5 Sources of Inspiration for Creative Home Solutions

Finally solve that nagging problem in your home with these sources of inspiration for creative home solutions.

How do you solve an unsolvable problem in your home? For some reason, staring at the ceiling just doesn’t seem to work. Neither does staring at the walls. Pulling your hair out hurts, but at least it takes your mind off the fact that you can’t think of ANYTHING!!

Sometimes it’s really hard to imagine anything except what’s right in front of you. No need to fret. All you need is a little creativity.

Sources of Inspiration for Creative Home Solutions

#1: THE INTERNET

Good news! You are likely not the first person with your problem. Better news! Lots of people have probably figured out a solution to your problem. Best news! There’s a good chance that a few people have documented their solutions on the internet.

Pinterest, Houzz and countless websites like this one specialize in showcasing these solutions. Instead of going to a particular website, I recommend just using your regular internet search browser and trying various different searches using words that describe your problem (for example: hidden at-home office, how to organize a tiny closet, space saving shoe rack). The results you see will give you ideas for other search terms, and soon you will be going down a rabbit hole of possible solutions.

Just browse by images at first. Don’t even bother looking at how-to guides or prices. You don’t need to worry about the details right now, you need inspiration! Instead, create a Pinterest board of images you like, take a screen-shot, or bookmark the link. Do whatever you are comfortable with to save a good list of ideas.

#2: SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a complicated place these days, but it’s also a great resource. Your friends, friends-of-friends, colleagues, and that random person on your friend-list that you don’t even remember meeting, would probably love to help you brainstorm. Post your problem on social media, and be specific. Then just wait for the ideas to roll in!

#3: RETAIL STORES

Sometimes you’ll find inspiration hiding in your favorite store. Wander up and down the aisles and try to think how different things could solve your problem. You may have an epiphany in the bathroom section that would solve a problem in your closet. Something in the kid’s furniture section may spark an idea for your kitchen. Just go with an open mind and take it all in. Who knows? If space saving is a problem, you might even find that a display shelf sparks an idea… after all stores are all about optimizing of every square inch of retail floor space.

REMEMBER: everything online or in a store is heavily curated and does not reflect reality… but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great ideas out there. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone.

#4: FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS

Does your neighborhood have any houses similar to yours? I’m guessing it does. The houses in my neighborhood consist of 2-3 variations of the same basic layout that people have remodeled, expanded, or left completely the same since the 1940s.

Most of my neighbors have the same tiny bedroom closets and the same awkward storage spots that I have. So it’s quite likely that we also share some of same house problems. If your neighborhood is similar, TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS! Maybe they have already solved your problem! If they have, they would probably be flattered to share their solution. You don’t have do the exact same thing, but sometimes just seeing something different than what’s right in front of you will open your mind to new ideas.

#5: REAL ESTATE LISTINGS

Seriously. This is a treasure trove of inspiration for creative home solutions. Go to a real estate listing site and search for houses that are the same style as yours. Then scroll through the photos. Do you have a problem with bedroom storage solutions in a cape cod style house? Then search for capes and go straight to photos of the upstairs bedrooms. You will find example after example of how people have solved storage issues with their slanted ceilings. You might get lucky and find the perfect solution, or you might have to tweak the ideas to fit your room perfectly. The key is to keep an open mind and look at the possibilities.

A little creativity is the key to solving unsolvable problems. If your creative juices just aren’t flowing, don’t hesitate to steal someone else’s juices! You cannot force inspiration. The harder you try, the more difficult it becomes. Instead, get out of the room that’s causing you so much angst and go about your daily life. There are sources of inspiration everywhere, and you may be surprised when and where an idea finally comes to you. And once your brain starts to open itself up to ideas, you won’t be able to stop them!