DIY Blind Bags: How to Make Surprise Bags Everyone Loves Opening
Blind bags are everywhere right now. Kids tear into them, adults film themselves opening them, and the tiny surprise inside is the whole fun. The catch is the price. One small store bought blind bag can cost as much as a coffee, and the contents are often plastic bits that get forgotten within a week.
Making your own DIY blind bags fixes all of that. You choose exactly what goes inside, you can match each bag to the person opening it, and a whole batch costs very little. Homemade surprise bags work as party favors, stocking stuffers, classroom rewards, care package extras and small just because gifts. Below you will find the simple supplies you need, ten theme ideas to steal, and easy ways to decorate and seal the bags so the surprise stays a surprise.
What You Need to Make DIY Blind Bags
Start with plain bags. Small kraft paper bags, cellophane treat bags and plain paper lunch bags all work well, and a pack of twenty usually costs a few dollars at a dollar store or craft shop. You also need a way to close them, such as washi tape, stickers, twine, ribbon, or a stapler you can hide under a label.
For filling, raid what you already own first. Most homes have spare pens, stickers, ribbon scraps, buttons and sweets sitting in drawers. Then set a small budget per bag, around $2 to $4 for bought fillers, and buy multipacks that you can split across many bags. One pack of mini erasers or bath bombs, divided up, goes a very long way.
1. Mini Stationery Blind Bag
Fill this one with a mini notebook or sticky note pad, a gel pen, a few stickers, paper clips, a small roll of washi tape and an eraser in a fun shape. Dollar stores and the bargain bins at big craft stores are perfect for supplies like these, and multipacks split easily between bags.
It costs about $3 per bag when you split multipacks. This theme is a hit with students, teachers, journal keepers and anyone who loves a tidy desk. It also works well as a back to school surprise or a small thank you for coworkers.
2. Self Care Minis Blind Bag
Fill the bag with small comforts: a bath bomb, a lip balm, a mini hand cream, a face mask sachet, a pair of fluffy socks rolled up tight, or a small scented candle. Travel size toiletries and multipack face masks keep the cost sensible.
It costs around $4 to $5 per bag, and less if you split a multipack of masks or bath bombs. This one suits tired moms, nurses, teachers and friends who need a quiet evening. Add a note that says open when you need a break, and it feels twice as thoughtful.
3. Craft Supplies Blind Bag
This is the bag crafty people secretly hope for. Add a small skein of yarn, a few buttons, ribbon offcuts, a sheet of stickers, a mini embroidery hoop, or a couple of paintbrushes with a tiny paint set. Pop in some beads and cord too, and the bag becomes a mini kit for making DIY beaded bag charms. Your own craft stash probably covers half of it, which makes this one of the cheapest bags to fill.
It costs about $2 to $3 per bag, and even less if you shop your stash first. It suits crafters of any age and kids who love making things. No two bags need to match, which makes filling a whole batch fast and fun.
4. Sweet Treats Blind Bag
The classic blind bag, and the easiest of all. Fill it with wrapped favorites: mini chocolate bars, gummy bears, lollipops, mints, or a small pack of cookies. Use wrapped sweets only, so everything stays fresh and clean, and check for nut allergies if the bags are for a class or a party.
It costs about $2 per bag when you split one big sharing bag. It suits almost everyone, from party guests to coworkers. At Halloween, swap in spooky sweets and set the bags out near some paper bat decorations for a party table treat.
5. Garden Seeds Blind Bag
A sweet, slow kind of surprise. Add two or three seed packets, such as herbs, wildflowers, or easy vegetables like radishes, plus a plant marker and a handwritten note with simple planting steps. Seed packets often cost under a dollar each, and multipacks split well.
It costs about $3 per bag. This theme suits gardeners, new homeowners, and anyone who likes a gift that lasts longer than a week. It makes a lovely spring party favor or a gentle get well gift, because watching something grow is half the present.
6. Pet Treats Blind Bag
Blind bags are not just for people. Fill one with small dog biscuits, a tennis ball, a chew stick, or a few homemade treats if you like to bake them. For cats, try a catnip mouse, a jingly ball, or a few crunchy treats tucked into a tiny paper packet.
