The 5 Best Free Apps for Virtually Designing Your Room

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Designing a room isn’t rocket science, right?

That is, until you realize your brand new couch is too big and you need to return it. Or all your new paint colors end up clashing. Or heck, maybe you put all your new furniture down and suddenly realize you needed a rug to tie everything together.

Lucky for you, as usual, there’s an app for that. Virtual room designer apps let you set up and measure any kind of room ahead of time, so you can see what your imagination actually looks like (plus figure out what it might cost to make it).

And if you’re planning to relocate, they’re super handy for bringing your designs with you to your home inspection or walkthrough, so you can accurately design even before you move!

In This Article

Because there are dozens of virtual room design apps, we did the hard part and tried them all to see which ones actually get the job done.

Our research mostly focused on free virtual room designer tools (because remodeling and moving can be expensive enough as it is). Each app was used to create the same downstairs basement room to more objectively compare user experience. We separated our findings by smart device and desktop experiences, as we realize that not all people are comfortable with or have access to both. Some apps appear on both lists because they’re available for smartphones and desktops. We intentionally treated them as separate options because the functionality and UX can be incredibly different between platforms.

5 Best Free Virtual Room Designer Apps for Smartphones and Tablets

  1. Planner 5D | ⭐⭐⭐⭐

App Store Rating: 4.3
Google Play Rating: 3.5
Pricing: 3-day free trial if you preapprove the $59.99 annual subscription, or $9.99 30-day subscription.

At the top of our list, Planner 5D is one of the best apps to design a floorplan, place furniture, and experiment with a new aesthetic. A necessary note is that it’s not the most straightforward home design app in the world, but can still be hobby-level simple once you get the basics down.

2D and 3D mockups are fast and easy in Planner 5D

Why it’s good: Those willing to potentially spend a little money for an app that truly is a one-stop shop for floor plans, design options, and visual “inspo” (spoilers: most apps don’t do all three well).

What it’s not good for: Those who are short on cash or aren’t looking for the complexity of a fully-loaded app experience.

User-friendliness: Difficulty-wise, Planner 5D is on par with the other apps – a bit confusing, but doable. We found its room scanner function to be inaccurate and difficult to edit. Of all apps reviewed, this one was hardest on phone storage, requiring a photo dump before it could be downloaded. Lastly, a credit card is required to use the free trial, so it’s not totally free.

  1. Room Planner | ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Room Planner comes with a variety of quick-start options
App Store Rating: 4.6
Google Play Rating: 4.2
Pricing: Free, $5.99/week for the PRO version to gain access to more items and functionality.

This is the best option if you want to draw your floorplan and design a room all in one app without putting in your credit card info. Room Planner has much of what you get from Planner 5D listed above, minus the more extensive catalog of furniture and 3D viewing options.

Why it’s good: Most users will find Room Planner a great fit for their needs, especially given that it’s free and your floor plans are saved in the account you create.

What it’s not good for: Those wanting more furniture options to cultivate a more unique look may not love it. Generally, while it’s a great planning tool, it does fall a bit short of what most users are looking for in the design department.

User-friendliness: Room Planner could do with fewer interruptions asking you to upgrade to the PRO version and to rate the app. Additionally, the tool layout is very detailed for the limited room smartphones generally have on a small screen, so placing and turning furniture is a bit difficult.

  1. Home Design 3D | ⭐⭐⭐⭐

App Store Rating: 4.3
Google Play Rating: 3.5
Pricing: Free with in-app upgrades and purchases

The free version gives you the tools you need to draw a room to scale, although you’ll ultimately choose from a fairly limited furniture library to decorate.

Why it’s good: People who are mostly looking for floor planning with only some light interior design abilities.

What it’s not good for: Those who want a single app to make all of their design dreams come true. Home Design does an okay job, but you won’t be able to easily change colors and designs to achieve a specific aesthetic unless you choose the paid version.

User-friendliness: Home Design is surprisingly intuitive. You’ll use drag-and-drop motions to draw rooms, place furniture, and arrange items. Those familiar with other basic design tools like Canva would likely be able to use this. However, it is difficult to scale items up or down, meaning you won’t be able to perfectly mock up your existing furniture. Lastly, the free version of this app doesn’t allow you to save your designs, so plan ahead if you want to keep your project.

