How to Make a Gift Basket

Have you ever wanted to give a gift basket, but haven’t wanted to pay the $50+ dollars that specialty stores charge for them? The solution’s simple: learn to make your own.

With the right materials, anyone can make a gift basket. The other great thing about making your own gift baskets is that you can put anything you want in them. Whether you want a Christmas theme or a computer theme for your gift basket, anything that is small enough to fit inside a gift basket can be incorporated into a gift basket theme.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
   Gift Basket

   Set a Budget: The biggest con of making gift baskets is that people will often get so excited about including additional items in their gift basket that they will keep purchasing items even after the basket is nearly full. Gift baskets can be extremely affordable to make as long as you stick to the budget you set out for yourself. So before you even buy the basket, tell yourself how much you’re willing to spend on the gift basket, and stick with it.

2. 
   Gift Basket

   Pick a Basket: The basket you choose should reflect your budget; if you’ve decided to keep your budget at $25 for your gift basket, don’t buy a huge basket that you’ll be unable to fill for that amount of money. Also consider buying undecorated baskets for your gift basket: they’re cheaper, and you have more control over customizing how they look.

3. 
   Gift Basket

   Make a List of Items: Before you go out and buy any items for your gift basket, make a list of the items you intend to buy. Then add up how much the items on your list will cost and see if that price falls within your budget. If it doesn’t, scale back on some items.

4. 
   Gift Basket

   Buy the Items: After you’ve finalized your list of items, go out and buy the items on your list. Be sure to do this at least 3 days before you intend to give you basket as a gift, just in case you’re unable to find some of the items on your list. In the case that you can’t find some of the items on your list, buy comparably priced items in their place.

5. 
   Gift Basket

   Pick the Covering: Before you put anything into your gift basket, cover the inside bottom and sides of the gift basket with something like a decorative piece of fabric, tissue paper, or even better, tea towels. Not only will it make your gift basket look nice, but it will also make sure that important items don’t fall through the cracks in your gift basket.

6. 
   Gift Basket

   Fill the Basket: After you have a covering down in the basket, begin filling your basket with the items you purchased. Be sure to put the large items in first, and then use the smaller items as accents around them.

7. 
   Gift Basket

   Wrap it Up: While you don’t have to wrap your gift basket, it’s a good idea to wrap your gift basket if you plan on carrying it anywhere. Some of those small items can be sneaky and fall out when you least expect it. If you don’t want the items in your baskets to be covered up, consider wrapping it in clear plastic cellophane. That way, the items in your basket are still protected from falling out, but you’re still able to see the items at first glance.

Resources

• Technology Current
• Make Money Online

[Butterfli]

on 11/5/2008 Great ideas! 5*