If you’ve never done it before, the idea of designing your own digital download products might seem complicated. 

But it’s not. 

Some digital products will require a higher level of skill to create than others. 

However, if you want to start selling your own printables on platforms like Etsy, I’m going to share with you some that are super easy to make. 

How Do You Design a Printable?

Calendars

You can make calendar printables easily enough using Canva.  

Simply size them 8.5 in x 11 in if you want them to be easily printed on standard US Letter printer paper. 

You can select a grid graphic and use text boxes to insert numbers for the days of the month into each box. 

Choose graphics to decorate the calendar, or select a stock image from a site like Unsplash to add to the front. 

Consider using stock images that match the season of the specific calendar month, such as a winter-themed photo for December. 

Flashcards  

Flashcards, like simple number or shape-learning flashcards for kids, are simple to make. 

First, decide what size you want your flashcards to be. Common sizes for flashcards are 3 in x 5 in and 5 in x 7 in. 

Once you know how big you want them to be, you can start from a standard printer-paper size design, select a rectangle shape, and drag the resize handles to create the borders of your flashcards. 

Depending on what kind of flashcards you’re trying to create, you can choose graphics from the elements library.  

You can choose shapes, numbers, etc., and place them within each flashcard. Give them different colors if desired. 

When the user prints them, they can cut out each flashcard from the paper. 

To-Do Lists 

You can also design useful, printable to-do lists. It doesn’t need to be too complex. 

First, choose what size you want to offer your to-do list in. Remember,you can create two different versions if you want to sell it in both US  Letter and A4 size, for instance. 

Then, decide what features you wish to include. If you want to keep it simple, you can add basic features such as a lined section for writing down tasks along with checkboxes. You can also include a “notes” box. 

You can decorate it however you want as well as change the background color. 

See the example below of a cat-themed to-do list. 

Handwriting Worksheets  

Designing handwriting worksheets for kids is easy because you can use the “KG Primary Dots Lined” font.  

You can add numbers and letters in this font to create tracing activity printables. Kids can use these to practice their handwriting. 

Consider adding pictures or colorable elements to worksheets to give them extra values. 

Again, consider what size you will create your printable in to make it simple for your customers to print at home. 

Bookmarks  

You can design 2 in x 6 in bookmarks and then transfer them to a separate 8.5 in x 11 in design, fitting a dotted border around them to guide buyers where to cut them out. 

Start with a new, 2 in x 6 in design in Canva, and start decorating your bookmark. If you want to create a coloring bookmark, you can choose outline graphics, like an outline of an animal. 

Otherwise, choose elements to add to your bookmark design until you're satisfied with the finished product. 

You can then download the bookmark as a PNG or JPEG file. Then, create a new design for the file you will send to your customers. 

Make this design US Letter size or A4 size, etc. 

Upload your bookmark design and add it to this page. 

Make sure to resize the bookmark design to be 2 in x 6 in on the page. 

Then, choose a rectangle shape and change the “style” to the dotted option. Fit this around your bookmark to add a cutting line. 

If you want to sell a bookmark bundle, you can include several bookmarks on one page. 

These are a few of the easier printable products to create if you’re a beginner at graphic design.  

You can can upload them to platforms like Etsy and Creative Market and sell them there.

This is a great business model if you don’t want to spend much money creating products. 

Canva is completely free to use, and once you’ve designed your printable, you can continue to sell it again and again without additional effort.