9 Handmade Gift Ideas: Thoughtful and Creative DIY Presents
Finding the perfect holiday, birthday or anniversary gift can be overwhelming, especially if you have a loved one who is impossible to shop for. So, consider these handmade gift ideas that any beginner DIYer can tackle.
Neither of us are in the mindset that you should get some generic gift just to buy one, ya know? Plus, the thought of buying multiple department store gifts — in this economy — gives me an eye twitch.
Honestly, homemade gifts can sometimes be the most meaningful, and they often come with the bonus that they don’t take a huge amount of money or time. Here are nine of our projects that would make great handmade gifts!
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DIY Yard Yahtzee dice set
We’re games people. And if you are, too, this is a perfect simple gift idea that’ll level up your BBQs and park visits. One of the best things about this DIY yard Yahtzee set is that you need minimal materials, and even fewer tools.
Click here for full instructions.
DIY Toddler Dress Up Station
This one is more built-in, but if you’re looking for a memorable gift for a kid, this dress up station is it! Our daughter plays at this dress up station almost every day, and with a gallery wall above it, it fills an otherwise blank wall with something pretty and functional. Plus, I was able to thrift most of the costume stuff she plays with so that’s an extra budget-friendly gift.
IKEA play kitchen hack
Ok, this one might be a liiiittttle cheating when it comes to “handmade,” but hacking an IKEA play kitchen is basically a rite of passage for millennial parents. There are a lot of ways you can jazz up your little one’s play kitchen to make it more custom and unique, but it was so fun to use colorful paint and some leftover kitchen tile on this one (plus it’s lasted three years and counting).
Quick, easy DIY busy board for toddlers
This DIY busy board is made of items you probably already have (or could easily find) and requires minimal tools, so it’s the perfect beginner project that’ll give you a much-needed 20 minutes of free time while your small demon exerts some energy and builds motor skills. Win win.
Click here for full instructions.
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DIY scalloped bookshelves
They are so quick and easy to make, and they’re really budget-friendly! I got them all finished in a couple of hours, including painting. I love these DIY scalloped bookshelves so much – they add a much-needed pop of color on the newly-painted white walls and add a surprising amount of storage for such petite little ledges.
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DIY hand stamped ring dish
These would make such a cute, sentimental gift for someone on your list. Mine look a little, ughhh, organic, but I think that’s kind of the point. It would also be cute to gift the supplies for this DIY and make it an activity to do with your bestie or kids!
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DIY kids book storage bin
While I was on maternity leave and feeling like I needed to do something creative or I might just die in the neverending eat-sleep-changepoopydiaper cycle, I came up with this quick, cute DIY kids book storage bin in my head and brought it to life during a week’s worth of nap time. We ended up selling it on Facebook Marketplace when we moved and it was so popular. We had dozens of messages and I’ve been contemplating making another one for our littles soon.
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Giant DIY chalkboard
We’ve put up DIY chalkboards in both of our kitchens and love how homey they make it feel. This could be a great DIY gift for a teenager’s bedroom, an office space, a playroom, etc.
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DIY entryway shoe tray
It’s even better when handmade gift ideas are functional, too! This was one of our first projects back in 2019-ish (which means it’s super beginner friendly!) It’d be perfect for a beginner wanting to test out skills like staining wood, cutting with a miter saw and tiling without doing it on a high stakes project like a kitchen backsplash, for example.
Click here for full instructions.
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