Leaving the comforts of home to embark on the exciting journey of college life is a significant milestone for any young adult. As parents and loved ones, it's only natural to want to make this transition as smooth and comforting as possible. That's where "Disguise the Surprise" comes in—a gift-packaging product designed to transform the traditional care package into a personalized box of thoughtfulness.
When it comes to college care packages, there are countless pre-assembled options available on the market. However, what truly sets "Disguise the Surprise" apart is its ability to put the power of customization into the hands of the sender. With a set of 12 reusable dividers, this product empowers you to create a unique care package that resonates with your teen's individual preferences and comforts.
The Disguise The Surprise dividers simply slide together creating sections in the shirt box. Move them around until you obtain your desired layout. I assembled several gift boxes to give you ideas on the kind of items you can include in your own boxes. Get your creative juices going and remember to think about what the recipient likes.
Is there a certain cookie or baked good that always brings a smile to your child's face? Maybe baking together was something you did together for years?! By all means, go ahead and bake these goodies to include in the box. If baking is not your thing, go and buy a tasty treat. Make sure the cookies are sealed in some kind of a bag and/or container so they don't leave a mess in your box. I found this silver tin at Michael's. The Container Store has silver tins (their "small" is the same size as the one I used) and the Dollar Tree also has some rigid boxes that would work.
If you have a child who takes medicine, you might have been the one reminding them to take it when they were at home?! Who will do it now? Check out tooktake medication reminders. They are labels you stick on your your medicine bottle to help keep track of your meds. When you take a dose, you pull the matching tab off the label, allowing you to know at a glance if you took or still need to take it.
If your daughter loves jewelry, send her some earrings to brighten her day. This box features a pair of handmade earrings from A D'ZINE. Owner, Melissa, recently made earrings in the colors of many colleges and universities. This box features a black and gold pair, but there are many colors to choose from. If you don't see your school colors, you can email her and she will custom make them for you.
I love to add lip balm in the narrow side sections of some of the boxes. Everyone uses lip balm, making it a perfect addition to your gift box. This box used both lip balm and color sticks from Hello Wink. Not only are her colors great, but her packaging is a zero waste design. They are make from paper tubes, not plastic.
I also added Encouragement cards from Target, hair scrunchies, and a pair of comfy socks (Target, Nordstrom, TJ Maxx, Macy's...lots of places). Every college kid wants money or gift cards. I rolled up money for this box and placed them in the side fillers, as well as two gift cards in the top section (froYo & Smoothie King. The box above used 6 white dividers in this box (2 length, 3 width & 1 buffer strip).
Every kid would love some college swag, especially freshman. You can find a ton of merchandise at the university bookstore, Amazon, or independent boutiques in the city where the school is located. This box includes a t-shirt, lanyard, keychain, pencils and a really cool game called Coinhole.
Coinhole is a table or desktop version of corn hole that you play with quarters. They are an officially licensed company and have a lot of options for universities that you can choose from. Don't forget to include money or gift cards in your box! This box used 5 white dividers (2 length & 3 width).
Halloween is right around the corner and many kids will miss the traditions and celebrations back at home. If they can't be home with you, send the festivities to them!
Old Navy has Halloween themed lounge pants for both boys and girls. The top left has a bag of gummy brains from Target. A strand of orange lights would be really fun for them to string somewhere in their dorm room. I found this one at Dollar Tree. Target will have smaller Halloween items in their front dollar section. You just need to wait a bit until it gets closer to the holiday. I included a gift card to Smoothie King in for a treat. The Dollar Tree has fun small items to fill spaces as well. I included skulls and plastic eyeballs in this box. I put chocolate kisses in here, but if you are mailing your package, you might want to consider more of a sugar candy, like Skittles or jolly ranchers. I used a creepy cloth in this box to make it really festive on top of the orange tissue paper. You can get them anywhere, but I got mine at Party City. You might need to cut it smaller. If you can't find some of the items that I used, remember individually wrapped candy is always a hit for these college kids. One other fun item to include would be a Halloween themed door cover for their dorm room or apartment.
