Share on ThriftyFunThis guide contains the following solutions. Have something to add? Please share your solution!
We use "Christmas bags" for the majority of our gift wrapping. You can usually buy 2 of them for a dollar at most "dollar stores". But, that's cheap, because we re-use the same bags year after year. Gift Bags are not only easy to re-use, they are SO easy to wrap up a gift quickly, using no box, no bow and no wrapping paper to throw away! What could be better!
My daughter simply collects them up and folds them down to a small size. She keeps them in a box for next year's gift-wrapping, then at the next Thanksgiving, we get out the Christmas bags from the "Bag Box" and divide these between whoever in the family wants to re-use them. Then on Christmas night, back they go into the box for next year.
Now that's Recycling!
Those gift bags are great and they last and last. Don't throw out those you receive! Re-use them, and if you have a backlog, you can swap with friends! A buddy of mine passes along his, as he never bothers to wrap anything!
By pam munro from L.A., CA
I keep tons of gift bags of all sizes around my house. There is always a holiday or birthday going on. I also have cardstock around as well. Instead of going out to buy gift bags I reuse the ones the I have around the house by printing something off the printer and sticking it to the out side of the bag.
For example: For Halloween treats last year I had some small gift bags and I printed out a pumpkin, a black cat and a ghost and decorated the bag. Stuff the treats in them and the kids loved them.
By Cristelle from Columbia, SC
I have discovered The Dollar Store as a place to buy gift bags. I keep a drawer in the guest room dresser full of them. They are dollar for the large ones and some are 2 for a dollar. I have even gotten 4 for a dollar. No more paying two to five dollars for gift bags.
Save the gift bags. They don't take up much room and are easily re-usable. I haven't bought any for years.
Gift bags seem to go on and on, so it's a shame not to re-use them. Think about swapping them with a friend or someone at the office who doesn't have the exact same gift list as you do!
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Do you throw away party bags that you receive gifts in? Save them and reuse them. Did you get one and now it's ripped or has writing on it? Cut the bag apart and save the section of paper that is still good and use it as wrapping paper! It is heavy duty, folds up easily in your wrapping paper storage box and will save a tree and another trip to the store!
By Adrienne from Cleveland, OH
I also reuse gift bags and stuff them with tissue paper I get after buying things from clothing stores or from other gifts.
My daughter said to me one time. "Won't they know that paper is from that store?" Yeah but it looks nice and we recycled. (06/11/2008)
By Dawn
You can also put used wrapping paper through the paper shredder for a more festive look. (06/18/2008)
By Leslie
By Robin from Washington, IA
I always do this. With wrapping paper, there's so much waste. (12/19/2005)
By Cassie
(I thought I had posted here.)
On the HGTV site, there is instruction about how to make a gift bag out of an envelope. I tried this and it is easy and very attractive.
With this or used bags, I often add embellishments, and ribbon or string handles. (12/21/2005)
By Carrie
When I use a gift bag, I put tissue paper over the top of the present and fold a corner over the side of the bag. I put a to and from tag on the corner. This way you can see the tag, and the person can reuse the bag without having somone else's name on it. (01/01/2006)
By Jessi Hoefs
I always recycle any nice gift bag I receive. They can be used over and over. I was in a birthday club for many years and we all did this and it was sort of a standing joke because we'd see these same bags go round and round to ea other! (01/11/2006)
For next year, I have MD gift bags from left over cloth material. I hope it goes over well. (quote)(/quote) (01/14/2006)
By mildred lane
