Confession! on gift bags, bows, and wrap

[ladywaterwind]

Ideally we should all reuse these items, but how many actually do?

I admit, I'm pretty bad at not. I do have a stockpile of bags in my closet. I can't seem to ever throw out gift bags, or cards for that matter.

But gift wrap. Man, there's nothing so sweet as taking a chunk where it's not taped up and just ripping the crap out that. Of course, this all goes downhill if someone is an evil mastermind and tapes EVERY piece that meets.

[bexx09]

We always reuse gift bags at my houe and we recycle gift wrap and gift boxes. (It's the law here.)

[derketchup]

What about people like me, who just don't wrap presents???

There's never an option for Derketchup! *cries*

[jujubee]

If I think I can get any more use out of something, I will save it. Even tissue paper that is all wadded up and wrinkled. If nothing else, it makes packing material. Also, with a kid, it's fun to make up crafts - and you're probably just going to toss those crafts eventually anyway. Why pay for craft supplies when you can get creative and recycle?

I'm at an advantage, thought, I guess, since I do have a huge basement for storage. I have a plastic bin just for gift bags, one for bows and ribbons, and one just for Christmas bags/bows/ribbons. It's easy to just toss stuff in there, and go through it when I need something.

Oh, and quit being mean to derketchup.

[bexx09]

Originally Posted by derketchup

What about people like me, who just don't wrap presents???

There's never an option for Derketchup! *cries*

Weeeeeeeirdo.


















Luv ya derk!

[kristen.c]

I keep anything I think I can use again like Julee. I like using cloth ribbons so if someone tries to throw it away I just steal it back and use it again next year.

[Coupon-Crazy]

I reuse all bags too.... even the tissue paper.

[mshopper]

We reuse gift bags, but not bows or wrap.

[berlinsmommy]

If I kept anything I could possibly reuse, I'd need a MUCH bigger house. We reuse gift bags for sure, but I think thats pretty comments. I think that's pretty common. I know a few we had given out to DD's classmates made their way home when it was DD's birthday.

I figure if I recycle (as in put it in the recycle bin) my wrapping paper I'm doing my part. Its just too much effort to reuse when I bought a TON, about half of which I purposely chose because it was not Christmas-y like white with soccer balls, for about $20 at Target 90% off about 5 yrs ago. Yes, it was 5 years ago and I've used less than half of it. I got 4c bags of bows, 32c rolls of ribbon, and tons more, so I'm set for a loooong time.

[wendypsaves]

Originally Posted by kristen.c

I keep anything I think I can use again like Julee.

ooooh - if you use Julee to re-wrap a gift, you can enter the RAOK that Bexx started!

[jujubee]

Originally Posted by wendypsaves

ooooh - if you use Julee to re-wrap a gift, you can enter the RAOK that Bexx started!

lol!

A pretend dirty comment that dh would make just entered my mind.

[kristen.c]

Originally Posted by wendypsaves

ooooh - if you use Julee to re-wrap a gift, you can enter the RAOK that Bexx started!

What a pretty idea!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

we reuse everything but giftwrap when all is said and done. It always gets shredded, so we recycle that. But gift bags and bows and tissue paper I save as long as its not ripped or something or the bows are not crushed and tacky looking.

[averys_mom_92205]

I'm right there with QOTH. We always reuse gift bags, tissue paper and the like. Last I bought some really cute 3-d gift tags from the dollar store and just used those on dh's and dd's gifts so that we could keep them and use them again this year. Plus, I'm still working through the two giant rolls of reversable wrapping paper I bought several years ago from Costco, so the only thing I really need to get this year is bows! I think this is the year I'm going to start saving those, too!

Mandi

[kadoatie]

We always reuse gift bags, bows, and clothes boxes with tissue paper in them. It actually makes it easier because they already have labels on them for the people in my family, lol. This year I'm planning on hitting the fabric stores after Christmas for cheap holiday fabric and making cloth Christmas bags and wraps.

[jujubee]

Originally Posted by kadoatie

We always reuse gift bags, bows, and clothes boxes with tissue paper in them. It actually makes it easier because they already have labels on them for the people in my family, lol. This year I'm planning on hitting the fabric stores after Christmas for cheap holiday fabric and making cloth Christmas bags and wraps.

That's a great idea!

//totally envious of those that can sew//

[kaykwilts]

I have a stockpile of gift bags in my attic. I find them at the thrift store for a quarter each. I also have a stockpile of wrapping paper I purchased at Target several years ago at 90 percent off. I always reuse gift bags. When I get one it goes into my stockpile. I never throw them away unless they are pitifully wrinkled.

