How to live your best freelance life on Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill is the greatest neighborhood in all of Seattle. We know we're biased, but if you spend even just a few hours touring this big, beautiful, dense, diverse neighborhood we know you'll agree with us.
Capitol Hill isn't just a great place to live and play, it's an incredible place to work. If you're just getting started as a freelancer in our fair neighborhood or if you've been here for a while and just need to shake things up a bit, we asked around and collected this awesome list of resources right here in our neighborhood that can help make your freelance life the best life. Check it:
Read: CHS Blog
Want to know what's going on in the neighborhood? Look no further than Capitol Hill Seattle: a locally-owned, locally-written, and award-winning news site. It's a great place to learn more about our neighborhood, find out about great events that are going on, or even share something that you think would benefit the neighborhood (that's right, freelance writers – you can become contributors to the blog too).
The Capitol Hill branch of Seattle Public Library. Image via SPL.
Focus: Neighborhood Libraries
Our neighborhood is home to several incredible libraries, all a little different. Whether you're looking for a quiet place to write, librarians to help you with your research, free community resources to tap into, or just some beautiful space to be in, our libraries are it.
SPL's Capitol Hill Branch is in the heart of the neighborhood and is home to some great events (yes, they even have a book club) that are free and open to the public.
At Seattle University's Law Library, you can purchase a $5 day pass and soak up as much legal research as you'd like (as Mike told us when he recommended it – "what freelancer *hasn't* had a legal question?!?").
It is closed during SAAM's remodel, but once it reopens the SAAM building is also home to the McCaw Foundation Library for Asian Art. Neat, right?
Revive: Green Spaces
Freelancing means you can fill your days (and nights, for that matter) with non-stop work. Self-care can easily fall off the list. Thankfully, our neighborhood is awash in gorgeous green spaces that can give you a much-needed spirit lift and rejuvenate you so you can be at your best all year long. Some of the hill's best spots include:
Volunteer Park – One of Seattle's historic Olstead Parks, Volunteer Park is a gem of the neighborhood. You can sit quietly beneath huge trees, escape the rain and enter the oasis of the Volunteer Park Conservatory, or soak in the beauty of the Dahlia Garden as it comes to life each summer.
Nearby Louisa Boren Park is the Office Nomads members' favorite green space in the neighborhood. At the overlook you can peek at multiple volcanoes and maybe spy some bald eagles flying past with Lake Washington in the background. Aaaaaah.
Streissguth Gardens – Walk into a most unexpected city oasis carefully dug into the hillside of this north Capitol Hill stairway. If you're looking to get a good workout in, march yourself up and down this amazing set of stairs set amongst the well-tended gardens.
Seattle University Campus is home to an incredible landscape thoughtfully designed and managed with a focus on sustainability and even food production! Print out either their Edible Campus Guide or Tree Guide (or both!) and take them with you on a walk through the campus. Inspiration, fresh air, and maybe even a snack or two await!
Hone: Hugo House
Did you know that our neighborhood is home to one of the greatest places for writers (seasoned, aspiring, and everything in between) out there? Hugo House is "a place to read words, hear words, and make your own words better."
Neighborhood writer and resident Allison says "I'm going to recommend Hugo House for classes to improve your freelance writing, but also for events, which I always use to network with other freelancers and writers outside the office." From events to classes to fellowships, Hugo House is a gem in our neighborhood.
The usual chit-chat scene up front at Office Nomads.
Connect: Coworking Spaces
We know we're biased, but we believe strongly that one of the most important things you can do as someone who has the ability to work from anywhere is to get yourself in a place where you can truly connect with other people. Isolation is simply too easy to slip into, and we don't want that to happen to you. Coworking spaces can be a really great way to escape social isolation, and to add into your routine to boost productivity as well.
Our message, as always: find the coworking space that you are eager to be a part of and contribute to. It's easy to get in the mindset of only looking at what you can get out of a space, but we know you'll be more successful if you land in a space that you're excited to be a part of.
Here's all the spots we know of here on Capitol Hill. Fun fact: all the spaces with a * were founded or co-founded by women:
Office Nomads* – Yep, that's us. We're the ol' cozy spot on Capitol Hill that people have described as feeling the most like a living room. We take that as a high compliment. :) C'mon by anytime – we'd love to meet you.
The Cloud Room* – a gorgeous space dreamed up by Capitol Hill powerhouse Liz Dunn. It has a rooftop deck and a public bar built in, and is home to some of the neighborhood's most creative people. We walk in and get stars in our eyes.
The Office at Ada's* – did you know that our awesome neighborhood technical bookstore is *also* home to a coworking space? Yeah, it's pretty much the coolest.
The Riveter* – One of the newest additions to the neighborhood coworking scene, The Riveter is a coworking space "built by women, for everyone." They host a staggering number of events and they have a meditation room too!
Indies Workshop – Capitol Hill's coworking home for the gaming community. This industry-focused space is host to brainstorming, community-events, and even some shared equipment.
Some of the fine folks who run the Capitol Hill Tool Library. Image via SCH.
Borrow: Capitol Hill Tool Library
Got a project you need to work on but you don't want to have to buy all the tools to get it done? Let us introduce you to one of our favorite neighborhood gems: The Capitol Hill Tool Library! Whether you need a food dehydrator, and air compressor, or a bike stand to do some repairs, the Tool Library is there for you. Not only do they have items to borrow, but they regularly host classes to help you learn how to mend and care for things so they last. It's awesome and you should go. Go now.
Image: Seattle Central College
Learn: Seattle Central College
One of the city's greatest educational resources is right here in Capitol Hill: Seattle Central College! Whether you need to brush up your knowledge or you're interested in totally changing direction, Seattle Central has a host of programs and classes for you.
Bonus? Head to Seattle Central's Culinary Arts Program for an awesome (and affordable) lunch!
More
There are a few other resources we were made aware of that we'd be remiss to not loop you in on as a freelancer in our neighborhood:
Michelle Goodman's Column in the Seattle Times – Michelle has been living the freelance life and sharing her journey for years and we can't say enough good things about her. Head to her column and soak up all the goodness therein.
They don't meet in the neighborhood, but we'd be remiss to not tell you about the Creative Freelancers & Coworking Union Meetup group. They are a group of creative freelancers that get together for some really great discussions. Check it out!
Seattle SCORE – Neighbor Dana says "Seattle SCORE has reasonably priced workshops and plenty of virtual resources, such as how to build a business plan."
Gotta print something? We had a few people tell us the best printers in the neighborhood are at the Capitol Hill location of FedEx Office. Veronica's tip? "Juliana is the best!" So maybe ask for her when you swing by for some fancy color prints.
We know that was a lot but we're also sure we missed something. Give us a shout on Twitter and we'll be sure to add it to the list!
Better still, if you’re a freelancer on Capitol Hill, c’mon by and spend the day with us! We’d love to meet you.