17 Fascinating DIY Hobbies to Explore in a Small Space

Hobbies are essential for a fulfilling life. Lack of hobbies may even indicate that you are working too hard, which can eventually lead to overwork and overwhelm. If you don’t have any hobbies, we highly recommend finding one or two.

And while it’s crucial that you keep up with certain non-geek life skills, there’s nothing wrong with indulging your geek side — especially if you want to gain practical and technical skills.

Unfortunately, many do-it-yourself hobbies require a lot of space (like huge wooden boards or large metal cutting equipment), but here are some great options if you’re short on space.

programming

Programming is the most important hobby for modern geeks. The possibilities are endless — from web development to game development and other types of software careers — and the initial investment costs are negligible.

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But the best thing is that programming requires absolutely no space other than what a computer takes up (and we’re assuming you already have that).

Do you want to start? Check out these Free Books on Programming Books on for some great learning material, but before you get that far, read this article on how to learn to code without any stress

Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi is a tiny little computer that exists on a single board barely the size of a credit card. It has a processor, memory, ports for peripherals and networks, and graphics output. Read our Raspberry Pi guide for more details.

For hobbyists, this is an amazing device because you can tinker with it so freely. Start with one of the many project ideas including using it as a home theater with streaming media Home theater, then learn more with these amazing Raspberry Pi resources

Arduino

Like the Raspberry Pi, the Arduino is a microcomputer that exists on a tiny board. Several different Arduino kits are available for purchase to suit all kinds of projects; we recommend the Uno model, which is included in most starter kits.

Not sure which one to choose? Read our comparison to help you decide. If you end up moving to Arduino, check out our Arduino beginner guide. Beginner’s Guide.

And when you’re ready, dive into these Arduino project ideas. which includes an amazing LED pixel display that can be used in many unique ways.

Ham Radio

Even though technology has surpassed the usefulness of amateur radio, the amateur radio community is still as enthusiastic as ever. This is not only a practical approach to learning radio theory, but also an opportunity to communicate with people all over the world.

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Please note that ham radio operations are regulated by the FCC and you will need to obtain a license if you wish to operate legally. Fortunately, licensing is simple and straightforward.

But if that’s too much of a hassle for you, you can get around it with virtual radio radio. .

unlocking

Hacking is a phenomenal hobby, especially if you love puzzles. Some locks are trivially easy to pick, while others are frustratingly difficult, but few sounds as good as this successful one. click in the end.

You may look at lockpicking as a dubious activity, but don’t be fooled. Someone who is into lockpicking is not necessarily trained to break into houses or rob vaults. In fact, many cracking communities actively oppose this behavior.

The fun comes from figuring out and bypassing the blocking mechanisms themselves, which is why puzzle lovers love this hobby. And if you ever find yourself in an emergency that requires a lockpick, that’s just icing on the cake.

Reddit /r/lockpicking is a great starting point for newbies.

Rocket Model

Model rockets are rockets that you build, either from scratch or with a kit. In addition to the building aspects, this hobby includes painting and finishing the last rocket and launching them into the sky. And educational and fun.

Note: Obviously you can’t run the thing inside a small apartment, but you can do all the building and painting and it’s still a big part of the job.

Lego

Most of us outgrew Lego sometime in our teens, but there are reasons why you might want to return to this hobby as adults. On the one hand, you can build Lego virtually using the new Google Build With Chrome app. It’s also a great way to connect with your kids if you have one.

While Lego itself is fun, it also has practical benefits. For example, Lego can be used to improve your time management skills. What are you waiting for? Discover your love of Lego with these Lego websites and resources.

plan

We recently learned a few basic job skills what every DIY enthusiast should know, but let’s start even easier than that: whittling. Whitling is easy to learn, soothing to the soul and very satisfying.

You can eventually graduate and take on woodworking projects, which are a bit more complex, but the beauty of being petty is that it doesn’t take up a lot of space. It can be a little messy with all the shavings, but it’s a small price to pay.

home brewing

If you love craft beer and want to dive into the fun side of this hobby, consider learning how to brew your own beer. You can start with small batches of just a few gallons and scale up if you like.

A few modern brewery owners started out as simple home brewers, but you don’t have to go that route if you don’t want to. Half the fun is experimenting with your own recipes. The other half starts drinking it all.

canning

Canning is a catch-all term for hobbies that involve food feeding. Jars and jars are used to store household items such as pickles and jams, but the hobby also includes freezing, dehydration, curing, smoking, distilling, baking, and more.

defiant-craft-hobby-canning

The actual canning process is fairly simple, but there are many guidelines you should follow if you want to make sure your food doesn’t go bad. The Reddit /r/canning community is a good place to start.

hydroponics

Gardening is hard for those who don’t have access to a yard or lawn. Luckily, hydroponics has an alternative, which is a special landless method of growing plants using only water and nutrients.

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You may have seen hydroponic herbs (like basil) at your local market and that’s basically what we’re talking about. Now you can grow your own indoor garden, no matter how small your apartment is.

Candlemaking

If you regularly smell your home with store-bought candles, you know how expensive that can be (especially if you tend to go for top shelf brands). Well, why not make your own candles? It is surprisingly light and gentle on the wallet.

All you need is some soy wax, some starter gear, and any flavors and dye chips you can get your hands on. If you’re particularly into candle making, you can even sell them on the side. for little profit.

bookbinding

Ever wondered how books were made? Why not learn the techniques and link a few books of your own? There are communities that are all about handmade books and you don’t need a lot of materials to get started.

Start with the simplest techniques (such as top stitching) and move on to more advanced techniques when you’re ready (such as black stitch). If you learn how to handle leather, you can even cut and design your own covers, resulting in a real leather-bound book that you can call your own.

Origami

Origami is a fantastic way to practice manual dexterity without any initial investment. It’s difficult at first, but there are so many great learning resources on the internet that you should be able to get the hang of it pretty quickly.

Beadsprites

Beadspriting is the act of drawing pixel art using Perler beads. Each ball corresponds to one pixel, so you can make exact copies of popular video game sprites if you have colored balls on hand.