[jujubee]

Originally Posted by kadoatie

We always reuse gift bags, bows, and clothes boxes with tissue paper in them. It actually makes it easier because they already have labels on them for the people in my family, lol. This year I'm planning on hitting the fabric stores after Christmas for cheap holiday fabric and making cloth Christmas bags and wraps.

Originally Posted by jujubee

That's a great idea!

//totally envious of those that can sew//

I actually followed through on one my yearly resolutions and learned to sew this year, so now I'm totally gonna snag this idea!

How are the rest of you guys on reusing wrap, bows, bags, etc?

[RedSoxRosie]

I grab and save every gift bag I can. Definitely boxes too. Tissue paper can be reused in the bags or to pack into boxes. Bows can always be taped on if they aren't sticky anymore. Unfortunately, wrapping paper I never reuse.

[jtjohns]

I use (and re-use) fabric ribbon and bows, baskets, shredded basket fill and some boxes and gift bags as long as they're still in good shape. Giftwrap ends up in with paper recycling, along with colored tissue paper. White tissue usually ends up the compost bin.

I have to admit though, that I don't keep bags or ribbons that aren't colors or patterns that I like --- those either get passed along to other family members to re-use or end up in the recycling bin.

~JJ

[ocean_brez]

I pretty much save and re-use all my gift bags, wrapping paper, tissue paper, boxes and bows. Only when an item is on its last legs, squashed or overly torn, does it meet its final end in the recycling bin.

[SBP]

I save the gift bags and boxes to re-use but not paper. It doesn't stand a chance of being saved after my kids rip rip rip into their presents. I probably have enough previously used gift bags in my tote downstairs that I wouldn't have to use paper wrap for my boys, but gift bags are not snoop-proof so that wouldn't work.

And bows? My family, I don't know if we're cheap or what, but we don't even put bows on our presents, so I don't have to worry about whether I save those or not.

My mom used to not have to use any gift tags for the presents she bought for me and my sister when we were growing up. She'd just wrap all of my presents in one paper and then another paper for all my sisters presents. As long as she remembered which paper was for who, it was all good.

[chaz2148]

Over the course of 2 - 3 years, I picked up decorative boxes in varying sizes from craft stores, Big Lots and places like that when they went on sale after the Christmas holiday. Now I just reuse these boxes year after year with my immediate family. My kids know the boxes go back in the basement cabinet after they've been emptied. Many of them are sooooo cute! They really dress up the tree. I've also got some that are just solid colors and can be used for any occasion. I realize this would only work for people who have the space to spare.

I totally reuse gift bags for larger or oddly shaped presents, until they're too damaged. If I buy any at the dollar stores, I get solid-colored ones that can be used for whatever occasion I need them for.

I bought a supply of hand-crafted multi-occasion tags from Costco - they were so darned cute I couldn't resist - but I never buy Christmas tags. After the holiday, I cut up Christmas cards in ways that preserve a decorative element of the card and store them with my gift-wrapping supplies in the basement for the next season.

Don't save wrapping paper; for most of the gift-giving occasions, I'm at a relative's house. I've got a few solid-colored rolls that I've had for years in the event that I need any, purchased on sale after Christmas. As previously mentioned, most of the gifts given within the immediate family go into decorative boxes that don't need wrapping.

I don't use bows. I bought a few rolls of decorative ribbon when they went on sale at a local craft store to dress up the plain boxes that I do wrap.

I reuse tissue paper if it's not too badly wrinkled or torn. I bought a huge honkin' bag of tissue paper in a wide variety of colors from Costco a couple of years ago and probably still have about 90% of it.

[supernanny]

For Christmas many years ago now I made bags from x-mas fabrics. They are made like a pillow case but in a variety of sizes. We slip the gift in the bag and tie a cord around the opening and pin a paper gift tag on the bag. We reuse the tags until there are so many holes that they fall apart. I made some for a friend and when it came to other times to give gifts her husband asked "where are the bags?" so I have now made all occasion bags as well.

[kristen.c]

Originally Posted by supernanny

For Christmas many years ago now I made bags from x-mas fabrics. They are made like a pillow case but in a variety of sizes. We slip the gift in the bag and tie a cord around the opening and pin a paper gift tag on the bag. We reuse the tags until there are so many holes that they fall apart. I made some for a friend and when it came to other times to give gifts her husband asked "where are the bags?" so I have now made all occasion bags as well.

That's a really great idea! I've seen some craft blogs where people have posted the patterns for stuff like this but I've never made any for myself.

[OHeather]

Does anyone have any ideas to reuse the wasted wrapping paper? I know half the fun of opening presents is to rip the paper--that's what I loved to do as a kid! So what can we do with the paper after it's ripped and ready to go into the trash barrel?