We all aspire to be that person that remembers every birthday and marks every special occasion with a suitable card and gift, but, let's be honest, it doesn't always work out that way because, well, life. Dates creep up on you, last-minute events are dropped in your lap, and you find that crumpled party invite in the bottom of your kid's school bag. One solution to this is to create a 'gift stash', a present drawer in which you can keep gifts and other bits and bobs perfect for 'emergency' gifting. Here's our guide to how to build your gift stash.

Small presents perfect to stock up your gift stash

1. Trinket dishes  

A small trinket dish is a fabulous gift option for a token 'thank you' present or a small birthday present. Timeless and elegant, this can be used in so many different ways, the recipient will be sure to find a use for it.  

Heart ceramic trinket dish, £4.95

2. Coasters  

A solid alternative, if you want an option for someone who is more 'drink it' than 'trinket', would be a set of coasters. These vintage chic coasters would be equally at home used for a pilsner, a prosecco, or even an iced matcha if that’s their vibe. The fact they come in a matching metal tin makes them feel more 'gifty'.

Set of 4 'Cerveza Espanola' metal coasters, £4.95  

Metal coasters (set of 4) - Dammer Pils, £4.95

3. Tealight candle holders  

Tealight candle holders work for birthdays and as hostess gifts. They also make for a good sympathy gift, which isn’t necessarily about splashing the cash, but about showing the person who is grieving that they are in your thoughts. A simple tealight holder sends a message of light and love, especially this version with its charming heart design.  

Glossy heart ceramic tealight holder, £2.95

4. Children's wallets  

A wallet is a genius idea for a kid's present as you can easily tailor the value of the gift. If it's for someone you wouldn't spend a lot on, the wallet with a pound coin inside (it's tradition to never give an empty purse or wallet) makes a lovely gift on its own. If you want to up the value of the present, simply slip a note of your chosen denomination inside to make it a more impressive offering.  

Sunny Sausage Dog children's wallet, £8.95

5. Tea towels  

We love a good tea towel here at Rex and we have plenty of designs to choose from. Tea towels can make for a fun tongue-in-cheek birthday present for the person that has everything, and is a classic casual hostess gift.  

Cherry cotton tea towel, £6.95

6. Heart decals  

A heart decal can be used in so many different gifting scenarios. Birthday, new home, small wedding present, engagement gift, anniversary celebration, or simply to cheer up a friend who is down. We like this simple beaded option that comes in at less than a fiver, but there is a more elaborate version if you want to get fancy.  

Handmade beaded heart decoration, £4.95

7. Glass straws  

We love posh straws as a hostess gift as they work whether you've been invited to a BBQ, a garden party, a cocktail evening, or even a grand dinner party. While these fruity straws are fun to look at, they also serve a practical purpose, as it can help people identify whose drink is whose.  

Glass straws with cleaning brush, £4.95  

8. Fridge magnets  

A fridge magnet is a token gift with universal appeal. Small and fun, magnets are always useful, and let's look at facts here - everyone has a fridge. This guitar-shaped magnet especially earns its place on someone's fridge door as it doubles as a handy bottle opener. Win win.  

Guitar fridge magnet bottle opener, £3.95

9. Brick kits  

Brick kits are a fabulous gift for kids of all ages. Ours are suitable for children aged six and up, and the cool-not-cutesy designs should appeal to trendy teens. This sausage dog design is perennially popular, but if you think a different breed might win Best in Show there's also a poodle and a schnauzer to choose from. 

Build your own sausage dog model brick kit, £3.95

10. Keyrings  

We adore our range of leather-effect keyrings as they look a lot more expensive than they are! Giving a gift that has a premium look and feel that didn't cost the Earth is always satisfying. If you're not sold on the keyring concept, we also offer an extensive range of unusual bag charms.

Green daisy faux leather keyring, £8.95

11. Packs of playing cards  

A pack of cards offers the promise of hours of entertainment, whether that's younger children screaming at Snap! or older players enjoying a hand of whist. The stylish tin offers a tidy way to keep the pack together, and elevates a simple activity into a memorable gift.

Playing cards in a tin, £4.95

12. Small storage tins  

Turn a tiny tin into a bigger gift by filling it with yummy fun. For younger kids, loose sweets like dolly mixtures or gummy bears work, while older kids will get a kick out of snack-size packs of jelly sweets. For grown-ups, keep the fun sweets-in-a-tin vibe, but up the sophistication with individually wrapped hard boiled sweets, a pack of Tic Tacs, or a box of Ricola.

