that's a wrap

If there is one thing I simply cannot stand....well never mind, let me rephrase, amongst the many things I cannot stand, rolls and rolls of unorganized wrapping paper is definitely one of them. And no, I'm not saying that you need to make a whole wrapping room a la Candy Spelling (she has two!) Something neat and organized will do just fine.

Here's a common problem people make: buying oodles and oodles of wrapping paper - One for holidays, birthdays; boy and girl, showers, baby gifts, etc. and ending up with 25 rolls all over the place (I'm actually getting anxious from even thinking of it all!)

And AHHHHH here's a nice little way to get organized, fast!
1. Get rid of all that wrapping paper (yes, I understand you got it on sale, it was a great day - move on, get over it! let your kids trace each other on the white side).

2. Purchase either a large brown paper roll or a white roll, or both (don't get too excited, it's only if you have room). You can actually purchase the paper on huge rolls for about $45 (more or less depending on how much you buy) - but it's worth it! saves on contemplating which pattern to buy, rushing before a party, etc.

3. Now that it's in your house you're done! Okay, here's the EXTREMELY fun part: because your wrapping paper is neutral, you can go to any craft store and buy tons of ribbon varying in colors, materials, and patterns. Not too excited? Check out these cheap ribbons from michaels.com:



Their huge array will keep you in the isle forever! Ribbons retail from about $1.50 +. I love the look of a wide, brightly colored satin ribbon on a brown paper wrapped gift. A neutral Raffia would also look great:


Rafia is a must have around the house - a great way to make a gift look both personable and elegant. Don't forget to neatly store all your ribbon together! Wrapping will never be the same. (well, it will probably be really similar - just a little less unorganized and less annoying to look at).