There’s something magical about taking a tiny corner of your world and turning it into a place that feels safe, cozy, and completely yours.
You don’t need a huge room or perfect Pinterest aesthetics. With a bit of intention (and some clay, pony beads, books, pens, and makeup organizers), you can build mini “safe havens” all around you.
I live in a 430 sq studio apartment with 2 cats. So space is needed for my sanity and theirs.
One beautiful strength of my AuDHD is that I’m highly creative. I also fight depression every December so to fight the last month of the year, I decided what would help is to create an area that sets me up for success by making spots for specific things so I can put them back into the same spot. I’m about to go label crazy Ya’ll. You don’t even KNOW!
By being busy, and creating, I’m helping combat the winter blues, and by getting organized, I’m going to save myself time and energy later down the road from when I’m getting ready for raves/festivals and previously would destroy my house get stressed out and freak out leaving me upset or at half life going in like that before I’m even out the door because I couldn’t find something and would panic that I was going to be judged. For what, I couldn’t tell you honestly and seems so ridiculous now, while some of my work has been learning how to tolerate and maneuver my reactions towards making mistakes, and giving myself grace, taking away shame, and repairing with maturity, if I can set myself up to be more organized, I can balance work, my health, my hobbies, my community and service. I’ve taken a month off of working out to get myself organized here at home mentally, emotionally, spiritually. All of it. here. Do I know where I want to go on my new fitness journey yet? No, but I’m excited and looking at it with a “I’m ready for the work again”.
I start another job after the 1st and I’m excited! I killed that interview and knew I got it and it’s taken a show of my skills to get that job. Working In the Big City. Coming home to quiet, to my Safe Haven.
LETS FUCKIN GOOOOOOO!!!
In this post, let’s talk about how to turn small spaces into:
- A crafting corner with clay, pony beads, charms, Perlers, and more
- A reading nook filled with books, workbooks, Korean language books, and art books
- A makeup vanity space that feels like self-care, not clutter
- A writing desk that invites you to create with pens, markers, tape, and paint
Think of it as building little forts of peace in the middle of a busy world. I’m a grown woman, yes, but I do still enjoy things I did as a child. I’m happy to have kept my own whimsey. And I’m hoping to share that motivation with you.
Step 1: Decide What “Safe Haven” Means to You
Before you rearrange a single thing, pause and ask:
- When do I feel safest and calmest?
- What am I doing in those moments? (Reading? Crafting? Doing makeup? Journaling?)
- What colors, textures, and objects make me feel peaceful? -*For me, it’s colors from a rainbow lamp. Satin sheets. Playing with my makeup to try new styles, colors. Fuzzy and squishy textures. Food Items as Plushies or coloring books. Dinosaurs.
Your answers become your guiding theme.
Maybe “safe” for you means:
- Having your favorite books within arm’s reach
- Knowing your markers and pens are organized and ready
- Having a little tray of clay, pony beads, and charms waiting for a creative burst
- A soft lamp instead of a bright overhead light
Once you know what feels like safety to you, you can build around it.
Step 2: Start With One Tiny Corner
You don’t have to redo your entire room. Pick one small area to begin with:
- Half of a desk
- A shelf
- The top of a drawer unit
- A small side table
- Even a space on the floor with a cushion which is my absolute favorite,
From there, decide what kind of mini-haven this corner will be:
- Crafting
- Reading
- Makeup
- Writing
Then let’s build each zone.
Crafting Corner: Clay, Pony Beads, Charms & Perlers
Crafting is such a healing way to use your hands and quiet your mind. I admit, I wasn’t self aware when it came to realizing it was one of the only times, besides listening to music and dancing, that I have a silenced brain. Even if your space is tiny, you can create a portable craft station that feels like its own little world.
