How to Wrap a Small Box

With the right technique, you can wrap small gifts easily and beautifully.

Gift wrapping involves more skill than at first meets the eye. Too much or too little wrapping paper makes the gift look sloppy. You have to fold the paper carefully around corners to avoid ripping the paper and make sure all of your edges are straight. Many people find wrapping boxes very difficult, indeed, especially if they are small. Small boxes don't sit steadily in place like large ones and it's often difficult not to overestimate how much paper they need. However, with a little practice, you can wrap even small boxes like a pro.

Things You'll Need

• Wrapping paper
• Scissors
• Tape

Instructions

1. Snip your paper so it wraps completely around the box, but the longer edges only come about 2/3 up the ends of the box. For instance, if your box measures 4 inches across on one face and sits 1 inch high, cut a piece of paper 18 inches long and 5 1/3 inch wide.

2. Place the box in the center of your paper, face down. This ensures that the seams end up on the bottom of the box. Pull up the ends of the paper so they meet at the center of the bottom of the box.

3. Adjust the paper so it fits snugly around the box and secure the seam with transparent tape. This will create a paper tube around your box.

4. Turn the box so you can see one of the open ends of the tube. Reach around the box with both hands and push the sides of the paper tube in toward the center of the end of the box.

5. Push the top of the paper tube down and pull the bottom edge up, creasing the folds deeply. Secure with more tape.

6. Fold the other end of the paper tube by repeating steps 4 and 5.

References

• Container Store: How to Wrap a Box
• Fabulous Living: How to Gift Wrap a Box