Woodworking can help reduce stress and increase creativity. Here’s how you can start some woodworking on your own!

You know I LOVE working with all of the tools and saws in my workshop so it should be no surprise to you that woodworking is at the top of my list when it comes to handcrafts you can do at home.

Woodworking projects range from small and simple to large and complex. If you’re just beginning, you can start small and build on your skills over time. You can learn with an instructor or get great tips and hacks from woodworkers on Youtube. Woodworking will allow you to make items you can feature as decorations or purely functional items, like chairs, and tables. Woodworking also has great benefits for the mind and it can support your mental health.

 Like many handicrafts, woodwork can be sold or offered as gifts. If you’re not sure what to make, you can check this list to find great woodworking projects for beginners.

Benefits

Woodworking allows you to develop a strong mental focus and reduce chronic stress. Many woodworkers find the practice empowering as they can transform raw material into something both attractive and useful.

Activities

There is a vast array of items you can make from wood. Some simple woodworking projects for beginners include:

• Decorative outdoor signs
• Picture frames
• Children’s toys
• Holiday ornaments
• Shelves
• Stool
• Dog house
• Small bookcase

Materials

Basic materials needed for woodworking include:

• Tape measure, ruler, square
• Level
• Wood
• Hammer
• Nails, woodscrews
• Hand saws, circular saw, jigsaw
• Router
• Workbench
• Protective wear (i.e., goggles)
• Bandsaw 

Talents Developed

• Improved agility
• Improved math skills
• Enhanced creativity

Once you become a little more comfortable with woodworking and creating things, you can move up to some more advanced machines like the CNC machine that I have and create with ALL the time!

While this can become an expensive handcraft to try at home, it is one that is so rewarding!