You may not consider gift wrapping to be a dangerous activity, but your body would disagree! Gift wrapping has the potential to cause muscle strain and soreness in various areas of your body, but we’re here to help! Follow these gift-wrapping safety tips as you get into the holiday spirit this year to make it a happy and healthy time for everyone involved.

Don’t Strain Your Back

The most common complaint that people have during gift wrapping comes from a strained back. To avoid a strain on your back, you should find a gift-wrapping space at a height that allows you to stand while you wrap. Sitting on a chair at a table can also work but be aware of how far you’re reaching to grab supplies and presents. Sitting on the floor is the most common and even the worst position you can choose to wrap gifts in. The floor will force you to bend over, straining your lower back, and reach around for supplies or to get the right angle on the gift.
To further avoid a strain on your back it’s a good idea to gather all of your gift-wrapping supplies before you begin. Place them in a basket or drawer within arm’s reach to avoid getting up multiple times to find them or reaching across the table for them, straining your back. The gifts that need to be wrapped should be brought over to your gift-wrapping area before you begin as well. More large donations may require two people to lift them both onto the gift-wrapping area and back under the tree. If you start to feel sore or strained, take a break to stretch and readjust before continuing.

Keep Your Space Clean

A cluttered floor beneath your workspace will lead to, a serious fall risk. When you take a break to stretch, take a few minutes to sweep up any scraps of paper and ribbon that have fallen at your feet. By maintaining a clean workspace, you’ll be able to finish the job quicker, have less cleanup at the end, and ensure you won’t fall when you’re finished! If you have gifts left but are tired of wrapping, there’s no shame in utilizing cute gift bags and boxes to house certain gifts. The recipients will be so excited about what’s on the inside, they won’t care instead you made only cuts and folds to wrap it correctly!