I love to change out my decor. I also am terrified of committing to artwork. Yes, I have a phobia of putting expensive artwork and then starting to not love it anymore. So ever since I can remember, or since first landing on Little Green Notebook about 10 years ago (or so it feels like), I’ve invested small amounts of money in engineer prints.
You can find them all over my house because they are inexpensive. Typically printed in black and white, I’ve done my hallway prints, a print for Ella’s big girl room, my large entryway art, and now new photos of the girls over the loft sofa.
They are just so easy and make a great impact. I always get compliments on my hallway ones which were even framed with the cheapest IKEA frames. The entire project was under $50.
WHAT IS AN ENGINEER PRINT?
They’re printed on large pieces of regular paper (thin regular printer paper although I believe you can upgrade this) and they are super affordable. They’re typically printed and available in black and white, which is a little cheaper, but you can request color for a slight upcharge.
You will notice when you order that it says not suitable for photos, but I think that’s just a scare tactic. I order these for every birthday and place them in the entry with balloons (hoping the helium shortage is over by October) and they are just so fun. They run anywhere from $7-20 depending on how you order them. Go ahead and call around to your local Staples to find out how much they’d be for you, and to make sure they’ll still do them! But honestly, I just had them done so I bet they do!
There’s a ton of different uses for engineer prints. From simple art, to coloring pages, to large quotes, they are just the best! And the best for your budget!
Like I said, I use them for birthdays where I choose a photo of each birthday boy or girl, anniversaries (same), photos, and I’ve even used them for framed artwork! Remember my Enjoy the Little Things from Ella’s big girl room… yep, engineer prints.
WHERE TO ORDER ENGINEER PRINTS
I personally like Staples because you can order online and pick up in store, but I’m pretty sure Office Depot offers them too. FedEx will also do them, but they are priced a little differently. Look up all the options on their websites before you decide. Note… it seems they all call them something different so make sure to check for Blueprints, Construction prints and Architectural prints too if you are feeling confused.
How TO ORDER A STAPLES ENGINEERING PRINT
- Go to the Staples Print page. At the bottom, select the size you want (the price will change depending on what size you choose).
- Choose Black & White (or color) and click “Buy Now.”
- A screen pops up that allows you to “Add Files” at the top left. Then upload the photos you are wanting to use. You can use PDF or JPG. Once it’s uploaded, select “Done.”
- Next up, orientation. On the left bar menu you should see “Orientation” where you can change to and from portrait or landscape depending on your chosen print. I also like to mess around with “Fit Content to Paper” where you can see what it’ll look like.
- Name your Job – This doesn’t matter at all. I usually say something like “Ella’s Birthday.”
- Add your item to the cart.
- If all looks good, proceed to check out and select “Pick Up In Store.” Choose a date too. There’s typically a rush fee if you choose the same day and sometimes the next day too. I usually pick the first free day, but in a bind, I have ordered with rush and the print is usually done in a couple hours.
- I personally usually choose “Pay at Store” not for any particular reason though. If I know I’ll be sending my hubs to pick up, I pay online for an easier pickup process.
- Watch your email for your “It’s READY” email and then head on over to grab it! Voila!
