Repurposing for the Empty Nester (Pt. II)

In last week’s post we spoke about how to repurpose your child’s bedroom after they leave for college. If your son or daughter won’t be visiting as frequently, then you can still make the most of the empty bedroom you have with some of the suggestions below:

Renting:

A spare bedroom provides a great opportunity to make some extra income while offering someone a place to stay. If you live near a college or university, consider renting out the bedroom to a local student. Living in a dorm can be pretty costly for some, but you will be providing a more affordable option. Plus, it might be nice to still have someone around who is close to your son or daughter’s age.

If you’re not interested in renting out long term, subletting your space on Craigslist or AirBnB gives you more control over the dates in which the tenants will be occupying the bedroom. If you’re concerned with who your potential tenants are, AirBnB  lets you see and review those who are interested so you can trust who will be staying in your home.

Personal Office:

Creating a home office is incredibly simple: just set up a desk and a wifi connection, and you’re good to go. Add shelves or some space for books and you’ve added a library in addition to your office. You can decorate with posters, plants and a sofa to make it your home away from home for those late nights at “the office.”

Rec Room:

Whether it’s a crafting corner or a place to put all those action figures you’ve had in storage all those years, give yourself a space to unwind and relax. You can finally go ahead and turn the empty bedroom into that man-cave you’ve always been dreaming about complete with a mini bar (we can’t say we aren’t jealous).

Home Gym:

Setting up a home gym might seem intimidating and time consuming – but by turning the spare bedroom into your own personal workout space you’ll be saving money in the long term by forgoing that gym membership that you were hassled into. Plus, the incentive is greater if everything is already set up and so easily accessible. By personalizing what you want in your gym, you’re creating an environment where you won’t feel overwhelmed with too much equipment or intimidated by others working out. No one will have to know if you’ve been following through on that New Years Resolution (but we hope you have been).

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Browne Architecture