Sometimes, it feels like you’ve run out of creativity. You’ve exhausted Pinterest, scrolled through every design blog, and tried to “find inspiration” in nature, but still, nothing. Instead of looking in the usual places, have you tried looking somewhere unusual? I’ve put together a list of ten often-overlooked sources of inspiration, some of which are pretty classic, while others might feel like a bit of a stretch. Here’s where I go when I need to reset my brain:

1. Play

Play is a powerful creative tool at any age, sparking spontaneity, experimentation, and the thrill of breaking the rules. It lets you tackle problems from fresh angles, free from the pressure of perfection. Play taps into curiosity and freedom, leading to surprising and innovative ideas, whether through doodling, trying new materials, or learning a new craft. Teaming up with a friend or client can ignite fresh solutions, and a little humour, wit or whimsy not only lighten the mood but boost mental flexibility

2. Accidents, Mistakes, and Glitches

Some of the best ideas come from the unexpected. A spilled ink blot, a printer error, or even a digital glitch. These imperfections can spark fresh, authentic creativity. Glitches, with their distorted visuals and strange colour shifts, often create an aesthetic that’s hard to replicate. Mistakes push you to experiment and embrace the unplanned, showing that creativity isn’t about perfection. So, let go of control and let an accident lead you to your next breakthrough.

3. Street Signs and Street Art

From quirky, hand-painted boards to sleek, modern signage, typography is everywhere in the streets around us. Street signs often blend practicality with personality, and there’s something captivating about the messages they convey. Peculiar, pervasive, and somehow never with the right punctuation. Street art, graffiti and murals express raw, unfiltered creative inspiration. The blend of social commentary, colour, and texture can be a great source for bold design ideas.

4. Maps

Maps are more than just tools for navigation. With their combination of order and exploration, their symbolism, iconography and patterns, they allow you to see the world from multiple perspectives. They define borders, claim territories, and reinforce ideologies, influencing how people see their place in the world. Maps help us visualise relationships, movements, and structures, highlighting the boundaries between the known and unknown, prompting curiosity about unexplored lands. Yet, they are also instruments of social control, shaping perceptions of space and power. They show that the world is vast, full of untapped potential, and that sometimes the journey can be the most inspiring part.

5. Social History

Social history is full of untapped creative fuel. Old photos and personal stories reveal so much about how we’ve lived, interacted, and shaped the world around us. Whether it's a forgotten family photo or a conversation with someone about their past, these details offer insights into human experience that can inspire fresh, grounded designs. Tapping into these real moments can lead to work that feels more authentic and connected. It’s about bringing a little history and humanity into your design process.

6. Your Own Memories

Take a moment to dig into your own personal vault. Your past, your experiences, the places you’ve been, the people you’ve known. All of these can inform your work in unexpected ways. Maybe you’ve not thought for a while about that game you liked to play as a kid, or the way your grandmother’s house smelled, but those details are stored in your memory, ready to be tapped into. Nostalgia is powerful, and it’s not just about revisiting the past, but seeing it through a creative lens.

7. Everyday Objects & Paper Paraphernalia

We often take everyday objects for granted. But the items we use in our daily lives are usually carefully designed to serve a purpose. From the ergonomic shape of a toothbrush to the simplicity of a coffee mug, these functional designs can offer unexpected inspiration when we step back and really look at them. Postcards, stamps, junk mail, shopping lists… so often overlook the design behind them - the reason they look the way they do. These objects are tiny windows into our culture. Sometimes there’s beauty and elegance in the mundane.

8. Clothes

Clothes are a reflection of time, place, and personality, often packed with cultural meaning. Clothing is wearable art, and there’s a tonne to learn from how designers have solved the problem of functionality, and what it means for something to be ‘fashionable’. What we choose to wear says a lot about our individual personalities, beliefs, and values. Clothes can tell us about power, politics and place. Ultimately, they are a visual language in themselves, speaking volumes about where we’ve been, where we’re going, and how we feel about both.

9. Going Outside

You don’t need to take a grand hike to find inspiration – just walking around outside your house can be the most enlightening thing. The way light hits a building at a certain time of day. The feeling of cool evening air on your face. The weird tree that your neighbour cut back, and now it looks kind of sinister when you see it in silhouette. These are the small things that spark powerful ideas. Just look.

10. Sketchbooks

The sketchbook is where the magic happens. It’s a space for ideas to develop and evolve, free from judgment. Flicking through sketchbooks (your own or others) can reveal not just the final product, but the complex journey it took to get there. Looking back at old sketchbooks is a great way to identify patterns in your thoughts, to remind yourself what interests you, and to see how much you’ve grown creatively. The best part? Stumbling upon forgotten ideas that might just be perfect for a future project.

Sometimes, the best ideas come from the most unexpected places. So next time you’re in a creative rut, try looking somewhere a little bit different.