DIY LOVE: How To Wrap a Present

A number of years ago, I was lucky enough to work part-time at The Container Store while finishing up my degree at the Columbus College of Art & Design. Now, for those of you who aren't familiar with The Container Store, it's the destination for organization! Boxes, bins, and containers of every color, size and shape, great gadgets for the office, bath and kitchen and (my favorite) a gift wrap section to die for. To make it even that much more fantastic, at the holidays, they offer "Gift Wrap Wonderland", where they offer some of the cutest, best quality wrapping paper I've ever used (and I'm a paper snob, for serious.)

Being The Container Store cheerleader that I am, I was given the important task as one of the elite gift wrap and bow-making demonstrators during Gift Wrap wonderland. It was so much fun! Every 20 minutes or so, we'd do a demo showing shoppers how to beautifully wrap gifts and make completely fantastic ribbon bows. To this day, I use these tips like crazy.

With Christmas just a few days away, you may not have time to pop into your nearest store for a demo, so here's a few tips to help you along the way. Happy gift wrapping!

P.S. If you want video tutorials, click here!

How To Wrap a Gift

Essentials:
· rolling scissors
· double-sided tape
· boxes (you want the items to fit in well)
· good quality/weight paper (grid-backed paper rocks!)

1. Lay the box face down on the paper. Use a ribbon or tape measure to measure the girth of the box and add two inches. This is how much paper you will need to go around the box. To determine how much wrap you will need to cover the ends of the box, allow an overlap that's equal to the height of the box and trim the excess paper accordingly.

2. For best results, the seam of the paper should be at the edge of the bottom of the package, rather than along the center. Pull one side of the wrap all the way to the other edge of the box, crease it slightly to mark the edge, then fold the crease for a clean look. Secure the edge with three small pieces of double-sided tape. Crease the bottom edges of the box with your thumb and forefinger.

3. Flip the box so that the top is facing upward. Place a small piece of double-sided tape near both sides of the end of the box. Push in on both ends to fold the wrap; it will be held in place by the double-sided tape.

4. For a finished look, fold the top edge of both the top and bottom flaps to ensure a straight, crisp line.

5. Tape the flaps to the box with three small pieces of double-sided tape.

How To Add a Bow

Essentials:
· Ribbon to match gift wrap
· scissors

6. To add the ribbon, start with the box facing top side up. Using a spool of uncut ribbon, wrap the ribbon around the length of the box and bring the spool back to the center. Be sure you‘ve left enough at the end to tie a bow or secure a handmade bow.

7. Cross the end and the spool of ribbon at the top of the box, then wrap the spool around the width of the box. Measure a length of ribbon from the spool that‘s approximately the same as the length of the first end, and cut.

8. Tie the two ends together in a knot at the center. Now you’re ready to add a bow for a complete presentation.

Click here for lots of bow tutorials & other great presentation ideas!

{all images & instructions courtesy The Container Store}