5 Secrets to Stocking the Perfect Gift Cupboard

Back to school not only rings in a new academic year, but the beginning of the birthday party circuit. While you’re well acquainted with your kids’ besties, their parties can sneak up on you now that your day-to-day routine has ramped up. There’s barely enough time to juggle sports, homework, and dinner — let alone buying gifts! Something meaningful shouldn’t be so stressful. 

Enter the gift cupboard.

A well-stocked gift cupboard is the solution for all your celebration needs. Whether housed in your craft room cupboard, linen closest, or under bed storage, a dedicated gift stash allows you to handle those party emergencies with ease. And it's not just for children’s birthdays. You won't have to stress about hostess gifts, surprise guests, spur of the moment gift exchanges, or last-minute invites.

To get you started, here are five tips for stocking the ideal gift cupboard:

1. Your gift cupboard can be built gradually over time or a weekend event — whatever suits your shopping preference. The secret to stocking up, however, is making your selections in the calm moments before major gifting season kicks in so you won’t be empty handed when your neighbor invites you to an impromptu candy-free Halloween party. 

2. Special occasions take many forms. A preschool graduation, completing the first 100 days of kindergarten, winning a soccer tournament, or earning a promotion are all worth celebrating along with birthdays and major holidays. In fact, it’s these smaller moments that usually steal our hearts as parents and cement lifelong memories for our kids. So curate your gift cupboard with a variety of presents spanning different sizes, ages, and interests.  

3. Prepping for an unknown recipient in advance doesn’t mean the gift has to be any less personal. Time is on your side here. Collecting an assortment of high-quality gifts that are fresh, creative, and interactive will make the child feel as though you hand-selected it specifically for her. 

4. Carve out a small space in you gift cupboard for wrapping and cards for different occasions. Or, better yet, wrap a few in advance while binge watching your fave Netflix series. Then, you’ll be ready for any of those unexpected moments. As parents, this trick is a huge sanity saver — we gently affix a sticky note to the bottom of the present identifying what it is to keep things organized and so we admittedly don’t forget!

5. When your kiddo tells you about Charlie’s dragon party that’s TOMORROW and is worried he won’t have the perfect gift, you’ll be as cool as a cucumber. Simply introduce him to your gift cupboard and let him go shopping. He’ll think you’re a superhero mom because you magically had everything he dreamed of giving.