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  1. Homestyler | ⭐⭐⭐

App Store Rating: 4.5
Google Play Rating: 3.6
Pricing: Free with in-app upgrades and purchases

This is one of few design apps that allow users to really explore more specific design styles and trends. The free version allows you to design blank rooms for fun, or take a photo of your space to place virtual decor in for inspiration. 

Homestyler has built-in templates if you like to design for practice or fun

Why it’s good: Those looking to test-drive cool new aesthetics in their current space layout (or those who just like to design just to pass the time).

What it’s not good for: Planning where your current furniture will go in your new space, or anything that requires size and space coordination. The app simply doesn’t have these capabilities.

User-friendliness: It couldn’t be easier to drag and drop furniture into your space on the app. However,  advanced functions like turning an item were very difficult to get the hang of. This app works best if you have an empty space to place virtual furniture in; otherwise, it’s challenging to work around your existing furniture.

  1. MagicPlan | ⭐⭐

App Store Rating: 4.7
Google Play Rating: 4.1
Pricing: Free trial, then $9.99 for additional projects

Lower on our list is Magicplan. The app was made to create floorplans, reports, and estimates, so expect it to be geared more toward home professionals than DIY designers. That said, it’s still on this list because it’s a  pretty powerful program if you only need floorplanning.

MagicPlan uses VR to scan the dimensions of your room, detecting the corners as you go

Why it’s good: Virtually planning where your furniture will go in 3D space. Think planning for a medium- or long-distance move, or even just furniture shopping.

What it’s not good for: Those looking to flex their design muscles. Its design capabilities are almost nil compared to other apps, meaning that you’ll only be able to add placeholder furniture to your room. You won’t be able to design colors, patterns, or add specific furniture models.

User-friendliness: MagicPlan is relatively easy to get started with, especially with the on-screen prompts and its ability to scan through items on the floor. That said, it can be hard to understand when the room scan should end and the planning phase begins.

5 Best Free Virtual Room Designer Apps for Computers

  1. Sweet Home 3D | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Web access or download for Windows/macOS/Linux)
Pricing: Free

At the top of our list is Sweet Home 3D, a free and fairly easy-to-use platform that allows you to customize virtually everything about your hopeful designs. Beginners often love this app enough to spring for the premium version, thanks to how easy it is to use and the ability to import from photos.

Sweet Home 3D provides both floorplan and 3D rendering views at the same time, unlike other tools

Why it’s good: Those with highly specific space and detail needs who are comfortable with a powerful tool that provides lots of options and customization.

What it’s not good for: Someone looking for a quickstart tool that provides lots of design aesthetic inspo. Sweet Home 3D doesn’t provide that for you.

User-friendliness: Sweet Home 3D isn’t as intuitive as other options… however, it is still fairly easy to use, as long as you’re comfortable with design programs. (And if not, you can easily Google help if you get stuck.) This app earns bonus points for having one of the only user-friendly search functions in its furniture library, meaning more time designing and less time scrolling.

  1. Homestyler | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Web access only)
Pricing: Free with account creation

An excellent professional quality app with an easy-to-learn and use interface for people just starting out. Homestyler currently boasts the design genre’s biggest catalog of design aesthetic furniture in its free category, which makes it especially good for those doing renovations.

Homestyler is one of the only computer apps to provide a tutorial

Why it’s good: It’s a free and fully-loaded design experience that can easily transition onto the app version. Also great for those planning renovations who want a large catalog of trendy furniture and accessories.

What it’s not good for: There aren’t many drawbacks to Homestyler, except for its inability to fully customize doors and windows. If for whatever reason those are an important part of your design plan, this may not be the tool for you.

User-friendliness: For most features, Homestyler is a big thumbs up. It’s easy to draw your room and place openings and furniture in it. However, the tool for adjusting flooring does needs some work. Getting started may take you some extra time because you do have to create an account and click through tutorial prompts before you can design.

With that said, having the option to use the paired app is a big plus if you’re on the go, or house-hunting in a different city or state.

  1. Roomstyler | ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Web access only)
Pricing: Free with account creation

Another PC app with a smartphone version, Roomstyler is also high on our list because of its relative ease of use and decently extensive library of free furniture and accessories. Users have reported that the import option is a breeze to use on your computer, plus you can access your finished designs on the smartphone app to reference away from your computer.

