You’ve Been Wrapping Gifts the Wrong Way—Here’s How to Wrap a Gift Flawlessly

Updated: Jun. 15, 2023

TikTok will teach you how to wrap a gift like a pro!

I definitely don’t have enough wrapping paper. There has to be a better way to do this.

These are some of the thoughts I had in my attempt to wrap an Instant Pot for Mother’s Day. We all want to give gifts that look neat, but presents don’t always come in nice, sturdy boxes that make gift wrapping a breeze.

But don’t crumple up your wrapping paper and toss it in the bin quite yet. Wondering how to wrap a gift the right way? We’ve got some TikTok hacks that will show you how to wrap the perfect present, even if it’s an oddly-shaped item and you’re low on wrapping paper. Bonus: This Little Elf gift wrap cutter will help make your presents look professionally wrapped, too.

How to Wrap a Gift with Not Enough Paper

We’ve already shared how to wrap a variety of presents and beautify them with ribbons, bows and DIY gift tags, but here’s a trick from @lindsayroggenbuck for when you just didn’t cut a big enough piece of wrapping paper.

@lindsayroggenbuckGift wrapping hack #lifehacks #todayyearsold #iwastodayyearsold #learnontiktok #giftwrappingideas #christmashacks #christmastiktok #momhacks #giftwrap ♬ Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms

If you’ve accidentally cut a piece of wrapping paper too short, don’t worry. You can make it work without cutting an extra strip of paper. If your item has straight edges, just shift it so it’s at a diagonal and wrap as usual. You should be able to cover every inch of your present. Plus, the final product looks so neat and tidy!

How to Wrap Oddly-Shaped Gifts

This other gift-wrapping hack is a lifesaver for when you have items that don’t easily wrap because of their shape or texture.

@lindsayroggenbuckGift wrapping hack #lifehack #lifehacks #momhacks #todayyearsold #learnontiktok #christmastiktok #christmashack #christmashacks #giftwrappingideas ♬ All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

Step 1: Fold your wrapping paper into thirds

The very first thing you’ll want to do is cut enough wrapping paper and fold it into thirds. Tape the overlapping areas, and make sure that the width of your paper, when all folded and taped, is a little wider than the gift you’re wrapping.

Step 2: Create a base

By folding the bottom of your paper upwards, separating it into the diamond shape shown in the video and taping corners down, you’ve just created a sturdy base for your DIY gift bag.

Step 3: Place your gift inside and seal

If you measured things out correctly, your gift should fit snugly inside when you drop it through the top opening. Fold the opening over and tape to seal. For some added character, use a hole punch to make room for a ribbon handle!

Gift Wrapping Essentials