>U Mom Knows Best: How To Wrap Presents With Reusable Cloth Bags

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

How To Wrap Presents With Reusable Cloth Bags

Check out how you can cut back on waste by using cloth grocery bags to wrap presents.



  It is a couple days after Christmas and trash cans are filled with so much waste from all the wrapping paper and boxes from all the gifts. The trash service doesn't come until Friday and the cans are overflowing. It makes me sad to see all that waste in my neighbor's trash cans as most people do not take the time to recycle the boxes and the wrapping paper. On top of that, if one did want to recycle the wrapping paper, they would be surprised that most of it can not be recycled. There is some wrapping paper that is able to be recycled but that is only good if your city allows any wrapping paper to be recycled. My city does not recycle any wrapping paper so I decided this is going to be the last year that I wrap my gifts with paper that will end up in the landfill. I already have stopped buying paper napkins and instead use cloth ones so I am ready to do even more to reduce my trash waste.

  I want to keep plastic out of our oceans and landfills. Did you know that some Christmas wrapping paper has chemicals in them or even plastic? It also takes trees to make the paper. So that means trees have to be cut down for that pretty paper. So even if your city takes the wrapping paper in your recycle bin, think of what it is doing to our environment. Using cloth bags for wrapping presents is just smart.

                                    I hate all the trash after the holidays



Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle 

This was our mound of trash after we opened up presents. I will recycle the boxes but sadly the wrapping paper will go in the trash can as my city does not accept it in the recycles. After attending ShiftCon a couple of weeks ago, I am trying to be more "green" as I want to not only take care of my body but also the earth. So I thought up a better way to wrap presents. I will use cloth bags, you know the ones that people use at the grocery store, to wrap my gifts. I always have a stash of these cloth bags as I get plenty from blogging conferences, like ShiftCon, and from brands that I work with. I discovered that with a few extra touches, like ribbon, that I also get from brands, that I can use these bags to wrap almost any gift. 

The bag becomes a gift to use at the grocery store.


  The awesome thing is that the receiver of the gift will then get a cloth bag to use at the grocery store. This bag just might help a person to be greener and thus reduce the use of plastic grocery bags. Did you know that most of those plastic bags end up in the landfill? If the consumer does take them back to the store to be recycled, well then energy needs to be used to recycle them. So using a cloth bag over and over is the better choice. I like to stuff all my cloth bags into a bigger cloth bag and then keep them in my car so they are always ready to use. When I unload the bags, I then place them by the garage door to then put back in the car next time I drive. 

My city is eliminating toxic plastic bags at the grocery store next month and replacing them with a more environmental-friendly bag. The grocery stores will also be charing ten cents per grocery bag. So my family will appreciate some reusable cloth bags with their Christmas gifts. One can never have enough fabric grocery bags.

What are some ways you can reduce trash for your gifts?


Now here is a picture of gifts in reusable cloth bags. I love that after the presents are opened, my guest can take a cloth bag with them to use for grocery shopping. The bags that I use for my family's gifts can then be stuffed into a bigger bag and then be stored for next time. Those bags take up less room than all those tubes of paper. I also do not have to waste money by buying more wrapping paper at the after-holiday sales. That keeps me out of the stores buying items I don't need just because it is on sale. 



 For some people using cloth bags may not seem as pretty as Christmas wrapping paper but with some practice and using items that you already have like ribbon, silk flowers, etc, you will make a great looking gift that is great for the environment. I also like to reuse Christmas cards for gift tags. You can also paint some pretty designs on the cloth bags with fabric paint.

 I would love to see how you wrap a gift without using wrapping paper.


Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle       







31 comments:

Unknown said...

LOVE this idea! We are firm believers in recycling but you are right - some cities do not accept ALL materials for recycling.

Amy Jones said...

This is perfect! I've always thought wrapping gifts was something super unnecessary because of how it doesn't really do much and just creates more waste. I need to look into this

Unknown said...

That is such an amazing and original way to wrap presents! I love it! I will keep it on my mind for my next christmas!

Sarah Bailey said...

It was good to know of how you care about the environment as much as we care for ourselves, because having a cleener and greener environment will give us a clean and healthy living.

PR Daily PH said...

Wow this is so economical! Last Christmas we reused paper bags from boutiques instead of buying Christmas gift wrappers. We saved a lot!