It costs about $2 to $3 per bag. This one suits the dog and cat owners in your life, and it is a funny, welcome gift for pet birthdays and adoption days. Write the pet name on the label and the bag doubles as the gift tag.
7. Kids Activity Blind Bag
Think of this as a boredom buster in a bag. Add a small coloring book or a few printed activity pages, crayons or colored pencils, stickers, a mini puzzle, a bouncy ball, or a small tub of modeling dough. Keep everything small, light and not too messy.
It costs about $3 per bag. This theme suits kids aged roughly 4 to 10, and it is gold on long car rides, flights, restaurant waits and rainy afternoons. Parents will thank you, especially if you make a few spare bags for siblings so nobody has to share the surprise.
8. Beauty Minis Blind Bag
A tiny treat for makeup and skincare fans. Add a mini lip gloss or lipstick, a travel size mascara, a nail polish, a sheet mask, hair ties, or a small hand cream. Gift sets and holiday bundles split into minis are much cheaper than buying single items, especially in post holiday sales.
It costs about $4 to $5 per bag. This one suits teens, bridesmaids, and friends who love trying new products. Keep everything sealed and new for hygiene, and skip strong scents if you do not know what the person likes.
9. Book Lover Blind Bag
A cozy one. Add a bookmark (homemade counts), a tea bag or coffee sachet, a small book light, sticky page flags, a pencil, and a note with a reading recommendation. If you know their favorite genre, a small secondhand paperback can be the star of the bag.
It costs about $3 to $4 per bag, and less with a thrifted book. This theme suits readers, students and teachers, and it makes a sweet book club gift. The tea and bookmark turn one small bag into a whole quiet hour.
10. Mystery Craft Challenge Blind Bag
This one turns the bag into a game. Put in a random mix of supplies, such as washi tape, card blanks, ribbon, buttons, felt scraps and glue dots, plus one rule card: make something for your kitchen in 30 minutes, or use everything in the bag. The challenge is the gift, not just the supplies.
It costs about $2 to $3 per bag, mostly from your stash. This theme suits crafty friends, teens, and families who love a challenge. It also uses up tiny leftover materials beautifully, like the bits and pieces turned into miniatures from trash, so nothing in your craft box goes to waste.
How to Decorate and Seal Blind Bags So Nothing Peeks Out
The golden rule is simple: nobody should be able to see, feel out, or guess the contents. Choose opaque bags, or line clear cellophane bags with tissue paper. Fold the top down twice and seal it with washi tape, a sticker, or twine tied in a bow. A staple works too, as long as you hide it under the label.
Decorate the outside only. Stamp simple shapes, doodle with paint pens, or number each bag so the set works like a lucky dip at a party. Keep the decoration the same on every bag in a batch, so nobody can pick by looks.
Finish With a Printable Label
A label makes a plain paper bag look like a real shop bought blind bag, and it costs almost nothing. Keep it simple: the theme name in big letters, a small picture, and the words a surprise inside or open me. Print a sheet of labels on sticker paper, cut them out, and stick one over the folded top of each bag so the label works as the seal too. It takes about five minutes, and a whole batch suddenly looks like a matching set, which is perfect for party favors and craft fair tables.
Free printable blind bag labels
To make it even easier, I turned the labels into a free printable. Page one has a ready made label for each of the ten themes above, and page two has party labels plus two blank ones you can write on. Print them on sticker paper, or on plain paper or thin card, cut along the dashed lines, and use each label to seal the folded top of a bag.
Download the free labels here: Free Blind Bag Labels (PDF). Print at 100% scale on A4 or US Letter paper for the best fit.
Start with one theme, one pack of bags, and whatever fillers your drawers already hold. Once you watch someone shake a bag, guess, and grin before they have even opened it, you will understand the appeal. Homemade blind bags cost little, waste little, and feel personal in a way the store bought ones never quite manage. Make a batch this weekend, and keep a few aside, because somebody always wants one more.
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