Are you looking for Creative hobbies to try out? There’s no better time than now, while we’re spending more time at home.

I’m a huge fan of creative hobbies: I fill my evenings and weekends with art, singing, guitar, scrapbooking, graphics design, making fonts… yeah I’m one of *those* people. I’ve never been able to stick with one hobby or passion. You might be the same as me, in which case feel free to try out many of these fun hobby ideas! 

Why You Need a Creative Hobby

Creativity is good for you. I’d argue that it’s essential for wellbeing. A creative or artistic hobby helps your brain function and connects your feelings with your body. Do you feel wonderful after a good singing session, or after journaling your feelings? Me too.

The best part about having a creative outlet is that it’ll give you some “me time”. Cultivate those precious moments, where you get into the flow state, and stop focusing on the outside world. It’s excellent for self-care, mindfulness, and relaxation. If you struggle with saying no to people, here’s your excuse: “Sorry I can’t, I’m *insert hobby here* tonight”. You’re welcome!

Oh, and did I mention that having creative hobbies is also an excellent way to improve your skills? Maybe you’ll be able to sell those skills and start a side hustle. Maybe that’s why you’re here. Fair enough!

I will counter that a little bit by saying that you really do need something just for you. Enjoy the process, and don’t worry too much about whether you’re “good” at your creative outlet! Remember that no one needs to see your art or poetry if you don’t want them to. I share some of my art and music, but there are some things (like my terrible hand embroidery) that I keep entirely to myself.

“But what if I’m not creative?”

Whenever people say that they’re not creative, I just don’t believe them. Every human is creative, it’s a natural part of us! If you’ve ever been told you’re not a creative person, I strongly disagree. We’re all creative in different ways. Besides, you can’t please everyone. I’m sure some people would hate my music or art, but I like it! Use your creative energy for yourself, for wellbeing and joy.

Anyway, if you’re bored at home and want something to do, get ready. Here is a whopping list of 50 creative hobbies to try this year at home. Yes, fifty. Believe it or not, I actually had to curate this list down, because there are just so many creative things to do at home. Whether you’re a professional creative or a beginner, you’ll find a new artistic hobby here.

50 Creative Hobbies To Try At Home This Year

I’ve organised these creative hobby ideas into sections, based on how similar they are to each other. For example, hobbies that involve tech equipment, or plants! There are a few random fun ones at the end that I couldn’t categorise, just in case they take your fancy. 

I really do hope you find a new creative outlet, or this reminds you of something you loved as a child and want to try again. It’s never too late to nourish your creativity or learn a new skill… welcome to my ultimate beginner’s guide!

Creative Hobbies Involving Paper

Painting

Fancy yourself the next Monet? Why not! Maybe you want to try watercolours or get fancy with oil paints. You could paint portraits, your pets, nature, still life, or something abstract. Anything goes. Painting can be incredibly therapeutic; there’s a reason art therapy exists.

Drawing

I’m always drawing or doodling in my free time, while I’m on the phone or watching Netflix. I’m not particularly good at it, but drawing is a great activity for mindfulness, and it forces me to take breaks from social media. Besides, all you need is a pencil and some paper. It’s very economical!

I like to use my iPad Mini with Procreate to draw, it means I can use any medium or colours I want, and save money on art supplies.

Colouring

If you don’t fancy learning to draw or paint, you could always start with some good ol’ colouring-in. Nowadays you can get absolutely beautiful adult colouring books. They’re perfect for absent-minded doodling, or moments when you don’t feel like doing anything else.

I have several colouring books, and I find myself drawn to them when I’m feeling anxious and want something to do with my hands. It helps! My favourites are the ones by Johanna Basford.

Origami

Origami is the beautiful Japanese art of paper folding. The great thing about origami is that all you need is paper and your hands. Use your old schoolwork or junk mail if you have to! Once you learn the basics, you’ll be making swans in no time.

Decoupage

This is one of the oldest arts and crafts in existence, supposedly originating from East Siberian tomb art! Decoupage is the art of applying a layer of paper cutouts to various surfaces. It’s simple and fun and it can be used in many different ways, from decorating furniture to creating book covers. 

Journaling

Yep, like writing in a diary. Journaling is a brilliant way to reflect on life and get out your feelings. I often find that writing down my thoughts, worries, or even a to-do list helps me to push it out of my mind.

Journaling can be an art form of itself: think of all those famous diarists like Samuel Pepys. Okay, maybe you won’t be the next Samuel Pepys… I hope not anyway, because I live in London and we do not want another Great Fire. I digress.

Have you ever thought about bullet journalling, or starting an art journal? Make it as creative, messy and colourful as you like! Here are 21 ideas to fill empty notebooks to get you started.

Scrapbooking

Since I treated myself to iPad Mini as a reward for finishing my Master’s degree, I’ve been creating a digital scrapbook using the Zinnia app. I still love a traditional scrapbook too; I’ve completed three scrapbooks filled with memories from my childhood and university years.

You could even make an ‘Adventure Book‘ inspired by the Pixar film UP!

Collage Art

Similar to scrapbooking, collaging is an art form that involves curating many elements into a single piece. The difference here is that scrapbooking usually focuses on creating a book of memories, whereas collage art can be a standalone piece, and might not be related to your memories at all. 

As with scrapbooking, collage art can be created physically, with art supplies, random things you’ve collected, or it can be digital.

Lettering and Calligraphy

The difference between hand lettering and calligraphy can be a bit confusing. Essentially, lettering is where you essentially ‘draw’ letters, often with a brush pen, whereas calligraphy is a fancy writing technique, usually involving a fountain pen. 

It takes a lot of practice, but once you learn the basics you’ll be able to create beautiful brush lettering or calligraphy art! I’ve followed some excellent tutorials on Skillshare to improve my lettering recently.

Card Making

Make cute greetings cards to send your loved ones on special occasions, or just because!

Here’s a little cheeky plug for my own work: I’ve created a collection of greetings cards available exclusively with Thortful.

If you’ve always wanted a Cricut for papercrafts, this is your sign to give it a go!

Creative Writing

Poetry, Essays, Short Stories, Fiction. There are so many options for unleashing your creative writing ability. Why not take a creative writing class on Skillshare?

Share your creative writing on your own blog, write on Medium, or self-publish with Amazon Kindle! Feel free to check out my blogging tools page for everything I use to manage this blog if you’re thinking about sharing your writing online.