While the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year… it can get a bit hectic as you grow older. As a child, your biggest worry around Christmas was whether or not Santa remembered to get you that ONE gift you wanted SO BADLY. Now you’re juggling the rush of shopping, scheduling, cooking, wrapping and bouncing between holiday parties at work, the neighbor’s house and your in-laws… sometimes you’re too busy to soak in all the wonderful holiday cheer surrounding you! At Your Holiday Lights we know all about how hectic the holidays can get – and that’s why we’re in the business of tackling these less-cheery Christmas to-dos such as hanging lights and decor – and helping homeowners across America find more time to spend with friends and family. Another time consuming and not-so-cheery Christmas to-do is wrapping the presents. We’ve all been there — staying up until all hours of the night struggling to get it all done when Christmas Eve sneaks up out of no where… so we’re here to offer some advice; 5 gift wrapping hacks for a less hectic Christmas!
- Get organized. Tracking down your gift wrapping supplies is usually the first time-sink you’ll encounter when it’s time to start wrapping. Shopping is fun, and wrapping isn’t so bad, but searching for things in a home littered in seasonal decorations is a real nightmare! Instead, keep your tissue paper, twine, tape and wrapping papers all organized in a single bin.
- Invest in the right tools. Using a “T-Square” for your gift wrapping can save serious time and produce a wonderful result. T-Squares come in 24- and 36-inch sizes, and will help you make straight cuts across wide sections of wrapping paper for the perfect wrap! Self-healing cutting mats will help keep your blades from dulling, and also protect your gift-wrapping surface from unwanted scarring. Additionally, look into a rotary cutter to add to your gift wrap bin. Utility knives are great, but these add some extra flair. Cut long straight or decorative edges on wrapping paper, and help your gifts stand out under the tree this year.
- Color-code your gift wrapping. Whether you have way too many gifts to give this year, or you simply want to keep track of your progress in a cleaner fashion, color-coding might be right for you. Assign each member of your family their own color, and dive in – this can save you the need for gift cards or tags, since gifts will be easily identifiable based on paper color.
- Measure twice, wrap once! Re-wrapping a gift with the same paper means you are handing your family member a wrinkly eyesore. The same can be said when too much wrapping paper is used – the end result is a bulky, sloppy mess. Making sure you have the right sizing is easy: when wrapped around the gift, the ends should overlap slightly (1-3 inches), and when folded over the ends, the paper should extend slightly more than halfway.
- Cardboard assist for soft items. Wrapping a scarf, sweater, or other un-boxed item? Cut a piece of cardboard to size, and place your item on top. This cardboard base should help you make clean corners , and keep the paper from sagging and wrinkling into an ugly mess.
