apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I like to wrap my presents in pamphlets and maps I get at rest stops on vacation. Maps are especially nice as they are fairly large.

I use last year's Stendig calendar. I never throw the months away. The sheets are so much bigger than normal sheets of wrapping paper and the huge Helvetica numbers are gorgeous, bold and graphic.

I use tissue paper a lot instead of wrapping paper. I figure when it's thrown out, it takes up less space than heavy wrapping paper.

I also reuse gift bags. And I never mind if I can tell I'm getting a reused gift bag. They are so pretty and generally sturdy enough that it's a shame to just use it once.

LilyC, gift bags are part of the gift! They're the gift that keeps on giving! :)

I like using kraft paper (which is what that brown paper bag photo looks like). You can typically get more of it for less $ and it's bigger than typical wrapping paper. Just don't get mailing paper, which is heavier--it's kinda hard to tape up and leaves big gaps.

I'd also suggest using your kid's artwork-- if you have an avid easel artist who brings home lots of abstracts from Nursery school-- use them to wrap presents. Pretty and practical 'cause you can only save so many!

I've used old, outdated maps to wrap gifts.

While at design school, I couldn't afford gifts *and* gift wrap, so I wrapped gifts in scraps of drafting paper and used long strips of fabric selvage in place of ribbon. My friends appreciated this creative approach, but my family didn't (grrr!).

For as long as I can remember, I've used the comic section of the paper to wrap gifts for kids and cool black and white ads from Vogue for little gifts (jewelry that I make) for friends. Regular newspaper pages work really well to wrap books along with a nice red ribbon.

Using maps is such a good idea. I love maps...

My grandmother wrapped EVERYTHING in white tissue paper and curling ribbon. Needless to say, I use nothing but tissue paper and curling ribbon, but I DO buy festive tissue and colored ribbon. I've been known to actually sew up the odd-shaped present inside layers of tissue, using long stitches and colored thread. That's fun too :) And I like to tuck odd things into the ribbon: a leaf or a shell. Maybe a stick of cinnamon for a kitchen gift. Just a bit of whimsy to make it fun for me and the person I am gifting.

I, too, like using old maps and calendars. Also, I've used kraft paper and brown paper bags, but I like to doll them up with a round paper doily. Around the holidays, it looks snowflake-esque and the entire effect hits a nice balance between plain and fancy. When re-using materials, I think little touches like these, or like those that Fontessa describes, make the package feel special and intentional rather than last-minute and unprepared.

I often wrap gifts in teatowels. Its like a gift double-up! Plus, lots of people don't buy themselves nice teatowels (I 'heart' them and have stacks!), so its a nice treat!

im glad people are sharing secrets about this! i can never stand to toss/recycle old calendars so i have a small stack of them sitting in a drawer. i never would have thought to use them to wrap gifts.

peachy keen i love your idea!

1. Craft paper from Ikea/wherever. With bright ribbons.
2. Comics pages w/ twine.
3. I buy several rolls at Target every year when it goes 90% off after Christmas. It ends up being like 25cents a roll. I've even been known to HIDE the style I like in the store. Yes, I'm going to hell, thanks for asking.

My plan for this year is to use reusable shopping bags as gift bags so that they are a part of the gift!

I love wrapping presents in something other than gift wrap. Here are some examples:
*Line a basket with baby washcloths and fill with baby shampoo and tub toys.
*Wrap a baby gift in a soft recieving blanket. Secure with diaper pins.
*Wrap jewelry or other small gifts in a pretty scarf and tie like furoshiki. You can usually get some in quite good condition at thrift stores.
http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html
*Line a casserole dish with kitchen towels and fill with kitchen supplies and gadgets.

Another wrapping idea for reusing fabric is furoshiki! It's fun, beautiful and green :) Here's a great site with instructions http://furoshiki.com/techniques.php

Last Christmas I wrapped presents in brown kraft paper and tied it up with multicolored pastel yarn. I got those cute little tags you might use for marking prices at a yard sale, and secured one along with a couple mini bulb ornaments as a gift tag. It was a big hit with friends and family!

I'll change it up a bit, but I'm going the same route this year.

Another option: Those plastic mesh bags that veggies come in (onions, avocados). I first wrap the item in white tissue paper (re-used from my dry cleaning), pop it into a mesh bag, then tie it up with colorful ribbon. Cute, green and great for odd shaped items.

i like to wrap square or rectangle shaped items with aluminum foil. i decorate the foil by drawing patterns on it with colored sharpies. Does not work well with mishapen or circular items. Once I wrapped a small circular ring box in a double layer of coffee filters with a pretty bow tied around it. It looked cute.

i subscribe to many cool magazines, but when it comes to gift wrapping, i use pages from W. the pages are glossy, eye-popping and oversized. my gifts look outstanding under the tree! i love recycling!

We using a large map atlas to wrap gifts this year. And for the gifts that stay - I think we'll use brown paper and letter stencils, because our 3yo daughter loves to read letters. This way she can figure out which present is hers.

I buy white wrapping paper and embellish it appropriately. For example, I wrapped a baby shower gift in the white wrap with a pastel ribbon and used the same paper for a bridal shower gift with a garter belt as the ribbon. I have also been known to use brown kraft wrap and re-use gift bags.

Kpaige13 ~ I love the coffee filter idea

:o)

i often use:

1) patterned cloth napkins
2) scraps of fabric
3) tissue (each layer is a different color)
4) maps
5) anthropologie catalog

Brilliant!