Creativity is a wonderful thing. It can be used to make great works of art, create innovative solutions, come up with unique ideas, and inventions. I'm a creative person. I love drawing, photography, painting, writing, crafts, makeup artistry, graphic design, and digital art. Not only do love doing these things, I like to make money doing it. So if you are like me and you not only want to create, but you like making a little extra money on the side with your art or designs, here are the top 5 practical things every creative person absolutely needs in order to produce their best work:
1.) A CREATIVE SPACE
Now granted, most of us don't have the privilege of owning a posh art studio in a chic downtown area, and that's ok! A large percentage of creative people, including myself, don't have such luxuries. Settling down in a quiet corner of the house is both necessary and sufficient.
A creative space is important because it allows the mind to wander freely and explore new ideas without too many distractions or limitations. It also helps put oneself at ease and create mental clarity, which can be essential for problem solving and finding inspiration. Furthermore, it inspires by providing an environment that encourages artistic expression and experimentation.
Having a creative area is not just about finding the right physical space; it’s also about creating the right atmosphere that will allow you to unlock your inner potential. With the right environment, you can make some pretty cool stuff!
But let's get real here. I'm sure your are thinking, "Ok, yeah. Sure. I don't have an extra room in my house that I can dedicate for the sole purpose of using for my own creativity. Every room in my house is being used, and I have a spouse, children, and a dog.
I understand. Completely.
The good news is, your space doesn't have to be huge, expensive or complex.
Here are some ideas:
Garage. I'm aware that this may be challenging for certain times of year, depending on the climate you reside in. I live in Florida, and there is definitely a need for some type of airflow in the warmer months. A large fan can make the garage much more tolerable if you need a big space to make a mess. I highly recommend this one from Amazon. (And it comes in pink!)
Guest bedroom. If you have an extra room in your house that's not being used, GREAT! Of not, don't despair. I have a guest bedroom in my house that I adore, but it's just that - a guest bedroom. I don't do any messy crafts in that room, but sometimes, if I have a quiet moment while my baby is taking a nap, I'll sit in the comfy chair of my guest room if I need to do any type of digital art, or photo/video editing. My guest bedroom is aesthetically pleasing to me, so I can't help but want to be in there sometimes.
Corner of a living room or office. For a long time, I used a little corner desk in my husband's home office. This little corner desk was extremely useful and compact for a small creative space of my own. I cannot recommend this little desk on Amazon enough! Incredibly cute, compact, and functional.
Dining room table. This is personally one of my favorite places currently. In my home we have a large dining room table that sits by a large window overlooking our backyard. I have my own side of the table that I use. Thankfully, since my table is large, so I have a little room to get messy if need be. If I'm using a medium such as paint, glitter, or glue, I'm careful to lay down some paper of plastic on my table surface first before diving in.
Outdoors (park or backyard). Never underestimate the power of the outdoors on a beautiful day for some inspiration. Sitting in your backyard, or going for a walk on a lovely spring day can help settle a cluttered mind into a more creative mindset. I personally love talking my baby on long walks in the stroller (he loves it too!). I've come up with some cool ideas for my designs or writings by simply going for a long walk.
2.) ORGANIZATION & STORAGE
As mentioned before, if you, like me, don't have a large studio to store all of your creative things, that doesn't mean you can't have optimum organization! I love the phrase, "a place for everything, and everything in it's place". It doesn't matter if you are a writer, photographer, or painter - you need storage! I highly recommend a storage cabinet like this one, but if that's not quite feasible for your living space, storage bins that can slide into closets and under beds are a must.
Another organization item I can't live without are mason jars. That's right. Mason jars. Perfect for storing little loose items, paint brushes, buttons, pencils etc.
3.) REST & RELAXATION
If you find yourself extremely stressed from life, or simply frustrated with your newest designs or writings, WALK AWAY. Rest. Relax. Come back to it later. Now be careful you don't use this as an excuse to procrastinate, but sometimes it's so very necessary to step away, decompress, and press the reset button. As a wife and a mom, it's hard for me to do this. So sometimes I set a little time during the baby's nap, or after his bedtime to rest, and peruse inspiring books, blogs, or Pinterest posts.
Also, naps aren't just for little ones. I don't get this privilege very often, but they are sometimes necessary, and oh so refreshing. It's a literal "restart" button for your mind and creativity.
4.) PROPER SUPPLIES / EQUIPMENT
There are only 4 words I want to emphasize here. INVEST IN YOUR CRAFT. I'm sure I'm not the only person in the world that's tried to cut costs and purchase the "knock off" brand of a particular item. Two items that I have invested in that I have no regrets about are: an Apple Pencil and an art easel. Investment? Yes. Worth it? EVERY PENNY. I regret to say I bought a $20 "Stylus pen" to use on my iPad for drawing. Never again. You get what you pay for. I was wasting so much time and effort simply trying to get the off-brand stylus to work properly and draw correctly. I finally caved and got the real deal. The precision and technology of the Apple pen is unmatched. It's sensitive to both pressure and tilt - just like a real pencil. Absolutely worth it.
An art easel has also been an incredible investment that I have used over and over again for years. You want something strong and stable. The last thing you want is to spend hundreds of hours on a work of art, only to have it fall over on the floor. If you are an artist looking to take your art career to the next level, investing in an art easel is a must.
5.) COMMUNITY & INSPIRATION
It may sound trite, but hanging out with other people in your artistic field will do wonders for your creativity. Go to the art show. Go to the gallery night. Join the art society. Being able to bounce ideas with other like minded people can create an explosion of ideas for yourself and others. If you are a busy mom like myself, and don't have time to get out and be social, simply grabbing a book can do wonders. I possess an embarrassingly large amount of books. I have books on art history, fashion design, Impressionists paintings, photography etc. Don't even worry about "reading". Just look at the pictures (like you did when you were a kid). It's amazing what can come to you when you take the time to sit and look.
Cheers! xoxo
DISCLOSURE: I do use affiliate links on here, meaning if you purchase anything through my affiliate links I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. My opinions and views are never swayed because of this. I only recommend products that I love!
