How to Wrap Your Presents With Just One Piece of Tape

Shawna Bailey
by Shawna Bailey
2 Materials

Am I the first one to admit I have been wrapping presents wrong my entire life?


I found this video explaining a Japanese wrapping trick that's brilliant! With a little improvement on their trick, I figured out how to wrap my presents using one piece of tape in about 30 seconds, and I also created a pocket to put the card into.


It sounds more complicated than it is, though I'll admit I had to do it a few times before I could do it super fast. But now that I know how to do it, I will be wrapping presents like this for the rest of my life.

DIY Christmas ideas

For more festive DIY projects, discover other creative ways to wrap a gift here.

Christmas wrapping paper

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Choose your favorite wrapping paper. I got out my Christmas collection because I want to wrap these presents before my kids see them. Cut a piece a couple of inches wider than your present on all sides. (Or just cut wrapping paper like you normally would.)

Angling the present on the paper

Step 2: Angle the Present

The first thing I did was turn the present at an angle, so the present forms the hypotenuse on a 90-degree triangle. That’s one of the things that’s so different about this trick.


You need to make sure that there is enough paper to cover the present. You can do this by lifting the wrapping paper and shifting the present. Check to make sure there is enough to cover the bottom, too.

Folding the wrapping paper

Step 3: The First Fold

Fold the right side up and onto the front of your present, so that the paper touches the top left corner and the bottom right corner.


If the paper doesn’t cover the right side of your present, just shift the present a little until it does.

Folding on the corner

Step 4: The Second Fold

This fold is a little tricky. You need to put your index finger on the inside of the wrapping paper. Then use your second finger to fold the excess paper towards the left while folding upright.


The fold should happen exactly at the bottom right corner. If the excess paper gets a little bunched that's okay, because it gets covered by the part you're pulling up.

How to fold wrapping paper

Step 5: The Third Fold

When you do this step correctly you get a straight fold going up the right side of your package.

How to wrap a Christmas gift

This fold is an easier version of the second fold. I found it was easiest to rotate the present 90 degrees counterclockwise for this fold.


Your hand is in the same position and you are pulling up while tucking the excess to the left. It's easier because there is less excess paper. You should also end up with a straight fold up the right side.

Creating the last fold

Step 6: The Last Fold

The last fold is a double tuck, using both hands and ending with a straight fold along both sides of the top. You're stuffing all the unneeded paper from both directions under the top fold.

One piece of sticky tape

Step 7: Add 1 Piece of Tape

That's right, this hack uses only one piece of tape!

Wrapping a Christmas gift

I added the piece of tape to the corner where the two flaps met. This creates a pocket that's perfect for sticking in holiday cards. I like to tuck the edges of that pocket in to make it look neater, but you don't have to.

How to wrap a present with one piece of tape

How to wrap a present with one piece of tape

There you go! There's how to wrap a gift using only one piece of tape. How did you like this gift-wrapping hack? Share your gift-wrapping tips and tricks in the comments below.

Suggested materials:
  • 1 piece of tape
  • Wrapping paper
Frequently asked questions
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  1 question
  • RichandTammy Whiteside RichandTammy Whiteside on Dec 02, 2016
    First -- I LOVE this idea! No trimming of wrapping paper so no traces of evidence for children to discover, lol. My question is this: When you held up the wrapped item after using the one piece of tape, does the flap that you see on stage right of the package just kind of dangle or could you tape that down?
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