How to wrap presents - Top 10 Easy Gift Wrapping Tips!

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Buying Christmas presents is just the beginning: that's the easy part(!). Now comes the wrapping...

If you're a bit fingers and thumbs when it comes to wrapping a present you're not the only one. Sellotape that sticks to itself (assuming you can find the end), paper that isn't quite big enough, weird non-square shapes (ever tried wrapping a football?), scissors that won't cut... any of that sound familiar?

Do you wish you were the kind of person that could do that slidey scissors thing? You know, those superior beings that don't have to chomp, they just open their scissors and swish through the paper in seconds?

Here's my easy Top 10 Gift Wrapping Tips to help you through - and if you need some inspiration take a look at my Gorgeous Gift Wrapping Ideas over on Pinterest!

• Rather than adding labels (and all that endless 'To' and 'Love From' writing), wrap presents in a specific colour for each person - either a certain colour of paper, or ribbon - that way they know exactly which colour-coded gift is for them without the need for a label.
• Use a tape dispenser - whether its a hand held one (Scotch Tape do a great one that actually fits on your hand - they've got it on half price at Tesco at the moment!) or a super-posh one - doesn't matter which but its so much easier that trying to get it straight off the roll! If you're a sellotape fiend and tend to overdo it, use patterned decorative tape instead and make it a feature!
• Don't necessarily buy posh paper with a Christmas theme - buy something plain so that you can use leftovers for birthdays, etc, during the following year. Dress them up with Christmas themed ribbon or tags instead. Plain brown wrapping paper looks fantastic for Christmas presents - it can be dressed up to look fantastic (take a look at my Pinterest board for inspiration), and its super on-trend this year!
• Use the roll of paper as a cutting guide to make sure you cut a straight edge.
• Don't be tempted to use too much wrapping paper - the more you use, the bulkier the folds will be. Essentially, you need the width of the present plus two heights (see image below). The length needs to be enough to wrap around your present and overlap by no more than about an inch.

• Not enough paper? Yep, we've all done it - got half way through wrapping to discover the paper isn't big enough! Wrap the bulk of the present, leaving gaps on the ends, then add a sash in a coordinating paper around the middle to disguise the gap. Here's a video to show you how!
• No ribbons or bows? Cut a strip of the same, or a coordinating paper, and use that as a finishing touch instead.
• How to wrap a football! Watch this lady, she makes short work of it and I love the ribbon trick! She's got another great video on how to wrap a wine bottle, and one on how to wrap an awkward shaped present.
• Put some good Christmas music on - you can't wrap Christmas presents without a bit of Slade or Wham on in the background!
• Oh, and the slidey-scissors-through-the-paper thing? The trick there is to have nice sharp scissors and good quality paper. But if you can't master it and need to cut the traditional way, use decent sized kitchen-type scissors and don't cut right to the end of the blade: stop just before and slide your scissors along the cut to continue. That way you don't get the snipped/chomped look. And if you do still get the snipped/chomped look don't worry about it: just do a little fold over to disguise it and give a neat edge.

Take a look at my Pinterest board for some stylish gift wrapping ideas that are all simple but, I think, pretty cute and effective!

If you've got any tips for gift wrapping, please do leave a comment and let us all know - I'd love to hear from you!
Sarah x