If you find yourself with very little space, at home or in certain small rooms, then you may want to consider taking up a hobby that doesn’t take up much space. The great news is that there are plenty of hobbies like this out there that can help you remain functional within the confines of your surroundings, especially when lacking width, height, and length.
Hopefully, with such a large list of hobbies, you’ll be able to find something that suits your personality as well as being able to meet the necessary requirements regarding your space deficiency. Usually, these types of hobbies lack the need for movement or certain aspects of mobility meaning you’ll be confined in some regard or will have to impose restrictions on what you’re able to achieve.
1. Blogging
Blogging is the quintessential tiny-home hobby that sees people becoming “digital nomads” all around the world. Essentially, a blog can be operated from anywhere (even a tiny home or mobile home) which essentially frees you from the shackles of a static office that you would need to attend every day.
It’s one of the best hobbies because it’s so flexible and also requires very little space other than for your laptop. Plus, the potential for making a decent bit of money is very realistic if you’re consistent enough with it.
Most people blog from a point of passion which is a good place to start as it will help you to write about stuff that you’re interested in or can write sufficient information about.
2. Photography
Photography is another very space-efficient hobby that can be restricted to the size of the actual camera itself if you so desire. In most cases, though, you’ll be venturing outdoors rather than staying inside making it a clever solution to your limited space problems.
There are many niches within photography such as landscape photography, macro (close-up) photography, and wildlife photography that can help you focus on something more specific to your interests. We’ve also written about the costs of getting started in photography if you need more guidance on what to buy.
- Improved Dual Pixel CMOS AF and eye detection AF 24.1 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor with is 100–6400 (H: 12800)
However, for most people, an entry to mid-level DSLR camera system (above) should be good enough to support your picture-taking escapes, especially as it’ll automate many of the more complicated functions that facilitate getting a good snap.
3. Reading
Perhaps one of the best pastimes, when you have limited space at home, is reading, especially as you can do it through your tablet via an app like Kindle or Audible. This means you can store potentially thousands of books within the cloud or download them straight to your device to take anywhere you want without having to consume physical space.
Some people still prefer to opt for physical books as there is something cathartic about the whole process of sitting down to read a fresh-smelling book with a pot of coffee on the go. If you do decide to read on a tablet, though, make sure you go for a dedicated reading tablet (below) as they can create a more natural look, similar to real pages, and include some handy features to make reading easier for you in general.
- Kindle Paperwhite – Now with a 6.8” display and thinner borders, adjustable warm light, up to 10 weeks of battery life,...
If you don’t know where to start or what to read, we think it’s worth picking an area of fact or fiction that interests you and proceed from there. For example, if you typically enjoy classic fantasy then you may want to go for Lord of the Rings. Alternatively, if you enjoy the pursuit of science and getting to know how our universe works then you could read a book such as Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking which will absolutely blow your mind.
4. Gaming
Gaming is one of our favorite hobbies here at Hobbyask, and we’ve even talked about how it’s evolved over the past 30 years in one of our other articles.
Without a doubt, though, if you want tons of fun in a limited space then getting a gaming PC or a gaming device such as the Nintendo Switch can be a great way to do just that.
They’re fairly low maintenance too meaning once you have them you shouldn’t have to upgrade or invest too much except for the occasional game purchase and possible subscriptions.
Gaming is constantly transforming the way we consume content and has become the ultimate choice for most people, even over previously more popular media formats such as television or movies.
You’re even starting to see the integration of celebrity culture within some of the games we play such as the recent cameo of grime artist Stormzy in Watch Dogs: Legion, and the appearance of Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077.
It’s clear that this is an indication that gaming is taken far more seriously in 2020 than it was in the 80s.
5. Herb Growing
Growing herbs is an off-shoot of gardening but is actually a fantastic idea if you want something to do in a limited space.
You can grow herbs in soil or with special hydroponics setups that can actually help grow your herbs a lot quicker and more efficiently.
