How to Create a Vision Board

One of my favorite things in my office is my vision board (a.k.a. goals board.) It’s big, bright and colorful, but more than anything it reminds me to stay focused on what I want to accomplish in the year ahead. It’s a constant reminder about what really matters to me and what is most important.

If you shy away from setting goals or creating a vision for your life because you’re afraid you won’t follow through, try creating a vision board. It’s hard to run and hide from your goals and ignore what you really want when there’s such a strong visual reminder staring you in the face! Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Collect your supplies.

To create a vision board, first gather up a few supplies. Here’s what you’ll need:

• A piece of homasote board.  First decide where you will hang your vision board, and then get a piece of homosote sized to fit that area. (Mine is 2′ x 3′ and I say go as big as your space can accommodate! Bigger vision board = bigger reminder of all the goodness you’re creating in your life!) The link is to the homosote website so you can find a dealer near you. I highly recommend asking your dealer to cut the board to size … since cutting this stuff makes an incredible mess. Another option is to use a framed bulletin board. I used a bulletin board like this one elsewhere in my office.

• A piece of fabric sized approximately six inches larger (in both directions) than your board. Burlap works great…because you won’t see the holes from pushpins.
• Map pins. I love these little map pins because they practically disappear when you pin up your images.
• Staple gun.
• Safety goggles.
• Command Picture hanging strips or a ledge shelf. If you haven’t tried Command Picture Hanging Strips before, they’re awesome! I used them to hang my other bulletin board in my office and they’re super easy to use. For my vision board, I used the white Ribba picture ledge shelf from IKEA and simply lean the inspiration board against the wall. Love it.
• Images of your vision, goals and dreams. This is the fun part. With your goals and dreams in mind, thumb through magazines and catalogs, looking for pictures, photographs and even words, that visually describe your hearts’ desires. If you can’t find the words you’re looking for, create some using your word processing program, favorite fonts and printer. You can also use things like bumper stickers, fabric swatches (perhaps you want to do some decorating) and business cards (maybe you want to start a business). Your visuals don’t have to be direct representations of your goals. As long as you know why an item is there and what it represents to you, it will work! I also included photographs of my family. If there are things in your life that are exactly as you want them…it’s a great idea to make that part of your vision board, too.

Step 2: Cover your board with fabric.

With the homosote board, this step was as simple as laying out the fabric on a large flat surface (floor or table) and stapling the fabric in place on the back. Be sure to pull tight so the fabric is nice and smooth on the front. The corners may take some folding and several staples to form a crisp edge. The framed bulletin board worked similarly, but I recall having to use a lot more staples on the back…as the back isn’t really designed for stapling.

Step 3: Hang it up.

Next, hang up your vision board. Mine is in my office on a wall where I can easily see it. My vision board sits on a ledge shelf…which I love. This allows me to incorporate objects as part of my vision board, too.

Step 4: Add images.

Finally, it’s time to load up your vision board with images. If you like the look of mine, here’s how I did it. I started by putting the picture of my family in the middle…and then, I worked out from there. I lined up the edges of my images and made them touch, so very little of the fabric shows. This gives the board a neat and tidy look, which I like. But feel free to make yours more haphazard. Just give it the feel that works for you.

Step 5: Let it evolve over time.

As you complete a goal, move the image to a victory board or scrapbook. As you find new goals or new images that represent existing goals and visions, add them to your vision board. The nice thing about using a pin-board for your vision board is that you can change, move and edit images as you’re inspired to do so.

Most of all, take time to look at your board as much as possible, and really envision yourself living the beautiful life displayed there! Feel good about where you’re heading and you’ll get there faster than you think.

Do you have a vision board, or something similar? Or are you inspired to make one now? I’d love to hear what you do to keep your goals top of mind. Thanks for sharing!