Here are 15 side project ideas that will churn up your creativity and fill your routine life with a sense of purpose.
We’ve all had a burst of motivation and said, “I’m going to start something new!”. But then the feeling fizzles out as fast as it came, and we end up doing nothing.
This is because it’s hard to get started with something new, even when your motivation is sky high.
When the itch to do something creative and different strikes you, you should already have side projects that you are working on.
A fun side project makes you feel purposeful, creative, and fulfilled in life. It should be something you can keep up with even when life gets busy.
And it should also be something that gives you energy rather than draining you.
In this post, I’ve gathered 15 of the best side project ideas that will help you channel your creative spirit.
You can do these things for pure fun, but you can also turn them into a side hustle once you’re at a certain level. Take a look!
15 Fun Side Projects You Can Work On
1. Start A Lifestyle Blog
Okay, you’re reading this on a blog, so I’m a little biased, but hear me out.
A lifestyle blog doesn’t mean you need to be an influencer or churn out content like a media machine.
It can just be a space where you document your life, share recipes you love, talk about travel spots, post about wellness hacks, or review books and shows.
The thing I love the most about it is that you can make it whatever you want. You’re not boxed into one niche.
It’s also very rewarding to look back at your own posts and see your evolution over time.
I personally love it, and if you have even a tiny writer’s spark in you, it’s worth trying yourself.
2. Learn Photography And Use The Pics
Photography doesn’t require an out-of-budget DSLR anymore. Your phone can shoot incredible photos if you learn how to use it well.
What makes photography stick as a hobby is tying it into your life.
You can document your city, shoot photos of your friends, and capture all the home projects you’re working on.
And then, instead of storing the photos away, you use them!
Make prints, start an Instagram account (for yourself, not followers), and make creative photo books in your free time.
3. Launch A Tiny Newsletter
Newsletters aren’t just for businesses. A small and personal newsletter can be an amazing creative outlet.
Who can you ask to join? Your friends, family, and your Insta/FB followers. Even writing to 10 friends can feel super rewarding.
You can write short reflections, share cool links, curate music playlists, or recommend movies and the TV show you’ve been hooked on.
Platforms like Substack and Beehiiv make it free and easy to start your newsletter.
It’d be like having a blog, but more intimate, as your words will go straight to inboxes. Cool, right?
4. Dive Into DIY Home Projects
By DIY home projects, I don’t mean gutting your kitchen. Just pick up small projects that seem interesting to you.
You can repaint a dull piece of furniture, make your own candles, build a shelf, or create custom wall art for your room.
These kinds of projects are satisfying because you see immediate results and get to live with what you make.
Your space will get cooler with every project you take on, and that makes this one of the best side projects to work on.
Related post: How to Create Good Vibes in Your Home
5. Join A Book Club Or Start One
Reading is great, but talking about books with other people is even better.
A book club gives you both social interaction and accountability to keep reading.
You can join one locally or start a virtual club with friends scattered around the globe.
If you are on Goodreads, you can start connecting with other people and join groups from thereon (like I do).
You’ll read things you wouldn’t normally pick up, and the conversations often veer into life topics far beyond the book itself. It’s really fun, I promise.
6. Get Into Journaling Without Any Pressure
Not everyone is a ‘Dear diary’ kind of person, but there are so many styles of journaling that you can try till you find something that suits you.
Like, we have bullet journals, gratitude journals, and one-sentence-a-day journals.
I know people who treat journaling like art. Their journals are full of colors, pasted pictures, and beautiful handwriting.
Journaling will work as a great side project as long as you do it your way, without the pressure to make it productive.
It’s the best ever way to get your thoughts out of your head, track your moods, and reflect without overcommitting.
7. Create Playlists And Curate Music
If you ask me, music curation is a seriously underrated side project.
Making playlists for different moods, occasions, or even for friends is low effort but very satisfying.
You’ll start paying more attention to the music you consume, and your life gets its own soundtrack.
Oh, and you can also share these playlists with your friends.
My bestie and I exchange playlists every few months and then get to peek inside each other’s heads through music. It’s so so awesome. Bless technology!
8. Record A Podcast Episode Every Week
Okay, I know podcasting can sound intimidating, but it’s easier than ever to get started and actually stick with it.
