Hello everybody! Christmas is getting closer and it’s time to wrap all the presents we got for our family and friends. When it’s time for wrapping, we usually buy some wrapping paper and wrap our presents. But it gets boring and there are other ways to wrap. More original, more sustainable, different etc. Each year this is what I try to do. Use different methods, that would be more friendly with my bank account and Nature. 2018 was no exception and I tried my best to keep on this track. Let me show you how I did.
#Reuse old boxes
The first way I often use is to keep old boxes and use them to store presents, like in the old days when presents weren’t wrapped with paper but places in boxes with a nice bow on top. As this year I chose a golden theme, I decided to paint in gold these boxes. But usually, I do cover them with old wrapping papers that I kept from past years. (You’ll never see me tearing up wrapping papers, I will always carefully unwrap my presents and keep all the papers for future occasions)
I like this wrapping method because it adds some suspens, the receiver still doesn’t know what can the gift be.
#Reuse old paper pockets
Same as for the boxes, each time I get a paper pocket, I do keep it, which means I got tremendous stock by now. So I decided to use one of these pockets to wrap a cup, you know the kind of gift that’s quite difficult to wrap. 😉 I places the cup in the pocket and folded the top of the pocket and tie a ribbon with a knot on top. The good point of this method is that you combine rusticity(craft paper pocket) with a classy touch(here the golden ribbon) Moreover, it’s very easy to personnalize this kind of wrapping.
#Lazy wrapping
Most of the time, I do this when I have to wrap a kind of cylindrical gift, like a bottle or something else. I call that lazy because basically all what you do is placing the gift in the center of a big piece of paper, pull up the paper and fasten it on the top with a ribbon knot.
It’s probably not the most sophisticated way to wrap a gift but it’s a good alternative for using your stock of wrapping paper, not using tape and sometimes it gives something to your gifts. I don’t know how to explain. But it doesn’t look so bad after all under the Christmas tree with all the presents. Especially with a nice bow to cover the knot on top.
#Create little boxes for snacks and other little presents
There is another way to wrap gifts by recycling something. This one is perfect for small items. All you need is a Pringles box. Cut the bottom of the box and paint it. (Or cover it with paper) Add the kid of the box on and voila!
You get very easily a small present box for any small gift, like jewelries, snacks etc. Furthermore, this box can be kept after Christmas for storage or any other use, no need to buy small boxes anymore! Isn’t that great?
#Get creative and look for anything that usually you throw in the bin, but could recycle yourself
Here I saved the cardboard parts of a butter biscuits pack. You know the two white parts that keep all the cookies in place. I used them to make a no lid-box, decorate it with some washi tape. I think that’s a good alternative for wrapping teabags, cookies etc. I places a set of teabags in this brand new little box, use a plastic little pocket to cover the whole set. (And add some protection) I finally used some clear tape to fasten it.
Here I simply recycled some food packaging and a plastic pocket I got from shopping my pasta, cereals etc.
As far as you can see, wrapping presents with recycled materials is no difficult thing. All we have to do is to keep things instead of throwing it away all year along. Then, creativity is here to help us doing cute and beautiful things out of nothing.
To be honest, I’m no green activist. But it doesn’t mean I don’t try to have a respectful, budget friendly and sustainable way of life. In fact, most of these things are natural for me. Deep in my heart, I think that making the world a better place is not about making big actions. It’s about daily life actions, simple and small actions. It’s about a way of thinking. And most of all, it’s about making yourself a better person. How many times do I say? “If everyone was making onesef a better person, making efforts and not looking at others’ actions or trying to change others, making the world a better place would be so much easier and faster! “
Don’t you agree?
I hope you like today’s post. Thank you for passing by and reading my blog. It means a lot to me.
I’ll talk to you soon in a next post,
Until then, take care of yourself ❤
Ady ❤
Little House of Ady 