Pan the camera tool in Roomstyler to capture different 3D angles

Why it’s good: Most basic design needs are met, including just placing furniture in a room to check for fit. The Roomstyler site also provides plenty of design inspo.

What it’s not good for: This is another slightly complex tool. Those who aren’t tech-savvy may have some difficulty (though all design tools seemingly share this critique to a certain extent).

User-friendliness: Generally this is a very intuitive platform with the only downside being that the search function for different types of furniture doesn’t operate that well. Also, options for window and door styles are limited.

  1. Planner 5D | ⭐⭐⭐

(Web or download for macOS)
Pricing: Free with account creation

Planner 5D’s desktop tool is also a fairly solid option if you’re not loving the others for whatever reason. This program toes the line between serving hobbyists versus professionals, so it can be a little complicated, but it’s plently learnable for most tech-savvy people. (Users have reported that larger files can be slow to load on phones supporting lower RAM, so keep that in mind.)

Why it’s good: Those looking for a tool with a ton of design capability.

What it’s not good for: Those who need maximum customizability for their designs should look elsewhere. Planner 5D comes with a lot of furniture and design options, but most of them are only available in the paid version… and even then, it’s not a full assortment.

User-friendliness: The free web version of Planner 5D is seriously limited in terms of doors, windows, and furniture you can add to your design. The free option simply won’t work if you’re really looking to design your home. 

When we tested it, we found the web version of Planner 5D to be a little slow. Pro tip: don’t use the smart wizard to start if you know your room dimensions, as it’s easier to just dive right in by drawing your room.

  1. Ikea Home Planner | ⭐⭐

ikea app(Web only)
Pricing: Free

Arguably the most straightforward design app out there, Ikea has made its own program available on its website so you can test out its products before you buy. Unfortunately, you can only use Ikea items, earning this a lower spot on our list.

Why it’s good: People who exclusively want to design their home with Ikea furniture. (Look, we know that’s a lot of you, so here we are.) It’s worth a spin when you’re IKEA shopping.

What it’s not good for: Literally any other use-case is non-existent. You won’t find design inspo in this web app, nor will you be able to resize items, change their colors, or take creative liberties in your room design.

User-friendliness: Of all of the apps and tools, Ikea home planner was the easiest to customize my doors and windows and to make sure they were centered/in the right place. Ultimately, anyone serious about designing will be disappointed with the lack of carpet and furniture options.

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Tips for Newbies Using Design Apps

design apps moving

Smartphone vs. computer: honestly, use whichever you’re most comfortable with. If you’re a professional, chances are you already know what your needs are. For amateur designers, you’ll get the most out of your design experience on the tech you’re most proficient at. Keep in mind though that benefits of a computer include more space and freeing up your phone from having to run sometimes heavy software.

Make sure your phone has enough storage to save your pictures. Your phone needs room for the app and any saved photos and designs. I started my reviews with a pretty full phone, so I couldn’t download more than one app a time. I had to do an impromptu app and video purge when some of the downloads stalled.

 

“…decide if you’re capable of painting, coordinating new flooring, and finding and transporting décor. If you’re extremely not confident, it’s actually not that hard to hire an interior decorator.”

 

You don’t necessarily need a new smartphone to use a virtual design app, but your old phone might have problems. A newer smartphone is likely to be most compatible with the complexity of virtual design. The Apple iPhone 13 has up to 256 GB of storage for iOS users, or maybe opt for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

Similarly, computers are only really better if they’re new enough. Of course, compared to phones, computers can show higher-quality mockups, render images instantly and load multiple files at a time. But this all relies on the ability of your laptop’s CPU and RAM (without sufficient RAM, your computer won’t be able to run the app while doing anything else). I recommended that you use a Macbook Pro on the newer side, or for PC users, something in the neighborhood of the Acer Nitro 5, both with at least 16 GB of RAM.

How To Actually Finish Your Room Design Projectdesign apps

Just getting started on your design project? A little prep can really upgrade your chances of success.

