding showers. It goes on and on. And it’s not stopping. If you are running out and buying a bag or gift wrap every time there is a birthday or holiday you are wasting not only time, but also money. Have a gift wrap “area”. Whether this is a just a simple box, a shelf, a closet…. something! Work with what you’ve got. For some people it’s underneath a bed. Others, it’s only vertical space in closet. For me, its two shelves inside of closet so I had to make up my own little system. I had to think outside the box a bit. PUN intended. I’ll get to my make-shift station but first, here are some ideas for various scenarios:

Horizontal Storage Options:

For many people, a simple box under the bed or across the top of a closet is the only option. If that’s the case, here are a couple ideas that work for a horizontal space:

Vertical Storage Options

For others, a closet or pantry is the best spot. Those generally require vertical storage solutions. This two-sided hanging gift wrap organizer is an easy and awesome solution that could fit in just about any closet. Be sure to measure the height of your gift wrap rolls (or the ones you typically buy) before selecting a gift wrap holder. The middle option affords the taller height.

Cabinet/Shelf Options

For me, the space was kinda a tweener. The best space I could find was the bottom two shelves of a linen closet. This meant, I didn’t have a very wide horizontal OR very tall vertical space. So I just built my own little station right into the shelves with some inexpensive organizational gadgets. Accessibility is king for me. That was one of the reasons I chose this space. If I can’t see something, I won’t use it. First off, I used a baking pan divider to hold my wrapping paper for $14. This works perfect to keep them all accessible without rolling all over the place.

Next, I used a $10 pot lid holder to stash my tissue paper. It keeps them all visible without smashing. Tip- fold them all in the same direction with the fold side out for a cleaner look. (Click here to see another unexpected place, I use this pot lid divider)

Next up, are these very inexpensive stacking boxes. They come in a pack of 8 for $21 and I’ve used them in several other spots through out the house.

Gift Card Storage Box. This thing is a lifesaver. It comes with dividers that can be labeled by genre. $9.99.

Lazy person tip: Wherever your station is: keep a pair of scissors, tape and a pen. You will always need these three things. Save yourself the trip.

How to create your stock pile:

#1. Reuse

I reuse bags, boxes and I will also reuse tissue paper that is in good shape. Don’t you judge me. WHY NOT. In fact, almost all of my gift bag stash is from previous birthdays and holidays. Always be sure to check for a gift tag and remove. Aunt Patty doesn’t need to see ‘Happy Birthday Karen’ at Christmas. Yikes. You think little Johnny pays ANY attention to what bag his legos are wrapped in? I think not. If I get invited to a celebrity function, I will pop for fancy new gift wrap. Until then, I’m hitting the recycle button.

#2 Buy In Bulk

Including the gifts themselves. Especially for the young kids. If you have a 3-year old, you are most likely going to several 3 year-old birthday parties this year. Unfortunately. I’m kidding. And yes, there are things that are universally loved by all 3-year old children. I did a blog post on bulk-worthy gifts for children under 4. It’s broken down by age and gender. You will be so thrilled when you don’t have to peel out of the driveway to swing by Target before your next Saturday morning birthday party. Same is true for hostess gifts. If you see an awesome candle that’s a good price, buy a couple. Or whatever it may be. You get the idea.

Wrapping paper- To be honest, I buy a lot at TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Tip: look for the square footage here. A lot of companies just make the cardboard roll fatter to make it look like it’s more paper. Duh. Here are a couple good deals on Amazon that are double sided. It’s a nice touch and everyone likes options. I also like paper that can be used for both genders.

I also buy those larger bags at the check out of Marshalls to store/hide/organize holiday gifts as they are being purchased. Each person/family gets a bag. That way, I know who has what. Things can get chaotic if you are buying for a lot of people/kids. Luckily my kids don’t keep track of who got what and whether things are fair. Oh wait, that’s not true. All of sudden my 2-year old can count like a Vegas dealer? First world problems.

Buy Generic Things

Last year I bought large stack of brown gift bags, tags and labels. These have been soooooo convenient and definitely an economical way to go. Just add some cute tissue paper and it works for any one, any age and for any occasion.

I feel the same way for these birthday cards. They are an easy grab n’ go option to have on hand.

Buy Throughout the Year for the Holidays

Last but not least, buy through out the year. Why do we wait to shop until December? WE KNOW IT’S COMING. And for the most part, we know who we will be buying for…. right? If you see something in June for your Mom that would be perfect and is on sale- BUY IT. You will save money and time. And not to mention, you will feel like an organized BOSS come December. And the holidays are about feeling GOOD.

Cheers and thanks for following along! xo,

Kim

Disclaimer: I love sharing all the things that that make my life easier, better, more enjoyable. These are 100% my own opinions and my real life experience. That said, I do participate in affiliate programs where I may earn a small commission from purchases made from these links. Again, I appreciate you following along!

~ Kim