Give your gift a new spin with these cheap packaging options.
When it's party time and you want to give your guests a small gift or goody bag full of trinkets and what-nots, you may be stumped on ways to not only choose a gift bag that is original but also cheap. Take a leap into this grab bag of ideas for how you can invent gift bag alternatives without breaking your bank.
Plastic sand buckets
When the season's right, a quick trip to your discount arts and crafts supply shop is where you'll find plastic sand buckets, sometimes with the shovel attached. Choose a variety of these pails to use to fill with candy, favors or even smaller gifts. Tie ribbons or bows to the handle and set out for your guests to pick up either at the beginning of your event or as they depart. This idea is optimal for beach or outdoor theme events like pool parties and backyard barbecues. You'll find sales on these items just before the summer season and likely right after, so consider this when planning your event.
Reusable Shopping Bags
Package larger gifts in reusable shopping bags from your favorite grocer or retailer. As more and more retailers turn away from disposable plastic bags, there is an abundance of 100 percent recycled bags, usually under two dollars. Don't be surprised if this becomes your gift bag option of choice. Stores are becoming more creative with cloth shopping bag designs to include attractive patterns, prints and bold color palettes. Their over-sized design allows for plenty of your gifts to fit inside. You can use these bags similar to any other gift bag, filling them with tissue paper and attaching a gift tag to the handle.
Plastic Storage Containers
Think "inside" of the box and step away from the concept of a gift bag altogether. Choose a plastic storage container that is closest to the size of your gift and package everything inside the snap tight box. Take a trip to your local dollar store to save a few bucks. Here you will likely also find cheap wrapping paper that you can use for your packaging needs. Boxes are clear plastic with lids and once you've filled it with your gift, you can add tissue paper, colorful foam beads or wrapped candies as a decorative option for your gift.
Tags: your gift, away from, sand buckets, tissue paper, trip your, your event, your guests