What To Do With Extra Space in Your Home

It’s not uncommon to have an area in your home that you just don’t know what to do with. This could be a small nook that isn’t big enough to be its own room or a former bedroom that you no longer need. Extra space is particularly an issue for parents after their kids leave for college. They might have three or four rooms that their kids no longer need. Instead of downsizing, you can put these rooms to work and get the most out of your space. 

There are multiple creative uses for the extra space in your home — regardless of why it is there. Here are a few ways to get creative with these areas to maximize your living space.  

Don’t Let Space Go to Waste

There are multiple reasons you might have an unexpected amount of space in your home. For some people, rooms open up when kids move out (or at least grow out of their toys and play area). For others, they might have extra rooms when they no longer need roommates to afford their mortgage and can live on their own. You might even have an entire house full of extra space if you inherited the family home and it’s much bigger than your shoebox apartment. 

The first step is to evaluate the unused space to identify what isn’t being used to its full extent. A few common rooms that are often unused include: 

• Bedrooms: these often become guest rooms that are only used once or twice a year. 
• Den or bonus room: some homes have multiple entertaining areas, which you might not need if you only have one TV. 
• Space in the garage: you might suddenly have more room in your garage if you no longer have a roommate who parks their car in that spot. 
• Yard space: people often have unexpected yard space when they sell their boats or when they remove backyard playgrounds because their kids have grown up. 
• Office or library: not everyone needs a home office or an extensive library, leaving this space unused throughout most of the day. 

It’s worth your time and effort to remodel these spaces to better meet your needs. One study by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that 84% of people have a greater desire to be in their homes after a remodel. Plus, when the time comes to sell this property, you can highlight the value of these usable spaces. You won’t confuse buyers with unused space, leaving them wondering how they would utilize different rooms.  

Ideas for Revitalizing Empty Rooms

You can convert almost any room into a new living space that accommodates your lifestyle, hobbies, and storage needs. Just because a space was designated as a bedroom doesn’t mean you have to put a bed in there. 

There are some spaces you might be able to update just by moving furniture around, but others may require a remodel to meet your needs. Evaluate what it would take to create your dream room and the costs versus the long-term benefits of making this upgrade.

Guest Bedroom

One of the easiest ways to utilize a room is to turn it into a guest space. In most cases, you really just need a bed and a few small pieces of furniture to make the room feel cozy. However, there are a few other factors to consider depending on how you want to use the room. For example: decide what bathroom guests would use when they visit. You might not want people to stay over as often if everyone has to share one bathroom. 

Consider adding or renovating a bathroom for your guest space if you want to host more people. A bathroom (especially an en suite design) can also be an upsell if you plan to rent out the room for passive income.

Home Office

Home offices have quickly become popular amenities within homes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has been on the rise. Today, 26% of U.S. employees work remotely full-time, while 66% work remotely at least part of the time. Remote work also enables entrepreneurship. More than half (51.6%) of all U.S. small businesses are home-based.

Whether you simply need a workspace during the day or want to run an entire business from your home, you need a home office. Consider utilizing your extra space to set up a desk, printer, filing cabinet, and other essentials to successfully work from home. This way you don’t have to work at the kitchen table and can mentally clock out as soon as you leave the room. 

Hobby Room

Some homeowners get creative with their extra space and use it to explore some of their favorite hobbies. You can fill your room with fabric and embrace your inner seamstress or install flooring and full-length mirrors to enjoy an in-house dance studio. The hobby room can accommodate almost any interest, from model train sets to porcelain kitten figurines. You already love your hobbies, so give them the space they deserve. 

Home Gym

If your nearest gym is far away or you don’t enjoy sharing equipment and waiting for weights, consider turning an existing space into a home gym. Make sure your flooring won’t get damaged by the machines or by dropping weights on the floor — you should be able to find foam squares specifically for home gyms. Also make sure you have enough space to complete your workouts, especially if you build cardio into your training. 

Many people turn their garages or basements into home gyms. Look for a space that will stay cool in the summer. Weight lifting in a hot garage can get dangerous, especially if there isn’t anyone nearby and you need a spot. 

Yoga or Meditation Studio

If you are looking for a more relaxing option, consider turning your extra space into a home yoga studio. This is different from a home gym. You want to create a room where you leave your stress behind and can focus on your breathing and your muscle movements.

Look for a room that you can either darken easily or has plenty of natural light and a beautiful view that you can look at while you meditate or work through multiple positions. You can also add a sound system or speaker to this space for calming music. 

Home Theater

If you have a dark, windowless room in your house, consider creating a home theatre. You can create this space with a TV screen and a comfortable couch or you can invest in a projector, surround sound system, and luxury reclining chairs. 

Even if you don’t have a windowless space, you can still create a home theatre in an unused bedroom or den. Research blackout curtains and blinds that block out the sun completely so you have an ideal space to watch your favorite movies.