A dream board is the perfect place to keep images and words that remind you of your goals. It’s also a great outlet that shows the things you love and value most. Maybe you’re starting a project, planning a vacation, or simply feel like being creative. Why not store your ideas in one place whether it’s on a bulletin board or a visual suite like Canva? I wanted to share some amazing dream board ideas I found online, plus one I made recently!
I remember making my very first dream board in junior high. Around that time, we were redecorating my bedroom. I decided that a collage would be the perfect decoration for my new space.
We went to Walgreens and bought a bunch of art supplies and a poster board. I also picked out a few fashion magazines and stickers for my collage. When I got home, I began cutting out photos that inspired me.
On the board, I glued pictures of places I wanted to go to when I was older, cute outfits, beach themed photos, and other random stuff. I even added a photo of Jesse McCartney on the board too (because he was my future husband, duh).
Little did I know I was making a dream board for my new space!
What is a Dream Board?
A dream board is a visual tool for inspiration. It’s typically a collage of images, quotes and affirmations that reflect your hopes for the future. The idea is to create the board as a reminder of those goals and aspirations.
As I was researching this topic, I found that dream boards are often associated with the law of attraction. Essentially, seeing your dreams laid out in front of you is thought to help with motivation!
Dream boards can be super general or focused on one goal. For your canvas, you might use a poster, cork board, or even a page in your journal. You can also create a digital dream board through graphic design sites like Canva! It’s totally up to you, and everyone’s dream board will look different! That’s why it’s a good idea to look at various dream board ideas.
Inspiring Dream Board Ideas
It’s helpful to see examples of dream boards from other people. I find that it makes you feel more inspired. Check out these dream board ideas and think about yours as you go. How do you want the layout to look? What images will you use? What about quotes? Do you find that you’d rather make a physical dream board or a virtual one?
1. A physical dreamboard by @kaylakleinman that’s cute and colorful!
First off…this dream board by @kaylakleinman is adorable! I love that she used short words that are important to her like “journal” “therapy” and “growth.” I find that keeping things simple helps me to remember things better in the long run. The photos she used are also eye-catching and bright. And it’s a physical dream board!
2. A digital dream board by @YasminLoves that’s incredibly calming!
As I scrolled through Youtube, I found this digital dream board tutorial by @YasminLoves and it looks amazing! Is there a social media platform that you use regularly? Consider putting your dream board on there so you can look back at it later! Yasmin’s is aesthetically pleasing and she lists several helpful digital tools to create your dream board.
3. A decorative dream board by @stacey_stachetti that gives cozy vibes!
How cute is this dream board by @stacey_stachetti? I love that she turned her dream board into a DIY project and used it as a decorative piece in her office. That must have been a lot of fun! I bet it also inspires her while she’s doing her day-to-day tasks. I like that she used a mix of her own photos and what look like editorial photos as well.
4. A dream board on paper by @dumpdiyaa that’s gorgeously vibrant!
I’ve seen people on social media making dream boards together as a fun group activity. I love that @dumpdiyaa went to a coffee shop with her mom and they both created their own dream boards. That’s incredibly sweet! Why not make a dream board with a good friend, your parent, or your partner too?
All of the dream board ideas on this list look awesome and unique. Ultimately, I think it’s a great project to get to know yourself better!
Sharing My Dream Board
I’ve shown you a few dream board ideas from others! Now I’d like to share my own for inspiration.
The focus of my dream board…
I made my dream board a little bit general, and focused on the semi-distant future. I not only found images and quotes that reflected some of my goals, but also thought about how I want to feel in the next few years. The answer is peaceful, happy, and confident in myself.
I added photos of my loved ones.
Before anything else, I printed out a few photos of Alejandro and my family. My mom, Nonna, Jonathan, and Alejandro all hold a special place in my heart. They keep me motivated and support my dreams. Looking at those photos of us makes me feel happy about our shared memories. 💗
Plus, some inspirational quotes!
I pinned the Nelson Mandela quote printable from Everything Etsy all the way at the top. He said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Often times, I catch myself using the word “impossible.”
I’ll especially use the word if I’m feeling uninspired, experiencing writer’s block, or dealing with anxiety. I wanted this quote to be very visible, so I remember that I can do hard things!
I also added an Audrey Hepburn quote. It says, “I still read fairy tales and I like them best of all.” For me, becoming a writer is my version of a fairy tale. It’s a dream I’ve had since I was a little girl. I can’t see myself doing anything else!
This quote inspires me to keep reaching for the stars and to follow my fairy tale.
