the bearable bonus of buying wrapping paper organizers

Merry Christmas! For those of you with downtime (and that might include those of you surveying the mess) go ahead and find a way to corral the gift wrapping for next year. So you have no interest  whatsoever in MAKING any kind of gift wrap station? Fear not, there are attractive and useful gift wrap storage systems that will work for all personality types. Or you can do what I do and only buy presents at Barnes & Noble which will wrap for free. Ah. The perfect wrapping station for the Organic Freedom.

1. Ballard Designs Gift Wrap Cabinet

Now this lovely from Ballard Designs is the only one we could find that are actual MDF furniture. Pottery Barn had one for a while, but alas, it must not have sold well. Please let us know if you have found anything as solid and structured as these. We have to say that this will work best for the Classic & the Fun. Why? Because you can close the doors. Ahh, lots of detail and none of the visual disturbance! Perfecto. Also the detailed task of loading the ribbon and the paper rolls onto the dowels is a detail that most Smarts and Organics will get tired of quickly. If they don’t have a job (full or part) outside of the home, then they could probably manage it, but we bet (especially if they have a separate office space) that they’ll end up keeping the doors open. Now, if you are short on space, then this is probably the most ingenious product we’ve ever found. Because you can put it up on any wall (preferably kitchen or office) and it looks great.

Here’s what it looks like closed. It comes in black & white.

2. Ballard Designs Gift Wrap Cart

Now this beauty, which also comes in black, is more suited for the Organic & Smart types out there, especially those who like this type of design. Why? For the simple reason that you can easily stash the rolls. I don’t know what it is, but that extra attention to detail can sometimes be too much for the visual big picture Organics and Smarts. What’s also nice is that if you don’t have the space for it in your office or kitchen, it stashes easily (hidden casters!) in a closet underneath your short coats. Classics & Funs could do well with this too, however, but only if they could close a door on it, whether that be a closet, craft or office door. It would be too much out in the open in a high use space like a kitchen, living room or family room. It also comes in black. But why spend the money on such a pretty piece of furniture you’re going to hide away? No, this beauty was made for Organics & Smarts. If a Classic or Fun is just going to do a stash away cart, it’s more practical and therefore easier for you to buy a flexible, cheaper, cart from The Container Store.

3. Container Store Gift Wrap Cart.

Here is the practical alternative for the Classics and Funs who need to stash their cart in a closet or the Organics and Smarts who have more modern design tastes. An Elfa cart is the best thing to buy because even if you find it doesn’t work for you as a wrapping station, you can reuse it anywhere else as a set of drawers in your closet, your garage, your basement; to hold clothes, tools, linens, etc. It is an incredibly practical solution, and it does have a nice modern look that can work out in the open in a kitchen or office or craft space. It’s a price performer! (Always save your Elfa stuff. You can reconfigure anything with parts you have and the company will take apart anything that is stuck)

4. Stacks and Stacks Hanging Gift Wrap Organizer

You can buy this at most online organizing stores, and also at The Container Store, but Stacks and Stacks is a good resource for cheap, practical organization solutions. But what’s nice about The Container Store is you can take it back if it doesn’t work and as long as it’s in good condition they’ll take it back for store credit, and sometimes for cash if you have the receipt and you haven’t actually used it (Good information for practical Classics, Organic Structures and Funs who will follow through with returns And this is the cheap and dirty solution made for your type. It hangs like a big coat and can be taken out, propped up and used and then easily put away. But it’s not easy for the visual Organics and Smarts. It’s annoying to get in and out of the closet, and when you buy new rolls, you have to take the thing out of the closet to put them away nicely. It’s useful & cheap, but not a long term solution for the visual types.

5. Hanger City’s Portable Gift Wrapping Station

This is a much more elaborate space saving solution for a Classic or Fun. It has all the little parts that these practical types adore. Even has a roll holder on the edge. It folds flat for storage in a closet or under the bed. The only thing we implore is that you do not use this as a subsitute for an actual desk. This must be put away. Yes, it’s cheap, but buy a real desk if you’re going to be wrapping all the time. And while Smarts and Organics will be impressed by the ingenuity of this product, it will become a hassle in quick order. Too many details to attend to when you’d rather just grab a roll and use the dining room table.

6. All the Rest of Them

Customized Gift Wrap CenterWrap N’ Craft Gift Wrap Storage by RubbermaidChristmas Gift Wrap Organizer

These last three are variations on the theme. The first you can buy at The Container Store and Organize.com an online merchant, the second you can find at most organizer stores, but we like this one from The Container Store best because you don’t have to take stuff out to get to the paper rolls. The third one is from Lillian Vernon and we like it because it’s a big visual reminder that it’s for Holiday stuff. You can also buy a similiar non-green & red one from most organize stores including The Container Store. They are all space savers so on principle will be annoying to Smarts and Organics, but useful, so could work for Classics and Fun who are short on space. The one from Lillian Vernon could work for Smarts and Organics for their holiday stuff only, with its green and red theme is a great visual reminder of what’s inside. There are more variations on these things, but these are the best.

Good for All and for All a Good Night!