The Dollar Tree has several to choose from. You can lay this on top of your assembled box before you close it up. This box used 4 clear dividers (1 length, 2 width & 1 buffer strip).
All teens love their cell phone and technology. Send your student a Flipstik for their phone and they will be very excited. Flipstik is a cell phone attachment that is made from materials developed by NASA that allow it to stick to any flat smooth surface. Maybe your student is filming clips for a class and needs the phone to stick to a window. Or maybe they need to watch a class lecture and can stick it to the mirror while getting ready in the morning. Simply clean it off and it will continue to stick as normal.
Add a pair of sleep shorts or pants to help them feel more comfortable. Send some games like the ones in the bottom right corner of this box that they can play with dorm buddies or a friendly gathering. It might even help them break the ice with new humans in their circle. This Stress Relief Pop Fidget from Hobby Lobby would be a welcoming gadget to play with. And as usual, don't forget the money! This box used 6 white dividers (1 length, 2 width & 3 risers). The risers are underneath the flipstik and pop fidget. They are used to lift up thin items.
Lacee Swan makes some amazing paper products that would be a fabulous addition to your college care box. Lacee creates whimsical stationery, paper goods, and gifts with her Fashion Illustrations on them. Add a notepad or a journal for your student to jot down her thoughts on paper. Lacee has weekly planners and tons of stationery designs to choose from. Some of her designs are ready to ship and many of her designs allow you to customize with name, hair and skin color. Add one of Lacee's paper products in a section of your box or you can lay it on top of your assembled box before you close it up.
Ease of Mailing
Sending a care package to your college student shouldn't be a hassle. The beauty of using "Disguise the Surprise" lies not only in its ability to personalize but also in its practicality. Shirt boxes are not only easy to mail, but the dividers also serve as a safeguard during shipping. Items are held securely in place, ensuring that the contents arrive intact and beautifully presented. Sweet!
A Thoughtful Gesture That Speaks Volumes
In a world where convenience often takes precedence, "Disguise the Surprise" encourages us to slow down and put genuine thought into our gestures. As parents, relatives, and friends, we understand our college students better than anyone else. We know their preferences, quirks, and comforts that make them feel at home. By curating a care package with the dividers, we show our loved ones that no matter how far they are, they are always in our thoughts.
Details On The Dividers
The dividers are available in 5 colors (clear, white, blue, red & green). Choose a divider that represents the school colors, or use a neutral white or clear divider and add colored tissue paper to tie-in the school colors. You can purchase the dividers with or without a shirt box on the site. The shirt boxes I sell will fit perfectly. There is a hinge on one end of the long dividers that folds to fit some store bought boxes. Just keep in mind that if you follow the exact layouts above and use your own box, you might need to adjust if it is a bit shorter.
The dividers are REUSABLE, Recyclable & Made in The USA. Your college student could reuse them when making a gift box for someone else. A Sorority Girl could use the dividers to make a custom gift box for her Big / Little. You can include the remaining dividers from the set when you mail the package, or keep the rest for yourself. OR, your student could repurpose them and use as a drawer separator. They work great for hair accessories, jewelry or even socks.
Disguise The Surprise on TV
If you want to see these boxes "LIVE", CLICK HERE to watch me talking through these College Care Box ideas on our News 4 Great Day St. Louis TV Show. There is a lot to cover in three minutes, but we did it!
As a parent, it is our natural instinct to want to see our kids happy and thriving. Going off to college, especially for a freshman, can be very hard. "Disguise the Surprise" is more than just a set of dividers, it is a gift-packaging tool that allows us to bring the comforts of home to their doorstep. So why settle for a generic care package when you can create a tailor-made box that shows how much you care. Not only will your student be excited to receive your package, but YOU will feel good about what you are sending, a sense of pride.
I hope these examples give you ideas that inspire you to start assembling your own gift boxes. If you ever have any questions, please reach out to hello@disguisethesurprise.com.
Thank you and Big Cheers to a great school year for all!
Duffy
