How to Wrap Gifts Like a Pro

My very first job during high school was at a local department store. I was hired, along with my best friend, as a seasonal gift wrapper. Her mom worked in the cosmetics & got us both hired. We were so excited! How fun an idea it seemed to us, to be in all of the hustle & bustle of the Holiday Season as we tenderly wrap gifts for merry shop goers and listened to Christmas music play on repeat. Yeah....no. It may not have been nearly as exciting as I anticipated, the shoppers were grouchy & the same songs got old really fast, HOWEVER, I learned to wrap almost anything! You got a spatula? Bed comforter? Basketball? Send em my way. I got you. Therefore, I thought I would share this step by step guide that is the secret sorcery behind gift wrapping.

Supplies:

-Scissors (I like to have a regular pair & a pair I use exclusively for fabric & ribbon)

-Ribbon or fabric strips

-Tape

-Wrapping paper (I love using regular craft paper - - it can be found either in the postage section or in kids crafts area at most stores)

-Cardstock

-Hole Punch

-Pen

-Accent Greenery

-Gift you wish to wrap

Step 01.

Flip over your gift facing down on the wrapping paper. Fold one of the long sides of the paper over on the gift and tape it.

Step 02.

Make a straight crease on the other side of the wrapping paper, as to hide any uneven cutting.

Step 03.

Fold over creased side onto the gift and tape down.

Step 04.

This is part that usually trips people up. On the short side of the gift, push in the middle of the paper to create 2 sharp angled creases. Take and push the paper up to the very top corner to make the crease come to a sharp point. If you rub your crease back and forth it will be easier to work with and hold its shape. I also recommend going top to bottom as opposed to side to side.

Step 05.

Before repeating on the other side, if it seems like you have much more paper sticking out from the gift than you will need to cover the side, take and trim the paper down at this point. Trust me, it's easier to do it now than later.

Step 06.

Repeat the folding on the other other side of the same end.

Step 07.

Fold the bottom side of paper completely up towards you.

Step 08.

Flip the gift over and make a small crease along the end of the paper to hide any uneven cutting.

Step 09.

Fold the top, creased side of paper down over the bottom folded side and tape.

Step 10.

Repeat steps 4-9 on the other side of the gift.

Step 11.

Take and cut out a rectangle out of cardstock smaller than the size of your gift. Cut two of the corners off to make it into a tag.

Step 12.

Punch a hole in the middle on the cut side.

Step 12.

Write a cute message on your tag and string onto your ribbon. (It may be helpful to punch multiple holes to create one large opening for your ribbon)

Step 13.

Tie a know or bow, whatever suits your fancy. Cut the ends at an angle. (Depending on the ribbon fabric, it may be nice to burn the ends as to prevent fraying.) Embellish with greenery.