Have leftover wrapping paper or want to repurpose wrapping paper from gifts you’ve received? Read on to discover some smart ideas for repurposing wrapping paper.

According to Use Less Stuff (ULS), the amount of additional American household waste during the holidays between Thanksgiving and Christmas totals up to 25 million tons of garbage. Do your part to help reduce waste ending up in the landfill by breaking the cycle of single-use gift wrap with these ideas for repurposing wrapping paper. Of course, you can also choose to wrap gifts using eco-friendly alternatives.

Ideas for Repurposing Holiday Wrapping Paper

1. Decoupage

I recently came across whole rolls of wrapping paper in the attic that had actually been my grandmother’s. It was at least 20-years-old. It wasn’t in the greatest shape for using as gift wrap but included some really cool prints and patterns–especially a very pretty plaid print. One ide for old rolled paper is to use it to breathe new life into older furniture pieces with decoupage. That paper would great on a couple of end tables I have that have seen better days!

2. Holiday Cards

Turn wrapping paper scraps and leftover bits into holiday cards for next year’s holidays. Getting a holiday card in the mail is great, but getting a homemade card is even better.

3. Advent Calendar

Get super creative and use leftover gift wrap to make an advent calendar for next year. One idea is to create an advent calendar of mini wrapped gifts with a little surprise inside for each day of the month, but really the possibilities are endless.

4. Packaging

Used gift wrap and scraps are perfect for repurposing as packaging for mailed packages or in which to wrap delicate holiday ornaments before storing them away for next year.

5. Office Organizing

One year, I used gift wrap to decorate coffee cans from Trader Joe’s as used them as handy containers in my office. They are still in use and hold my colored Sharpie pens, zigzag scissors, and more.

6. Mood/Todo/Organizer Board

Make a DIY mood board. Cover plywood, luan board, or even cardboard with gift wrap and wrap it with ribbon for a practical and creative way to repurpose gift wrap.

7. DIY Holiday Placemats

Repurpose sheets of gift wrap and make some holiday-themed placemats. Simply layer wrapping paper between clear contact paper for the perfect combination of form and function.

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Turn your holiday gifts into works of art with some easy gift-wrapping ideas.

Sometimes the most odious thing about the holidays is the present wrapping–it just seems like a such a chore. You work really hard buying (or making) all those presents and then there’s more work. Have a little fun with it by using one of these easy gift-wrapping ideas. From fun to elegant and many involve repurposing stuff you already have on hand–these are gift-wrapping game changers!

10 Gift-Wrapping Ideas for the Holidays

1. Repurposed Paper Bags – Cut open brown paper bags, turn them over so the plain side is facing up, and decorate with holiday-themed stamps. Wrap up your packages and tie with string for a vintage wrapping look.
2. Metallic Painted Tissue Paper – Repurpose tissue paper from holiday gifts past, but bring it back to life by painting it with gold or silver paint. Many home improvement stores carry the Martha Stewart line of specialty finishes that features several different metallic options.
3. Old Road Maps – Turn old paper maps (who uses them anymore anyway!) into fun wrapping paper this season.
4. Brown Paper Packages – You can buy rolls of brown wrapping paper that can be customized a billion ways. One of the simplest is to use gold and silver pens to draw stars or snowflakes on your packages. Tie them up with pretty red and white bakers’ twine.
5. Origami Wrap – Wrap packages in white paper. Cut shapes out another layer of colored paper and double wrap your packages for an easy but pretty effect.
6. Chalkboard Wrapping Paper – If you haven’t seen it before, Chalkboard wrapping paper is a thing. It’s super easy to customize your packages with just some simple white paint markers. You can find it online and at some craft stores.
7. Washi Tape – Decorate plain white or brown paper with colorful patterned washi tape. Washi tape is Japanese masking tape, but it comes in all sorts of colors and patterns and is available online or at craft stores.
8. Duct Tape Gift Bags – By the same token, turn practical duct tape into gift bags. Here is an easy tutorial.
9. Repurposed Magazine Bows – Top your packages with pretty repurposed bows made from the pages of old magazines. Here’s a how-to.
10. Burlap, Black Ribbon and Gold Spray Painted Pine Cones – Turn everyday burlap into an elegant package by adding black velveteen ribbon and gold painted pine cones. It looks impressive, but it’s actually pretty easy to pull off. Burlap is available at most fabric stores.

