If you know me or have read this blog for a while, you know that Mike and I live about 17 miles from a grocery store.  It’s fine with me, as it means that I’ve become a good planner.   I like the security of always having “extras” whether it’s people food, dog food, lightbulbs, gifts, etc.  I’m not a hoarder.  I don’t like clutter, but I like an organized approach to having things on hand when I need them.

By thinking ahead and picking up items as they are on sale, I had enough on hand to put together this baby shower gift without making a special trip to town.    It’s not glamourous…it has only useful things.  There is a little boy’s outfit, diapers, lotion, wipes and then a smaller portable package of wipes.  The new mom will use them all.

I have to keep these gifts at about $25 because we receive at least 10-15 wedding and baby shower invitations each year when I factor in my neighbors, family and work relationships.

I had the basket on hand and I had some basket wrap.    I noticed that the Dollar Tree now had this basket wreap, and I want to try it but I’d purchased this wrap at Walmart a couple of years ago so I used what I had.

Here’s all the items I included in the basket.   A cute little boy’s outfit.  Quack!

Here’s some odds and ends.   All have been purchased in the past month or so.

So…I had some gift wrap and ribbon.  I store most of my gift wrap in the attic, but this tissue and ribbon box is in the bedroom where I can get to it easily for jobs like this.

I put everything in my basket…see how the plastic sticks out on the lower left hand side?  I can fix that.

When I blow dry the plastic, it shrinks around the basket and looks more professional.

Here it is all done.

I am out of little boys’ outfits.   I have plenty of girl stuff, but I’ll be watching the sales and using my coupons etc. to build back my baby shower supply for little boys.  I have the box labeled for shower gifts — similar to the labeled box pictured above I use for wrapping tissue.  If something is labeled, I always remember where it is and what should go in it.

This is just one way to save gas, time and save a bit of money–and have a gift that you know will be used and appreciated.

I’m cleaning house today and making a few meals ahead of time for the freezer. This is a great day to do this, as I can listen to the radio and follow the John Battle High School Trojans vs. the Essex Trojans in the Virginia State High School League semifinals. Keeping my fingers crossed for the boys in green as our JSB Trojan Train heads to the other side of the state!