2020 might go down in history as the year everyone adopted a new pastime. If crafting is your thing, you might’ve loved it so much that you want to create a dedicated space.
Where do you find the room, and what do you do when you have it? Those questions have easy answers. Here’s how to create a dedicated craft area in your home.
1. Prep the Area
Spring house-cleaning is around the corner — get a jump on the endeavor by starting the clean-out process now. Go through your cabinets, closets and garage and sell or donate duplicate items or those you haven’t touched in a year.
Once you wrestle that bear, marvel at all the new space you have and pick one. Maybe you chose that third garage port you don’t use or created room in your attic.
Finally, determine what upgrades you need to make the space inviting and livable. For example, you might use solid wood sheathing or sustainable plastic to hide ugly cement block garage walls. You may need to install flooring over your insulation if using an attic space.
2. Design Your Layout
Breathe a sigh of relief — now the hard part is over. Next, design your layout.
Are you the scrapbooking sort who would adore an old-fashioned roll-top desk to keep your clippings and pictures safe for mounting? Do you need an elongated workbench for constructing birdhouses? Will you need to invest in any equipment and squeeze it into your space?
3. Create Storage
A well-organized craft room lets you get right down to business without searching for supplies. Tiny objects like buttons and beads tend to scatter everywhere — keep them tame.
You don’t need to spend much on fancy organizing systems. Why not repaint a yard sale bookcase, get some wicker baskets and use them to hold your various yarns and knitting needles? Spaces like your garage naturally lend themselves to pegboard, where you can hang your multiple scissors within arm’s reach.
4. Make Your Workspace Ergonomic
If you want to spend many pleasant hours in your dedicated craft area, you need to make it comfortable. A stool might not offer enough spinal support for folks with back conditions.
Choose an easily adjustable chair that lets you keep your feet flat on the floor with approximately two to four inches of space between the back of your knees and the seat. If you tend to curl a leg under you, a wider base will give you wiggle room.
5. Light It Up
It’s challenging to string beads or follow tiny cross-stitch patterns when you can’t see what you’re doing. You need plenty of light in your craft area, but your garage’s fluorescent overhead might not be your best bet.
Instead, seek out adjustable desk lamps that reduce glare issues by letting you direct illumination only where you need it. Take advantage of natural light. If swapping out your garage door, look for models with windows. If locating your space indoors, consider removing your curtains and installing one-way film.
6. Tend To Your Comfort
Basements, garages and attics can all get chilly, and the latter two can swelter in the summer months. If you want to enjoy year-round use of your craft area, ensure you keep the space comfortably warm or cool. Space heaters make an inexpensive solution, but please make sure to unplug them when not in use and never leave them running unattended.
If you went down under, your basement should stay comfortably cool. However, you might need to add a fan in other areas.
7. Add Some Personality
The whole idea of having a dedicated craft space is to celebrate your creative self. Add some personality and fun.
If you want to adorn your desk with trinkets like sparkly unicorns, go ahead. You don’t have to make this an “adult” space. Hang fairy lights if their glow inspires you, and add an aromatherapy diffuser to inhale your favorite aroma while creating your next masterpiece.
About The Author:
Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded, where he writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Check out @TModded for regular updates!