What You’ll Need
- Clay (air-dry, polymer, or whatever you love)
- Pony beads and charms
- Perler beads and pegboards
- Small containers or drawer organizers
- A tray or basket to keep it all together
How to Set It Up
- Pick a base spot
Use a tray, a small cart, or one cube of a shelving unit. This becomes your “craft zone.” - Sort by activity
- One container for clay
- One for pony beads and charms
- One for Perler beads (sorted by color if you’re feeling extra… I didn’t realize how much I truly DO love organizing, and it also further allows for stress free crafting).
- Keep tools visible but tidy
Store things like:
- Scissors
- Tweezers (for Perlers)
- Clay tools
- Glue
in a small cup or pencil holder.
- Make it inviting
Add:
- A small lamp or fairy lights
- A mat or piece of cardboard to protect your surface
- A tiny dish for “in-progress” pieces
Why It Feels Safe
A crafting corner tells your brain: this is a place where I’m allowed to experiment, make mistakes, and play.
Every bead, charm, and clay figure becomes a little reminder that you can create beauty or humor in small, quiet ways.
Reading Nook: Books, Workbooks, Art Books & Korean Language Study
Your reading space doesn’t have to be a full-blown library. It can be as simple as:
- A pillow against a wall
- A chair by a window
- A corner of your bed with a basket of books nearby
What You Might Include
- Comfort reads (novels, poetry, comics)
- Workbooks (mental health, creativity, journaling)
- Art books (sketchbooks, reference books, how-to books)
- BONUS: Korean language books: textbooks, grammar guides, storybooks, or webtoon-style readers
Okay, Maybe that last one is just for me. ❤️
How to Set It Up
- Create a “grab zone”
Choose one shelf, crate, or basket for:
- Your current reads
- A notebook
- A pen or highlighter
- Sort by mood, not rules
You can group:
- “Heavy focus” books: language books, workbooks
- “Soft comfort” books: favorites you reread, cozy stories
- “Inspiration” books: art books, design, photography
- Add softness
- A blanket or throw
- A pillow
- Warm lighting (string lights, soft lamp)
- Create a tiny Korean corner
Keep your Korean language books together:
- One main textbook
- A small vocabulary notebook
- Sticky notes or tabs for marking pages
Why It Feels Safe
A reading nook is a space that says:
You don’t have to perform here. You’re allowed to slow down, learn, and escape.
Workbooks and language books remind you that growth can be gentle and steady.
Makeup Space: A Vanity That Feels Like Self-Care, Not Chaos
Makeup can be art, ritual, and self-expression. But when everything is scattered, it can feel stressful instead of soothing.
Let’s turn your vanity into a mini self-love station.
Tools That Help
- Drawer organizers or divided trays
- Small cups for brushes
- A mirror (tabletop or wall-mounted)
- A small trash bin or container for wipes/cotton pads
How to Organize It
- Group by category
- Face: foundation, concealer, powders
- Eyes: shadows, liners, mascaras, lashes
- Lips: balms, glosses, lipsticks
- Tools: brushes, sponges, tweezers
- Use drawer organizers to create “homes”
Each product type gets its own little section:
- One section for everyday products you reach for
- One section for special looks / fun colors
- Keep the top surface simple
- A small tray for your daily must-haves
- A jewelry dish or stand for pieces you wear often
- One candle or plant if you like that vibe
- Add comfort touches
- A small speaker for music
- A comfy seat or cushion
- Soft lighting that makes you feel good in the mirror
I’m a little extra though. Going above and beyond, I also have a rolling cart for makeup for traveling to raves so I can carry it easier. It stores my braiding hair, hair supplies, makeup, etc. Highly suggested. Especially if you travel to raves and stay in hotels or have a festival to go to. Theyre not heavy, and it can create a station for you to get ready.
Why It Feels Safe
Your vanity becomes more than “where I put on makeup.” It becomes:
- A place where you check in with yourself in the mirror
- A ritual that says: I matter. I’m worth this time.
Writing Desk: Pens, Markers, Tape, Paint & Ideas
A writing (and creating) space doesn’t have to be big. The key is having what you need within reach and not buried under chaos.
