Green Gift Wrap Ideas

I shared with you last week some ideas I picked up from my friend Julie. Well here’s a few of my own environmentally friendly gift wrap ideas.

Does your office have any office supplies their tossing out? Corporate discards are what I like to call them. An office I’ve worked for was no longer using a certain size box for shipping and were getting rid of the leftovers. They asked if I’d recycle them and of course I scooped up every single one of them along with giant envelopes that were no longer in use.

The boxes are solid white with no writing or logo. Perfect.
The giant envelopes, as you may be able to tell in the photo below, are not made of paper and while studier, are not recyclable. However, they were going to get thrown out so they might as well get used beforehand. This also saves me from driving anywhere to buy wrapping and keeps me from consuming yet one more item. The tie on this gift was used on a gift given to me. No need for a tag because the giant "G" makes it clear.

My daughter received a birthday gift this year in a cardboard box. All the shipping info had been painted over with pretty hearts. This is a great way to re-use a box and use up any leftover wall paint you may have. Remember, the only way to dispose of paint is to dispose of it dry. The easiest way to do that is to use it!

My nephews are getting their gift wrapped in a black shoe box. How lucky for me that the gift is in a turquoise, black and white box and I have a black shoe box and just happen to have turquoise and white tissue paper left from a gift given to us. No, I am NOT re-gifting to my nephews…I’m only re-wrapping. And trust me, they DO NOT care.

What else? Oh, instead of fancy ribbons that in most cases can’t be recycled, you can use (for a girl of course) a stretchy headband. Decorate it with a pin and the gifts keep multiplying while the wrapping stays green.

In some cases I just skip the ribbon and paint or draw on the box.

Another benefit to all this green wrapping is it saves you a whole lotta green. How much have I spent on gift wrap this year? NADA! How many trips to the store have I made for gift wrap? NADA! How much gas have I used driving to the store for gift wrap? NADA! Ok, that last one may be a bit unfair since I have certainly done my fair share of driving, but you get the idea.

May you have a GORGEOUSLY GREEN holiday season!