Like each and every snowflake that flits down from the sky, every hobby room is unique. That’s because every hobby room serves a particular hobbyist and her particular hobby, all but precluding the very existence of a one-size-fits-all hobby room solution.
But, fellow hobbyists, there are indeed must-haves that every hobby room needs. So while we can’t whip up the precise ingredients for a room tailor made for you and your hobby, we can absolutely set you on your way with some hobby room cornerstones. These ideas are guaranteed to give your room a boost, whether you’re an avid seamstress, a painter of sprawling canvasses or a borderline-obsessed model builder.
Without further ado, let’s lay the groundwork and make sure you have a little haven to settle into when it’s time to break out the cutting mat and leave those daily stressors in the rearview.
Clutter Eliminating Storage
You know how things just suddenly feel better when you tidy up your space? Whether you’ve just cleaned out your car or your closet or decluttered your countertop, a little bit of burden seems to flit away when we tackle the mess in front of us.
The same is absolutely true when it comes to your hobby room. Hobbyists — and, hey, we are members of the same tribe, so what follows is in no way meant to be a dig at our crafting brethren — tend to get a little sloppy. Whether we’re acquiring materials we may use for future projects or we have a bad habit of leaving our tools strewn about the workspace, the fact is, the clutter can come on quick when we’re crafting.
And when there’s clutter, it’s simply more difficult to unleash our creative selves. Some argue that clutter promotes creativity, but we tend to side with the clutter-kills-creativity cohort. And that’s why we stress going all-in on proper storage.
You can keep your space organized with a craft cart, some properly utilized peg board to stow your craft tools or by simply keeping unneeded materials away from your workspace. But no matter your hobby, stay organized, and you’ll flourish.
Give Yourself Privacy
One of the finest things about having a hobby that you pursue with dedication is that it provides a much-needed break from those daily stressors we mentioned earlier. Each moment we dedicate to our craft or hobby is a sweet bit of reprieve from what ails us. BUT — and this is indeed a big but (and we cannot lie) — we can’t achieve that separation from our aggravations if our hobby space isn’t set up to optimize privacy.
Getting into that Zen-zone with your hobby isn’t so easy if your spouse or kids or pets come traipsing through when you’re working on a precision cut with your craft knife. Keep this in mind when you determine where in the house your space will be.
The garage, your basement, a shed in your backyard — these are premium locations for your hobby room.
Of course, we don’t all have great options. Sometimes we find ourselves with limited space. Whatever your situation, do what you can to separate your hobby room from whatever ruckus takes place in the rest of your house. Beaded curtains and privacy screens can go a long way toward turning a nook into a relative creative Xanadu in your home. Set the creative mood with incense and a good sound system, too.
The Right Light for Your Hobby
It’s pretty much impossible to overstate the importance of proper lighting in your hobby space. How bright your lighting needs to be depends on what your chosen hobby is. If you’re looking to jam out and record some music, you might want dim lighting. But if you’re woodworking or making jewelry or you’re up to anything that demands exactitude, you need lighting that helps you get the job done.
For a good guide about craft room lighting, check in with the experts over at Stamp-n-Storage.
But no matter what you’re up to in your hobby space, what you most certainly DO NOT want is soul-sucking, old-school overhead fluorescent bulbs. Avoid fluorescent tubes, fellow crafters.
The Ideal Craft Table
When it comes down to it, you need a place where you can get down to the nitty gritty of your hobby. And that nitty gritty stuff almost always happens on your craft table, which is basically the most important items in any hobby space.
You need something sturdy, yet inviting, tough yet pleasing to the eye. You also don’t want something too precious — after all, you don’t want to be too worried about sullying the surface with nick or a blemish.
At the risk of sounding obtuse, we’ll just go ahead and say what you need depends on your needs. But we simply want to stress putting considerable thought into choosing your table, because if your actual workspace isn’t right, the rest of your hobby room could be perfect but it won’t make up for a poorly chosen table.
For a good guide on snagging the table that’s right for your hobby space, check out this guide from the good people at Tinyworkshops.com.
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