  1. Start with one room, not the whole house. It can be tempting to renovate the entire house at once. For most of us, this is a huge financial and logistical feat. Consider trying to fit your designing into a day or two, instead of starting a huge project that may take weeks or months to complete.
  2. Agree on a budget and stick to it! Your costs will vary depending on your personal style, quality preferences, and whether or not you hire professional help. (For context, a basic bedroom costs between $880 and $2,300 to furnish, while a living room will run you $2,050 – $3,150.)
  3. Capture design inspo from everyday life. Great design inspiration can come from anywhere. That said, it’s usually easiest to use sites like Pinterest, Modsy, or Havenly that let yoy save your inspiration (don’t forget to screenshot photos from your Instagram and TikTok feeds).
  4. Pick your color scheme BEFORE you start buying. Color scheme is a highly personal choice, so talk with those you live with ahead of time before picking paint colors and upholstery. When it comes to mood, bright, energetic colors stimulate energy, so choose oranges and yellows for exercise rooms or play areas, not bedrooms. Conversely, cool colors are typically calming and great for bedrooms and bathrooms (plus great for resale value).
  5. Incorporate your personality. It’s surprisingly easy to lose your personal touch when redecorating. To avoid this, design around your values by opting for décor that aligns with causes you agree with, like unique taste, sustainability, or even businesses led by minorities. You can also try centering the room around a sentimental piece of furniture or décor.
  6. Think about future needs. Your design requirements should take into account your style inspiration and any future needs (think: pets, children, future moves). 
  7. Decide on DIY or hiring a pro. Now that you know what you want, decide if you’re capable of painting, coordinating new flooring, and finding and transporting décor. If you’re extremely not confident, it’s actually not that hard to hire an interior decorator.

Avoid These 4 Design Mistakes in Your New Home

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So you just bought the prettiest home on the block and you’re moving in and getting settled? Congrats! Now it’s time for the best part … the decorating!

It’s the furniture and home decor that really brings a space to life and tells the story of the people who live there.

4 Design No-Nos We See All The Time

But there are some big design no-nos that we see a lot of people make in their new homes. Even if you just bought the most beautiful house, you can instantly bring it down a notch if you commit any of the following 4 design mistakes.

Don’t worry, all of these have easy fixes (and we even included pretty pictures of the right way to do it!), giving you have a clear visual for avoiding these commonly made mistakes.

1. The “Too-Small-Rug”

Bigger is always better when it comes to rugs!

This design mistake just might be the most common one we ever see: the “too-small-rug”. If you’ve purchased a 5-by-8 or 6-by-9 rug in your lifetime, chances are it was not the correct size for your room.

And we get it, large rugs can be expensive. But using an 8-by-10 or 9-by-12 rug in your room is going to make your space look much, much more high-end.

To make your rug shopping a bit easier, here are the design rules you can follow to ensure you buy the correct size.

  • In a family room, find a rug that is large enough for the front legs of all the furniture to sit on the rug. Even better if all pieces of furniture can rest on top of the rug!
  • Avoid the “floating” rug look when a rug is just sitting in front of a sofa.
  • In dining rooms, rugs should be large enough to fit all chairs (even when they are pulled out) on the rug. This means at least 24-36 inches out from the table.
  • In the bedroom, your rug should extend 18-24 inches on each side of your bed. If you have a queen size bed, an 8×10 should work. If you have a king size bed, try a 9-by-12 rug.

For more tips buying the perfect rug, check out this blog post.

2. The Matching Bedroom Set

So you just moved into a new home and you need furniture, stat! Why not head over to the discount furniture and buy an entire bedroom set for a low low price?

Eek … please don’t do that. Yes, it may sound like a good deal, but we promise you can create a good looking bedroom (on a budget!) without going the matchy-matchy route.

And don’t get us wrong, having some matching furniture is not a bad thing. But you probably don’t want your loveseat, couch, coffee table, and side table to all match. Some of them can match to keep a cohesive look, but if everything is the exact same, you’re going to end up with a cookie-cutter look that lacks personality.

Completely matching rooms you buy as a package are very out of vogue.

Take this bedroom above, for example. It has an upholstered headboard, a leather bench, white nightstands, and a wood dresser. This creates an interesting and layered look!

If you do have matching furniture all over your house, we’re certainly not telling you to get rid of everything. Instead, think about moving things around. Bring a dresser from one room into another or swap your night stands.

You just might love all of your gorgeous furniture a bit more when it doesn’t get lost in a sea of it all being too samey.

3. The Flooded Curtains

Hanging window treatments is an intimidating task. Of course, their main objective is to be functional, but you also want them to look good. And let us tell you, most people are hanging their curtains all wrong!