Along with reminders about self-care and mindfulness.
Aside from those main quotes, I pinned a couple of messages about anxiety, mindfulness, and everyday happiness. Self care has become such a huge part of my life. I’ve also been trying to show gratitude for those little, everyday moments!
Another theme is wedding planning.
Since I recently got engaged, of course I had to add a few wedding pictures to the board. Let the wedding planning begin! I was scrolling through The Knot and got so much wedding inspiration.
Travel is important to me, especially my goal of going to Paris.
Finally, I pinned a lot of pictures related to travel! Ever since I went to Cabo, I’ve been inspired to travel the world. I really want to visit France one day, especially Paris!
When I was a teenager, I told everyone that I was going to move to Paris and live in an apartment near the Eiffel Tower. This is still one of my biggest dreams. As Ms. Audrey Hepburn would say, “Paris is always a good idea!”
Looking at my dream board has already motivated me so much! I love waking up and seeing all of those inspiring photos and quotes. If you are thinking of starting a dream board, I’d say please do it! It’s such a great way to visualize your goals and aspirations for the future. It’s also really fun!
How to Create Your Own Dream Board
Okay, so we’ve seen the inspiration. The next step is making your dream board of course! If you’re in need of a step-by-step tutorial, keep on reading for all the details. I’m sharing some recommended products, tips, useful tools, and more.
1. Find a calming workspace.
First, find a quiet spot in your place that has little distractions. You’ll want to make sure your workspace is also quite roomy. The extra space will help a lot when you’re creating your dream board.
This is especially true once you start laying supplies and your images on the floor. Art projects are always messy, but that’s what makes them fun!
When I made my dream board, I decided to work in my living room. That’s because the view of our neighborhood is pretty! I felt super relaxed as I planned out my dream board, cut out the images, and searched for inspirational quotes.
Clean up was quite easy too, since our living room is connected to the kitchen area.
For an ideal workspace, I recommend working in your kitchen, living room, or office!
2. Write down a few of your goals and aspirations.
What are some of your goals for the near and distant future? Any childhood dreams that still cross your mind? Think about what’s on your bucket list, and start writing these aspirations down in a journal.
After you’ve written freely for a few minutes, you’ll be better able to organize your thoughts. Next, start asking yourself questions. Write down 10-15 questions about your dreams and answer all of them.
Some examples include: where do I want to travel to in the next year? Do I want to make a career change? What are some things that make me happy?
Lastly, don’t feel weighed down by this step! Sometimes, all it takes is actually finding your images and words to gain clarity.
At first, I felt a little bit stressed about my board’s direction. I didn’t know where I wanted to go with it, until I started browsing through magazines. I found so many pictures and affirmations that resonated with me. Everything eventually started coming together!
3. Take a trip to your local craft store.
Make a list of supplies you’ll need for your dream board. This step will vary, since there isn’t a rule about what a dream board should look like!
I suggest buying your supplies at a craft store, like Michaels or Joann’s. They typically have a wide range of art supplies, including cork boards, accessories, and stickers. This has to be my favorite step, because who doesn’t love a shopping trip to Michaels? 🎨
Here are just a few recommended supplies:
- A canvas: poster board, cork board, paper, etc.
- Coloring supplies, like markers, colored pencils, and pens
- Decorative paper
- Magazines
- Newspaper
- Postcards
- Glitter
- Glue stick, tape, clothespins, or push pins
- Scissors
- Stickers
These are a couple of the supplies I used for my dream board!
4. Search for images that inspire you.
Here comes the fun part! Start looking for pictures that not only motivate you, but also evoke positive emotions. Try scrolling through various forms of print media for inspiration. This can include magazines, books, newspapers, and so much more!
Pinterest is another great place to find pictures! Print out a few photos that spark your attention, like beautiful landscapes, fashion, makeup, and creative flat lays. As you saw from the dream board ideas earlier, this part will vary based on your personality, interests, and future goals.
If you enjoy art, consider drawing a few images for your dream board. There are a lot of drawing tutorials online, which is super helpful.
I found this awesome blog post from Shihori Obata called 30 Cool Aesthetic Drawing Ideas. She provides easy drawing ideas for beginner artists like stars, planets and flowers. Each idea comes with a step-by-step tutorial. How cool is that?
5. Think of some meaningful quotes to add to your dream board.
Once you’ve finished compiling your images, start adding words. What are some quotes that inspire you? Maybe they come from a celebrity, advocate, friend, or a family member. Is there a quote from a book, tv show, or movie that resonates with you? Mantras that changed your life?
