How to plan and manage your cosplay and LARP projects
I genuinely have the memory of a fried goldfish.
I forget everything. Especially the important stuff (but I somehow remember weird things like the date of International Talk Like a Pirate Day and the length of a giraffe's tongue - go figure...).
And I'm always a bit lost.
I can even lose my own train of thought (mostly because there's just way too much going on in there at once).
My non-linear brain clearly needs a boost to stay on top of things.
It's not always easy, but from years of living with this complicated brain, I've developed tricks to track my projects, stay focused on my work, and avoid drowning in it.
So, if planning out a cosplay or managing your creation schedule feels like an impossible task, follow me, we'll try to demystify all of it.
You in?
| This article is mainly for people who already make costumes and want to better manage their ongoing projects — several conventions a year, several costumes at once, overlapping deadlines. If you're looking for tips for your very first cosplay project instead, I've got an article for you → your first cosplay, where to start. |
Break down your project
Your next cosplay or LARP project probably doesn't come down to just one piece. Not only do you likely have several pieces of clothing, or armor, or both. On top of that, chances are you've got accessories: shoes, a wig, makeup, props.
A great cosplay is a whole. A complete LARP kit too. And if you want everything ready at the same time for your next convention or LARP event, you need to plan for everything.
So, list every element of your project. Every piece of clothing. Every accessory. Even the things you plan on buying instead of making.
Break down each element
Now that you've got a nice (and probably long) list of the elements you'll need to create (or find, or transform), break each one down into steps.
Gloves, say, need you to buy your fabric (list everything you need to buy), draft a pattern, test it, sew them, add the decorations.
That's going to give you a very long to-do list. But it's also going to feel so rewarding when you start crossing off steps because they're done. Trust me. It makes you happy. Literally (for real, you'll get an endorphin hit and everything).
Think about how many days it takes
The most important thing, in my opinion, is planning your time. Especially if you've got a deadline.
I know. Figuring out how long a costume will take to make isn't always obvious. But with your to-do list, you'll have a much better idea.
You don't need to calculate down to the minute how long your project will take. But if you can estimate ahead of time roughly how many days you think you'll spend on it, it helps a ton with planning.
Oh, and also plan a few buffer days.
Since stuff pretty much always goes wrong at the last minute, you'll be way less stressed if you've got a few extra days than planned toward the end of the project. A seam that gives out. A fabric that doesn't look at all like it did in the photo. An accessory that doesn't arrive on time. It happens. Build in some margin.
Make yourself a schedule (and actually stick to it)
Make sure you can see your schedule somewhere in your workshop. Because otherwise, you won't stick to it.
It can be a calendar, a corkboard, or a whiteboard. Whatever works for you, but having a spot where you can see where you're at at a glance really helps you keep the big picture in view.
Working with a corkboard or magnetic board lets you pin up your inspiration, your samples, and other important stuff.
Having everything in one place means you forget less (or at least, you forget as little as possible... 😅).
If you'd rather work digitally than on paper, there are apps built specifically for tracking cosplay projects (like Cosplanner) or more general note-taking tools (I really like Notion for coordinating my specific projects and my overall planning). What matters is that you actually check your notes. A system you never look at isn't a system that works.
It's totally fine to work on more than one project at once. But you need to plan for it.
If you're like me, you don't always feel like doing the same thing 6 days in a row. And that's totally fine. I bounce between projects pretty often.
That's why my project baskets (which I talk about in my article on storage) are SO important. Sometimes I get stuck on something, I need to think through a finish. And the best way to figure out a solution is to stop thinking about it (as counterintuitive as that sounds). It's the same principle as those genius ideas. You know, the ones that hit you right as you're falling asleep. Or in the shower.
So when I get stuck, I toss everything back in the basket. And I pull out something else. It clears my head. And gives me a fresh perspective.
But if you bounce between projects, just don't forget to plan your schedule accordingly. A costume that would take 8 straight days to make, at 1 day a week, takes 2 months. So if you want 2 costumes for your next convention, you've got 2 choices: either find a way to double your time per week (not always easy), or start twice as early.
Do a quick tidy-up every week
I usually start my week with a little tidy-up. Because on Fridays, when I stop for the weekend, I actually stop. Not after the tidy-up. Right then. As much as I love what I do for a living. When it's Friday, it's Friday for me too. And I'm looking forward to a break.
If you make costumes as a hobby, let's assume you work more on weekends. In that case, decide whether you'd rather start or end your weekend with a little clean-up. But do it.
If you've got a good storage system in place, it'll go like a charm.
But why am I still talking about storage when I said we'd be talking about planning? Because tidying your stuff up helps you stay focused. I'm the first to say I can find my way around my own mess. But the truth is, even when I do find my way around it, I still had to search a bit before finding it. You know?
By doing a little clean-up, you make sure you've got everything you need on hand to do what you want to do. And you waste less time.
Do a big clean-out once in a while
Same idea as the weekly tidy-up, a good big clean-out lets you take stock of where you're at. With costumes you'd set aside. With materials you'd kept "just in case." That kind of thing.
So, at least once a year, do a big clean-out. You know, a BIG clean. Not just putting everything away properly. Take inventory of what you actually have. Take the time to ask yourself if those things will actually be useful to you. Marie-Kondo the hell out of your workshop. And if you don't want to throw things out, that's fine. Repurpose them! Offer them up in a cosplay or LARP group. One man's trash is another man's treasure.
You might discover you've got duplicate tools. That you've still got a product you thought you'd used up.
Really knowing what you have will save you a ton of time. And the more space you have, the more stuff you keep (trust me, I know!). So if you don't want to waste too much time, you need to take some to rediscover your stash every once in a while.
Try things out
Organization is a personal thing: everyone's got their own tricks. You've got to try things out to find what works for you.
For example, I'm a "pen and paper" type. So I make handwritten lists, which I pin to my corkboard. But if you're more of a "digital" person, you might prefer an app on your phone to keep track of everything. What matters is that you take the time to plan your next project, that you write down the important stuff... and above all, that you actually check your notes!
| If you want to take your creative organization further, I'd recommend my article: Workshop Organization and Storage for Cosplay and LARP |
And if you want to stay in the loop on new releases, promos, and new articles to help with your creative projects, join The Harbour!
In the meantime,
Happy sewing! Happy crafting! 🤓✂🐙