Best of all, once you’ve grown some herbs you can use them to season your meals without wondering how they were grown and what kind of emissions were made in the process.
Herbs are full of essential nutrients that are key to optimal health in humans which is why you can’t go wrong with this hobby.
6. Clay Sculpting
Clay sculpting is a fantastic hobby that can be done with relatively little space and for very little cost.
It’s a great way to get hands-on with making something whilst also allowing you to flex your creative side once in a while.
It can be a little messy sometimes so it’s worth doing a bit of prep beforehand to make sure your room stays clean.
Generally, all you’ll need to make your sculpture is an armature to mount the model and a decent bit of clay for molding.
As a caveat, there are some intricacies during the process to make your armature so it’s worth checking out this video to get a better understanding:
7. Painting
Next up on our list is another artistic hobby in the form of painting that involves using a brush to apply different colors of paint to your canvas to create an image.
You can create literal paintings of things such as cityscapes, landscapes, portraits, and wildlife. Alternatively, you can add some more creativity into your process and go for an abstract painting which can either be a twist on a literal scene or perhaps, completely made up.
Painting is also one of the oldest hobbies around, and in fact, dates back to the time when humans were living in caves where they would use basic pigments to imbue the walls with imagery of animals or people.
Best of all, painting can be done on any size canvas and requires very few materials making it very space efficient for tiny homes or smaller rooms.
8. Play an Instrument
Learning or playing an instrument can again be a great way to pass some time whilst not taking up too much space.
The only caveat being that this depends entirely on the instrument you go for and whether you want to play electrically or acoustically.
Acoustic playing generally requires less equipment for instruments such as guitars that would usually need an amplifier if you’re playing electrically.
With that said, if you’re looking for a portable option then you could always learn the harmonica.
9. Magic/Illusions
Magic is actually a form of illusion and deception, designed to trick the observers into thinking what you just performed was impossible or a case of divine intervention.
It’s great for entertainment at parties or at family gatherings and can actually be done on a very small scale within the space of a small room or a tiny home.
As a hobby, magic has been practiced for thousands of years usually as part of a game to help the magician make money.
Most people usually begin with card tricks because it’s easy to implement your tricks within the format; with that said, if you’re inventive enough you can design your own tricks and illusions.
10. Wood Carving
We’ve previously talked about woodworking and the costs associated with it; however, woodworking can require large machinery which is why we think wood carving is a better option in a small space.
Wood carving is a sub-niche within the world of woodworking where you usually prefer to use hand tools to create your objects rather than precision machinery.
This gives your projects a certain rustic appeal which can make them great as keepsakes but can also be a benefit when selling on websites like Etsy as people really enjoy the handmade look to enhance their homes.
You’ll only need very basic tools for the job which means you don’t need a lot of storage either.
Most wood carving can be done with a solid wood carving knife, some sandpaper, a planer, a chisel, and some sharp scoops for creating spherical cut-outs. This kit includes everything you need.
It’s easy to source material for your carving projects too, especially if you have any woodland nearby or a coast with washed up logs.
11. Model Making
Model making is another fantastic hobby when you only have a small area to work from.
This involves building a model (usually from a pre-designed kit of pieces) that will have you making replica ships, aircraft, vehicles, and even your own dioramas.
It’s a great way to pass the time and is relatively inexpensive. Once you’ve completed your model you can mount it on a shelf or hang it from the ceiling to add some character to your living space.
If you have a penchant for fantasy then you could also get involved with Warhammer which is one of the biggest model making niches in the world.
The only difference being, that Warhammer is actually based around a board game which can give you another layer of fun once you’ve finished assembling and painting your models.
As a caveat, Warhammer doesn’t always involve much assembly as many of the pieces are pre-built. Though, if you like painting and customizing your figures then Warhammer is the best for this as they have dedicated colors or options to choose from.
