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Ruth Langsford's genius ironing board hack makes present wrapping easier – and saves your back

If you're tired of hunching over while wrapping gifts every year, this nifty tip is about to revolutionise your present wrapping routine

composite of woman wrapping a present and picture of Ruth Langsford from Woman & home shoot
(Image credit: Getty / Ruth Langsford photographed by David Venni)

Wrapping presents is one of the best elements of Christmas, that is, until you've got back pain from being hunched over and your floor space is littered with paper scraps and discarded tape. This year will be different thanks to Ruth Langsford's nifty ironing board trick.

If you're fed up with wrestling tape and unruly rolls of festive wrapping paper each year, all while being at a back-breaking angle, you're not the only one. Luckily, our beloved cover star this month, Ruth Langsford, has shared her life-changing hack for making your wrapping station back-ache free and uncluttered.

Ruth Langsford's ironing board present wrapping hack

While we're accustomed to getting some great Christmas decorating ideas and Christmas tree themes from our favourite celebrities, Ruth Langsford has just offered up even more inspiration.

"I wanted to give you my top tip for Christmas wrap. It's not my tip, actually; somebody gave me this tip. Wrap your presents on an ironing board," says Ruth, while wearing the perfect red festive jumper adorned with an embroidered snowflake.

Standing in front of her impressive Christmas tree, Ruth stands behind her ironing board with tape, scissors, paper and presents at the ready.

"Okay, let me explain," she begins. "An ironing board, you can have the optimum height for you, which stops you from doing that half-lean, you know, over a table or kneeling on the floor."

picture of person wrapping christmas presents

(Image credit: Future)

"With the ironing board, you can adjust the height, if you want to stand or if you want to sit wherever it suits you. Have your sellotape holder on the thin end, and then where you normally have your iron, you put your present there," Ruth continues.

With the raised flat surface, you have ample room to masterfully wrap your gifts with ease. So whether you're wrapping a fragile gift for a perfume lover or some much-needed new socks for your partner, you'll sail through the wrapping process and not be left with a bad back at the end of it.

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Ruth's followers were just as thankful for the tip, with one user commenting, "Have been going this for years when you advised somewhere else that this is a brilliant alternative to crouching on the floor."

We'll certainly be using this tip and thanking Ruth every gifting season, even when it comes to birthday present wrapping.


Want some more festive inspiration from Ruth? Our cover star also recently shared her sideboard decorations for Christmas, and we immediately recreated the display in our homes.

Emily Smith
Digital lifestyle writer

Emily joined woman&home as a staff writer after finishing her MA in Magazine Journalism from City University in 2023. After writing various health and news content, she now specialises in lifestyle, covering unique cleaning hacks, gardening how-tos, and everything to help your houseplants thrive.

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