fbpx

17 Everyday Items To Use As Flatlay Props

When I first started dabbling in flatlays, I quickly learned that props can be trés expensive! Staging one single picture with flatlay props can run you anywhere from $50 – $100 (for more prop-heavy images). Nuts, right?! If you’re like me and you don’t want to empty out your bank account in the name of buying props, I’ve got just the solution. 

What if I told you that your home is a gold mine for flatlay props?! Don’t believe me? Take a second to look around. Everyday items like clothing, jewelry and plants can all be used to create the sickest flatlays.  All you have to do is believe!

Now that I’ve hopefully turned you into a believer, check out this money-saving list I put together of 17 everyday items that can be used as flatlay props! If you find it helpful, be sure to share the info on Pinterest!

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

17 Everyday Items To Use as Flatlay Props

1. Stationery – You know all of those pens and papers you keep tucked away in some dark, gloomy corner of your room? Well, it’s time to dust off the cobwebs and put them to use! Stationery items like paper, envelopes, pens and pencils can all be used in a flatlay. 

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

2. Candles – Oh, how I love a good candle! Not only do they smell amazing (if you pick the right ones), but they can be used to fill in negative space in your flatlays. I love to use tea light candles like these here.

Tea-Light-Candles

3. Apple Products – Now I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit of an Apple addict, but it’s for good reason! Their products are beautifully designed. If you own an iMac, an iPhone, an iPad or any other Apple product, try sliding them into your flatlays. You won’t regret it! Unless, of course, you hate Apple products. In that case, let’s move along!

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

4. Flowers/Plants – I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE adding flowers and/or plants to my flatlays. They’re so full of life and depending on which plants you pick, they can add a nice touch of color to your photo. Tip: If you want your flatlay to really stand out, make sure to use flowers/plants whose colors work well with the rest of your props. I’d also recommend investing in a few fake flowers and plants, because it can get pretty costly to keep fresh flowers/plants in the house. And they’re a life-saver for people like me that can NOT keep a plant alive for more than 2 seconds. 

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

5. Accessories – Accessories like rings, hair ties, watches and necklaces are pretty common items that you can find lying around your room. Similar to candles, they can be used to fill in any gaps in your flatlays.

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

6. Fabric/Scarves – It can be easy to neglect things like fabric and scarves lying around the house, but they make for great flatlay additions! 

Everyday-Flatlay-Props
*Looking for a cute message board to use in your flatlays? Here are a few of my faves: Message Board 1, Message Board 2

7. Rugs/Carpet – Last year I purchased a couple of faux fur rugs (Don’t come for me PETA!) to use in my room. I quickly learned that they can be the perfect backdrop for flatlays. I especially love to use them for lifestyle and beauty images. 

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

8. Plates/Trays – Unless you eat takeout 24/7, I’m almost certain that you have a few dishes and serving trays around your home. These types of props are great for holding things like beauty products, jewelry and any other smaller flatlay props.

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

9. Camera Accessories – For whatever reason, cameras and camera accessories work really well in flatlays. If you’re thinking that you need to have an expensive DSLR or Mirrorless camera for your flatlay to look good, thing again. Polaroid cameras are pretty affordable and because they come in so many different colors, they make for great flatlay props. Even adding the polaroid pictures themselves to your pictures can be a nice touch!

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

10. Clothing/Shoes – I love shooting clothing flatlays. Why? Because I have a ton of clothes, which makes styling this type of flatlay a breeze!

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

11. Beauty/Skincare Products – If you keep your beauty products in good-looking shape, they can be used to create really beautiful flatlays. 

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

12. Handbags – I’m sure you’ve seen your fair share of flatlays with purses, wallets and all kinds of handbags. They’re great for adding dimension and color to your flatlays.

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

13. Food – Talk about yummy! If you can avoid chowing down before snapping your photo, try using food in your flatlays. Some popular flatlay food items are strawberries, croissants, coffee and acai bowls. 

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

*I’d highly recommend investing in a wooden serving platter for your flatlays

14. Confetti – Add a little sparkle and shine to your flatlays with the help of confetti and/or glitter. Not only is this a fun prop to play with, but they help bring some life to your flatlays and also help fill in gaps. You can find all different kinds at an art supply store like Michaels or Hobby Lobby

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

15. Office Supplies – Items like staplers, paper clips and erasers are all things that can be found in a home (especially those with kids in them!). When purchasing these items for home use, I’d recommend choosing ones that will photograph well. That way you’re getting the most use out of your bucks!

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

16. Books/Magazines – A year or two ago, I started randomly receiving magazines in the mail (I should probably look into this!). Instead of tossing them to the side (and looking into whether or not someone was fraudulently using my credit cards), I started incorporating them into my flatlays. Magazines and books are pretty consistently present in flatlays. 

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

17. Ribbon – I don’t know what it is about ribbon, but I love adding it to my flatlays here and there. They’re great because they come in so many different shapes, sizes and colors.

Everyday-Flatlay-Props

Have any more everyday prop ideas? Share them down below! And if you’re looking for inspiration on how to use your “new” found props, check out this list of 10 inspirational flatlay Instagram accounts!

Free flatlays, anyone?Free-Monthly-Flatlays