Mhaan | www.mommyrockininstyle.com

Elizabeth O. said...

This is a great way to get rid of all the wasted wrapping paper and just use bags instead. Very affordable and environmentally friendly! I love the idea! Thanks!

Unknown said...

Wow how economical! Very creative way to eliminate waste! Great Idea <3

friendsEAT.com said...

What a nice idea. Environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and smart. Guess I know how I'll be wrapping presents in 2017!

Tina Gleisner said...

You're a genius as not only will using grocery bags cut down on wasted wrapping paper, it will also remind people to use these bags for ... groceries. I also wrote about this recently, sharing the Japanes custom of using (and reusing) beautiful squares of fabric, to wrap gifts. They're called furoshikis & you can learn more here ... http://www.hometipsforwomen.com/gift-wrapping-ideas-japan

Jennifer Gilbert said...

Great idea for an eco-friendly wrapping paper! I also have used Christmas cards for gift tags. I hate throwing out all those pretty cards!

Alesia said...

Very interesting idea. I reuse the stuff in my craft projects to recycle.

Frosted Events said...

This is such a smart idea. Way to think outside the box and reuse. I'm going to bookmark this and remember it for next time I'm wrapping up something to give

Unknown said...

I had no idea that some cities do not recycle wrapping paper! We use cloth bags when shopping but never would have I thought to use them to wrap gifts!

JcCee at Life Through Fancy Eyes said...

I love the idea of giving the guests bags that can be also use for shopping bag. Finding more than one way to use the bags is a great way to help save the environment as well as same money for both parties.

Dawnm723 said...

What a great idea! I really hate picking up all the wrapping paper after Christmas but this is good for clean up and the trees. I'll have to do this next Christmas.

AiringMyLaundry said...

What a great idea! I'll have to keep this in mind for next year.

yonca said...

What a great way to wrap presents. So many ways to use those cloth bags for later.

Becca Wilson said...

This is such a cool idea. Then you get the bags back or if not the other person can use them! Genius.

Peachy @ The Peach Kitchen said...

Oh my! Sucha great idea to wrap presents in eco-bags! I'll do this next Christmas!

Kathy said...

I think this is a wonderful idea. So much paper is always being wasted. I always keep the tissue paper and reuse. The wrapping paper I recycle.

24/7 Modern Mom™ said...

What a clever idea! I was just talking to my kids today about wasting and how frustrated it makes me when they do it. We have a ton of bags we could use for this!

Nyxie said...

I would never have thought of this but I am 100% behind it. This year I'm not wrapping anything. I have everyones presents in a Christmas baggie beneath the tree. These bags are usually used one year by me, passed to who ever and they pass them on. I might try this next year just to jazz things up.

Katrina Kroeplin said...

i love this idea. idk why i haven't thought of this before. after wrapping all that happends is the kids tear though it and then it goes into the garbage. i should do this.

Myrah M Duque said...

This is smart! Not only are we helping the environment but we are also saving money and reminding people to take their fabric bags to the stores.

Candace Hampton said...

Recycling news paper, bag papers and wrapping paper is also an option. Thanks for sharing. I hope that you enjoy your weekend.

Happy Holidays!

Romy Schorr said...

Now that’s a great gift wrapping idea!

Why Girls Are Weird said...

Oh wow what a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us!

brianmayroam said...

Great idea! I hate all the extra (and unnecessary) trash during the holiday season!

Nicole said...

This is such a great idea! I agree with you that all of the trash and wrapping paper laying around after the morning of opening presents can get a little crazy. I'll definitely have to give this a try with some of the gifts we got others this year. Thanks for sharing!

Eileen M Loya said...

That is a great way to reduce waste. I can only imagine how much wrapping paper goes into trash bins this Christmas. I stopped buying wrapping paper years ago. I save the comics section of the newspaper and that is what I use to wrap gifts. Next year, I will be "stealing" your idea and wrap gifts with reusable bags instead.

Edgar said...

Fine! I like your idea. A great way not to pollute our planet. I really love the Christmas holidays, but it always saddens me that after the holidays there is always a lot of rubbish, especially from the wrapping paper. Most people don’t think about throwing everything in the trash instead of recycling it.

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