High and wide. Repeat after us: high and wide. (Check out the image above.)

That’s generally how you need to hang your curtains. Many people opt to install their curtain rod directly above the window and a couple of inches outside of it, which isn’t doing your home any favors. Why? Curtains are the key to making your ceilings appear much taller and the room bigger.

Here are things to consider when hanging.

  • Mount the rod up to a foot on the outside of the window. This allows the curtains to drape down without interfering with the light when they’re open.
  • Hang your rod almost to the ceiling. Go about 4-6 inches below the ceiling and that’s how high they should be.
  • Once you have your curtain rod hung, you can figure out how tall your curtains should be. You will probably have to purchase XL curtains. They’re harder to find, but they’re out there (IKEA sells them on a budget!).
  • Your curtains should “kiss” the floor or you can have them puddle (about 1-2 inches longer than the floor). Make sure your curtains are not too short! For no-sew hemming tips, check out this blog post.

4. The “Too-High-Art”

When you’ve just moved in, you probably have a lot to hang on your walls to really make it feel like home. But please read these tips first. Most people hang art way too high! The last thing you want is for your guests to have to crane their necks to see your gorgeous pieces. 

Follow these tips for perfect hanging every time.

  • Don’t go with eye level (if you’re tall, that will make things way too high!). Instead, the center of your piece should be 57-60 inches off the ground.
  • When hanging a gallery wall, think of the entire collection as one piece of art. Therefore, the very top and bottom shouldn’t be hung too high or too low.
  • When hanging above a couch or dresser, go 4-8 inches above the piece of furniture. If you go higher than that, it will look disjointed.
  • For gallery walls, 2-3 inches in between pieces is plenty! No more than that. If you’re nervous about hanging a gallery wall, check out this foolproof way to do it!

Believe in us and avoid these design mistakes whenever possible. With the right furniture, art placement, curtains and rugs, you are well on your way to a great looking new home!

8 Jobs That Are Great If You Move A Lot (And How Much They Pay)

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Do you long for a job that pays you to travel? If you’ve been stuck in the endless nine-to-five slog for a long time, the idea of traveling the world can seem like a distant and unattainable dream.

However, thanks to the internet and our always-connected world, there are plenty of jobs out there that can offer the freedom and fun of being constantly on the move alongside a regular paycheck. It’s true! Here are just a few of the remote-working jobs that will take you out of the cubicle and into the world.

Web Designer

This classic, on-the-go title is a classic for a reason.

Thanks to the wonderful technology of the internet, many jobs no longer require you to be physically present in the company you’re working for, which has created a generation of people who call themselves digital nomads.

What do web designers do?

Web design is the process of creating websites, from the aesthetics right down to navigation logic and, by its very nature, is done entirely online. This means that if you’ve got a laptop and a good Wi-Fi connection, it usually doesn’t matter where in the world you are.

How do I get started?

There are a number of routes you can take to become a qualified web designer, and because they’re so different, each employer will tend to have their own explicit definition of “qualified” which will often be detailed on a job listing. 

For most employers, entry requirements include skills in visual design, UX, SEO, coding software (like HTML, CSS and Javascript) and design software (like Photoshop and Illustrator). Many websites curate freelance job offerings, like the site Working Nomads, allowing you to make sure you’ve always got another project in the pipeline.

Want to start taking classes? Know that some employers may only be looking for a candidate with a college-level certificate in web design or a multimedia subject.

Once your skill set is up to par, you’ll be greatly rewarded. According to Payscale, entry-level salaries for full-time web designers can start around $33k, but quickly rise to $73k with more experience.

If you’re going freelance, you can set your own rates that reflect your level of experience, how picky the client is, how difficult the project is, etc. According to NJ Creatives Network, the average rate per hour is $59. That’s not bad going if you’re a nomad on the move.

Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants (VAs) work remotely, and their job is to carry out administrative tasks for various clients. These tasks could be within the professional, technical or creative sectors and could include anything from bookkeeping and data entry to social media management and desktop publishing.

What do virtual assistants do?

Businesses tend to hire VAs because they don’t need someone full-time and in-house to do certain admin tasks. By taking on a VA, this saves the company money on space and providing full-time benefits.

To get started as a VA, you will need a reliable phone and internet connection, and at least five years of experience in a senior admin role within an office environment. If you can’t deal with a PC meltdown on your own, or can barely stay on top of your own to-do list, this may not be the role for you.

