Fact: you don’t need fancy or pricey supplies to start your first dollhouse!
Trust me - all you really need is a handful of super cheap, easy-to-find tools… and honestly, most of them are probably already lying around at home! So close that “how do I sell an organ” Google tab, and let’s go through my personal faves!
1. Pen Knife - Honestly, this little thing will cut through just about anything—paper, cardboard, foam, clay, fabric… you name it. It’s shaped like a pen, so it feels natural to hold and makes it easy to follow templates or patterns. Way easier than wrestling with big scissors or a regular craft knife!
2. Manicure Scissors - Truth be told, I never use them for my nails 😂 but I love them for crafting! They’re perfect for trimming tiny details or anything with curves (think petals, fabrics, or rounded shapes). Total game changer!
Trust me - all you really need is a handful of super cheap, easy-to-find tools… and honestly, most of them are probably already lying around at home! So close that “how do I sell an organ” Google tab, and let’s go through my personal faves!
1. Pen Knife - Honestly, this little thing will cut through just about anything—paper, cardboard, foam, clay, fabric… you name it. It’s shaped like a pen, so it feels natural to hold and makes it easy to follow templates or patterns. Way easier than wrestling with big scissors or a regular craft knife!
2. Manicure Scissors - Truth be told, I never use them for my nails 😂 but I love them for crafting! They’re perfect for trimming tiny details or anything with curves (think petals, fabrics, or rounded shapes). Total game changer!
3. Tweezers - Let’s be real, our fingers are basically giant wobbly sausages when it comes to minis 😂 Tweezers save the day. They’re perfect for picking up and holding tiny pieces—my favorite ones have a curved tip!
4. Cutting Mat - Protects your table (and your sanity 😂) and makes cutting cleaner and safer. Most are non-stick too, so glue and paint won’t ruin your workspace. Can you tell I’m a clumsy crafter?
5. Awl - Basically a sharp point on a stick 😂 but it’s amazing
for poking holes, marking cut lines, or holding tiny pieces in place
while glue dries. I use mine so much the varnish on the handle has worn
off!
6. Dotting Tool - You might’ve seen these in nail art kits. They’re great for painting tiny dots, scoring lines, or adding texture to clay. Super cheap, super handy—and they come in different sizes to create all kinds of effects.
7. Paintbrushes - You don’t need a million or expensive brushes. A few stiff flat ones for big areas and some tiny soft round ones for details—that’s it. They’ll cover 90% of what you’ll ever paint (unless you want to do hyper-realistic miniature portraits… that’s way out of my league 😂).
8. Makeup Sponge - Yep, the ones from your makeup bag. Perfect for dabbing color, blending shades, and getting an even finish without effort. I usually cut mine into smaller pieces for more control.
9. Q-tips - These little guys do everything: blending, cleaning mistakes, painting edges… basically the Swiss army knife of mini tools (but cheaper 😂).
10. Toothpicks - Literally the BEST craft tool ever. They poke, paint, stir, apply glue, hold things down, or even become part of your project. And they cost like 0.01$ a piece—love ’em.
Which one of these is your favourite? And if you’ve got a favorite budget-friendly tool I didn’t mention, let me know - I’m always up for new hacks. Happy mini-making! 🥰
Ps. You can find a comprehensive list of all my favourite supplies for miniature making here!
6. Dotting Tool - You might’ve seen these in nail art kits. They’re great for painting tiny dots, scoring lines, or adding texture to clay. Super cheap, super handy—and they come in different sizes to create all kinds of effects.
7. Paintbrushes - You don’t need a million or expensive brushes. A few stiff flat ones for big areas and some tiny soft round ones for details—that’s it. They’ll cover 90% of what you’ll ever paint (unless you want to do hyper-realistic miniature portraits… that’s way out of my league 😂).
8. Makeup Sponge - Yep, the ones from your makeup bag. Perfect for dabbing color, blending shades, and getting an even finish without effort. I usually cut mine into smaller pieces for more control.
9. Q-tips - These little guys do everything: blending, cleaning mistakes, painting edges… basically the Swiss army knife of mini tools (but cheaper 😂).
10. Toothpicks - Literally the BEST craft tool ever. They poke, paint, stir, apply glue, hold things down, or even become part of your project. And they cost like 0.01$ a piece—love ’em.
Which one of these is your favourite? And if you’ve got a favorite budget-friendly tool I didn’t mention, let me know - I’m always up for new hacks. Happy mini-making! 🥰
Ps. You can find a comprehensive list of all my favourite supplies for miniature making here!