Consider making up your own quotes, or writing down words that reflect your dreams.
For example, if you dream of traveling the world, you might write down words like “wanderlust,” “adventures,” and “destination.” You can find inspirational quotes by searching through magazines, books, Pinterest, and sites like Goodreads.
There are also a lot of blog posts online featuring free quote printables, including this post by Karen at A House Full of Sunshine. To download her printables, simply click the pink button below the collage image!
I also stumbled upon this quote printable by Everything Etsy and it’s stunning! All of these printables would look amazing on a dream board.
6. Create your collage.
It’s finally time to create your collage, YAY! After you’ve cut out your images and words, start pasting, taping or pinning them to your dream board. Feel free to add embellishments like stickers, string lights, and fake flowers. It’ll add such a nice touch!
Don’t be afraid to edit as you go along! You may decide to remove a few things or possibly add on to the board. Ultimately, you want to ensure that looking at the dream board truly makes you feel motivated!
If you’re creating a digital dream board, you can make a gorgeous collage on Canva. There are many templates to choose from, which is awesome!
7. Keep the dream board in a visible place.
After you’ve finished creating your dream board, make sure you keep it in a visible place. This way, you’ll be able to look at it often to derive inspiration! For example, I decided to keep my dream board in our bedroom.
In the mornings, I sometimes tend to wake up in a negative headspace because of my anxiety. The dream board is a nice reminder of my dreams, and it also calms my anxiety.
Despite waking up with an anxious mind, I end up feeling encouraged to work on my goals! It’s nice seeing all of my biggest dreams in one spot! I also love looking at the dream board before I go to sleep.
Other great places to keep a dream board are your office, kitchen, living room, or doorway. Test out different locations in your home, and see which one is most effective!
8. Check in with yourself.
Continue using your dream board as a visual reminder of your dreams. Look at it every day, and don’t forget to congratulate yourself for accomplishing your goals!
Check in with yourself as time goes on. After a month, does the dream board still inspire you? What about after six months, a year, or more?
Update the dream board as needed, so that it reflects your current goals!
You can also always create a new dream board! I had a dream board that I made in college for so long. After graduation, creating a new dream board just felt right. I grew as a person, completed a few major goals on the board, and now had different goals! That’s the cool thing about life. At the end of the day, we’re always growing and changing as people. 💓
3 Dream Board Printables!
If you’re looking for a printable to add to your dream board, I’ve also made a few for you. Happy crafting and most importantly: have fun!
Feel free to click on the images to download the quote printables! 🌸
I hope that you enjoyed this post, everyone! Have a wonderful day! x
Have you ever made a dream board? Also, what are some of your biggest goals and dreams? Did any of these dream board ideas inspire you?
Online MBA Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE) stands as one of India’s premier institutions, delivering world-class online education. Established in 1981 under the aegis of the Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM) trust in Mumbai, NMIMS originally focused on business education with the launch of its flagship MBA program.
Creating a dream board with these printables is such a motivating way to visualize and achieve your goals!
Aw printables are such a great idea for a dream board! Thanks for sharing, Nunzia 🙂
Thank you so much, Mackenzie!! 💗There are a lot of cute printables on Pinterest, and they seriously do work so well for a dream board! I’m glad you liked the post, dear! Hope you’re having a great start to your week!! x
Oooh i have the ugliest empty cork board cuz my cutie cat loves scratching it lol
Didnt think of using it as the base of the dream board. Duh!!
Thanks for the tip!! I really gotta get back to doing a cute board i can look at every once in a while!
You totally should make one, Kiki! I bought a cheap cork board from Michael’s and adding all the photos and quotes really makes such a difference!! 💞I just love the idea of a dream board, it’s such a cool art project! x
Very nice post Nunzia! I love the board. You were always creative and you continue to be! ❤️ Zia Laurie
AWW, thank you so much, Zia!!! That means a lot to me!! Love you! 💗
Hi Nunzia it’s a nice post, it reminded me of when you used to do those boards growing up and buying the materials lol Memories:)
Ma
Aww!!! Those are still some of my favorite memories! I can’t wait to show you the dream board in person next time you come over, Ma! Love you!! 💓x
The board you created is beautiful! Stationery and craft supplies are so fun to buy 🙂
Thank you, Chanelle! 💛I loved gathering all the photos and quotes! It brought back a lot of awesome memories! And omg, shopping for craft supplies is my favorite lol it really is so much fun! Hope you’re doing well, hon! x
You can pick up some beautiful tapes and stickers and supplies 😊 I’m doing ok, looking forward to having time off work and a break over Easter x