Best Tips for Organizing a Gift Basket

Everyone loves receiving a beautiful gift basket, making them ideal for any occasion. From holidays and baby showers to fundraisers and birthdays, a gift basket gives you the freedom to be unique and creative.

If you're a gift basket novice, allow us to walk you through the ins and outs of wicker basket gift giving. We'll explore how to choose a wicker basket, tips for arranging your items, and presentation ideas to finish your look.

Selecting Your Gift Basket Items

We highly recommend starting your gift basket project with a bit of theme planning. Think about the special occasion and what your gift receiver enjoys or needs most. Depending on your gift-giving occasion, this may be a mom-to-be basket overflowing with frilly baby girl items, a 50^th birthday basket full of gag gifts, or a pampering gift basket for a deserving friend on Christmas. Once you've gathered your items, you'll have an idea of what size wicker basket will accommodate your gifts best.

Selecting the Perfect Wicker Basket

Choosing a wicker basket is much more than what catches your eye. You'll want to select a wicker basket large enough to hold all your items but sturdy enough to secure them. A wicker gift basket should extend far beyond pretty packaging, so you may also want to consider various uses for the wicker basket after the unveiling. Wicker baskets make phenomenal gifts when the receiver can make use of them afterward. Consider baskets with handles, lids, and latches. Try to imagine where the wicker basket could be displayed or reused in their home or workspace to help guide you in your purchase. You can find wicker baskets with decorative wooden pole handles that serve as an excellent shelf or cabinet storage and offer plenty of space for your gift items.

Be mindful of the basket's crafting. Are its handles usable or purely decorative? Does the bottom of your wicker basket provide the support, width, and flat surface necessary for your items? We'd hate for your basket to topple over the moment you set it down.

One of our favorite choices for gift basket giving is our Kubu Round Storage Tote Basket with beautifully handwoven rattan rope handles. Its generous height and width make it ideal for a wide variety of gift items, while its handles and a sturdier bottom are perfect for those heavier gifts. We love using them for housewarming gifts, as they are perfect for storing extra pillows and blankets in the living room and match everyone's décor.

Additional Gift Basket Buying Tips

• It's always wise to purchase your gift items first, then base your basket style selection according to the items' size, weight, and delicacy. 
• If you're celebrating a friend's engagement with flute glasses and a bottle of champagne, be mindful of choosing a basket deep enough to support your glass items. Think beyond the presentation—will the wicker basket you're considering support the champagne bottle when it’s carried around, transported in a car, and when it is set on a counter once unwrapped?
• If you don't have your items with you, it's a great idea to take a few quick measurements. 

Arranging Your Gift Basket Items

Arranging your gift basket takes a little practice, a creative eye, and some strategy. We recommend starting by placing the larger and heavier gift items in the back. Place shorter and smaller items in front, arranging them in a way that all gifts are visible. Use tissue paper or shred to help boost height for items that may not be quite as visible. Play around with your arrangement before committing to a final look.

If you're gifting fragile items, try to reserve a spot for them in front when height allows. If not, work them in carefully at an angle on the sides, creating a rainbow effect. Smaller, fragile items should find a spot in the front or on top of other items to prevent crushing. Don't be afraid to use tape, glue, or glue dots to keep all items safe and in place.

Wrapping Your Gift Basket

Complete your gift basket with beautiful wrapping. We suggest a cellophane wrap with a color that reflects the special occasion. You'll find an array of colors and sizes at your local crafting store. Don't forget to pick up a spool of decorative ribbon, too!

If you're looking for a unique style, you can also use tulle, which comes in an assortment of colors and is commonly found in the bridal section of fabric stores. Follow the steps below for a gorgeous presentation: 

• Carefully place your wicker basket in the center of a large piece of your chosen wrapping material.
• Before you make that first cut, gather the material to ensure you have enough to cover your entire wicker basket and any gift items that may peek out from the sides or top. Plan to cut more than you need, as the excess is decorative and can always be trimmed away as you desire.
• Gather all sides of your material, tightening your grip just above the gift basket handle or tallest gift item.
• Tie a ribbon snuggly around the cinched area to secure it.
• Add additional ribbon to create a beautiful bow and carefully fluff and separate the top section of tulle or cellophane, fanning it out for an incredible wow factor.
• Use small pieces of tape to secure any openings to prevent smaller items from spilling out, and you're all set! 

Additional Gift Basket Presentation Tips

If you have extra room in your gift basket, use tissue paper, colorful shred, bubble wrap, or additional packaging supplies to cushion items and prevent shifting or breakage. Use additional shred or tissue paper to hide any supportive packaging items that are in sight.

If you're packaging several tiny items, you can get a bit more creative by using skewers to display them. Pick up a small Styrofoam cube or ball from your crafting store and arrange the skewers at different lengths and angles. Use tape, glue, or glue dots to secure your items to the tips of each skewer and line your basket with colorful tissue or shred.

We have an incredible selection of wicker baskets for all your gifting needs. Shop now and find the perfect gift basket for any occasion today!