A bunch of years ago I wrote a roundup of 20+ Inexpensive DIY Gift Baskets Ideas We Love, and apparently, you love them too, because the article still gets plenty of viewing action. Although we STILL love those ideas, we thought it might be time to expand on the idea. As mentioned in the original post, gift baskets are great to receive, but giving them can be surprisingly expensive. Pick a basket, add a little of this and a little of that, and suddenly you’re over budget. So, once again, we’ll start from the ground up. That means talking baskets first.
Baskets
When choosing a basket, always opt for smaller rather than larger. Why? Because they’re less expensive to fill, and a big basket scantily-filled looks sad. And it still makes you look cheap. The better option is to go with a small basket and fill it to the gills.
Be sure to use the basket best suited for the occasion. If you’re making a Christmas gift basket, for example, use an appropriate material for the holiday. In the prior post, we mentioned using cardboard boxes wrapped with pretty paper for a basket to keep costs down, as well as re-using gift baskets and thrift store baskets that can be given new life with a shot of spray paint. All still great ideas, but it started us thinking about more utilitarian objects we could use for baskets. You know, baskets that have further purpose. Here are some that sprang to mind:
- new, 1-quart metal paint bucket, $2.97 at Home Depot
- new 6 or 8″ terra cotta clay pots, $1.32 also at Home Depot
- a small storage bin, like this one at Target for $2.99
- a small 2-quart bucket, like this set of 4 on Amazon for $18.72
- a small metal colander, like this one from Kirklands for $5.99
Filler
As for filler, we still really like the idea of used paper straight out of the shredder. (To make it more interesting, run a couple of colorful sheets from an old magazine through the shredder to mix in with the mundane stuff.)
Gifts
We included some great ideas for homemade gifts to tuck inside the baskets in our last roundup, but, today, we’ve found even more to consider. Again, we’ll start with items that women might like, then we’ll cover items for the guys, and, finally, we’ll visit the “everybody” basket, which can only mean food…because who doesn’t like food?
Gift Basket Gifts for Her
- DIY lip gloss or balm. Tinted like this recipe from Freebie Finding Mom or this super-easy 3-ingredient recipe at Coupon Closet.
- DIY lotion bars. This simple recipe from Wellness Mama looks like white chocolate peanut butter cups!
- DIY bath bombs. Although a little more involved than the previous ideas, this fizzy bath ball recipe from The Beauty Bar, sounds delightful both to make and give.
- DIY bath bonbons. If fizzy isn’t your thing, than this recipe for lavender and coconut oil bath bonbons from Sow and Dipity sounds devine.
- DIY custom perfume. We won’t fail as miserably as Schmidt if we follow this recipe from Simple Life Mom for homemade solid perfume.
- DIY coconut milk shampoo. The recipe from One Good Thing by Jillee sound absolutely decadent.
Gift Basket Gifts for Him
- DIY cuticle cream. Although this recipe for cuticle cream from Homemade for Elle would be perfectly appropriate for a women, we’re including it in the guy’s column just to bring awareness to men’s cuticle situation.
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DIY hand cream. Again, this recipe from The Prairie Homestead for hand “butter” could be for her, but we like it for him. Especially “hims” that work with their hands.
- DIY after shave spray/splash. Sandalwood and sweet orange…it sounds good enough to eat, but this recipe from inhabitat is strictly an aftershave treat.
- DIY bath salts. For guys who like to take a long soak in the tub, this bath salt recipe from Don’t Mess With Mama, sounds like a great way to unwind.
- DIY coffee soap. Made from used coffee grounds, Popsugar says their recipe not only exfoliates but it deodorizes the skin as well.
- DIY peppermint foot soak. If the guys on your shopping list haven’t experienced a good peppermint foot soak for their pooped puppies, it’s time. This super easy recipe from 4 Hats and Frugal is a perfect way to introduce the practice.
Gift Basket Gift For Anyone (AKA: The Food Basket)
- DIY hot chocolate mix. We know. This isn’t an earth-shattering idea, BUT this recipe for Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Mix sounds swoon-worthy.
- DIY hot chocolate sticks. No, they’re not stir-sticks for hot chocolate. They’re solid hot chocolate mix on a stick! Visit See Vanessa Craft to get started.
- DIY mints. Cream cheese turned into homemade holiday mints? Yes, please. Hoosier Homemade tells us how to make them.
- DIY lemon drops. Fresh-squeezed lemon give authenticity to these homemade lemon drops from What’s Cooking America.
- DIY fudge. But not just ANY fudge. This is RUSSIAN fudge, and it has Bailey’s Irish Cream in it!! The Kiwi Cook explains all and also gives a substitution for the Bailey’s if you don’t swing that way.
- DIY toffee. But not just ANY toffee. This is ENGLISH toffee. This time, the recipe comes from The Idea Room.
- DIY peppermint patties. Oh Nuts assures us these homemade peppermint patties are one of the easiest candies to make.
Final Thoughts
- Jars and pots and mint tins. For the personal items in this roundup, check the recycling bin first. Squatty, wide-mouth jars are great for bath salts and the like. Altoids tins work for solid perfumes and lotion. A great on-line resource for cosmetic containers is SKS and the Jar Store.
- Bags. For food items, the best way to package them is in bags. Creative Gift Packaging is a great resource. Quantities are large, but the price is still very reasonable. Local party supply stores and craft stores are other options for cellophane gift bags too.
- Wrapping. Any DIY gift basket looks lux with a proper wrapping. Shrink wrap is a great option, but buying it on a roll is the most cost effective. Another option is to use inexpensive tulle to wrap the baskets. Tulle is inexpensive (as inexpensive as $.74 a yard), and it comes in a variety of colors.
That’s it for this addition of inexpensive DIY gift basket ideas, but for even more, remember to visit the original post!
