Avoid These 5 Common Gift Wrap Mistakes To Look Like a Pro

You’re Using Dull Scissors To Cut the Paper

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when wrapping gifts is using dull scissors to cut your wrapping paper and ribbon. If you were to use dull scissors, you might leave tiny tears along the edges of the paper because your scissors snagged it. This gift-wrapping tool should be sharp and glide like butter through the paper for a clean, smooth edge.

You’re Only Wrapping Gifts With Paper

While wrapping paper is the quintessential element of gift-giving, don’t be afraid to use gift bags, too! Not every item you buy for a loved one needs to be in a box. Consider mixing and matching your gifts—wrap a few in paper, but set aside the awkward-shaped or smaller items for a fun gift bag. Additionally, if you’re mostly wrapping with paper, don’t stop there. Embellish the gift with a high-quality ribbon to add more style to your presents.

You’re Not Using Name Tags

How large is your family, and how many gifts are you wrapping this year? You might have the perfect gifts for your loved ones, only to realize you don’t know which one belongs to whom when the time comes for gift-giving. Immediately after you wrap the gift, place a name tag on it to keep yourself organized.

You’re Wrapping Gifts Face Up

How you position the item on your wrapping paper before you cut it and add tape might be wrong. When you spread your paper out, place the gift with the front facing down toward the ground. This way, when you complete the wrapping job, all of the seams and tape will end up on the back of the present; the front will now look clean and immaculate.

You’re Tying Your Ribbon Wrong

Adding ribbon to your gift makes it much more elegant and eye-appealing, but if you’re doing it wrong, it can make the present look lumpy and lopsided. When tying the ribbon around the present, start with the material on top of the gift and wrap it around the bottom to keep everything flat. If you were to begin tying the ribbon from the bottom, you could crisscross the ribbon and make a lump, which will affect how the gift lies on the ground.

If you want to look like a pro this holiday season, avoid the above gift-wrapping mistakes. Remember to take your time—it’s not a race! We suggest slowly wrapping your gifts over several days instead of trying to tackle them all right away so that you don’t stress yourself out. Have fun with it; this is the most wonderful time of the year!