As the silly season approaches, it brings with it a raft of challenges, from long lines and rushed orders to tight deadlines. This is where having streamlined wrapping processes in place can help keep your customers happy while supporting team efficiency during the holiday rush.
To help you turn your holiday packing from chaos to calm, we’ve pulled together five time-saving tips to help you speed up your wrapping.
1. Set up a dedicated wrapping station for efficiency
If you don’t already have a designated wrapping area, it can be well worth creating a clean, clutter-free space purely for wrapping and packing your products.
Keep the essentials within easy reach and make sure they don’t stray from the wrapping station. We’re talking tape, scissors, tissue paper, gift tags, boxes and bags. You can even use dispensers mounted on the wall to store rolls of kraft paper, ribbon and stickers, allowing for easy access and speedy wrapping.
Setting up your wrapping station with a logical layout reduces the time lost searching for missing materials and accessories. Every business is different, so take the time to set up your wrapping area in a way that best suits your needs.
2. Use pre-cut or pre-measured materials
Do you sell several items of a similar size? Or perhaps you have a couple of different-sized gift bags that you typically use to package up your products. If this sounds familiar, you might want to consider stocking a stash of pre-cut sheets of tissue paper or wrapping paper that’s tailored to suit your most common gift dimensions.
The main trick to speedy wrapping is avoiding the time sink that comes with trimming on the fly, especially if you’re working with more orders than usual or an influx of customers in-store. If possible, try to carve out some time during quieter periods throughout the day to prepare bundles of tissue paper or wrapping paper in advance.
3. Choose custom branded gift bags
Not everyone has the time to individually wrap each and every order or purchase. If you’re already short on time, using gift bags over paper wrapping is often a simpler, speedier alternative. And the best part? Your customers will still receive a beautifully presented item without the time and effort it takes to fold and tape a wrapped gift.
If you’re thinking gift bags are more your vibe this holiday season, why not invest in some custom branded gift bags that double as a bit of extra exposure for your brand? You can even add branded stickers for an extra special touch. Plus, gift bags still pair perfectly with a touch of tissue paper for a little extra flair. Simply add a couple of sheets of tissue to the top of your packed bag to elevate your presentation in under 15 seconds.
4. Buy in bulk and plan ahead
Often, the key to a successful holiday season is planning ahead when it comes to packaging. Buying larger quantities reduces mid-season shortages and helps save time on frequent reordering.
Many packaging suppliers often release their seasonal packaging offerings months in advance, so you can get your orders in well ahead of schedule. While it can be difficult to estimate the exact quantities of packaging materials you’ll need for the holiday season, reviewing your sales history from previous years can help you forecast your packaging needs early.
5. Create pre-bundled gift wrap kits
Save time on wrapping by assembling individual wrap kits for your items. Depending on what materials you’re working with, your kits could include a gift bag with some tissue paper and a sticker or tag to finish. Better yet, store your gift wrap kits in grab-and-go bins at your packaging station to help speed up the wrapping process.
This approach is great for pop-up stores, events or click-and-collect orders when saving time makes a big impact. Customise your kits by product size or season if you’re heading into the holidays.
Get holiday-ready with PaperPak
When it comes to wrapping faster this holiday season, having the right setup, supplies and preparation makes all the difference. It’s times like these when making thoughtful product choices, like buying bulk rolls, custom branded bags and making bundled kits, can save you both time and money when it matters most.
Explore PaperPak’s full range of kraft wrapping, gift bags and seasonal packaging to streamline your festive packing game.