This space can be for:
- Journaling
- Planning
- Creative writing
- Doodling
- Tracking your goals or moods
Supplies to Gather
- Pens (black, colored, gel pens)
- Markers and highlighters
- Sticky notes, page flags, tacks
- Washi tape, regular tape
- Paint (if you’re mixing writing with art journaling)
- Notebooks, planners, or loose paper
How to Set It Up
- Claim a surface
A desk, part of a table, or a fold-out tray. This is your writing zone. - Use containers wisely
- Pens and markers in cups or jars
- Tape, tacks, and small items in a little box or drawer
- Paints and brushes in a separate caddy so you can move them when needed
- Create a “clear space rule”
Leave at least:
- One notebook-sized area completely clear
So at any moment you can sit down and start writing without cleaning first.
- Make it inspirational
- A small corkboard or wall space for quotes, photos, or goals
- A sticky note list of ideas you want to write about
- A favorite pen that always lives there
Why It Feels Safe
A writing space tells you:
Your thoughts matter enough to have a place to land.
It becomes a tiny island where you can process your day, dream big, or just doodle for a few minutes.
Tiny Space Hacks: Making It All Fit
If your space is really small, you can still have all these “havens” by thinking in layers and portability.
Use Vertical Space
- Shelves above a desk
- Hooks or pegboards on walls
- Hanging organizers on doors or the side of furniture
Make Things Portable
- A craft basket you can move from shelf to desk
- A makeup caddy you can slide into a drawer
- A pencil case with your favorite writing tools you bring to the bed or couch
Rotate What’s Out
You don’t have to display everything at once:
- Keep some books stored and rotate your “current favorites”
- Swap out craft supplies seasonally (Perlers one month, clay the next)
- Change your vanity tray based on what you’re loving lately
The Emotional Side: Why These Spaces Matter
Turning small spaces into safe havens isn’t just about being organized or aesthetic.
It’s about:
- Control: In a chaotic world, you own this little corner.
- Comfort: You know exactly where to go when you need to reset.
- Expression: Your beads, books, pens, makeup, and paints are all ways of saying,
“This is who I am, in color and texture.” - Ritual: Sitting at your crafting table, opening your Korean workbook (I had missed it so much!), or turning on the vanity mirror becomes a signal:
“I’m taking time for myself now.”
You’re not just decorating.
You’re building spaces where you are allowed to be soft, messy, curious, creative, and real.
Closing Thoughts
You don’t need a whole house or a large room to feel at home.
You just need small, intentional places that hold the things you love:
- Clay and beads that let your hands play
- Books and workbooks that grow your mind
- A vanity that turns getting ready into a ritual
- A writing desk that catches your thoughts before they float away
Start with one corner. One tray. One shelf.
Make it safe. Make it soft. Make it yours.
The rest will grow from there. ✨
Bonus Chapter: Creating a Walk-In Rave Closet
Not every safe haven has to be soft, quiet, and neutral. Sometimes safety feels like neon lights, glitter, and bass drops you can’t actually play out loud. That’s where a rave space comes in. 🎧✨
If you have a walk-in closet with shelves, you’re basically sitting on a secret costume studio.
Here’s how to turn it into a mini rave sanctuary.
1. Start With Structure: Furniture & Layout
You already made a genius move: you bought an extra dresser just for rave clothing. That alone shifts the energy of the closet into a dedicated space.
Think about:
- The rave dresser
- Use one drawer for tops, one for bottoms, one for bodysuits, one for cozy post-rave clothes (big tees, sweats, fuzzy socks).
- Dedicate a drawer just for sparkly things: fishnets, mesh, arm warmers, leg warmers, etc.
- Shelves as displays, not just storage
- Put your boldest platforms, boots, or sneakers on open shelves like they’re on a stage.
- Use one shelf for bags, another for hats/ears/goggles, and another for folded statement pieces (sequin jackets, fuzzy coats, reflective hoodies).
- Don’t forget the mirror!