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How do I get started?

But if you are an organized person with in-house admin experience and a decent understanding of word processing, email and contact management software, you’re on the right track to becoming a VA. Bear in mind that your prospective clients will want to be sure you know what you’re doing before employing you. Therefore, getting some experience within a VA company, such as Zirtual, is also a good idea before you take the plunge.

Once you’ve learned the ropes, it’s fairly easy to fly solo. First steps include deciding your niche, setting up your brand and website, marketing your services, and getting your kit ready, such as a work phone and laptop.

But you’re not doing this job for free—so you’ll need to decide your rate too. Though the earning potential at a basic level is low, you can make up to $100 an hour for a specialist virtual role, which is why it’s important to seriously consider your niche before you launch your brand, rather than take on any client that needs a hand with admin.

Source: Indeed

The real appeal of being a virtual assistant is working at home, working when you want, and supreme job flexibility. Also, if you find that freelancing as a VA is not working for you, but you love the job, you can always transition agency-side and reap the benefits of a permanent position once again.

Digital Marketer

Digital marketing is another job that perfectly suits remote working, as all you need is a laptop and a café or hotel with a decent Wi-Fi connection.

Digital marketing is a branch of marketing that sits under the umbrella term “online marketing.” Working inside the digital marketing industry involves developing a range of multi-channel communication strategies, such as social media, SEO, PPC, email, mobile marketing, and affiliate marketing. You can work horizontally across all of these things, or you can specialize in a certain vertical.

What do digital marketers do?

As a digital marketer, general duties include, creating and uploading website copy, writing and sending email campaigns, designing website banners, communicating with affiliate networks and partners, and managing contact databases, just to name a few.

How do I get started?

Start by getting some full-time, in-house experience. While employers will take on entry-level professionals with no experience, many seek candidates with a business, marketing, media, or journalism degree. If you lack this certificate, there is a broad range of digital marketing taster courses available online, such as the free courses from Google Digital Garage, which will help boost your skills for the digital world and help you land a work placement.

This time spent boosting your knowledge, ability and experience will eventually pay off. The average entry-level salary is only around $28k, but it quickly raises to at least $50k with a little experience.

Source: Payscale

Online Tutor

Did you know that you can teach online too? There are places on the web where tutoring is a viable job, and it can be a great job to have if you’re moving a lot.

What do online tutors do?

Traditional tutoring involves one-to-one teaching sessions with a student, helping them improve academically. As a tutor, you may go through the class material, homework, or help your pupils improve their note-taking.

Online tutors, or “e-tutors”, conduct the same line of work, but via online media. Sessions are typically carried out through video chat, but also phone calls and email. This means you can be anywhere in the world and still communicate.

How do I get started?

To become qualified, you tend to need a bachelor’s degree in your chosen subject, but be aware that the credentials to teach as a tutor vary from state to state. You need to be aware of homeschooling laws which may interfere with your work, as they are a completely different ball game regarding qualified teacher status.

If you’re inexperienced, it may be worth working for a tutoring company as it will deal with finding your clients and paperwork. Alternatively, you can go solo. Both options involve the potential to tutor on the move.

Online tutoring is well-paid work when you consider how few hours tutoring can take up. Glassdoor reports that the average hourly rate is $12 per hour, but salaries can go up to $55k in certain areas of the U.S.

Freelance Photographer

Becoming a successful freelance photographer requires tenacity as much as talent, and an income is never guaranteed. But travel photographers and photojournalists see some of the most amazing parts of the world, as well as some of the most distressing.

What do freelance photographers do?

Studio photography, product photography, stock photography, nature photography, pet photography … there are as many different types of freelance photography as there are things in the world! There are also some incredible options for travel, and quite often all you need is a camera and a laptop, enabling you to send your photographs to editors across the world in mere moments.

How do I get started?

A photography degree will be useful but not always necessary, as the most important thing is a good eye for a shot and a well-put-together portfolio demonstrating your talent.  

Pricing photography is quite a difficult task for any professional. Put your rate too high, and you may scare your prospect away. Too low though, and you could end up forcing yourself out of business.

Advice from photography expert Rosh Sillars states that if you’re an amateur, you should aim to charge between $25 to $100 an hour. You should go for the higher end if you have an online portfolio or dedicated website for your services.