You don’t even need a professional studio anymore. A decent mic (or even your phone) and a quiet room will do.
Sit down every week on a fixed day to record your podcast episode and upload it the next day.
You can talk about a niche topic (like gardening), tell stories, guide the world on personal growth from your own learnings, document your thoughts, and interview your friends on some days.
Your episodes don’t need to be long or perfect either. Even short 10-minute episodes can be a great creative outlet.
You’ll have so much fun planning the topics throughout the week and then sitting down to get it all out.
If you were to actually do this, what would your podcast episode be called? Let me know in the comment box before you leave!
9. Do Urban Sketching
In urban sketching, you draw scenes from your everyday life on sight, usually in a notebook with a pen or watercolor set.
Sketching sharpens your observation skills and makes you notice details you’d otherwise miss.
Your sketchbooks will become your personal travel diaries over time that you can fondly look back on.
10. Learn to Cook Something New Every Month
Instead of trying to master all of cooking at once, set a realistic goal to cook one new dish every month.
Pick something from a cuisine you don’t know, a complex dessert, or a recipe from childhood that your mom used to make.
By the end of the year, you’ll have 12 new go-to meals and a lot more confidence in the kitchen.
11. Volunteer Your Time Or Skills
Giving back makes you feel connected to your community and gives your free time more meaning.
You can tutor online, help at a local shelter once a month, or offer design/writing skills to nonprofits.
It doesn’t have to mean a huge time commitment. Just make sure to show up every two weeks whenever you have some spare hours.
The world will love you for this, and you will find yourself falling for the world in return too.
12. Take Online Courses For Fun
Whenever we talk about taking online courses, it’s often for a purpose. We want to get better at something, advance in our careers, or get certifications.
But have you ever taken courses just for fun?
There is no better reason to learn things than curiosity. It makes everything more rewarding and fun.
You can look up platforms on Coursera, MasterClass, and YouTube.
Topics like art history, philosophy, astronomy, or creative writing can feed your brain without pressure.
I spent the last year learning Turkish because I have seen some Turkish shows, and I find the language very cool.
Now, I am onto French after watching ‘Emily in Paris’. Got no plans as of now to visit the country, but doing this just because I can.
13. Plant A Balcony/Indoor Garden
There was a time when gardening was only done outdoors, but nowadays, indoor/balcony gardening is growing so fast.
If you want to bring greenery indoors, you can pick up indoor gardening as a side project.
A few herbs on your windowsill or a couple of houseplants can scratch the itch to nurture something.
And also, watching plants grow is so rewarding, and it freshens up your living space, too.
14. Take Long Walks And Document Them
Walking isn’t just an exercise anymore. I know of a time when that was all it was looked as.
But now, I see so many articles talking about walking as a leisure hobby, and that makes me so happy.
Walking is a form of exploration, a treat for the eyes, and therapy for the soul.
When you take long walks for your inner self, your outer self glows too.
If walking is your thing, you can turn it into a fun side project by documenting the beautiful things that you see along the way.
You can click shots of different neighborhoods, parks, and paths, and capture them by taking photos, jotting notes in your phone, taking short videos, and recording voice memos.
You’ll start noticing hidden corners and quirks of your city you never saw before.
It’s your choice if you wanna keep your documentations to yourself, or share them with the world on an Insta page or a YouTube channel.
15. Tinker with Digital Art
There are so many wonderful digital artists out there, and I don’t have the kind of skills or commitment to get to their level.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t explore digital art in my free time, right?
You don’t need to be a real artist to get into this.
Apps like Procreate, Canva, and Figma make it very fun and easy to doodle, make posters, design wallpapers, and artwork.
The digital medium means no mess, no storage problems, and endless experimentation.
So, if you’ve ever had even the tiniest urge to create fun digital art, this one is perfect for you.
So, What’s It Going To Be?
The best side projects are the ones that fit naturally into your life and give more than they take.
You don’t have to monetize them, perfect them, or turn them into your new career (unless you want to).
The point is to have something that’s yours. Something that sparks happiness in you, stretches your mind in a good way, and makes your daily routine feel less routine and more fun.
So, which one’s calling your name?
Let me know in the comment box. It’s always a treat hearing from my lovely readers.
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