These 1000-piece puzzles will help you unwind, just be in the moment, and find unbusy — gorgeous eye (and mind) candy!
Unplug from the stresses of everyday life
Come 8 pm, swap screen time with a 1000-piece puzzle. Slow down, put your screens away, and meditate with one of these fifteen beautiful jigsaw puzzles.
I started doing jigsaw puzzles as a way to connect with my daughter and fell in love with them. Working on a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle can be used as a tool to start a meaningful conversation or unwind in solitude.
Puzzles are a healthy distraction
After a long day, working on a puzzle is an easy, screen-free way to unwind and enter a state of mindfulness. Working through the pieces and figuring out where they fit within the bigger picture is incredibly satisfying and calming. Puzzles are an effortless way to combat stress and anxiety.
Turn off your phone and get swept away in one of the 1000-piece puzzles below. As you work through completing the puzzle, both sides of your brain work together to increase cognitive function. Jigsaw puzzles are the ultimate brain workout for neurobusy people.
Dive Deeper
Why these are the best 1000-piece puzzles for becoming unbusy
Picking the right puzzle can mean the difference between loving and hating the experience. Below is a list of considerations when picking the right puzzle to help you find unbusy moments.
- Choose a puzzle that is meaningful to you. All the puzzles below have an unbusy theme: transformation, forest bathing, neurobusy masking, travel, or connection.
- Choose a size that feels challenging but not overwhelming. The satisfaction of completing a 1000-piece puzzle is the sweet spot for many people.
- Choose a design that offers small wins. If you're puzzling to reduce stress, I recommend choosing collage-style 1000-piece puzzles. Completing a butterfly, bird, or vintage postcard feels like a tiny motivational victory.
- Choose beautiful. Ravensburger Puzzles is a go-to brand for many fanatics, but I recommend investing in visually beautiful puzzles that feel like a work of art or emotionally move you.
- Choose quality. Not all puzzles are created equally. A higher-quality puzzle's sturdiness, thickness, finish, and cut enhance the experience, especially if you are sensory-sensitive or neurobusy.
- Consider sustainability. Read a bit about the different brands before you buy. Some higher-quality puzzles are made responsibly from FSC-certified material, printed with non-toxic or soy-based inks, and use up to 90% recycled materials.
- Consider clutter or repurposing. Our family loves Cavallini puzzles because the pieces are packaged in a hand-sewn muslin bag inside a sturdy (and beautiful) tube. The puzzle tubes are bookshelf-display-worthy. They also make it easy to confidently re-gift without fear of losing pieces!
1000-Piece Puzzles
Swap screen time with one of these beautiful, unbusy-inspired 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles. Below are fifteen puzzles to help you unwind — gorgeous eye (and mind) candy!
A beautiful symbol of transition and transformation! Enjoy assembling this beautiful 1000-piece butterfly puzzle, designed with vintage illustrations from the Cavallini archives.
Artist Gennine D. Zlatkis illustrated 20 different colorful illustrations of birds based on paintings by Monet, Van Gogh and Renoir for the Galison Avian Friends jigsaw puzzle. The 1,054-piece flawless fit puzzle is a fun and challenging activity for any puzzle enthusiast. Each box includes a poem written by Jennifer Bartlett, and an informational insert about the artist and image.
This Herbarium puzzle was inspired by the Cavallini archives. From 19th-century anatomical charts to mid-century travel guides, from maps to botanical plates, the collection spans hundreds of years and preserves a vast variety of both everyday ephemera and rare, iconic images.
Exhausted from masking in an extroverted world? B Creative brings you an inspirational "colorful ladies puzzle" in 1000 quality cut, made from recycled cardboard.
No time for forest bathing? Enjoy assembling this beautiful 1000-piece arboretum puzzle, designed with vintage illustrations from the Cavallini archives.
This puzzle is a beautiful jigsaw based on the stunning book Lost Spells by best-selling author Robert MacFarlane, and Illustrator, Jackie Morris. The 1000-piece puzzle features over 50 flora and fauna found in the book.
Fiction lover? While listening to music through her headphones, this woman casually drapes her legs over the arm of the chair as she keenly reads her latest book in this cozy puzzle.
Love crystals or rock collecting? Enjoy assembling this beautiful 1000-piece mineralogist puzzle, designed with vintage illustrations from the Cavallini archives. Each puzzle piece feels like an individual piece of art.
Slow down poolside. Put your puzzling skills to the test with this difficult and minimalistic 1000-piece puzzle for adults.
Struggle surviving winter? This "Cozy Fireplace" jigsaw puzzle by Olivia Gibbs features a colorful and detailed illustrative art image of living the Hygge way.
Daydreaming about traveling and visiting the National Parks in the United States? Enjoy assembling this beautiful 1000-piece national parks puzzle, designed with vintage poster illustrations from the Cavallini archives.
Got a green thumb and find gardening calming? eeBoo's Piece and Love Bountiful Garden 1000-piece square puzzle is full of colorful findings. This colorful puzzle has an image that builds from the edges toward the center and can be constructed from all sides, making it a perfect family activity. No top, or bottom, fun to work on from any side.
Take flight. The Circle of Avian Friends 1000 Piece Round Puzzle features a colorful illustration by Geninne Zlatkis of her signature birds and flowers. Galison puzzles are packaged in matte-finish sturdy boxes, perfect for gifting, reuse, and storage.
Life transitions are chaotic and beautiful at the same time. This challenging 1000-piece puzzle, beautifully illustrated by Aurelia Fronty, is a wild reverie - an explosion of brilliant color. Each puzzle piece is precision cut and distinctly shaped, ensuring a snug, secure, and sturdy fit.
Want to use puzzling as an opportunity to connect with your family? The Magic Puzzle Company uses ideas from game design, optical illusions, and magic to make this the most interesting and engaging puzzle you've ever solved. Each puzzle comes with two large posters of the artwork so multiple people can all work together. This puzzle offers a mind-blowing, magical twist ending: a bag of mystery puzzle pieces!
Love this collection of 1000-piece puzzles? Sharing it would make our week ♥
It would make our week if you took a second to save or share this post. That’s how we know we’re on the right track and should continue creating more content like this!
