Anyone with children will know that it’s inevitable that they’ll be invited to birthday parties of their school friends throughout they year – we had three in one weekend last year! I hate giving children money in a card for a present, even though that’s clearly the easiest option but at the same time, to buy a nice little present for them isn’t always cheap.
So, a few years ago I started to stockpile presents and gifts that I saw on offer throughout the year, especially in the sales at the start of the year. I keep mine in one of those Orla Kiely Bags from Tesco which looks very pretty on the top of my dresser in the kitchen but you could use a cupboard or drawer or even just a box under your bed.
In my present bag, there’s a roll of sellotape (because I can never find one when I need it and some cheap wrapping paper sheets. A roll of wrapping paper would have been a little cheaper but with the sheets, they fit perfectly in the bag and I have a few different types I can use depending on who the present will be for. I also have a couple of cards in there which are just cheap supermarket ones but they’re great for parties and it’s so much easier to have some at hand.
Obviously, as I call it the present bag, there’s also presents in the too 😉
At the moment there’s a stash of jewellery in there that I got cheap from the dotcomgiftshop 90% off sale last week, some books I got from the Book People sale and a couple of odd bits that I picked up in the Boots sale when everything went down to 70%. There’s also a moneybox that Miss Frugal saw in Tesco last September reduced to £2 from £8 that says Best Friends on it which she’s going to give to her friend for her birthday in a few weeks.
I also use the bag to hide daft bits and bobs that I buy for the kids through the year as stocking fillers for Christmas as it’s so handy to just quickly pop something in there when I’m unpacking and they’re around. We have a big box in the garage that we move their Christmas treats to when they’re in bed.
Do you have a present stash?
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I have a large stash for a variety of reasons, whether it's quick thank you well done bits for my little girl or crafty bits to do as activities. I've just started including bits that would go in goodie bags as several mums in the playground have complained that their children have too many toys, but you can't go to a party empty handed. Stuff like bubbles, little books (usually Mr Men) sets of pencils, activity packs, tubes of smarties (kept in kitchen of course) and those little toy airplanes you can put together from flat. The kinds of things that once they have been played with/ start to get grotty can " go missing" and the child won't huff so much, but nothing that will take up too much space in a house that may already be stuffed to the gills. So far, two parties down and everyone seems happy, especially since I wrap everything individually (brown paper roll from Ikea and cheap flower ribbon that you can curl) so the excitement is kept up. I go on maternity leave in September for a year so figured this is a good way to be able to do presents on a budget. Love the fact someone else does stuff like this too!
What a great idea! I so need to do this x
Yes, I always have a stash of things – they are in various locations around the house! It does make life easier when it comes to birthdays or celebrations!
I usually have a stash of books, a few toys and ribbon or bows. We have plain wrapping paper and we often make our own and our own labels too!
Brilliant idea! I have stashed up on wrapping paper in the sales, but no presents 🙂 Must remember for next year.
What a good idea! I have a stash of wrapping paper and things but never thought about stockpiling presents!
I have a present stash too. I tend to buy books/jewellry/hairbands. I must admit that I also regift stuff the kids get but dont use, as they get so much!
A really great idea! I tend to buy as I go along as far as gifts are concerned. But I have my gift wrapping stash 😀
I have a present cupboard but I always run out of selloptape and wrapping paper!
I am so unorganised – I have a few rolls of wrapping paper and am always losing the sellotape – I think I need to get myself a present bag!
yeah I keep a lot of gifts I think this is a great idea if you put your mind to it you can come up with a lot for gifts for people of all age groups.
I don't have one but it really does sounds like a great idea, it really helps with the odd birthday or random Christmas gifts.
I enter a lot of competitions so i have a goody box of things. Sometimes I give these as little treats to my friends, but I must admit some end up as pressies for Birthday and Christmas
I have a present stash, I love buying presents when I see them, and it makes it much cheaper at Christmas time!
Yes, I do and it is wonderful. Currently there are little stamps, a Barbie lookalike, a pony, 3 books, fancy handcream, a travel journal, a selection of seeds for herbs, a manicure set and a cute business card holder there. I make my cards with the kids, I think gift cards are the biggest waste of money so I make a bunch every now and then with paper punches and pretty scrapbooking paper.
I don't have one yet but I need to start as we have a couple of party invites starting to trickle through! It is always a good idea to have some things in stock!
I do! I use one of the drawers in my night stand for all the magic things I can give away to others later on.
great idea for kids birthday presents! and good tip on the sellotape!
I have a present box!
I have a present stash!! I try to replenish it in the January sales as much as I can. Great idea to put the sellotape in there though, I hadn't thought of that and I can NEVER find any when it's time to wrap!!
I have a present wardrobe! and boxes under my bed, and in our eaves storage space…. never know when you're going to need a present!
This is a great idea. When I was a child, we always would go shopping for every friend's birthday. Then again, I didn't have many friends so it wasn't a problem.
I used to stockpile little things that I could give as gifts though the year when my Daughter was young. It came in very handy many times.