Gift-Wrapping Made Simple

Kris Connell Of Real Simple Magazine: Staying Organized Is Key

(CBS)  It's not always easy to find the right gift, so you don't want more trouble when it's time to wrap it.

With that in mind, Kris Connell of Real Simple magazine gave a gift-wrapping lesson on The Early Show Tuesday.

The main thing, she says, it to get organized -- that's the best way to waste the least time and paper -- and minimize frustration.

Her tips:

GET ORGANIZED

Create a gift-wrapping station, a space-saving solution for keeping all your supplies in one place. If you're sick of fetching the scissors from the study, the tape from the kitchen, and the wrapping paper from under the bed -- all without family members spotting you before you wrap their presents -- keep your supplies in one place with a gift-wrapping station. Make it a mobile wrapping station you can move from room-to-room, with wrapping paper, scissors, double-sided tape, ribbon, and gift cards, all together.

Connell uses Rolling Scissors, a safe and easy alternative for those who have difficulty using regular scissors. "Bladeless" cutters can be used in either the right or left hand. Simply pull the paper, card, or acetate through the cutter for a quick, smooth cut. It's latex-free.

USE SOLID PAPER ALL YEAR LONG

This way, you won't have to worry if there's leftover paper at the end of the holidays. Use it for birthdays or Valentine's Day. Make it festive with decorative ribbon, or little holiday tokens, like a tree ornament, that you can tie onto the gift. Stock your wrapping kit with solid-color paper. It may be more expensive than the poinsettia and sleigh-bells five-pack but, when paired with the right ribbons, it can be used for all occasions -- Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, etc. Order the paper in bulk, so you're never caught without it on hand. You can buy office dots at any stationery store and dress up plain wrapping paper for kids. It's easy!

USE NO-WRAP GIFT BOXES

You don't have to wrap at all. Make paper, scissors, and frustration the ghosts of holidays past with these pretty wrapping solutions. Buy pretty gift boxes that have already done the work for you.

USE GIFT BAGS

Instead of scavenging for boxes and fussing with gift wrap, turn paper bags into charming parcels with a hole puncher, scissors, tissue paper, ribbon, and special gift tags. There's no wrapping paper required!