If you’re a student photographer, shoot for anywhere from $35 to $90 per hour. This should increase to $50 to $160 per hour for semi-pros, and to $75 to $300+ per hour for the seasoned professionals.

Translator

Whether you can speak one other language or many, your skills as a translator are invaluable. How invaluable? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this number is currently set to grow 46% by 2020, with the projected workforce of interpreters reaching almost 93,000 strong.

What do translators do?

The work usually involves converting written material from a “source language” to a “target language,” which is done on a computer and doesn’t require you to be physically present.

There is a variety of content that translators work with, including commercial, educational, legal, literary, and scientific, so previous experience or expertise in one area will be necessary, and you will have to do some training in translation before you take on any clients. 

How do I get started?

Translate Media boasts plenty of research for in-house translation opportunities, internships, and yes, freelance translation.

Translators can make a lot of money, especially if you specialize in a more difficult or in-demand language. Most translation agencies allow people to work at home, and freelancing is widespread throughout the industry. Here is a handy map of translation salaries from 2014, ranging everywhere from just under $30 thousand a year, to just over $70 thousand a year.

Source: Translation Rules

Freelance Writer

Are you reading this right now? Do you read articles online often? Thank your local freelance writer, and they’re easy to find, as many of them work remotely filling up coffee shops all around the world.

What do freelance writers do?

The internet is made of words, and somebody needs to write them. From copywriting to ghostwriting to content writing, there is an abundance of freelance writing opportunities if you know the right places to look.

How do I get started?

It can be difficult to get a freelance writing career off the ground, as most potential employers will want to see a large portfolio of good quality writing before they agree to give you a gig. But if you’re prepared to start small and put in the effort, this is very achievable.

If you have very little experience, the easiest way to gain some is by contacting small blogs and the websites you love for guest writing opportunities. While you may have to do a small amount of freebie work, it’s the simplest way of boosting your portfolio without enrolling in a course. You just need the drive and basic knowledge of spelling and grammar to succeed.

Your freelance career will take off more quickly if you have a background in writing, such as journalism. Job sites like Upwork are a great place to start getting clients and building your portfolio as you can advertise your services and display your most recent projects.

Most freelance writers charge by project or per number of words. The rate you should choose all depends on your years of experience and your subject matter knowledge. Typically, entry-level freelance writers can earn $30 per 800 words, whereas experienced writers can earn up to $100 for the same project. While you debate your rate, it’s also worth checking out the site Who Pays Writers to see what businesses are willing to pay for your talents.

In other words, that means that the average freelance writer makes .17 cents a word.

Caption: Venngage

While you’re at it, if you’ve got solid writing skills, setting up a website of your own is a great way to monetize your talents. Blogging is big business.

You might consider running ads on your blog. These “Ads by Google” will appear on your website and reflect the content you post—therefore, they don’t interfere too much with the aesthetic or branding of your blog. Every time a blog visitor clicks on one of these ads, you earn yourself some cash.

You can also monetize your blog by writing affiliate reviews. That means you write a review of a product on your blog. In your review, you insert a link that users can follow to buy the product. If a user clicks that link and makes a purchase, you can receive up to 10% commission. Now that’s easy money for a remote worker.

E-commerce Merchant/”Dropshipper”

One final flexible income route to go down if you move a lot is creating a dropshipping store. That might sound like a bunch of buzzwords, but it’s a lot simpler than it sounds.

What do e-commerce merchants/”dropshippers” do?

This job involves displaying products from someone’s digital store on your site. Once a customer buys one of these products, you place the order with the third-party supplier, and then the supplier pays you, as you’ve just given them extra visibility and a sale. It’s the quickest and easiest way to get set up as an e-commerce seller (other than selling on Amazon using their Fulfillment By Amazon option).

How do I get started?

This is less of a job you seek and more of an additional income if you have the right avenues open to you. But it can be underutilized.

E-commerce is a potentially lucrative market to get into—if you get the product price and value proposition right. Though the initial investment in time and strategy can be hefty, the potential for earning a solid monthly revenue is high:

Source: The Data Point

Just remember to keep innovating and listening to your customers, and e-commerce could be the key to your remote work success.

