How to Wrap a Present Without Tape
It’s happened to the best of us – we’re ready to wrap a gift right before a gift-giving occasion, only to realize that we’re out of tape, and don’t have time to get to the store. Luckily, you don’t need to panic. In fact, there are all kinds of “tapeless” solutions to gift-wrapping, ranging from extremely practical to creative and aesthetically pleasing. Let’s share our favorite tape-free wrapping hacks, so that you can present a perfectly wrapped gift even if your tape is nowhere to be found.
These tape-free gift-wrapping hacks range from extremely stylistic to working with the household items you already have lying around. Take your pick, as each of them can get the job done seamlessly – no pun intended.
Use Stickers
Festive stickers can work perfectly in lieu of tape, if you happen to have some lying around. You can use a few stickers like you would use regular tape, or get super creative by decking out the entire gift in stickers, so that the ones used to hold the seams together don’t stand out as much.
Use Some Craft Glue
Of course, a perfectly fine alternative to tape is some craft glue. We don’t recommend using a glue stick, as the adhesive isn’t likely to be strong enough to keep those seams in place during transit. But, your standard white craft glue that comes in the squeeze bottle can do the job just fine, as long as you make sure not to get any glue on the gift itself (unless it’s in a throwaway box).
Try Some Clear Nail Polish
Yes, clear nail polish can do the trick just fine, while having the advantage of being invisible. Simply run clear nail polish all the way along the seams, using the brush wand that comes with the bottle. Of course, give it time to dry fully, and you’re all set.
Go with the Origami Method
If you don’t have any of the above household items in your home, you can still wrap that gift securely by simply going with the origami method. Fold your paper to cover the top of your present as you normally would, lengthwise first, but instead of taping the seam, make two creases, one at a time, and fold them over one another before using your hand to press down the final crease securely.
Then, fold in the sides as you would normally when wrapping a gift, but instead of securing them with tape, create extra tabs at the end of each triangle flap, and tuck them behind the larger flaps, again pressing the creases down firmly to ensure that they’re secure.
No Tape? No Problem!
Of course, no one wants to be out of tape when they’re wrapping a gift – after all, tape offers the easiest way to secure those seams of wrapping paper. But, if you’re out, and don’t have the ability to grab some tape quickly, these methods above will do the trick just fine. So, choose the method that works best for you, and know that your gift will look just as good as it would have had you had some tape lying around at home.
