How To Make Gift Baskets 

Learn how to make gift baskets in a few easy step for gifts or for profit.  You can do it quickly, easily and inexpensively!  See my gift basket design ideas throughout.

Year round we have to come up with gift ideas for all occasions. The more family and friends we have the more gifts we have to purchase.  Here's a great way to make quick gifts quite inexpensively if you learn how to shop and how to put together a gift basket.

Anyone can make a gift basket, but with a little thought and organization, you can make a beautiful personalized gift that offers the qualities below in a short time.  

My objective with gift baskets is to always have available baskets in various sizes and designs, clear wrapping and embellishments for easy gift giving.  Then all I need to do is purchase the products that go into the basket when needed.

Important Criteria To Consider When Making Gift Baskets:

• Easy to make

• Inexpensive as possible

• High quality (everyone deserves a great gift)

• The final result Will become beautiful, cute, handsome

• Will please and delight the recipient with a personal touch

1.  Organization:

First of all, I buy everything I need for the basket on sale at craft stores, fabric stores, and discount stores like Walmart's craft section.  The fabric and craft stores have coupons that are in their weekly ads and the sign-up ads they send you.  I take advantage of all of these for the baskets as well as the supplies.  

I keep a large plastic bag to hold all of my gift basket supplies such as ribbon, lace, small toys, silk flowers, tape, wrap, tissue, rose chips, bubble wrap, potpourri, etc.  The bag zips around 3/4 of it's circumference, making it easy to get in and out of when I'm in a hurry to get what I need.  I keep this in my closet under the stairs.

I keep my small baskets stacked in extra cupboards I have that I use as my craft room.  I keep the larger baskets in the back of my stair closet with the accessories.  If you wish to make gift baskets as a hobby or a business, you will need to be as organized.  If you only wish to make a gift basket every now and then, you can disregard this part of the article.

2.  Purchasing Your Gift Items

For food items I shop at a local gourmet store that has both inexpensive and expensive items so that I can splurge if I want to. However, I can usually find everything I need that is a little different than one would find at the grocery store.

For all other items, go to whatever source you use for the type of products you need.  If you are on a budget, go to stores that will help you save money and give you quality at the same time. Make a list of the items you need to complete the gift part of your basket in order to personalize it. 

3.  How To Fill Your Gift Baskets

Before placing your gifts in the basket do the following:

• Line the bottom of the basket with wrapping paper, tissue paper, tin foil, shredded paper (you can use your shredder), rose chips, lace, potpourri, or whatever you believe will look attractive.  

• Spray the lining with perfume if you wish.

• Wrap ribbon around the handle now if desired, and then add any enhancements to the outer basket with a hot glue gun.   

4.  How To Make Gift Baskets Look Attractive

• Place your items in a basket that will have enough space to hold each gift.  Keep them from looking cramped or getting crushed.   Make an attractive display as in the examples given. 

• Start with the largest items first.  I put the largest at the center, using it as the centerpiece.  Then I fill in around it.  If you have left over items, either begin the process again, or leave out an item or two.  

• Use an attractive ribbon to hold all the items together if necessary.  You can purchase bow makers if you don't like making them yourself as I do.

5.  How To Make Gift Baskets Look Professional

I make the baskets I sell very simple looking as shown below, above and at right.  These are all of my baskets that I sell.  Most of them are small unless I include a teapot and tea or other large items such as the children's basket with old toys at right.   Keep your gifts from looking thrown into the basket.  Make them neat, yet artistically placed.  It's a nack you'll acquire if you have trouble at first.

• After you have placed your gifts into the basket, use "Shrink Wrap" (see video below) in most cases to keep the contents together.  The wrapping can purchased  inexpensively.  I like to use gift basket cellophane bags because they're easy to use.  I gather the plastic together at the top and add a flower or a bow and then a gift tag with string.  You can get the wrapping and enhancements from my store if you can't find them in your area.  Click Here.

I have also used colored Saran Wrap for small baskets and even wrapping paper on rare occasions if I wanted to insure that the gift items could not be seen at all.  

6.  How To Make Gift Baskets Tips:

• You can also use boxes, wagons, flower pots, decorator suitcases, large tea pots (filled with tea) and other items instead of baskets. 

• Don't purchase food items too far ahead of time.  Keep them fresh.
  

• Breads can be baked and saved the the freezer for a few months.
  

• Toys can be purchased ahead of time, but they take up a lot of space.
  

• Make your own gift items if possible.
  

• Christmas gift baskets can be made with an assembly line process for persons you know who don't know each other.
  

•  Decorate general theme baskets to have on hand for last minute gifts.
  

• To sell gift baskets, it is helpful to purchase as many items as possible wholesale.
  

• Don't forget to place a gift tag on your basket after it is wrapped with cellophane.  I place mine at the top of basket with a string. I use a hole punch to make a hole through the card and envelope top left corner.
  

Gift Basket Theme Ideas:

Use the photos below to get ideas for your gift baskets.  You've learned how to make a basic gift basket, this variety shows a number of unique styles that are used professionally.  

How To Make Gift Baskets Video:

How To Make Gift Baskets Video - Wrapping Baskets In Less Than A Minute With "Shrink Wrap":

Continue With The How To Make Gift Baskets Series:

Leave How To Make Gift Baskets For << The Gift Basket Series << Free Craft Projects Index  << Home 

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Look Up Gift Basket Websites For Decorating Gift Baskets:

For more ideas use the Internet. To search the web, use the search box below.  It's easy, just enter the word or name you wish to find and the results will appear on your screen right on my website.  Use words that describe the kind of painting you desire.  If you want to do a lion face painting, enter:  Gift Baskets.  It's that easy!

   

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