We all know the struggle of trying to find something for someone who is hard to buy for. You want to select a gift that they will want and use. How about making a gift basket? Don’t think you have the skills to make one? Think again. Gift baskets are easy to put together, and depending upon their contents, they can be inexpensive, too. More importantly, gift baskets can be customised to reflect the personality and preferences of the recipient.

First, you need to decide what kind of gift basket you would like to make for the recipient.

Here are some ideas:

Baby basket filled with bottles, burp cloths, pacifiers, rattles, diapers, wipes, bath soap and more. Beach basket filled with suntan lotion, sunglasses, beach towels, flip-flops, a t-shirt or cover-up, and more.

Car care basket filled with car soap, sponges, motor oil, a tire gauge, windshield scrapers and more. Coffee basket filled with gourmet coffee, cappuccino mix, a coffee bean grinder, travel mugs, biscotti and more.

Gardening basket filled with seed packets, gardening gloves, small trowels, a watering can, knee pads and more.

Mexican fiesta basket filed with margarita mix, home-made salsa, tortilla chips, seasoning packets, black beans, a small cactus and more.

Pet lover’s basket filled with collars, grooming brushes, food, treats, toys, and pet calendars, photo frames, stationery and more.

Spa basket filled with fluffy towels, hand and foot lotions, bubble bath, handmade soaps, scented candles, body and facial scrubs, and more.

Sweets basket filled with boxed chocolates, peppermint candy, home-made cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels and more. Wine basket filled with corkscrews, bottle stoppers, beverage napkins, gourmet cheese and crackers, wine, a wine thermometer and more.After you have decided what type of basket you are going to make, you need to find a container for the contents. If you are interested in using a basket, try looking at garage stores, thrift stores and end-of-season sales at craft stores. You don’t have to break the bank on a basket, and just because the item is called a gift basket doesn’t mean you have to use a basket. You can get creative and choose any number of containers.

Here are some suggestions:

Backpack

Colander

Cookie jar

Goldfish bowl

Ice bucket

Lunchbox

Purse

Slow cooker

Tackle box

Tin

Once you have selected a container, you need to decide what you are going to put in it. This will hinge on the theme of the basket as well as the size of the container.

You will not be able to stuff a small tin, for example, with loads of chocolate.

If giving food, be sure to follow any dietary restrictions of the recipient.With your container and contents in hand, you can put everything together.

Start by inserting enough filler (foam or crumbled paper) in the bottom of the container so the contents will be visible.

When placing contents in the container, you can either put larger items in the back and smaller items in the front or you can insert larger items in the middle and arrange smaller items around them. To prevent gifts from moving around, use double-stick tape or tie items to the handle of the basket with ribbon or cord.After you have assembled the contents of the container, add any embellishments and fill in any empty spaces with thin strips of tissue paper or small bunches of shred. Then wrap the container in something like cellophane, shrink wrap or tulle.

Gather the material at the top of the container, secure with a rubber band and cut off any excess.

Tie off with a bow or curly ribbon.The possibilities for making a gift basket are endless.

All you need is a little imagination and knowledge of the likes and dislikes of the recipient. Get out there and start shopping for supplies.