12. Stretching
Having a good stretching routine can help you to stay limber which is especially important as you get older.
It can also help to reduce injury when performed before and after a workout meaning you’ll be able to keep fit more often to help hit your goals.
A stretching routine doesn’t require much space, but you may need to change positions to hit all the muscles; depending on the dimensions of your home this may require some creativity or some kind of jerry-rigging.
With that said, depending on the local climate in your area, you could also take your stretching outside meaning you won’t have to worry about space at all. It’s also a great way to get your daily vitamin D dosage from exposure to the sun, so make the most of it!
13. Meditation
Meditation is the deliberate pursuit of silencing the mind or decluttering your thoughts by (usually) focusing on one specific thing and trying to hold that image in your mind without intrusion.
It’s quite natural when meditating to notice that other thoughts may enter your head, and as long as you don’t dwell on them and are able to go back to your original meditative state then you’re on the right path.
It’s a proven fact that meditation can also increase gray matter density in specific regions of the brain which means it’s actually having a physical effect and changing you gradually.
This is not something to worry about either as meditation is associated with positive changes such as increased focus, relaxation and the ability to reduce anxiety acutely.
If you’re not sure what to do, then we recommend following a guided meditation session such as this one:
14. Resistance Band Training
If you’re looking for a space-efficient way to increase muscle mass, then resistance bands are a perfect way to do just that.
They can be attached to almost anything to create stability and to allow for certain movements, but they can also be used simply by using your own body to create resistance.
Some people worry about not being able to gain as much muscle compared to more traditional forms of bodybuilding such as weightlifting, however, provided you add more reps or more resistance every week you should still make similar progress.
In truth, not unless it’s your goal, you don’t need to have huge muscles to be functional and fit. Though, if you understand the rules of progressive overload then you shouldn’t have any issue putting on some decent size even with resistance bands.
15. Trading Card Games (TCG)
Collecting trading cards is a great hobby for geeks as it helps you get invested in the fantasy world they are often created from.
With that said though, this shouldn’t stop you from collecting the cards as this is a very fun way to pass the time anyway — They may even be worth something in the future!
If you enjoy epic magic or scientific augmentation, then trading cards will allow you to play powerful characters or cast mystical enchantments from the specific universe they’re from.
For example, Pokémon lets you play powerful creations that can evolve into even mightier forms to help slay your opponents.
This is a great hobby for more than one person as they often require multiple people to play the actual game.
If you’re pressed for space you’ll be happy to know you can store your cards in a tin or a dedicated card collecting box that can be easily stored on a shelf or under a bed for ultimate space efficiency.
16. Cleaning/Home Optimization
If you don’t have much space available in your home, then keeping it tidy can really help get some extra mileage from your surroundings.
It’s worth optimizing your home for efficiency regardless of whether it’s big or small as it will save you time in the long run and will keep it presentable for people who visit.
This means having a dedicated place for your tools, utensils, clothing, shoes, and other such essentials that you may store around the house.
It’s a fun process and you can really get inventive when it comes to storage or optimizing your room(s).
Not to mention, a good cleaning session can range from 30 minutes all the way up to a couple of hours meaning you’ll be well on your way towards your calorie-burning goal to help you stay trim year-round.
17. Music Production
Music production, not to be confused with playing an instrument, is a great way to create your own tracks from your home laptop with relatively little effort.
In fact, even with a lack of musical knowledge, you can still learn the basics of creating a beat, a bassline, and a melody to make an enjoyable piece of music.
Most people use drag and drop digital audio workstations such as FL studio as they are easy to get the hang of. That is, easy to learn but hard to master.
You can of course use musical knowledge to your advantage (if you have) it especially since you’ll be able to plug your instruments into your laptop to play the parts yourself.
This generally makes for a better soundtrack as slightly loose timings generally sound more humanlike rather than absolutely machine precision.
