Time is money in the print-on-demand (POD) business. Here are five simple tricks that will save you hours each week and help you create better designs faster.
1. Create Your Own Print on Demand Template Library
Even if you don’t use pre-made templates, having your own collection of starter files saves incredible amounts of time. Set up a few basic layouts with:
- Correct dimensions for different products
- Text areas already positioned
- Color palettes ready to use
- Guides and margins in place
When starting a new design, you’ll skip 20-30 minutes of setup every single time.
If creating your own templates sounds like too much work, check out Merch Blueprint. It includes 500 ready-to-use PSD templates specifically designed for POD sellers who want professional results without the setup time.
2. Batch Similar Tasks Together
Instead of creating designs one at a time from start to finish, group similar work:
- Research several design concepts at once
- Create all your text layouts in one session
- Add graphics to multiple designs in one sitting
- Upload everything to POD platforms in batches
This “assembly line” approach prevents the mental switching costs that slow you down.
3. Use Smart Objects for Multi-Product Designs
When creating designs for different products (t-shirts, mugs, hoodies), use Photoshop Smart Objects to update multiple files at once:
- Create your main design as a Smart Object
- Place this Smart Object in each product template
- When you update the original Smart Object, all products update automatically
This technique can turn hours of repetitive edits into a two-minute job.
4. Keyboard Shortcuts Are Worth Learning
Most POD designers waste thousands of small movements reaching for the mouse. Learning these essential shortcuts will dramatically speed up your workflow:
- Ctrl+T (Transform)
- Alt+drag (Duplicate)
- Ctrl+J (Duplicate layer)
- Spacebar (Hold for Hand tool)
- V, T, M keys (Move, Text, and Marquee tools)
Just these five shortcuts alone can save you 30+ minutes per day.
5. Create a “Rejected Designs” Folder
Never delete your unused designs. Instead, keep a folder of ideas that didn’t make the cut. These become valuable assets when:
- You need inspiration for new designs
- Market trends shift and old concepts become relevant
- You can combine elements from different rejected designs
Many top sellers report that some of their best-selling designs came from their “reject” pile.
This Week’s Action Step
Pick just ONE of these tips and implement it this week. Don’t try to change your entire workflow at once. Master one new technique before moving to the next.
Which of these tips will you try first?
Discover 5 time-saving tips for POD designers to create better designs faster, including template libraries, task batching, Smart Objects, keyboard shortcuts, and recycling rejected designs. Share on X
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