How Much Wrapping Paper Do You Need?

There’s nothing more frustrating than cutting a sheet of wrapping paper only to discover it’s just a little too small — or using far more paper than you actually need.

Whether you’re wrapping a birthday present, Christmas gift or something for another special occasion, taking a few quick measurements first can help you achieve a neater finish while reducing wasted paper.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to work out approximately how much wrapping paper you need for square and rectangular presents, along with a few useful tips for trickier shapes.

If you’re choosing paper from Pink & Posh, you can also use our Wrapping Paper Size Guide to help you select the most suitable size before ordering.

Wrapping a Square or Rectangle

For a square or rectangular box, start by measuring the length, width and height of your gift. The easiest way to check your paper before cutting is to place the box face down in the centre of the sheet.

Bring the paper up and over the box from both sides. You need enough for the two edges to overlap slightly in the middle. Then check the ends: the paper should reach far enough up each side of the box to cover it neatly when folded.

Once you’re happy that you have enough paper on every side, cut the sheet to size. Leaving a small amount of extra paper for overlap is much better than cutting too closely, but you don’t need a large excess. This gives you neat folds while helping to reduce waste.

Wrapping an Irregular Shaped Gift

Oddly shaped presents such as bottles, cylinders, soft toys or other items without straight edges can be a little trickier to wrap. Start by placing the gift in the centre of your paper and loosely bring the paper around it before making any cuts.

Check that there is enough paper to cover the widest part of the gift, with a small overlap where the two edges meet. Leave a little extra at each end so that the paper can be folded in neatly.

For particularly awkward shapes, placing the gift inside a suitable box first can make wrapping much easier and often gives a neater finished result.

How to Avoid Wasting Wrapping Paper

A little planning before you start wrapping can help you use less paper and still achieve a beautiful finish. Measure your gift before cutting, check the fit by loosely folding the paper around it, and only then trim the sheet to size.

Keep useful offcuts too. Smaller pieces of wrapping paper can be ideal for little presents, stocking fillers or adding decorative details to other gifts.

Choosing the right sheet size before ordering can also help reduce unnecessary waste, helping you buy the amount you need without ending up with lots of excess paper.

Make Your Gift Even More Personal

Once you know how much paper you need, choosing the design is the fun part. Our personalised wrapping paper can be created with names and special wording, turning the wrapping itself into part of the gift.

With designs for birthdays, Christmas and other special occasions, you can choose wrapping paper to suit the person and the celebration. Many of our designs also coordinate with personalised cards and gifts for an extra-special finishing touch.

Explore our Personalised Wrapping Paper collection to find a design for your next celebration.