WHEN IT COMES TO USING PRINTABLES, YOU CAN GO BASIC OR GO BIG! LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES TO GET YOU GOING!
I absolutely love printables. With such a huge range of options out there, you can create nearly so many things! But what I really love about them is how easy it is to get started. Let’s review my top three essential supplies for printables you’ll need to have on hand to get going.
And before we dive in, let me just say that this list is by no means exhaustive. What I mean by that is you can really go further with your printables. These are simply the basic supplies that you’ll need to start using all those amazing printables you’re finding online, including mine! By filling out the form below, you’ll get access to ALL the free printables that I’ve created for you, my readers! How fun is that?
*NOTE – THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. What does this mean? Simply put, if you click a link and make a purchase from a supplier that I have listed below, I may earn a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you and helps to support my business. For more information, you can read my Policies and Disclosure.*
ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES FOR PRINTABLES
Printer
This one seems obvious, but it is an essential supply! These days, most homes have printers. The cost of them has come down over the past number of years and they’ve become more affordable than ever.
The ink, however, seems to be the sticking point. Personally, I grew tired of having to switch out ink cartridges on a regular basis. I do print ALOT of printables, both for my own decor and use AND to test the designs that I’ve created. So this Christmas, I made the switch to THIS PRINTER. I absolutely love it and I won’t be switching back to cartridges any time soon!
Of course, if you don’t print very often, you might be just fine with printers that use cartridges. THIS PRINTER is the model that I was using before. And I will say that HP has an excellent ink subscription. They are able to read the information on your printer and they ship out the ink cartridges when the printer says it’s necessary to do so. I did enjoy the ease of that. They have tiered packages based on your own personal printing needs.
So that’s essential supply number one – the PRINTER!
Paper
Again, it seems to go without saying, but “paper” is not as simple as it may seem.
Depending on your printable and what you are making, you may want to use different types of paper. For example, I created some fun printables for Christmas, which you can find in my Etsy shop. I knew that I would be displaying these for about a month (okay, probably six weeks), and they would be inside picture frames. I printed them on regular printer paper and they looked just fine.
But you could easily print them on a lovely thick letter-quality stationery and they would take on a new look!
Some printables are gift tags. I don’t recommend using regular paper for those, as they tear too easily! You’d want to print them on some nice cardstock. And you can also buy images sized for greeting cards and then purchase card packs online! I love the idea of being able to print out custom birthday cards for my friends and family, don’t you? Just keep some of these printable greeting cards on hand and you’ll never need a last-minute trip to the store again!
When it comes to paper, you can keep it simple or have a lot of fun with it! Try different textures – construction paper will create a different finish as well. And there’s stick paper too! The possibilities are practically endless. A quick note about construction paper – it generally doesn’t come in letter size. It often comes in 9″ x 12″ or larger, so you’ll definitely need to have the next supply on this list!
Cutting Tools
You’ll want to have some form of cutting tool on hand for all your printables. Generally speaking, even if the design is created for an 8×10″ frame, for example, you’ll still be printing on 8.5×11″ paper. This means, of course, that you’ll have to trim the paper. I recommend using an actual paper trimmer for this, rather than scissors. It’s so much easier to get a nice clean line this way. This is especially important if you decide to display a printable that won’t be inside a frame!
However, having said that, you’ll also want a good pair of scissors. Cutting smaller printables, such as gift tags, is way easier using scissors. And if there are rounded edges, you’ll definitely want the control that scissors give you. Make sure they are nice and sharp!
In addition to a trimmer and scissors, you can also consider a cutting machine, such as a Cricut. Many designers create printable stickers, and these are so much easier to cut out using a machine like a Cricut. You can find numerous tutorials on how to print an image and then cut it out using your Cricut. Two great places to start for any Cricut tutorials are YouTube and JenniferMaker.com.
NICE TO HAVES FOR PRINTABLES
Display Options
I like to display most of my printables in picture frames. They are easy to switch out and I’m able to create the look I want to match my decor. I keep a collection of black and white frames on hand, as they fit my decorating scheme best, but you do you!
The Extras
Depending on the project or printable, you might need a few extra tools or finishing elements. Here are a few of my favourites for different uses:
Hole Punch – Creating the perfect round hole on your gift tags is nearly impossible with scissors. Save time and a headache by using a simple hole punch.
Embroidery Thread – I use DMC threads for all my cross-stitching, but did you know the threads are the perfect weight and sturdiness to tie your gift tags to packages and bags? Plus, with over 500 colours to choose from, you’ll be able to coordinate with the colours in your printables!
Puff Paint and Glitter Glue – Perfect for jazzing up stickers or cards for the young ones, or the young at heart.
ModPodge – Some printables are just perfect for adhering to surfaces like wood, ceramic or terracotta. Create the look you desire using ModPodge!
Glitter – Because, well, it’s glitter.
So these are just a few of my choices of essential supplies for printables, plus some extras. However you choose to use printables, they can add so much to your home and your life! If you’re ready to get started with adding printables into your decor, you can learn more about what they are and how to use them in this post.
Want to remember this? Save this list of The Top 3 Essential Supplies for Printables You’ll Need to Have to your favourite Pinterest boards!
