8 Super-Secret Hiding Places for Holiday Presents

After you've fought the crowds for the best bargains, you'll face another dilemma: Where to hide all those presents? Whether you've got a nosy spouse or a curious kid, you need a good hiding place to squirrel away those gifts until you find time to get them wrapped and under the tree. Here are some ideas we came up with:

1. Borrow a friend's house. Swap storage spaces with a trusted friend or neighbor, and you won't spoil any surprises. This is particularly useful if you're buying someone a big present, like a bicycle or a car -- you might talk a neighbor into letting you borrow space in their garage until Christmas morning.

2. Pop the trunk. This won't work if you have an SUV or hatchback, but if you've got a car with a trunk that's closed off from the backseat, it's a primo place to hide gifts. Small children will never get in there.

3. Make your office work for you. If your office is a safe, secure place, squirrel some presents there. This is only an option if you work out of your home, though -- home officesare prime targets for prying eyes.

4. Take stock of kitchen pots. Got a huge stock pot? Unless you're planning to make a giant vat of soup anytime soon, the stock pot can hold a load of small gifts, and chances are your family will never think to look there.

5. Make use of your underwear drawer. Small presents can easily fit there. Your spouse probably won't hesitate to look there, but your kids might stop short of rifling through your skivvies. (We hope.)

6. Crack the crawl space. If you don't mind a little dirt and some creepy-crawlies, the crawl space can hold some sizable presents. Don't store anything there for too long, though -- unless your crawl space is insulated. Moisture and temperature changes could damage items. Plastic toys are OK to keep outside; electronics should be stored inside.

7. Rent a storage space. If you've got a ton of presents to hide, you'll need to look outside your house. Some storage units offer one-month-minimum specials for as low as $25. Check the storage units in your area for deals.

8. Go for the cleaning supply closet. Worst-case scenario: Your kids might find presents there, but they'd also find the cleaning supplies, which means they might actually cleansomething. Now that would be a Christmas miracle.

Where do you hide holiday presents?

Courtney Craig is an Atlanta-based writer and editor. She believes no effort is too small when it comes to green living, which she tries to keep in mind while renovating her recently purchased first home.