ORGANIZE IT: Wrapping Paper/Gift Bags

As I was packing up Dave's office to make room for Lance's bedroom, I sat in disgust looking at my unorganized pile of gift bags, tissue paper and miscellaneous ribbon and gift tags. For as organized as I am, this is one area that I haven't tackled. My current system looks like this - the wrapping paper is shoved in the closet. And the tissue paper is thrown on the closet shelf. In a pile. And somewhat crinkled. And all the miscellaneous bags and gift tags are tossed into a large Nordstrom box. And Lord knows what's in that box.

So I got to researching (of course I did!) ways to coral all these loose ends into one place. There were a million wall displays on the Internet but not everyone has a fabulously organized craft room let alone an extra wall to display wrapping paper and ribbon. As I got further into the depths of the Internet, I came across a chart topping idea in Better Homes and Garden that is a fabulously functional space saver. All you need is the back of a door and you have yourself an instant wrapping station.

Say hello to your new best friend. A chef’s pantry door rack. It's designed to store cans and boxes but it's perfect for organizing ribbons and paper, too. You can find it directly through this link at chefscatalog.com for just $29.95.

Here is a breakdown of the the article from Better Homes and Gardens (from top to bottom):

1. Keep gift tags in clear, lidded containers so you can see what you have.

2. Line up spools of ribbon on a shelf. Just unroll the length you need and snip.

3. Keep often-used tools like scissors and tape in the middle of the rack so they’re easy to reach.

4. Drape tissue paper over the bar of a shelf to keep it uncrumpled.

5. Stand up roll wrap at the bottom of the basket. A heavy-duty rubber band stretched around the rack keep the rolls tight.

6. File a few gift bags and ready-to-assemble gift boxes in the bottom basket.

Inspired? I sure am. Happy organizing!