How to Create a DIY Gift Wrapping Station in Your Home

Depending on your needs and space constraints, you may not need a “station” at all — just a plastic bin you can slip under the bed to keep your materials out of the way.

On the other hand, if you’re a serious gifter who loves to go all-out when it comes to wrapping gifts beautifully (and has a corner or nook to spare), you may want to invest in a larger, more sophisticated setup. We recommend getting a small, multi-tiered rolling cart with built-in baskets (or platforms with “raised” edges) and hooks so you can easily transport your gifting supplies to your work surface and tuck everything into a closet when you’re done.

There are plenty of other gift-wrapping station ideas you can explore, but here are a few of our favorites:

• Totable gift-wrap organizer with zip closure and internal pockets
• Over-the-door organizer with large pockets
• Sewing/craft table with an in-built surface

Once you have your organizing system and a space to wrap your gifts, it’s time to make sure you’re stocked for all your upcoming wrapping projects. If you have loose supplies, gather them and take note of what you already have and what you need to buy. 

This is the perfect time to declutter and repurpose any wrinkled wrapping paper or items you might not be willing to use on your gifts. Instead of tossing it in the trash, consider using wrinkled paper as padding for fragile items or cut them into squares and make origami ornaments.

The key supplies you’ll want to have handy include:

• Wrapping paper (different colors and patterns for a variety of festive occasions)
• Tape (both single- and double-sided)
• Scissors
• Gift boxes and bags (in various sizes; boxes should come with a lid)
• Gift tags
• Tissue paper (of various colors, including white)
• String twine
• Ribbon
• Sharpies and pens
• Gift cards
• Stamps, stencils, stickers and wax seals

You’ll also want to grab a few organizers to compartmentalize all your supplies so it’s easy to find and grab what you need in a pinch. Here are a few helpful items:

• Modular organizers
• Pen and marker holders
• Wrap Buddies

Now that you have a dedicated wrapping space as well as your wrapping paper and supplies, it’s time to put your gift-wrapping station together. How you organize everything is mostly a matter of preference and the number of items you have, but here are some simple tips.

Organize Wrapping Paper by Color

Storing your wrapping paper rolls by color is the easiest way to tell them apart. Keep your solids and patterns separate, and arrange by ascending or descending size (i.e., the height of the roll). You’ll want to do the same with your gift boxes and gift bags (which can you hang along the side of your cart with a removable Command hook).

Organize Supplies by Type

When it comes to your smaller supplies, keep them in the same place according to type. In other words, ribbons should stay with ribbons and pens with other pens, though you can get as granular as you’d like with cups, dividers and shelving units of all sizes.

It might be helpful to think about your own step-by-step wrapping process and arrange your supplies in an order that mimics it. For instance, keep scissors and tape on one side of your cart with stickers, ribbons and tags on the other so you can intuitively reach for the items you need as you go along.

Store Your Gift-Wrapping Station Away When Not in Use

If you live in a home with limited space, you may need to move your wrapping cart to a discreet location even if you’re a frequent gifter. Whether you store it in the garage or a closet, you can keep it free of dust and critters with a removable tarp.