If you think about it, gift-wrapping is one of the strange customs that we’ve come up with. We spend a significant amount of time and effort to effectively beautify a package. Then we or the receiver immediately discard the gift wrap, never to be seen again. This is after all the effort we’ve put into choosing a gift item and wrapping it the way we like it.
This seems like a waste. After all, wrapping paper is one of the prettiest things that you can ever work with—so why throw it away after a single use. Instead, it might be better to take a little more care with the unwrapping process and make sure the paper is still good for a couple of uses.
Here are some ways you can effectively reuse a gift wrap:
As a creative material
The aesthetics of gift wraps makes them some of the best things you can work with when it comes to creative outputs such as scrapbooking, but they’re often not something we go out of our way to buy. So, the next time you’re feeling a little fancy and want to do something involving ribbon borders and patterned prints, keep an eye out for the next occasion you’re gifted something.
As a material, wrapping paper also fulfills a couple of other requirements that regular paper can’t. They’re somewhat sturdy, can be fashioned or folded into different shapes, and are extremely versatile in terms of their possible applications. You can essentially get it for free every time you receive a gift.
As a recycled gift wrap
If you unwrap presents like a pro, you can easily turn gift-wrapping remains into even better gift-wrapping material. While we don’t suggest just using the same gift wrap all over again, there are several tutorials online that can give you a plethora of ideas on how to reuse gift wrap for another gift.
All it takes is some patience, a good pair of scissors, and a little hard work and you can come up with personalized wrapping paper that no store can offer. Not only have you saved on the potential costs of buying gift wrap again, but all your presents will have a personal touch that’s difficult to replicate with a store-bought wrap.
As decoration
Finally, a gift wrap can be a suitable decoration around the house, owing to its beautiful prints and designs. It’s simply a question of how to frame the wrap or use it in some other fixture that draws out the colors and patterns. This gives any space that creative atmosphere and can save you a fortune when it comes to finding decor.
It’s also a great thing that you can show off to your guests, especially the ones who gave you the wrapping paper that you’ve worked with. Not only has their actual gift been something that you were able to use, but their thoughtfulness in choosing the wrapping also paid off. That’s definitely something that friends and loved ones can appreciate.
So, the next time you’ve just unwrapped a new gift, take a minute to consider what you can do with the wrapping before throwing it away. You might just think of an even better present while you’re at it.
