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If you’ve never built an inspiration board, you should consider the activity for a fresh start to your 2016. It doesn’t matter if you’re the creative type or if you’re just looking to live a more inspired, intentional life, the new year is the perfect time to reflect, reset, and focus on the future. So start collecting pictures from past travels, meaningful quotes, printouts of your fave spaces, magazine tear outs, and anything that is meaningful to you and get to building! Use these 10 tips to get going.
keep it to a confined space
The key to keeping your inspiration board looking organized, not messy, is to keep it to a confined space. A cheap cork board hung or leaned over a home desk is ideal.
or go wild
If you’re looking to cover a larger area and build on your inspiration as the year goes on, take over a whole wall. This is a great idea for a home office or an alternative for a
.
change it up
Whatever you tape or tack onto your board at the start of 2016 doesn’t have to stay put for the entire year. Switch out or add new inspiration every month, season, or whenever you feel like it.
think three dimensional
Don’t be afraid to take from different mediums and add more unusual pieces of inspiration to your board. This could be more experiential focused, like a postcard from your favorite restaurant or concert ticket. Don’t be afraid to walk through your local hardware store and grab paint swatches that speak to you—the same goes for fabric swatches.
theme it
If a general board sounds like too much to tackle, make your inspiration more focused. If you know that quotes really get you fired up, or photos of family give you the warm fuzzies, focus on including more of those items. Choose whatever will give you the confidence to take on the new year.
go for clean lines
Helter-skelter collages not your thing? Cut your photos into similar sizes and shapes and tape photos in an organized manner for a clean, minimal, organized look.
double-sided tape is your friend
If you’re going for the above minimal look, opt for double-sided tape.
or not
Overlap old and new inspo with decorative tape or push pins for a more fluid effect.
consider your color palette
Make sure your board is consistent with the vibes of the room. This shouldn’t be hard if your bedroom or home office is reflective of your personality and lifestyle.
leave yourself notes
Whether it’s a note specific to a piece of info on your board or just a friendly reminder (like “YOU CAN DO IT!”), remember there are no rules and it’s okay to add personal touches.