Creative Washi Tape Ideas for Your Workspace

How do you transform a plain and boring workspace into something that is Pinterest-worthy? It’s simple. Try some creative washi tape crafts!

The term “washi tape” isn’t new anymore for crafters and DIY enthusiasts. Washi tape is a type of adhesive that comes in different colors or printed with various patterns, designs, images, and shapes. At its core, it is a decorative masking tape commonly used for paper crafts like card making, journaling, mixed media, scrapbooking, and other DIY paper crafting projects. Do you want to find out more about washi tape ideas, sizes, types, and other fun facts? Here's a quick guide to washi tapes for you!

Washi tapes

The Washi Tape Craze

Since its creation back in 2006, washi tape crafts have been all the rage. You’d be hard-pressed to find a DIY project that doesn’t have washi tape on it. Not only are these more cost-efficient than other embellishments, but they’re also super easy to use! Since it is made out of paper (rice paper, to be exact), you can easily tear it and stick it to a surface. It is also made out of low-tack adhesives, making it easy to remove and reposition without leaving any residue. 

With crafting companies releasing a wide variety of washi tape designs every few months, crafters are given more choices and inspiration for their DIY crafts. One of the best things about these decorative tapes is that they are super versatile. You can stick them on any surface, cut them out into shapes, cut out their patterns or designs, or use them to cover an entire surface! The creative possibilities are endless when it comes to washi tapes. Instead of buying new home decor or furniture, why not embellish or decorate old ones with these fun little tapes? Whether it’s your bedroom, living room, workspace, or study space, there’s a ton of ways to add some WOW factor to any space using a few of the washi tape ideas mentioned here. 

Haven’t heard of washi tapes before and want to learn a bit about them? Watch the quick video below!

Transform Your Workspace With These 5 Fun and Creative Washi Tape Crafts!

Is your workspace looking a little drab? Are you getting sick and tired of seeing the same plain colors, same items, and same bland decor? Do you want to style up your workspace without breaking the bank? It’s time to spruce it up with some super quick and easy washi tape ideas! Adding some pizzazz to your otherwise cramped, messy, and plain-looking workspace is a piece of cake with these fun and easy-to-follow ideas!

Altenew Washi Tapes

1. Add a splash of color to those plain old walls! 

No matter how small or big your workspace is, it’s always a good idea to decorate or embellish the walls. After all, it’s the most prominent and most noticeable part of any room. If you’re someone who wants something clean and simple, you can still find a way to decorate your bland walls. Here are a few ideas on how to add a splash of color using washi tape for walls. 

• Use a cityscape design. This is a simple but classy design that is perfect for walls or small surfaces. You can do this by simply purchasing a washi tape with a cityscape image, or creating your own cityscape design. To achieve the latter, simply choose a slim washi tape, draw the cityscape image on your wall using a pencil, and start sticking your washi tape onto the outline of the cityscape image. Depending on the color/s of the tapes, the result will be stunning!
• Decorate an accent wall. Like the cityscape image, you can create various shapes or geometric patterns using washi tape for walls! Creating your own designs gives you more control and creativity over your workspace decor. 
• Frame photos or quotes. Instead of buying an expensive photo frame, you can use washi tape sets to create a unique frame for your photos! It’s a fun and easy way to personalize your workspace without spending too much. You can also print out a favorite quote, mantra, or any sentence or phrase that can motivate you, post it on your wall, and use different washi tape designs to frame it.

Galaxy Wide Washi Tape

2. Organize, decorate, and label cords, plugs, and chargers. 

One of the most annoying things when it comes to workspaces is that there are too many cords tangled on the floor, on your desk, and just all over the place. Extension cords, chargers for laptops and phones, and other cords for whatever electric device you have in your workspace. 

A quick and easy hack to get rid of the cord clutter is to cut out designs or shapes from your tapes and use them to organize your cords and chargers. You can stick them to the wall, under, or beside your desk. If you want to take it to the next level, wrap some tapes around your cords or chargers to differentiate them from one another. You may even write on the tapes so you can label each cable or charger.

3. Spruce up your doors, windows, and furniture.

Are you feeling unproductive? Lacking creativity? Sometimes all you need is a little sprucing up! Your workspace is your source of motivation and creativity. Seeing the same things around you every single day could either bore you to death or dampen your creative spirit. But you don’t need to overspend on new and trendy furniture, appliances, or gadgets. Try refurbishing or decorating old ones with the help of these cute tiny tapes. For instance, you can cover that hideous closet or cupboard with wide washi tape sets like THESE ONES. Cut out some florals from floral-themed tapes and stick them on window frames. You can even turn a simple white chair into a classy and vintage-looking one! The sky’s the limit when it comes to washi tape crafts.

Summer Days Washi Tape Bundle

4. Repurpose old notebooks and planners.

This is probably one of the easiest washi tape ideas ever. Recycle old notebooks, journals, and planners by creating your own unique washi tape cover. Here are a few ways to do this:

• Stick the tape onto the cover.
• Fussy cut the images on the tape and stick them onto the cover.
• Mix and match a few washi tape sets and create your own unique design.

The video below will show you a step-by-step process of repurposing your old notebooks or planners using a few fun decorative tapes.

You can always play around with your washi tape sets, especially if you’re trying to personalize your stuff. There’s really no wrong way to decorate with these tapes.

Watercolor Nebula Wide Washi Tape

5. Add some wow factor to little trinkets and stuff on your desk.

In some cases, you cannot use washi tapes for walls (especially if you are living in a rent-controlled apartment and don’t want to damage any surface). This is where those tiny and slim little tapes come in handy! While wide tapes are perfect for decorating notebooks, planners, gadgets, and furniture, small and narrow washi tape sets are great for trinkets and other tiny office supplies. Here are a few things that you can easily decorate with your washi tape sets:

• Pens and pencils
• Pen holder
• Paper clip
• Binder or folder clip
• Tape dispenser
• Boxes
• Ink organizers
• Computer or laptop keyboard
• Scissors
• Paperweight
• Stationery holder

Gilded Ombre Washi Tape

If you are still feeling artsy and creative, here are some more super creative washi tape crafts that you can try at home: 

• Decorate your motivational board.
• Repurpose old bottles or containers into a gorgeous flower vase.
• Create cute little boxes.
• Make cute DIY gift tags.

You don’t need a lot of tools or supplies to refurbish or redecorate your workspace. There’s a ton of washi tape ideas out there that you can easily try today. We hope you got inspired by the handful of quick DIY crafts mentioned in this post. As always, feel free to read this post for more project inspiration and fresh ideas. Drop by the Altenew store to get your hands on beautiful, unique, and affordable washi tape sets!