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Image: Christmas Gift via Shutterstock

The post 10 Easy Gift-Wrapping Ideas and Solutions to Make a Wrapping a Breeze appeared first on EcoSalon.

Step up your game with these ah-mazing Christmas gift wrapping ideas.

I’ve gotten into this terrible habit of putting so much thought into my Christmas gifts that I gas out when it comes time to wrap them. Seriously, it’s like my fam rips the wrapping paper off so quickly not because they’re excited about their gift, but because of how awful it looks.

Well, no more. Here are 16 gift wrapping ideas to help you kick things up a notch (or in my case, seven):

1. Make gift boxes from cereal boxes

By making gift boxes out of your empty cereal boxes, not only will you save some serious coin, but you’ll be able to get your recycle on.

2. Color code your gifts

If you’re anything like me, when you’re shopping for your Christmas gift fixins, for whatever reason gift tags always seem to slip your mind. Assign each of your family members and friends their own wrapping paper color or design and skip the tags all together. (You know, just don’t forget which color belongs to who.)

3. Wrap a two-toned gift

Whether you’re wrapping a box that’s wider than your wrapping paper or are running low on gift wrap in general, who says gifts can only be wrapped in one paper? Use two different styles of wrapping paper for a snazzy two-toned effect. And if you cover the seam with ribbon, it’ll look like you did it on purpose. (Wink wink. Nudge nudge.)

4. Use holiday-themed tote bags

“Wrap” your gifts in reusable tote bags. There are so many adorable Christmas-themed totes, you just might go overboard.

5. Create a gift pouch

This gift pouch tutorial from One Kings Lane is perfect for those tiny gifts that are impossible to wrap. (The page also includes a tutorial on how to wrap super awkward gifts you’ll lurv.)

6. Use double-sided tape

Not only does double-sided tape save oodles of time, but no matter the gift wrapping ideas you decide on, it’ll make your gifts look ah-mazing.

7. Make your own Christmas crackers

Attach one to each of your gifts for that extra special finishing touch:

Image: duitang.com

8. Decorate coffee cans

As far as artsy fartsy gift wrapping ideas go, this one takes the (coffee) cake: Repurpose coffee cans by using them to “wrap” awkwardly shaped gifts. Paint them gold, red or green, go to town with Christmas stencils, or wrap funky fabric around them. The sky’s the limit.

Image: MarthaStewart.com

9. Who says gifts need to be square?

Wrap that special someone’s gift like an itty bitty Christmas tree! Get the DIY here.

10. Make adorable bows from old magazines

Or paper bags. Or old newspapers. Or fabric scraps. Get the DIY here.

11. Wrap in fabric

Chic, no?

Image: evermine

Image: Handmade Charlotte

12. Accessorize a larger gift with a mini-gift

Attach a small gift to the ribbon of a larger gift, such as cookie cutters or a sentimental trinket.

Image: RealSimple.com

13. If corners aren’t your thang, don’t wrap the sides of the box

Pack your gifts in crisp, white boxes, then wrap them in a simple band of paper (or fabric) and finish off with matching ribbon. Minimal yet bold.

14. Go rustic

Kraft paper. Twine. Mistletoe. Bam.

15. Make a box tower

Especially useful for delivering gifts to someone, stack their (perfectly wrapped) presents from largest to smallest, then wrap a wide ribbon around them (like so). Top off with a fabulous, cascading bow.

16. Host a holiday wrapping party

Have each of your friends pop by with one roll of gift wrap each (and the gifts they need to wrap, of course). Swap wrapping paper and techniques so all of your gifts looks spectacular.

What are your favorite gift wrapping ideas?

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Image: mac9416

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