brown paper packages

As you know we sold our house in Kentucky and moved to Charleston, SC this past summer.  We aren’t new to the moving game (hello, this is house #6), but we lived in our Kentucky house longer than any other house we’ve called home.  Which means we had five years to accumulate stuff in one place.  Insert the emoji with the big shocked eyes.  When it came time to start packing things up, I quickly realized what a giant hoarder I had become.  Yikes.  How do people live in one place for 30 years?!  One thing in particular that seemed to really be in overabundance was the amount of wrapping paper I had collected.  Holy Moly guys!  I think I had enough wrapping paper to wrap millions of presents.  It was like I thought I was one of Santa’s elves or something!  Seriously.  It’s was crazy town.  
Instead of packing and moving it all, I gave a bunch of it away and the rest I sold at our big moving sale.  I have since vowed to never again be a hoarder of wrapping paper, and so instead I’m repurposing  paper grocery bags for all my wrapping paper needs from here on out.  It works like a charm, is just as cute and keeps my wrapping paper hoarding tendencies in check.  Plus it brings back memories of jr. high school and making book covers for my text books.  (That’s how old I am.)  So clearly it’s a win all the way around. 
repurpose brown grocery paper bags to use as wrapping paper
Grocery store paper bags are pretty strong too, so you don’t have to worry about the paper tearing.  I’m keeping my gift wrapping pretty simple with just plain brown paper, plaid ribbon (Hobby Lobby) and gift tags (Target).  But if you wanted to get super creative you could stamp or even watercolor or let your kids decorate the paper packages for a totally fun and unique wrapping paper.  
brown paper packages
jewel toned christmas tree

I’ve also been known to use fabric scraps to embellish.  And how cute are garland pipe cleaners (found at Hobby Lobby)?!  They are perfect for personalizing gift packages.

brown paper packages embellished with fabric scraps
Brown paper packages tied up with string…….these are a few of my favorite things.  You’re welcome for getting that song stuck in your head today.  
Okay, so who else has been a wrapping paper hoarder?  Don’t be shy.  There’s no shame.  😉   I’m glad I’ve overcome, now if I could just get a handle on my ridiculous stash of cute pencils!  There’s probably no hope there.  If loving cute pencils is wrong, I just don’t want to be right. 

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  • My significant other has banished me from the Christmas wrapping section for good 🙁

    My name is Kristina, and I have 34 rolls of wrapping paper, 19 of which are open, in three wrapping paper storage containers. I also have two large cardboard boxes of ribbon and gift tags. I'm wrapping paper obsessed. I take pride in making each package different and beautiful! I love to give people a perfectly wrapped present more than watching them actually open the presents. *insert 100 embarrassed face emojis here*

  • I am the person (like you) with years and years of wrapping "stuff" that was recently donated to charity. I love this idea and am going to use it in my new home next year! Love the package!

  • Several days ago, I threw out lots of wrapping paper bits and pieces and bows and it felt so good and liberating! We are not exchanging gifts this year, and instead are renting a house for all our grown and newly married kids and spouses to get to know one another, play games and eat food! NO wrapping required! It has been a great "no shopping" year for us!

  • I love this! The gifts look gorgeous! It seems like there are so many cute gift embellishment options to personalize your gifts — so special and unique that way!

  • For 5 years i had been collected a lot of wrapping paper too! Now i'm living in a small letting flat with my husband and we have a problem to fit in cause of my hoarder's whim 😉 Before Christmas i must to segregate my lovely collection!

    Sorry for mistakes, i learn english 🙂

  • Your gifts look lovely and the ribbons and embellishments are the focus on the gift. I must confess, I too have more wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons and gift tags, enough to open a store. It is hard to bypass a beautiful printed gift bag or embellishment. Like you, I too need to donate some of my items.

  • Your gifts look lovely and the ribbons and embellishments are the focus on the gift. I must confess, I too have more wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons and gift tags, enough to open a store. It is hard to bypass a beautiful printed gift bag or embellishment. Like you, I too need to donate some of my items.

  • Great idea! I made those school book covers when I was young and still doing them for my 8th grade daughter. I have a quite a few on hand and think I will be a copycat! 🙂

  • I get the wrapping paper hoarder gene honestly from my mom. Every year at Christmas we would carefully unwrap the gift and save the paper! I had gifts wrapped in the same paper for years and years until the creases and wrinkles started to rip! We would still get up at the crack of dawn on Dec 26th to buy paper at 50% off to add to the collection too!

  • I've been trying to use up all my rolls of paper and I love using grocery bags or craft paper for wrapping gifts. Nothing cuter than bakers twine to tie it up with!

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