Whether you have a corner of your home or an outside studio, it’s important for a workspace to be multifunctional, well organized, inspiring and set up in a way that prevents the type of repetitive stress injuries common among makers who perform repetitive movements.

Especially when you’re just getting started, working from home may be the best option. Melissa Stahl, who sells handmade porcelain buttons and also designs knitting patterns, runs her business, Melissa Jean Design, out of a large space in her home in upstate New York that doubles as a playroom for her kids.

Stahl keeps her kiln in the basement, away from the play area, and her main crafting space is a draftsman’s table that once belonged to her father-in-law, which she uses to make and paint her buttons. Stahl does her computer work at a separate desk — something recommended by ergonomics experts — and has another large table for miscellaneous tasks.

If you have the luxury of a workspace outside your home, keep an eye out for a flexible space that allows your business to expand.

Laura Lundy, of Slipped Stitch Studios, who creates project bags, notions pouches and other accessories for knitters and crocheters, rents a small four-room office in downtown Huntington Beach, California. The rooms provide separate areas for work and product storage — Lundy uses the largest part of the studio, which has a worktable and shelving custom built by her brother, for production — but the small team started to outgrow the space after less than three years.

“We are in a constant shuffle here, always looking for the best way to keep things organized,” Lundy says.

Organization can be a challenge for most people, but crafting often necessitates some different tactics. Beth Penn, who runs BNeato, an organizing business, recommends having separate zones for projects that are completed and for those still in progress. She also suggests cleaning up your workspace after each crafting session.

Penn also recommends getting rid of supplies or equipment you no longer use, something Stahl can relate to.

“I had fabric kicking around for 20 years,” Stahl says. “Some things that I am afraid of getting rid of entirely — for example, I have a whole 24-inch-by-18-inch bin full of embroidery thread — I store in my basement.”

Karen Jacobs, an occupational therapist (OT) and certified professional ergonomist, is an expert in ergonomics and workplace issues. She recommends having a crafting area separate from where you work on the computer.

Before she became an OT, Jacobs ran a leather-crafting business and fashioned her work area out of a metal garbage can topped with a round piece of marble, which she used while standing.

“It put me in good position for hammering,” Jacobs says. “I was a poor student, so that was the best I could do, but it was fabulous.”

If you’re standing on hard floors while you work, an anti-fatigue mat might be a good idea for supporting your feet.