With all of that said, you’ll usually want a dedicated soundcard to help you interface with certain devices, and so you can have total control over the audio when listening on your studio headphones. Luckily you can get a complete music-making bundle here.
If you’re not sure which digital audio workstation (DAW) to go for then it’s worth researching the main competitors such as FL Studio, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and Apple Logic Pro for MAC users.
18. Vlogging/YouTube
Vlogging, similar to blogging, is the process of documenting your life experiences or sharing helpful information to video websites such as YouTube.
This is great for personal or commercial purposes and can be done with relatively little equipment.
If you can, we always recommend a dedicated DSLR camera with a gimbal so you can carry it around without too much shaking when you record.
For stationary recordings, you’ll also want to grab a tripod as this will help you focus on the actual content itself rather than worry about if it’s going to fall over or have a strange angle during the finished product.
Lastly, cameras don’t always have the best audio especially when you’re outside which is why we recommend grabbing a shotgun mic for solo recordings.
Similar to photography, videography, and vlogging is confined to the devices you use such as a laptop or camera making it very efficient when you don’t have much space.
19. Baking
Home baking is a great way to make delicious treats for little money and can be done with relatively little space with dedicated gadget cookers.
You can get all kinds of devices these days such as bread makers, muffin makers, and pizza makers that will fit in a tiny space whilst also allowing you to satisfy all your culinary desires.
If you have your own dedicated cooker then you can also bake your goods in a more traditional format with baking trays, loaf tins, and sandwich tins to aid your creative process.
It’s a great hobby and best of all it’ll keep the kids happy when they have little to do except pester you.
20. Puzzles
Puzzles are a great way to spend your time alone or to help you bond with a partner or your kids.
They’re super inexpensive and can take anywhere from a few hours all the way up to a few days in most cases.
You can find puzzles in all kinds of formats, but most people go for jigsaw puzzles as the concept is relatively easy to grasp but can be a challenge from a visual perspective.
As puzzles come in all shapes and sizes, you’ll definitely be able to satisfy your needs when it comes to keeping them from taking up too much space in your tiny home.
21. Coding
Coding is one of the best hobbies you can do from home and requires basically no dedicated space except for your laptop.
There are tons of coding languages you can learn such as HTML, C++, Python, Java, Ruby, PHP, Swift, SQL, and a ton more that help you to achieve different things depending on the task.
For example, if you want to build websites then you would go for HTML as it’s great for building the structure of a website and various pages.
It can also help you to implement website features such as the color of the text, what images are displayed, and whether there are any specific widgets such as a sign-up function.
This is only a taste of what you can do with coding and in truth, if you love it enough there are endless opportunities out there for fun or to make money.
If you want to research coding a little bit more, as a Programmer, we highly recommend checking out codecademy.com. The site will give you some guidance on what to expect and will help you pick a coding language to learn. It also offers great tutorials, as well as practice and testing opportunities.
22. Calligraphy
Calligraphy is the art of creating well-formed letters which can be a super-entrancing way to spend your day.
In a way, it’s kind of like creating art and in fact, most calligraphy experts end up using their designs for signs or imagery which they can sell for a profit.
Better yet, calligraphy can be done on a small pad with some specialized calligraphy pens, or potentially with a brush set depending on your preferences meaning it won’t take up tons of space in your home.
As with most hobbies, if you’re not sure where to start we always recommend checking YouTube for some how-to guides or potentially buying a book on calligraphy.
23. Learn a second language
As with many of the hobbies mentioned here, learning a second language can be done from your laptop, on your phone or with a book. Meaning, it doesn’t take up tons of space.
It’s a great way to spend your time, and in fact, is very productive as it allows you to speak to people from different places around the globe which can help to expand your world view.
Not only that but it also gives you an opportunity (if you ever have the desire) to switch countries permanently and you’ll even be able to get a job without too much trouble as you’ll know how to converse.
