You've found the perfect gift — now you need the perfect gift wrap. One mom shared how they save and reuse bags and paper year after year.
The scoop
Narvaezj (@_narvaezj) shared a video on TikTok showing how she saves time and money by setting aside gift wrap after it has been used. In the clip, she explains how she saves gift bags, tissue paper, and other materials.
@_narvaezj I cant be the ONLY person to do this right ???? 😅 call me crazy, but it's very convenient for me who has multiple kids & birthdays continuously back to back. #fyp #hawaii #momtok #momhacks #girlmom #reducereuserecycle #savethetrees #saveyourbags #worksmarternotharder ♬ original sound - Narvaezj
In order to really benefit from this hack, you will need a bit of extra space in your home. When you receive gifts, especially those in bags, all you have to do is have a place to store them. This mom folds tissue paper neatly and makes neat little stacks. She also sets aside and stores gift bags.
"I've got bins full of bags… It's very convenient for me," the TikToker explains, adding that she has bins for every occasion, from Christmas to baby showers to birthdays.
How it's working
This tip is a way to stay organized while saving money and keeping things out of the landfill. Scientific American reported: "Americans spend more than $8 billion dollars a year on wrapping paper… And we toss millions of pounds of that precious paper in the garbage."
Reuse is one of the big three waste-reduction principles, and this tip is to reuse over and over. Wrapping paper is often only used once and then unceremoniously tossed in the trash. Not only will you save money by using materials already on hand, but you will also save time avoiding the store.
If your saved paper and bags ever wear out, make sure you are following proper recycling guidelines when you put them out on the curb. Paper has one of the highest rates of recycling in the U.S. The American Forest and Paper Association says: "In 2023, the paper recycling rate was 65% - 69%. We recycled 46 million tons of paper. That's 126,000 tons per day."
What people are saying
Folks on TikTok loved the idea and were excited to try it.
"Girl, it is expensive. I save them all too," another mom wrote.
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Giving me money back 💰 Someone else said: "Christmas I save everything I can. Stuff 'em in the bin, and next year they come out of retirement. It saves money."
This creator is from Oahu, Hawaiʻi, and one person commented using the Hawaiian language: "Not just saving money, saving the `āina!" — "Āina" is the Hawaiian word for land.
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