--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To invent something, all you need is…" description: "\"To invent something, all you need is imagination and a big pile of junk.\" — Albert Einstein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/albert-einstein-33_bigs_to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imag_931726.jpg" --- # To invent something, all you need is imagination and a big… ![“To invent something, all you need is imagination and a big pile of junk.” quote by Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/albert-einstein-33_bigs_to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imag_931726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/albert-einstein-33_bigs_to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imag_931726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/albert-einstein-33_bigs_to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imag_931726.jpg) > “To invent something, all you need is imagination and a big pile of junk.” [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation stems from imagination and repurposing discarded materials, turning waste into breakthroughs. **In simple terms:** Imagination plus junk creates inventions. Key Takeaway Reuse resources creatively. Themes innovation imagination resourcefulness Mood optimistic inventive curious Type inspirational practical scientific When to use this quote - DIY projects - engineering design - artistic creation - environmental initiatives Key Concepts creativity sustainability problem solving Questions to Reflect On - What everyday objects could become useful inventions? - How does imagination overcome material limits? A Different Perspective May underestimate need for expertise; not all junk is usable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imagination Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-big-1523025/) [Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent/) [Invent Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent-need-243242/) [Junk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/junk/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Pile Junk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pile-junk-243243/) ## Related quotes > [To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/to-invent-you-need-a-good-imagination-and-a-pile-of-junk/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [God forgives those who invent what they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/god-forgives-those-who-invent-what-they-need/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [When you can take something that is a reject at the thrift store sitting on the bottom of a pile of junk and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-wasson/when-you-can-take-something-that-is-a-reject-at-the-thrift-store/) [Erin Wasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-wasson/) > [Use your imagination until your big dream feels so familiar that its manifestation is the next logical step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/use-your-imagination-until-your-big-dream-feels-so-familiar-that-its/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [“The Caine was a pile of junk in the last hours of decay, manned by hoodlums.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/the-caine-was-a-pile-of-junk-in-the-last-hours-of-decay-manned-by/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“It's just old black-and-whites,' she had said, flicking her wrist in the way one might dismiss a pile of junk mail. 'Relatives nobody remembers.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jio/it-s-just-old-black-and-whites-she-had-said-flicking-her-wrist-in-the/) [Sarah Jio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jio/) > [Inspiration can be found in a pile of junk. Sometimes, you can put it together with a good imagination and invent something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/inspiration-can-be-found-in-a-pile-of-junk-sometimes-you-can-put-it/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-true-sign-of-intelligence-is-not-knowledge-but-imagination/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You will never win fame and fortune unless you invent big ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/you-will-never-win-fame-and-fortune-unless-you-invent-big-ideas/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [The function of the artist is to invent, not to chronicle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-function-of-the-artist-is-to-invent-not-to-chronicle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > ['The New Yorker' didn't invent the magazine cartoon, but it did really establish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/the-new-yorker-didn-t-invent-the-magazine-cartoon-but-it-did-really/) [Robert Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mankoff/) > [You can't invent something you have no epistemological access to. In a way, it's all recombination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/you-can-t-invent-something-you-have-no-epistemological-access-to-in-a/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [“Being a pioneer can be damn lonely, too early, no money, tough, endless, stupid,” Samwer said. “And that healed us. Since then, we basically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sennett/being-a-pioneer-can-be-damn-lonely-too-early-no-money-tough-endless/) [Frank Sennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sennett/) > [When you have a large amount of the workforce being laid off, some of them have no other choice but to go out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/when-you-have-a-large-amount-of-the-workforce-being-laid-off-some-of/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [My wish for humanity is to invent a way to communicate between us and whatever comes next. And in the end that we the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/my-wish-for-humanity-is-to-invent-a-way-to-communicate-between-us-and/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) ## More by Albert Einstein > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. There is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-imagine-that-i-look-back-on-my-life-s-work-with-calm-satisfaction/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The strongest force in the universe is Compound Interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-strongest-force-in-the-universe-is-compound-interest/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The right to search for the truth implies also a duty; one must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-right-to-search-for-the-truth-implies-also-a-duty-one-must-not/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/everything-that-is-really-great-and-inspiring-is-created-by-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The world we have made is a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-world-we-have-made-is-a-result-of-the-level-of-thinking-we-have/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Anyone who thinks science is trying to make human life easier or more pleasant is utterly mistaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/anyone-who-thinks-science-is-trying-to-make-human-life-easier-or-more/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Life isn't worth living, unless it is lived for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/life-isn-t-worth-living-unless-it-is-lived-for-someone-else/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Just because you don't believe in something doesn't mean it isn't true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/just-because-you-don-t-believe-in-something-doesn-t-mean-it-isn-t-true/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [But there is another reason for the high repute of mathematics: it is mathematics that offers the exact natural sciences a certain measure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/but-there-is-another-reason-for-the-high-repute-of-mathematics-it-is/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nothing-will-benefit-human-health-and-increase-the-chances-for/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) [Explore all 2,339 Albert Einstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To invent something, all you need is imagination and a big pile of junk.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Einstein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imagination-and-a-big-pile-of-junk/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imagination-and-a-big-pile-of-junk/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/albert-einstein-33_bigs_to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imag_931726.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/albert-einstein-33_bigs_to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imag_931726.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43a/albert-einstein-33_bigs_to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imag_931726.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To invent something, all you need is imagination and a big pile of junk.” — Albert Einstein", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Albert Einstein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To invent something, all you need...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imagination-and-a-big-pile-of-junk/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imagination-and-a-big-pile-of-junk/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```