Learning a second language is proven to be easier when you’re younger as your brain has a higher degree of plasticity (influence to change), however, don’t let that stop you as people all across the world have proven that a non-factor especially if you’re committed.
Getting started on a new language is easy! And HobbyAsk visitors can receive up to 55% of a membership with Babbel through the below link!
24. Origami
Origami is the art of paper folding in which you’re able to construct beautiful 3D designs or geometrical shapes after a sequence of specific folds.
In fact, Origami has been able to teach scientists about efficient structural design and has even been used on some space modules for folding panels.
Thankfully as well, Origami only requires as much space as a bit of paper making it one of the most efficient hobbies for tiny homes or small rooms.
As an addendum, Origami works best with the correct type of origami paper otherwise you might find your structures unravel over time so make sure to grab some before you start practicing!
25. Sewing
Sewing is a fantastic hobby as it allows you to get creative with your clothing and can also help them last far longer than they would have otherwise.
In fact, we would rank sewing up there with certain aspects of DIY in terms of how important it can be to have as a skill for around the home.
You’ll be able to repair tears in your jeans, sew baby clothes or add beautiful textile designs to enhance the overall look of your garments which can be a great way to pass the time.
In terms of space efficiency, you can have a relatively small basket containing everything you need meaning it won’t take up all of your storage.
Lastly, it’s worth learning to sew by hand first, though after a while you may want to invest in a decent sewing machine to speed up the process of your repairs or designs.
26. Create music playlists
Creating a music playlist can be a really cathartic experience and can be a great way to unwind at the end of the day whilst enjoying some decent sounds.
Some of the most popular music streaming services are Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, and Tidal.
Get Amazon Music Unlimited for 3 Months FREE
They have easy-to-use interfaces that allow you to simply add a song to a new playlist or an existing playlist making it really easy to build your playlist up.
The fun doesn’t stop there though as you can categorize your playlists in different formats such as by genre, mood, time period, and even for when you hit the gym to help motivate you.
Best of all, these services are confined to the dimensions of your phone, tablet, and other internet-enabled devices around the home meaning you don’t need to add any more clutter.
27. Board Games
When all else fails, you can always rely on trusty board game classics such as Monopoly, Cluedo, Scrabble, and Pictionary.
Board games have been around a long time; even things like chess are classed as board games although they are seemingly more intricate than general board games that are meant for family fun.
They can take up a bit of space in the house if you have too many which is why we recommend getting one or two that you or your family really enjoy to keep the clutter-factor to a minimum.
They’re relatively inexpensive and as long as you take care of them properly such as putting everything back when you’re done then they make for a great investment in your own fun.
28. Spinning Tops
Playing with or collecting spinning tops is great for people who can’t sit still or must be doing something with their hands at all times.
In fact, it’s thought that this type of activity can help stimulate the creative process for other endeavors such as writing, music creation, and other mentally taxing activities that usually have you sighing in frustration.
There are so many types of spinning tops out there that are made from a whole host of different materials that make for an interesting spin.
One of the most popular companies, ForeverSpin, offers a wide variety of spinning tops made from materials such as titanium, brass, copper, silver, and basically any other non-ferrous metals you can think of.
Best of all, spinning tops are tiny making them one of the best hobbies for space-efficiency in your tiny abode.
Conclusion
Having fun and being space-efficient shouldn’t be a hard task when you adopt some of the hobbies we’ve mentioned in our list.
This is because they are designed to be small or to operate within the confines of our digital devices rather than taking up physical real-estate in your home.
You can of course opt for outdoor activities which is actually a hack to get around the problem of not having much space in your residence.
The intention of this list though was to provide you with hobbies that you can do mostly indoors (within the space you have) which is why we didn’t stray too far from that ethos.
As always, if you enjoyed our article, please share it on social media with your friends to help us get recognized for our work.
You can also browse our ultimate list of hobbies for hobbies similar to the ones mentioned and more.
