The holidays are right around the corner and that means it’s time to gear up for all of the parties, festivities, decorations, and of course...presents! While the spirit and excitement of the holidays brings plenty of joy, it can also be a bit stressful. This year, take the stress out of your holiday season by setting up a gift wrap station in your home. Whether you love to add that extra touch to each holiday package or you simply need a space where you can wrap quickly and efficiently, setting up a gift wrap station will make wrapping and gifting to family and friends effortless and fun! Get ready to make holiday wrapping faster and easier by setting up a designated space for gift wrapping. You will love your gift wrap station so much that you will want to keep it year round for birthdays and other celebrations. Consider the following tips for creating a gift wrap station that is practical and adorable!

Decide on a Space to Store Your Gift Wrap

Not everyone has the luxury of having custom built-ins designed specifically for a beautiful gift-wrapping area. That’s why there are plenty of great ways to create your own gift wrapping station without going to the expense of a custom built space. Start by thinking about a space in your home that could be transformed into a small gift wrap area. Perhaps you have a dedicated craft space or you have some extra room in your office or spare bedroom. Simple modifications can turn just about any space into a perfect place for holiday wrapping. Here are some great ideas for ways to store your gift wrap supplies.

• ●Portable gift wrap cart that can easily be moved anywhere in your home
• ●Gift wrap storage box to slide under your bed
• ●Install a gift wrap organizer that hangs over a closet door
• ●Purchase a hanging gift wrap organizer for inside a closet
• ●Use a pegboard system to organize your gift wrap accessories
• ●Use a dresser to store gift wrap items

There is really no rule about where your gift wrapping station or supplies should go. Just try to find a place that is convenient for you, spacious enough for storage, and easily accessible.

Declutter and Take Inventory of Needed Items

Start by going through all of your existing gift wrap and accessories and declutter anything that is ripped, torn, wrinkled, or outdated. Basically, anything you wouldn’t be willing to give to someone needs to go. As you declutter and get rid of old items, you will have a better idea of what items you need to replenish. Take note of anything you don’t have or are low on and stock up on these gift wrapping supplies. A well-functioning gift wrap station should have the following items:

• ●Tape
• ●Scissors
• ●Gift bags (small, medium, and large)
• ●Wrapping paper rolls for various occasions
• ●Tissue paper in multiple colors
• ●Ribbon
• ●Bows
• ●Gift tags
• ●Pens to write on the labels

Other optional items include boxes, string or twine, or other embellishments if you like to add extra pizzazz to your packages. Just try to gather enough supplies so you have something ready to go and available at a moment’s notice.

Replenish with Coordinated Items

When you go to restock your gift wrap station, be sure to choose colors and patterns that coordinate and compliment one another. This gives you a versatile selection that makes it easy to mix and match. If you prefer patterns, just be sure to purchase all of the coordinating items from the same store so everything matches. It can also be a good idea to stock up on plenty of neutral bags, ribbons, and papers so you have something on hand no matter the occasion. This will also make it easier to arrange your items by color and size so you can keep everything neatly organized.

Compartmentalize Gift Wrap Accessories

Now that you have a space to store your items and you have purchased all of your supplies, it’s time to sort and organize your supplies by type. This is important because smaller things like bows, ribbon, and tags can easily get tangled or lost in your gift station. Organizing everything into little compartments ensures nothing gets wrinkled or tangled and it also makes it easy to see what you have to work with. Some organizing systems will have pre-made compartments for each item. However, if you are creating your own organizing system, consider purchasing various sized plastic containers from the dollar store to house your smaller items. Drawer dividers can also be helpful for organizing your supplies. Finally, you want to make sure you have a horizontal space to store your rolls of wrapping paper so they don’t get bent or damaged. This will make it easier for you to find exactly what you need.