The Essentials Every Creative DIYer Should Keep on Hand

Each week, interior designer, artist, and self-proclaimed color obsessive Lu Loveless shares a peek into her design process—whether it’s a smart trick she swears by or a favorite resource from her personal folder. This week, she’s sharing her essential DIY essentials.

Half the battle of a good creative project is having the right tools and supplies ready to go when you need them. Nothing kills momentum faster than having to pause mid-project to run to the store for a new paintbrush or the right adhesive. One missing supply can be the difference between a finished piece and yet another half-done idea.

Over the years I’ve learned that keeping a small stash of supplies on hand is what takes me from an idea I got while sipping my morning coffee to execution. I’ve realized that the secret isn’t having a huge workshop, it’s having just enough essentials within reach to turn an idea into action.

A little DIY kit—could be a large plastic tub with a lid or a rolling cart like mine—keeps you prepared to jump into a project at a moment’s notice. This is the stash I reach for most often. Practical enough to work, creative enough to spark new ideas.

Here’s my version of the perfect DIY starter pack:

Core Tools

Hardware

Tapes & Adhesives

No DIY kit is complete without a range of tapes and glues. They may not be glamorous, but they’re often the difference between a project that works and one that falls apart.

Scissors & Cutting Tools

I keep a mix of scissors and blades on hand, from fabric shears to quirky paper edgers, because nothing kills creativity faster than fighting with the wrong tool.

Small Paint Kit

I am always painting something. A little area I forgot to paint during my last manic painting moment, or testing a new paint color (yet again). Anytime I go to a home improvement store, I stock up on these essentials.

Sandpaper & Putty

Because surfaces always need more prep than you think.

A Basic Sewing Kit

Even if you don’t consider yourself a sewer, it opens the door for quick fixes (sewing that hole on your fave throw pillow) and simple sewing projects. I like to keep mine in a vintage cookie tin.

Fabric Stash

Fabric is endlessly useful and often sparks ideas I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.

The Creative Wildcards

These will be different for everyone, but some of my favorites are:

DIY isn’t about having a workshop full of expensive tools. It’s about curating a small set of versatile supplies that suit your creative whims and allow you to jump in when inspiration strikes.

With love, Lu