These eight jobs are just a few of the options available if you’d like to make the leap from desk-bound worker bee to free-flying digital nomad. Especially as freelancing is convenient for the worker and reduces costs for the employer, it is an increasingly popular method of employment, offering you an incredible opportunity to travel while still earning a good salary. That’s what I call a win-win for everyone involved.


Victoria Greene is a branding consultant and freelance writer. On her blog, VictoriaEcommerce, she offers tips on how ecommerce business owners can take advantage of the latest technology in the industry.

We Try out the App That Digitally Arranges Your Furniture With Just a Picture

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As DIY’ers and decorators, there’s nothing we love more than an empty room just begging to be styled and filled with beautiful pieces. But some rooms can be a little tricky. Do you put the couch over here? Or maybe you need a small table over there? It can be hard to visualize how pieces will work in a space, especially when you’re starting with a blank canvas. Plus, if you’re buying a few new pieces of furniture, it can be difficult to tell if they’ll really fit and work well in the space. No one wants to purchase a dresser only to find out that it’s actually way too big or small.

An Online Tool to Help You Arrange Furniture

Luckily, there’s a new tool out there that takes all of the guesswork out of the arranging furniture process. It’s called Modsy, and this growing service is changing the game for decorators… but also for new homeowners trying to decide on new furniture or anyone else who has a room that needs some TLC.

Techcrunch.com

Essentially, you can “try on” certain layouts in your specific space in order to visualize how it will work in that room before you move things around, or before you buy anything new. The service costs about $70 (which isn’t exactly free), but in the long run, it may help you avoid design regret (like when you buy a piece that simply doesn’t work for the room), leaving you with a space that is much more functional for your home.

Here’s how it works: You send over photos of your space, some measurements and details on both your vision and style. They then send over a professional 3D rendering with a 360-degree visualization tool.

Real Life Spaces Using Modsy

When we first heard of Modsy, we weren’t quite sold. How could it actually work? But then we saw that a few of our friends in the blogosphere used this service when working on room makeovers. We could hardly believe these photos…

Photo by Bower Power Blog; 3D Rendering of Bedroom via Modsy

Above is the 3D rendering of our friend Katie Bower’s bedroom. She used Modsy to visualize the furniture setup in her bedroom before buying all of the pieces.

Here’s what that space now looks like in real life…

Photo by Bower Power Blog

Pretty crazy, right?! Here’s another one.

Photo by Chris Loves Julia; 3D Rendering of Room via Modsy

Above is the 3D rendering from Chris Loves Julia’s nursery. Below is how the actual room turned out.

Photo by Chris Loves Julia

Let’s Give It a Try

We’re currently working on a living room makeover for a friend, and their tricky living room layout had us questioning where exactly we should place all of the furniture in the space. So we figured this was the perfect time to give Modsy a try and find the most functional livingroom layout. Here is how the website lays out their service:

After setting up an account on our phones, we sent in photos and measurements and they then gave us a blank room to review. 

Because we weren’t totally sure on the style we wanted for the space, we had them give us two design options. One was a bit more glam and feminine, the other a bit more contemporary. This was their interpretations:

We ended up loving the second design, and realized how easily a sectional could fit in the space! We also didn’t realize we would have enough room to add a bookshelf next to the couch, and this helped us view the space in a whole new light. 

This was another rendering from a different angle. We were able to plug-in a few pieces that the homeowners already own to make sure they could continue to work in the room. 

In the end, we were left with a functional layout that we’re confident will work as we help to design this room. It actually worked! While we still have a-ways to go with their space, we are both so excited to get to work and bring this vision board to life.

You Too Can Master the Art of Arranging Furniture

As two gals who can’t seem to get enough of home design and decor, we were incredibly impressed with this visualization tool. Here are our takeaways:

Pros:

  • Surprisingly easy to use
  • Slick, modern app design
  • 3D renderings are professionally done and easy to grasp (and amazing to look at!)

Cons:

  • It ain’t cheap. $70 per rendering (and $199 to include an adviser!)
  • It takes a little over a week to get renders and operates within business hours, so plan ahead
  • Recommended furniture through Modsy store can be great, but also a bit sales-y

If you’re struggling to decorate your new home, we hope you’ll give this tool a try. Hopefully, it will help you determine the best layout for the rooms throughout your home while providing you with design inspiration that is specific to your taste. Plus, you may even gain some confidence when it comes time to buy new pieces of furniture in your space, because you can try before you buy! Happy decorating!

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