As my dining room looks more like Santa’s workshops every day, I find myself envying the gift rooms at the homes of past employers. The first time I ever heard of a gift room was at the Palm Beach home of Elizabeth Warren Gillette, which she affectionately named Snake Alley, for its grassy waterfront location. I was their Chef at the time, and she walked into the kitchen with a gift she had been handed and asked me to take it to the gift room. 

The gift room? Who has a gift room? What is a gift room? I was directed upstairs to what could only be described as a Martha Stewart Living magazine spread of the ideal room for wrapping and storing gifts. (This was the 90’s and Martha was the authority.) It became the benchmark for every gift room I would set up over my 30-year career.

A gift room serves as command central for all things gift-related. The room functions as a receiving area where gifts arrive, a logging station where you track what comes in and what goes out, storage for items designated for return and regifting. You might also have a section of new gifts in different price points for hostess gifts or guest sussies. It should include a proper wrapping station with all necessary supplies at hand, and a writing space for composing thank-you notes and gift cards. A dedicated gift room eliminates the scramble, the forgotten thank-yous, and the panic of realizing you have nothing appropriate for an unexpected visitor.

Setting Up Your Space

The ideal gift room needs to be at least 100 square feet (bigger is always better), roughly the size of a large walk-in closet, if you can spare it. The space needs good lighting and adequate electrical outlets for a computer station, label maker charger, and a small printer. It should be climate controlled and secured with a lock. Location matters. You want the room accessible enough for staff to use regularly but private enough that it’s not seen by guests. Something just off the beaten path, but not so far away that it’s not a functional part of entertaining.

Storage Solutions

Built-in shelving or floor-to-ceiling cabinets provide the backbone of your storage system. Organize by category: one section for items you have received and need to acknowledge, another for gifts purchased ahead for specific occasions, and a third designated specifically for regifting. (Yes, we all do it. More on that later.)

Label everything. Use a label maker or attractive handwritten tags. Your future self will appreciate knowing at a glance what sits in each bin or on each shelf. Consider clear storage containers so you can see contents without opening every box.

Climate matters more than people realize. Maintain consistent temperature and moderate humidity to protect delicate items, particularly chocolates, candles, and anything with elastic or adhesive components. Avoid storing items above heating vents or in direct sunlight.

Create an Inventory and Logging System

For gifts received, create a simple log with columns for date received, occasion, giver, item description, and acknowledgment status. This can be a physical ledger, a spreadsheet, or specialized software. The key is recording information immediately when a gift arrives. Include a notes section for personal details: “From her family farm” or “Mentioned loving this brand of cashmere.” These observations prove invaluable for future gift selections.

For gifts given, track the date, recipient, occasion, item description, and approximate value. This prevents duplicate gifts and helps you maintain appropriate gift-giving levels across your social and professional circles. When you track what they gave the CEO’s wife last Christmas, you avoid giving her the same Hermes scarf pattern this year.

Digital solutions offer the advantage of being accessible remotely. A simple Excel spreadsheet works for many households. We have designed a spreadsheet template just for this purpose. More sophisticated estate management software packages include gift tracking modules. The best system is the one you will actually use consistently.

Regifting 

OK, Back to regifting. In luxury households, it’s commonplace to receive multiple gifts that are unneeded or simply unwanted. Designate a specific shelf or cabinet section exclusively for regiftable items. Create a tagging system that clearly identifies the gifter, when it was received, and the value if that’s available. This prevents them from regifting a Baccarat vase back to the person who gave it to them.

Maintain high standards for what qualifies as regiftable. The item must be beautiful, useful, or valuable, an evergreen- meaning not something that could be identified by a season, and in perfect condition with original packaging intact. Remove any personal cards or gift tags immediately. If something has been there for more than a year, remove it. No one needs last year’s anything.

The Wrapping Station

Your wrapping station needs a large, flat surface at comfortable standing or sitting height. A table measuring at least 36 inches deep and 60 inches wide gives you room to work with oversized packages. Counter height (36 inches) works well if you prefer to stand while wrapping. Standard desk height (30 inches) suits those who prefer to sit. I have seen beautiful custom built-ins with marble or quartz countertops, but a sturdy work table serves just as well.

Install a wall-mounted wrapping paper holder above your work surface. These come in various configurations, from simple dowel systems to sophisticated dispensers with cutting edges. Store your wrapping paper vertically on these holders where you can see all your options at a glance. You’ll probably want 10 to 15 rolls in rotation: several neutrals, metallic options, and seasonal patterns. 

Dedicate drawer space or rolling carts beneath your work surface for ribbon, tissue paper, gift bags, and embellishments. Clear acrylic organizers work beautifully for ribbon because you can see your color options without digging through bins. Save those decorative tins and boxes for storing gift tags, small bows, and adhesive supplies.

Thank You Notes

Keep thank you supplies at the writing desk: quality stationery, stamps, colored pens, and return address labels or a custom stamp. If you can’t get to the thank you notes right away, or if someone else will write them, pull a card and label it with a post-it note of who, what, and when.

Handwritten thank-you notes remain the gold standard in luxury households, but timing matters more than perfection. A quick note sent within three days carries more weight than an elegant card that arrives three weeks late. Keep your messages brief and specific: mention the gift by name, acknowledge the giver’s thoughtfulness, and reference what it meant to you (them). Skip the flowery language and aim for genuine appreciation in two to three sentences. 

A gift room takes a little work to set up but it can save you during those moments when you need a birthday gift in 5 minutes, or when you’re handed a 100 hostess gifts as guests arrive. Like everything in estate management, It’s about having a system that works when life gets busy, which is most of the time. Set it up properly, and you’ll never go back to wrapping gifts at your desk again.

Here’s my quick start supply list:

Storage Solutions:

• • Shelving units or built-in cabinetry
  • Clear bins for categorized items
  • Drawer organizers for small supplies
  • Rolling cart for mobile supplies

Writing Station:

• • Quality stationery and note cards
  • Envelopes in coordinating sizes
  • Thank-you cards (personal and household)
  • Stamps and return address labels
  • Pens (multiple colors and metallics)
  • Letter opener
  • Mailing supplies

Wrapping Station:

• • 10-15 rolls of wrapping paper (neutrals, metallics, seasonal patterns)
  • Wall-mounted paper holder with cutting edge
  • Scissors (at least two pairs, including fabric shears)
  • Double-sided tape and clear tape
  • Ribbon in various widths and colors (satin, grosgrain, metallic)
  • Tissue paper in coordinating colors
  • Gift bags in multiple sizes
  • Gift boxes in standard sizes

Embellishments and Finishing:

• • Bows (pre-made and ribbon for custom bows)
  • Gift tags (blank and pre-printed)
  • Adhesive labels
  • Decorative elements (sprigs, ornaments, seasonal accents)
  • Twine and raffia
  • Sealing wax and stamps (optional but elegant)

Tracking and Organization:

• • Gift log (physical ledger or digital system)
  • Label maker and supplies
  • Clear storage containers with labels
  • Calendar for tracking occasions
  • Filing system for receipts and gift records

Tools and Equipment:

• • Paper trimmer or cutting mat
  • Hole punch
  • Stapler
  • Measuring tape
  • Pencils and erasers
  • Desk lamp or task lighting