Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Simplify the Wrapping 2010

Veni. Vidi. Visa.

We came.
We saw.
We did a little shopping.

How do you get all the gifts wrapped and keep it simple? Set up a gift wrap central if you have the space(and for some of these ideas, they will work in just about any space). Whether it is your dining table, spare bedroom, rolling cart, closet, under bed box, folding camp table, Big Orange 5 Gal bucket- get all of your wrap, bags, tissue, ribbons and bows into one space. This will make it easier to wrap gifts quickly, say --- during nap time or Sesame Street? My personal choice is thick under the bed type bins that house my gift wrap and ribbons. I am able to balance them across adjacent dining chairs as I carefully wrap all the gifts upon my dining table.  I keep extra supplies (like scissors and scotch tape) in the gift wrap bin year round.

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After gifts are wrapped you will need a place to stash them. Those needing hand delivery (like teacher gifts) can go into a box/bin in the car – if you have chocolates in there and it is going to be some time before they are delivered, you may need to find a cool dry storage place out of the way in the air conditioning – linen closet or laundry room… or maybe just in the corner BEHIND the tree. Just keep those “gifts on the go” separate from all of the other under the tree gifts… just don’t forget where you have hidden them. If you are likely to forget where you stashed them, make a note in your agenda/planner/PDA.

What’s a good way to keep nosy present peekers from spying on their gifts?  Don’t tag them. 

#1 Choose one wrap for each person.  For example, all of Little Tommy’s gifts are in Silver themed paper and all of Little Sara’s gifts are in Red themed paper.  I use this method for separating “gifts to go” and “gifts that stay” also.  No gift left behind!!!
#2 Choose one tag type or each person and leave the tag blank.  For example, all of little Tommy’s gift tags are Snowmen and all of Little Sara’s gift tags are Santa.
Make a note of what wrap or tag theme you are using for each person in a special private spot (like your planner) if you have a tendency to have memory lapses (like I do!).  It’s not as much fun to peek at someone else’s gifts as it is to spy your own.

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com  You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie.  Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm going to use the different wrapping paper idea for our Christmas Eve gifts - that will make it easier to choose the ones that are meant for Christmas Eve.

I usually like to have my wrapping started by now, but I haven't done a single package yet! GAK! That's gonna be a lot of wrapping in a short time!

Your Organizing Guru said...

I am wrapping late this year as well. This weekend is my goal. I've told hubby he HAS to take the boy out for a bit so I can get it done. Not that I can put them under the tree yet. Every box, wrapped or not, is a "present" right now and is greeted with glee and "Can I open it?" I am thankful for my pretty tree skirt! :)