5 Simple, Classic DIY Gift Wrap Techniques Any Guy Can Use

Wrapping a gift isn’t hard, unless you overcomplicate things. We say keep things simple and straightforward: avoid accessories, too many ribbon colors, and anything involving glitter or the word “raffia.” We advocate a simple package, wrapped cleanly and correctly, with a little DIY customization to show you care. 

So, we present the ManMade guide to wrapping gifts, sponsored by our friends at the Murphy-Goode Winery, who believe in serious wine, serious fun, and doing good … and giving really awesome presents. 

Gift Wrapping 101: The Basic Box

This is the hassle-free way to perfectly wrap a present every time. No weird corners that don’t match. No three-feet-of-tape-because-you-didn’t-cut-enough-paper. Just keep it simple and do it right. 

1. Start by placing the gifts in the middle of the paper’s width.
2. You should have enough room on the top and bottom (the paper should be at least twice as wide as your present).
3. With the present still in the paper’s middle, fold one of the flaps in and secure it to the bottom of your present. Use clear tape of any kind. TIP: electrical tape looks cool too!
4. For the sides, fold the top part down and secure it to the side of the present. Repeat the same step on the opposite side. Remove any excess paper with scissors for the cleanest look and sharpest corners. 
5. To finish, fold the side flaps down so you form a triangle, then fold the triangle down and secure it with tape. Repeat on the other side.

Voila! Add a gift tag and you’re done. 

With the basic box down, here are a few other ideas you can whip up in minutes … your gifts will look darn fine when you’re done. 

A Printable Bottle Tag

The gift of drink is a classic, and this type of presentation is as easy as it gets. Simply print this bottle tag, cut it out, fold the flap, place it on top of a nice bottle of wine and bring it to the party. Done and done. See? You’ll even have enough time left to drink a glass of vino yourself and get in the holiday spirit. (If you need a bottle of wine to go with that gift tag, we like the Murphy-Goode Dealer’s Choice Cabernet Sauvignon)

Easy Fabric “Furoshiki” Wrap (Using a Handkerchief) 

Furoshiki is the fancy Japanese word for “wrapping in a cloth”. This method is widely used to wrap anything from food to gifts. You can use a vintage handkerchief, a square pocket (for small presents), or even a dollar store bandana as your wrapping. Here’s how to do it:

1. Start by placing the present in the middle of the cloth.
2. Take the top and bottom corners, bring them to the center and tie a knot.
3. Do the same with the other 2 corners.
4. Repeat this until you have a nice little bundle of knots at the top.

That’s it; you’re done in minutes. Easy, yeah?

 5 Minute Hand Drawn Wrapping Paper

 If you’re feeling artistic, you can use a paint marker to quickly decorate plain wrapping paper.  

Simply grab a marker, a couple chopsticks, paint dabbers, or even a pencil, a small piece of paper, and some paint. Dab your tool and make dots of different sizes on the paper. You can play around with the sizes to make a snowflake pattern like the one above.

Let it dry for about 5 minutes and you’re good to go. Note that we added this decoration after wrapping the gift, so we could place the accent in the right spot.  

Personalized Tote Bag

 Gift bags are great, especially if you’re giving multiple gifts. For the same price as a patterned paper bag at the discount store, you can score a reusable fabric tote at the craft shop. A simple typographic accent serves as a gift tag. 

 To make one, simply get a fabric pen from the craft store or use a permanent marker to add some detail to this basic canvas tote. 

Test your design on a sheet of paper before applying to the fabric. Also, make sure to insert a piece of cardboard inside the tote bag so that any excess ink gets trapped there without bleeding onto the back of the tote.

And … there you have it. Lots of DIY options to up your wrapping game this season. Have fun and happy holidays! 

This post was sponsored by Murphy-Goode, but all opinions are mine alone. Thanks for supporting the brands that make ManMadeDIY possible.

 Originally published December 2014.