Mini storage tin with lid, £3.95

Some excellent postage-friendly mini-presents to keep 'in stock'

If you're posting a greeting card to a friend or family member, slipping in a small token gift can make the gesture more meaningful - and memorable. Here are some postbox-friendly ideas for items to keep in your gift stash for just such an occasion.  

1. Bookmarks  

Everyone loves a good bookmark, and they always come in handy. We have some lovely sets of four animal-themed bookmarks. If you're really on a budget, you can split a pack across multiple recipients.

Magnetic bookmarks, £2.95 

2. Friendship bracelets  

A friendship bracelet is a fabulous way to send some sugar across the miles. Whether it's a token birthday present, or just a gesture to show someone you care, these colourful Mayan options with their handmade charm are a great pick.  

Handmade Mayan bracelet, £2.95  

3. Packs of seeds  

Uber post-friendly, a pack of seeds offers the promise of beautiful blooms in time to come. Our selection is especially mini-beast-friendly, comprising Nasturtium (perfect for ladybirds), Verbena (for butterflies) and Red Campion (for bees). If your recipient doesn't want to plant them, they can always scatter them on a suitable plot of wild land and hope nature takes its course.

Pack of flower seeds, £1.95

4. Sets of stickers  

Kids love stickers, fact. Give a child's birthday card a fun upgrade by popping in a set. These premium packs with their cool 3D effect offer even more enjoyment.

3D puffy stickers, £2.95

Other essentials for your present drawer

Cards and wrapping paper are other essentials to stock up on alongside gifts.

Blank cards are an absolute godsend to have to hand. Beyond individual blank cards with gorgeous, neutral designs, we also offer multipacks of blank greeting cards, so you're covered for as many as 10 occasions!  

Patterned bird greeting card, £1.95

Ladybird greeting cards (pack of 10), £5.95

Don't forget the wrap! Our premium wrapping paper is sold in sheet format, making it so much easier to handle than having to wrestle with a roll - especially if you're in a hurry.  

Tilde wrapping paper, £5.95

How to store your present stash  

For most people, a present 'drawer' is a concept rather than an actual, physical drawer. Here are a couple of suggestions on how to organise your gift stash.

For discreet storage

Perfect to slide under the bed, or pop into the bottom of a cupboard or wardrobe, this jumbo-size storage option will give you 'bags' of room to keep your gift stash tidy and, thanks to the zip-up design, out of sight!  

Wild Wonders jumbo storage bag, £5.95

For visible storage

If your present stash is going to be visible, if you place it on top of a wardrobe for example, a stylish basket offers a visually attractive place to keep your pile of presents. It also means the gifts are visible and easy to grab.  

Large seagrass belly basket, £24.95

With a well-stocked present drawer, you’ll always be ready for those last-minute gifting moments. For more inspiration, browse our gift guides by recipient and explore our collections of budget gifts under £5 and under £10.

Gift stash frequently asked questions  

1. What are the benefits of creating a present drawer?

The savings! You'll save:

a) stress, knowing you have a handy gift stash to raid in 'emergencies,' 

b) time, by not having to trek to the high street or mall to shop, and 

c) money, by not panic-spending on overly expensive last-minute gifts. 

A gift stash is a fab way to keep an eye on your present budget and our suggestions keep things cheap and cheerful.  

2. What makes a good gift stash present?

A gift needs to be as affordable as possible, have as much universal appeal as you can manage, and be relatively compact so as not to take up too much space in your present drawer.  

3. How much should I spend on present stash gifts

Present drawer gifts should be affordable, so you're not investing hundreds in a present that you might not distribute for months. All the gifts we've highlighted above fall into this category, but if you're looking for further inspiration check out our handy collections that collate gifts under £5 and gifts under £10. You can also keep an eye on our Clearance section for bargains to snap up as and when you see them.  

4. What should I keep in my present drawer?

The gifts, obviously. It's a good place to keep cards and wrapping paper too, so everything you need is in one place. We'd advise keeping a roll of sellotape and a pair of scissors in there too, just to save hunting around for any. If you're really organised, you could keep a special notebook to keep track of what you gift to who in order to avoid repetition in future.  

5. Where's the best place to keep a gift stash?

As per our storage suggestions above, under the bed, in or on top of a wardrobe or cupboard are classic present drawer places. Crucially it needs to be somewhere you won't forget - and the kids won't find.