16 Ideas for Hiding Gifts Around the House

Looking for creative hiding places for gifts this holiday season? From classic hiding spots like the closet or attic to more creative hidden storage ideas, there are plenty of hiding places around your home where you can keep presents out of sight. Check out this list of the 16 best places to hide gifts at home!

Hide Gifts in Plain Sight

Some of the best places to hide gifts are obvious spots where no one would think to look! Disguise presents as holiday decor—like a festive snowman made of gifts stacked on top of each other. Hide small presents in your Christmas tree branches or even inside ornaments. Tuck flat presents in decorative stockings—kids won’t notice any extra bulkiness and check inside. Or add gift boxes to a wreath with velcro so that they can be easily removed.

Stash Gifts in Kids Rooms

If you’re wondering how to hide gifts from your kids, try stashing them right under their noses. Your kids will assume you’ve hidden gifts in some sneaky hiding place throughout your home and won’t think to search their own room. Place Christmas presents in plain boxes on a high shelf in their closet, or store birthday gifts in shoeboxes under the bed. As an added present to your kids, help these gifts stay hidden by giving your kids a break from cleaning their rooms!

Stick Them Under Your Bed

The space beneath your bed is already an ideal spot for hidden bedroom storage, where you can keep extra linens, sweaters, and other belongings that can fit in storage baskets or tubs. Since these aren’t the most interesting items, it’s also a great place for hiding presents. Be sure to tuck presents under other items or hide gifts by wrapping them in linens or clothes for extra stealthy stashing.

Stow Items in Your Dresser

Armoire or dresser drawers are another good hiding spot for presents that curious fingers won’t be eager to touch. Hiding gifts beneath a layer of socks and underwear is a surefire way to keep them a secret! You can also create secret storage for presents in your deeper dresser drawers by creating a DIY false bottom. Or try stuffing smaller gifts inside of socks for additional security.

Keep Gifts in the Closet

Though closets are a frequently used hiding spot, snooping family members can still be stumped—after all, closets are a classic hiding spot for a reason! Try hiding small gifts inside winter coat pockets or in extra shoeboxes. Keep larger presents disguised as nondescript boxes on an out-of-reach shelf. You can also hide gifts by tucking them inside a winter gear storage tote.

Tuck Presents in Suitcases

Unless you have an upcoming trip planned, your suitcases are likely gathering dust most of the time. This makes them good hiding places for gifts big or small, depending on the size of the suitcase. Plus, it’s a home hiding spot your family won’t think of often unless you’re planning to travel. So break out your luggage and use them for hiding toys, clothes, and other gifts.

Bury Gifts in the Hamper

Stick Christmas presents, Hanukkah gifts, or birthday gifts inside of a linen hamper, then cover them with spare towels or bed sheets to throw family members off the trail! Unless your kids are in the habit of doing your laundry for you, hiding gifts here is a simple way to keep them a secret. This secret storage idea is a great place to hide large gifts in particular, since bulkier linens and towels are able to cover more.

Conceal Them in Bathroom Cabinets

The bathroom is one of the last places most people will think to look for hidden presents. Try hiding gifts in a bathroom linen closet or under the sink behind cleaning supplies. Don’t forget to put them inside a waterproof container, though, so that a leaking bottle of cleaner or dripping pipe won’t ruin your presents.

Store Gifts in the Kitchen

Have cookware you rarely use? Use them as hidden storage in your kitchen for gifts. Simply convert slow cookers, roasting pans, or any other covered dishes into the perfect secret hiding place. Hard-to-reach kitchen cabinet shelves and appliance boxes of toasters or blenders can be filled with presents. Just make sure these are areas your family won’t need to access during holiday cooking and baking sessions—you don’t want hidden presents to accidentally be discovered!

Store Presents Behind Books

Bookshelves are excellent for secret gift storage in your living room. Stick small gifts inside of a fake book, then place it on the shelve with all the others. If your bookshelf has deep shelves, hide presents behind books—particularly ones that are high up or don’t get taken off the shelf too often. Or slide gift cards between book pages.

Use Your Attic Space

Attics usually have the least traffic of anywhere in a house, and can be the hardest to get to, which means they’re great for hiding presents for any occasion. From Christmas and Hanukkah presents to birthday and anniversary gifts, the attic is a fail-safe spot for hidden storage. Use storage totes to conceal gifts or hide already-wrapped presents behind storage shelves. If you have old furniture stored in your attic space, you can also hide gifts under couches, behind chairs, or inside old dresser drawers.

Put Presents in the Basement

Your basement is probably full of empty storage baskets and totes! Hide gifts in tubs that match the storage containers you already have to help them blend in—or mislabel the storage boxes for an extra layer of deception. You could even hide presents with other regular items you have in storage—like seasonal decor, your empty Christmas tree box, or clothes. If you have a cellar or storm shelter, you can also use this as a space for hiding gifts behind cans of food, toilet paper, or bottles of wine in your storage space.

Find Room in the Garage

Garages already offer a lot of secret storage potential, so consider using yours as a hiding place for presents! Hide gifts in plain cardboard boxes, then move them out into the garage where they’re not likely to be found. You can also hide presents in empty drink coolers, since they’ll probably be out of use during the colder holiday months. Or place gifts in built-in cabinets, drawers, toolboxes, or shelving units you already have in your garage.

Try the Trunk of Your Car

Not sure where to hide presents once you get home from the store? You can always leave them in your car! After all, why bother finding a new gift-hiding place in your house when your car already has the perfect built-in secret storage space? Keep a few birthday gifts hidden in the trunk space by covering them with a blanket or stashing them in a duffel bag. Take it to the next level by hiding Christmas presents in your spare tire well, or store gifts in other spots like your glove compartment or center console. Just remember to keep the car locked and your keys out of reach!

Take Advantage of Home Office Space

If you work remotely, chances are you have a home office space somewhere in your home. If you need tips on how to hide gifts for Hanukkah, Christmas, or even birthdays, try utilizing hidden storage in your office. This could include tucking gifts into empty spaces in filing cabinets, desk drawers, and wall shelves. Perhaps the best part of this method for hiding gifts is you can watch over them easily throughout the day while you work!

Keep Gifts in a Storage Unit

Can’t find good places to hide gifts at home because there’s not enough hidden storage space? You can always use self storage to hide gifts from your family! A unit at a nearby storage facility is a great place to keep gifts out of sight until it’s time for them to be opened. When choosing a storage unit, remember to consider factors like unit size, as well as amenities like drive-up access or climate control.

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Need a storage unit for hidden gift storage during the holidays? Extra Space Storage has convenient storage facilities located throughout the U.S., so we can help you get the space you need. Find a storage facility near you!