Quick Gifting Principles

Spring is here, which means that wedding season is almost in full swing! I currently have five invitations to wedding showers on my fridge right now, you too?! I'm convinced that the key to giving a good gift that won't break the bank is all in the presentation! This is the gift for my second shower this weekend:

Guess how much I spent... $20... total. That's right. Since I'm a stickler for presentation, I'll show you how to make a $20 gift from Marshalls look like it came from a boutique.

Gift Giving Principle #1: Always give something that you would want to receive yourself, don't just spend a certain amount of money that you have in your head to spend. You'll be surprised at how much happier you'll be to give your gift when you think outside the box. Nothing appealing to you on their registry? Try wrapping a few items that can go in a set together with items you do love. (Like the ugly salad bowl they picked out with your favorite salad dressing recipe and the boxed croutons your family loves.)

Principle #2: When you're going to be packaging the gift in cellophane like I did, buy things that go together both in color and theme. Here my theme was "looking good cleaning the kitchen!" I chose an adorable apron with light blue eyelet trim, light blue microfiber cloths, and high-end counter cleaner with a retro packaging label.

The box is a Restoration Hardware box from two Christmases ago in the same color light blue with the same color dark brown trim. I used white grosgrain ribbon, brown rick rack paper leftover from another gift, and cellophane.

(Prnciple #3: Whenever you buy something from a store at the mall, ask for gift wrap to take home separately, especially around Christmas time. You never know when it will come in handy. Here's where I store my wrapping supplies.)

I folded the apron so that the cutest parts showed, put it in front of the dishcloths that are spilling out of one side then put the counter spray in front. But hold on... I don't like how you can't see the cute retro label on the spray bottle.
So I stuffed some brown paper in the bottom to boost up the spray bottle a little and give the gift some height.

(Principle #4: When packaging a gift that will be displayed wrapped in cellophane, buy an odd number of items and stack them at various heights.)
Much better.
This gift will be seen from all angles, so be sure the back looks cute too.
When you wrap the cellophane, be sure that the bulk of the extra wrap is in the back, so that the gift can be best seen through the cellophane from the front.