Designers Share Four Household Items That Work as Gift Wrap

This article was prepared from the source material provided, which includes attributed quotes from Elizabeth Rees, Amber Kemp-Gerstel, and Rebecca Bobroff.

Holiday shoppers looking to avoid buying wrapping paper can turn to items already in their homes, according to three design professionals who described four alternatives to traditional gift wrap. The approaches—leftover wallpaper, newspaper or craft paper, gift baskets, and fabric or cloth—are presented as ways to cut spending and reduce waste while still presenting gifts well.

Elizabeth Rees, founder of Chasing Paper, suggests using remnants from a wallpaper project. "Using leftover materials from a wallpaper project is a unique way to make a gift stand out while also allowing you to use every last bit of wallpaper," Rees said. Traditional wallpaper behaves similarly to wrapping paper, she noted, while peel-and-stick versions should keep their backing on so the adhesive doesn't affect the present. Textured wallpaper adds what Rees described as "a little more depth to the gift wrap overall."

Newspaper, Craft Paper, and Gift Baskets

Newspaper or craft paper offers another option. Rather than recycling a paper after reading it, it can be saved for wrapping and dressed up with decorations. Amber Kemp-Gerstel, a Scotch brand gift wrapping expert, recommended adding "paper embellishments and decorative elements like hand-cut snowflakes, paper ephemera, honeycomb balls, or hand drawn doodles" secured with Scotch gift-wrap tape.

For oddly shaped items that are hard to wrap neatly, Kemp-Gerstel suggested wicker or fabric gift baskets covered with cellophane. Baskets from past holidays or thrift stores can be repurposed, and a themed basket can make a gift feel more personal. Kemp-Gerstel said she recently bought a dinosaur-shaped basket for her son that she plans to fill with dino-themed gifts; afterward, he can use it to store toys and trinkets.

Fabric Wrapping and Reuse

Rebecca Bobroff, founder of Rebecca Bobroff Design, favors furoshiki, the traditional Japanese technique of wrapping items in fabric or cloth. Her modern approach: wrap a gift in a festive tea towel or graphic silk scarf, then secure it with decorative ribbon, twine, or a knot tied from the fabric's ends. The recipient can reuse the towel or scarf, which Bobroff described as an environmentally friendly gift that keeps giving.

The source also notes that gently used wrapping paper from received gifts can be reused, provided the paper is opened carefully.