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Most of us, especially when it comes to shopping for kids, like to get an early start. That means great deals, less stress, and of course coming up with ways to hide presents so your kids won’t find them. Depending on your situation that last part can be somewhat tricky, but not impossible!
16 Ways to Hide Presents So Your Kids Won’t Find Them
With five kids in my house, there’s always a birthday coming up or Christmas gifts to tuck away. Over the years I’ve had to come up with some pretty creative ways to stash presents away from the kids
When you’re hiding gifts from kids it’s really important to keep in mind their ability level and understanding. Presents can easily be hidden from little kids in a high up spot but older kids and teens are going to be a little bit more observant.
Before we start…we encourage you to share this post with someone – a mom or a dad – to help find creative ways to hide gifts from their kids like a pro.
Here are my best tips to keep the surprise safe and hide presents so your kids won’t find them.
Hide gifts in garbage bags (just make sure they’re far from the trash!)
Kids are not going to be tearing apart trash bags looking for presents, that’s for sure. Right now this is how I have the majority of my kids’ Christmas gifts stored: under our stairs in trash bags. No one suspects a thing! Just make sure they don’t get mixed up with the actual trash.
Make a permanent “gift basket” in your closet
This works best with younger kids. If you have the space in your closet put an opaque box or basket in the top and use it to store smaller gifts. It’s handy when you want to tuck something away for a short time or need to stash a present away from the kids quickly.
Use your luggage
Most of us have some empty luggage sitting in storage. Use it! Kids won’t suspect that there are gifts inside something that’s always been there so it’s the perfect hiding spot.
Get some help from family
When I used to live in a much smaller house we really didn’t have the space to store gifts for the kids where they couldn’t find them. So I used to take it over to my mom’s and hide it there! Can’t find the gifts if they’re not in the house.
Take them to work
Depending on where you work this is another possibility. I used to hide gifts from Santa in the storage room at work and since it was just me and my boss who worked there they stayed safe. (I also used to use my key to come in after-hours and wrap them in peace!)
Hide gifts in boxes found around in the home
Things like chests, ottomans, filing cabinets, or other places you know your kids won’t open before you’re ready to give them the gift! “Hidden in plain sight” works great with kids because chances are they’re not going to pay any attention to them.
Wrap them up early
If you wrap the gifts right away then even if the kids happen to spot them they’re not going to know what’s inside. It’s not the most ideal when you want a surprise (especially if you’re planning a surprise party) but sure better than it getting spoiled. You could also leave the names off or give each kid a code name so they don’t know which gift is for who.
Take advantage of overlooked storage spaces
Every house has some places that the kids don’t even know exist. For us, it’s the top of our hall closet where we keep extra pillows. Look around and see if there’s a place (high up) where you could stuff gifts that would go unnoticed.
In the trunk of your car
If you’re really strapped for space in the house (and you don’t drive a hatchback) hide presents so your kids won’t find them by keeping them in your trunk. Sure, when I do this it’s usually by accident, but it still works!
Use layaway so you don’t have to pick them up right away
Great if you’re trying to get them a big-ticket item that you want to keep secret (and avoid using a credit card). With layaway programs, they set the item aside for you and you can make payments on it before picking it up.
Online shop (and leave it in the box)
When you order gifts for the kids online, don’t open up the box right away (unless you’re worried the order needs to be checked). Instead, just toss the whole box in your favorite storage spot (closet, under the bed, etc) so even if they do see it, it’s just a brown box.
Use tote bins
This works best if you already use opaque tote bins for storage in your home. Pick up a couple just for the presents and keep them with the other bins so the kids just think they’re part of your household storage.
Give experiences
If you don’t want the gifts to be found you can always plan to get your kids “experience gifts” instead. They’re usually small and easy to hide (like gift certificates). To turn them into a gift, add them to a card or small gift box with a print out of what the activity is.
In the shed or garage
If you have some extra storage outside your house it can be a great place to store presents so your kids won’t find them. One year for Christmas we took advantage of having a detached garage that was only used for storage and always locked, for example. Just be careful that it’s not too cold or humid that it will wreck the gifts.
Rooms they don’t frequent
I don’t know about your kids but mine sure don’t spend a lot of time in the laundry room. Hide presents so your kids won’t find them in places where they never go like cleaning cupboards, laundry rooms, the basement, or the attic.
For big gifts: Consider a storage unit
If it’s really something you’re not sure how to hide in the house, and can’t find someone else who will take it, consider renting a storage unit. They come in many sizes and if necessary you can find one that’s temperature-controlled so everything stays safer than storing in a shed.
Now that you know all the ways to hide presents so your kids won’t find them don’t be afraid to start shopping now for their next birthday or holiday! Just don’t forget to keep a list of what you hid and where.
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