2. Wig Heaven: Hangers & Hair Magic
You invested in wig hangers, which is perfect. Wigs are half the transformation for a rave look. Work during the winter months, they keep me warm when I’ve previously worn very little. lol
Try:
- Hanging them at eye level
- Keep your wigs where you can see them. It’s inspiring to look in and think, “Who do I want to be tonight?”
- Organizing by vibe
- Bright neons in one section
- Natural or “soft glam” wigs in another
- Extra wild styles (split dye, multi-color, super long, super curled) in their own area
- Quick-care essentials nearby
- A small basket on a shelf with a wide-tooth comb, wig caps, clips, and a mini spray conditioner, so maintenance is easy and doesn’t feel like a chore.
3. The Rave Accessory Wall: Door Hanger Magic
That door hanger with slots for your rave accessories is doing the most. Turn it into your “festival command station.”
Fill the pockets with:
- Jewelry & sparkle
- Chunky bracelets, kandi, chains, chokers, body chains
- Face gems, chunky glitter, rhinestones in small baggies
- Functional rave gear
- Earplugs
- Mini fans
- Sunglasses, goggles, diffraction glasses
- Hand sanitizer & wipes
- Hair & body extras
- Hair clips, scrunchies, butterfly clips, mini claws
- Body stickers, temporary tattoos, flash tattoos
Labeling the pockets (even roughly) can help a ton:
- “Gems & Glitter”
- “Kandi & Bracelets”
- “Ears & Hair Clips”
- “Glasses & Goggles”
Now your door is literally a rave panel you can scan quickly while getting ready.
4. Lights, Color, Vibes
To really make it a rave safe haven, play with light and color.
Ideas:
- LED strips along shelves or around the door frame
- Pick color modes like neon pink, electric blue, or rainbow fades.
- A tiny disco ball or projector light
- Even a cheap mini projector light on a shelf can throw shapes and colors around the closet.
- Glow accents
- UV/reactive pieces displayed on shelves
- Glow sticks in a clear jar
This isn’t just storage anymore — it becomes a mood.
5. Tiny Details That Make It Feel Sacred
Because this is still part of your “safe haven,” layer in small things that make you feel calm and loved, even in high-energy colors.
- A mini mirror or full-length mirror if space allows
- So you can see the full outfit and hair come together.
- A small bowl or tray
- For keys, tickets, wristbands from past events, or tiny souvenirs.
- Memories on the wall
- Tape or pin up wristbands, polaroids, photo strips, or prints from your favorite nights out.
- Even one little collage makes the space feel personal and magical.
6. A Pre-Game Ritual Space
Think of your rave closet as more than clothing storage. It’s a ritual space for transforming into your rave self.
You might:
- Turn on the LED lights.
- Play a playlist from your favorite DJ on low volume outside the closet.
- Pick a wig, then build the outfit around that.
- Grab accessories from the door hanger like you’re shopping in your own mini festival boutique.
- Take a deep breath, look in the mirror, and set an intention for the night:
- “I am free.”
- “I am safe.”
- “I am allowed to take up space and have fun.”
Even if you’re not going anywhere, you can still dress up just for you. Your rave closet becomes a place where you can try new identities, express parts of yourself that feel too loud for everyday life, and remember that joy is a valid form of self-care.
7. Keeping It Easy to Maintain
To keep your rave closet feeling like a haven instead of chaos:
- Have a “post-rave basket”
- A simple bin where you toss everything when you get home tired: top, bottoms, wig, jewelry, glasses.
- Later, on a calm day, put things back in their places.
- Do a quick 10-minute reset every few weeks
- Refold clothes, clear trash, untangle jewelry, refill any empty glitter or gem packs.
- Rotate pieces to the front
- Move things you haven’t worn in a while into visible spots so you stay inspired.
A walk-in closet turned rave space is like keeping a tiny, glowing festival backstage inside your home. It’s organized, intentional, and still wild in the best way. It belongs to you.
You’re not just storing rave clothes — you’re building a little world where your boldest, brightest self is always welcome.
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