DIY Back to College Gift Basket

DIY Back to College Gift Basket

Disclosure: This DIY College Gift Basket post has been sponsored by the Gift Card Mall. All opinions are my own.

As college students are getting ready to head back to campus after the long summer break send them back to school with this easy DIY College Gift Basket packed full of some of their favorite things from home.

When I asked my college student what she or her friends might like to get in a college gift basket she told me all her friends ever talked about was how much they missed their family, their pets and family recipes.

To surprise my daughter I decided to make her a back to College Gift Basket filled with a few things she could use at school and lots of goodies to remind her of home.

Back To College DIY Gift Basket Video

DIY Back to College Gift Basket

I love making gift baskets because they are so much fun to make. You can go for a theme, like school supplies or fill it with random items you know your college student will miss from home like I did.

Back to College Gift Basket Ideas

The first thing you'll need to decide it what kind of "gift basket" you will use. I decided to pick up two fabric storage bins to use as my gift basket. The gift basket goodies fit in them perfectly and they will help with organizing in the dorm.

Storage bins come in all types of material from fabric, plastic and metal. They are available in different sizes and will work for any size back to school gift basket. Another idea is to use a plastic laundry basket.

Find a "gift basket" that will play double duty.

What to fill a Back to College gift basket with?

Gift Cards from the Gift Card Mall! Students love getting a gift card as gifts. You can buy a gift card for almost every restaurant, store, online stores like Amazon, for gas with the Fuel Everywhere VISA gift card, for clothing with the Style Everywhere VISA gift card or a JC Penney gift card, or a VISA gift card which can be used for anything you student might need.

I decided to pack my back to school gift basket with a TGI Friday Gift Card. Gift cards are so easy to find from the Gift Card Mall. They are available in your local grocery store or online at www.giftcardmall.com.

Something special from home for your college student

As an extra special surprise, I decided to make a big batch of Gi Gi's homemade Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies to pack into the Back to College Gift Basket. This cookie recipe has been around for ages but Gi Gi (my daughter's grandmother) loves to make these cookies around the holidays.

It's an easy no-bake cookie recipe that can be made on a hot plate or even in the microwave. I tucked the recipe in with the cookies so my daughter will have the recipe so she can make them herself.

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Personalized Back to School Gift Baskets

I packed my daughters back to college gift basket with things I know my daughter will love. Think about your gift basket recipient as you shop for items to fill the gift basket with.

Check out the large assortment of gift cards from the Gift Card Mall next time you are shopping in your local grocery store. You could personalize your back to school gift basket based on the gift cards you choose.

Got a gamer you need a gift idea for? Pick up an Xbox gift card from the Gift Card Mall and pack the gift basket full of gaming items for a gaming back to school gift basket theme.

How to make a DIY Back to College Gift Basket

Supplies Needed

• a plastic storage crate, laundry basket or organizer cubes
• a TGIF gift card from Gift Card Mall so your college student can enjoy dinner out
• a framed photo of the beloved family pet
• their favorite homemade cookies
• recipe cards with easy favorite recipes from home that they can cook in the dorm
• one or two more Gift Card Mall gift cards
• their favorite movie snacks
• a planner so they can stay organized and remember to call home
• brightly colored Post it Notes
• school supplies/personalized gifts

Directions

1. Pick out a gift basket
2. Pick up a few Gift Card Mall gift cards
3. Buy gift items you know your college student will love and use
4. Fill the basket with some crinkly paper
5. Arrange the gifts in the basket
6. Add a special homemade treat to the gift basket
7. Top the basket with a bow
8. Enjoy the joy on your college students face when you present them with their personalized Back to College Gift Basket

Need an idea for an easy DIY Christmas Gift Basket for your college student? Check out my easy DIY Dinner & a Movie Gift Basket post.