HOW TO CREATE A DIY WORKSPACE IN YOUR SMALL HOME
Living in a small house is wonderful!  I love that I am no longer overwhelmed with “stuff”. My daughter and I are in close quarters…which I like.  And my house is easy to clean. I also love that I can afford to decorate and remodel it because it’s so small.
There are challenges as well…especially for a DIY’er like me who is always creating lots of projects.  A small house only seems smaller with all manner of craft supply strewn everywhere.
My office/craft space measures 10′ X 10′ and I am very happy with the way I was able to use the space. Â I am sure I have used every inch available to me!
Women struggle with creating a space for themselves in their own homes, as if it is selfish to do so. I am going to encourage you to look closely at the space you have and create a little nook for you to get creative in. Â You deserve it!
Find yourself a closet:
***Clean out a closet. Â Yes! Â A closet! Â Most houses have a “junk” closet (which is a cousin to the junk drawer) and you can actually get rid of all that stuff that has been sitting there for years. Â You would be surprised at the amount of space available when a closet is completely empty. Â A small desk with built-in shelves above can be a perfect craft or sewing space, and the bonus is that you can shut the door when there is a mess or a half-done craft project! Check out this craft closet.
Go crazy with those totes and Ziploc bags:
***Make good use of Rubbermaid totes and Ziploc bags.  Take out only what you need and pack it up when you are done.  When I quilted a lot I always kept my fabric and quilt pieces in bags.  This allowed me to keep everything contained in one spot, and it kept the mess to a minimum. Totes are great for storing all of your supplies such as fabric and craft paint. That way when you travel to the kitchen table to make something, you only have to bring out what you need.
Find yourself a “toy” corner:
***Find a corner and make it your own. Â Most likely your kids have a “toy spot” somewhere in the living room. Â Why not find a space like that for yourself? Â A small desk and some shelves are all you need to create a small, functional area. Â Take a peek at this adorable crafting corner.
Commandeer the junk room:
***If you are lucky and have an actual “junk” room, clean it out and use it!  I know a number of people who have a room full of stuff they never use, but they also avoid clearing it out and making it useful. I know it takes time.  You will have to part with things. I know you may actually have to get rid of an older kid’s things.  BUT it is a space you will use everyday.  Why not clear things out and make it a useful space for someone special…YOU!  There is no reason to have a bunch of stuff (read: junk) that you never use.  You can give it away or sell it and get out from under that mess!
A small house does not need to limit your ability to create, but you will have to think outside the box to find yourself a space to call your own. Â I encourage you to start looking. Â The space is there. Somewhere.
It’s just waiting to be found and used by you!
I love these tips! The closet is such a great idea because really everyone has so much junk packed away in that closet that you really don’t need. Thanks for sharing
I would love to have a designated room for all my crafts and the space to organize.
Thanks for sharing on #OMHGFF this week!
Hugs
Karren
Such great tips Randi. We have a teeny tiny house down at the coast and I always struggle to find somewhere to craft. I’d forgotten about that junk closet 😉 Guess what I’ll be doing this weekend
Hi Michelle,
I hope the closet works well for you! I love having a little workspace that is all my own!
Have a great Sunday!
Randi 🙂
We have an attic which is our work space with “his and her” sides. We only have a 1 bedroom home with access to the attic through our room and I don’t know what I would do without the attic space! Pinned & thank you for sharing at Funtastic Friday!
A
Hi Angie! An attic workspace sounds perfect for your home! When we have small spaces to work with we have to be creative! Have a lovely day!
Randi 🙂
Everything you’ve said in your post is TRUTH. We don’t need all the clutter that most of us live with. I’ve had thoughts of downsizing and getting rid of TONS of stuff too. This is a great post. Thanks for sharing for #iDIYedthat. Hope to see you again next Tuesday.
Hi Lindsey,
I moved into my new house about 9 months ago and it’s 1/3 the size of my previous one. And I LOVE it! I got rid of so much stuff that I still have room on my shelves. It’s so nice not to have to maintain so many things!
Have a lovely day,
Randi 🙂
I’ve been blessed with a studio/craft room and I love it! Sometimes my husband complains and asks for a man cave to which I reply, “uh, no!” Your ideas are very helpful. So glad you’ve been able to carve out a space all your own. Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm! xo Kathleen | Our Hopeful Home
Randi I am totally in love with your material space it is a thing of beauty 🙂
Thank you, Amber! 🙂
Great tips! Just get a little creative and before you know it you’ve got an amazing crafting space! Seems pretty appropriate to me to use creativity to make your space for creativity. Loved the post. Thanks!
Yay I’m so happy I’m not the only person who does this haha! We live in a 2 bed 2 bath condo but do a lot of DIY. As a result, we have had to get creative with space. We turned our bathroom linen closet into our “garage” (i.e. where tools, painting supplies, etc go) and are currently in the process of turning a small area of our bedroom into our craft corner. Thinking about it, the need for a craft corner may have come out of necessity because I **may** have a yarn obsession. Thanks for this!
I love it! I really think we all have a bit of space to do the things we love! I have to admit to a fabric obsession on top of the woodworking stuff. I used to own a fabric shop, so I have a bunch of it…and it’ wonderful! 🙂
These are such great ideas, thank you!
Nice job with creating your DIY workspace :)!
Hope you come share at Reader Tip Tuesday: http://www.jodiefitz.com/2017/08/15/reader-tip-tuesday-craft-recipe-party/
It’s open all week & growing – hope to see you there 🙂
I enjoyed reading your tips and looking at the photos. It’s always a creative challenge to carve out more space in a small home. I’m getting ready to move my craft closet to a different (larger) closet. So — I’m interested in the concepts that you wrote about.
Thanks!
Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi
What great tips for when you don’t have a large space to storage your craft supplies. Love this! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Your space really did turn out GREAT!!!
Thanks for sharing at the party – hope to see you at this week’s party: http://www.jodiefitz.com/2017/08/22/reader-tip-tuesday-party-crafts-recipes/
Its still & growing all week :)…