Crafting with cardboard boxes made easy: Gift bag DIY tutorial
Store-bought gift bags generate a lot of waste! Help the planet and your wallet with this gift bag DIY tutorial. You will see how easy it is to turn an empty Persil Powder carton box into a personalized gift bag. Give a gift you can feel proud of on the inside and out, with this guide on crafting with cardboard boxes.
What you need
It only takes a few simple tools to pull together this creative gift bag DIY. Here’s what you need. You probably already have at home most of it.
- 1 x empty Persil Powder carton box
- Paint color of choice (opaque)
- Paint brush
- Scissors
- Gift wrap (enough to wrap the entire box)
- Glue stick
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Utility Knife
- Rope or ribbon strong enough to work as handles
- Optional decorations of choice: Stickers, buttons, paint, markers or anything your heart desires.
Gift bag DIY instructions
1. Paint the box to prevent lettering from shining through. If necessary, let the first coat of paint dry and apply a second one afterwards. If the box is too tall, cut off the upper part to fit the size you want.
2. Roll out enough wrapping paper to cover the box and position the box accordingly. Leave 5 to 10 cm of extra paper on the ends to wrap the bottom and inside the top of the box.
Tip: You don’t have gift wrap on hand? No worries, you can also paint the box and proceed to attaching the handles (step 6).
3. Using the glue stick, apply a line of glue on the three sides of the box face (both sides, and bottom), smooth the gift wrap down on the box.
4. Secure the gift wrap around the bottom of the Persil Powder box. Fold in the overlapping piece of paper on the bottom, in the direction of the opening. Fold in the paper at the outer edges, creating a nearly triangular shape. Do this on both sides, then fold in the paper down and secure it to the box with additional glue.
5. Now move to the top opening of the box and cut in the overlapping gift wrap on all four edges of the box in a vertical line. Making sure the cut is made exactly over the corner and goes all the way down to the opening edge of the box.
6. Fold the overlapping gift wrap into the box and secure them with glue. Allow the glue to dry completely. Taking a ruler pencil, mark two holes where the handles of the bag should be. The holes should be placed roughly 3 cm from the top edge of the box and spaced accordingly depending on the box size. Carefully pierce the marked holes with a utility knife.
7. Cut two pieces of rope or ribbon to the same length, long enough to work as handles.
Tip: The knots will take some length away, so consider that when cutting. Thread the ends of the rope through both holes on each side and secure them with a knot inside the box.
8. Further decorate your DIY gift bag if you want to. E.g. glue some coloured buttons on or write something. Place your presents inside and you are good to go.
You’re finished! Not only have you reused something in a sustainable way, but you’ve also created gift wrapping that adds a special personalized touch to your presents. Best of all it’s simple and can be repeated anytime you have a gift to give.