As your family grows, you’ll begin to feel like your house is getting smaller. But before you automatically decide to move and upgrade to a bigger house (cha-ching!), you should begin by considering different ways to work with what you’ve got.
5 Ways to Create More Space
Over time, houses have a way of getting cramped. We add new stuff, new animals, and even new people. Yet those four walls stay in the same place. This can turn an otherwise comfortable house into a crowded mess.
In light of this, here are a few ways to address your lack of space without putting a for-sale sign in the front yard.
- Add a Bedroom
You might not have space to add a bedroom in your existing floor plan, but is there a way to build out? Have a builder or architect look at your property and see if there’s an opportunity to blow out the backside of the house and create a new space. It won’t necessarily be cheap, but it could be less expensive than a move. Plus, you’ll recoup a large percentage of this cost when it comes time to sell.
- Turn a Garage Into Useable Square Footage
What do you use your garage for? If you’re like most Americans with a garage, it’s no longer somewhere you park a vehicle. Instead, it’s a space for storing items or working on projects. But what if you could turn this space into usable square footage?
Upfitting a garage into an additional room – such as a playroom, office, or bedroom – can change the entire feel of your house. It’ll add several hundred square feet and give you the breathing room you’ve been searching for!
- Build an Outdoor Shed
If you do away with your garage, you’re going to need someplace to store all of your lawn equipment, tools, and other items that were previously being stored there. One option is to build an outdoor shed.
Depending on the amount of space you need (and how much room you have in your backyard), you may consider installing a metal building. These are extremely cost-effective options that provide a surprising amount of space. You can even turn it into a shed or workshop.
- Declutter
Even a 5,000-square-foot home can feel crowded if you have too much stuff. Sometimes the simple act of decluttering can be all you need to give your house new life.
If you have your own decluttering method, then by all means use it. But if you’re looking for some ideas on how to proceed, we recommend going room by room and using the five-pile method. With this approach, you start in one corner of the room and go through every single item and place it in one of five piles: (1) Keep, (2) Recycle, (3) Trash, (4) Donate, or (5) Sell.
When it comes to determining what you keep, ask yourself two qualifying questions:
- Is it useful?
- Does it bring me joy?
If you answer yes to one or both of these questions, keep the item. If you answer no to both, place it in one of the other four piles. You’ll be shocked by how many items you get rid of (and how much space it frees up).
- Reconfigure the Layout
One final option is to reconfigure the existing layout of your house to make it more accommodating to your family’s needs.
For example, if the main living areas of your home feel cramped, you could potentially remove a dividing wall and combine the kitchen and dining room. Or if you have a formal living room and a den, swapping/merging the two rooms may give you a more functional space for the family to spend time.
Putting it All Together
Every house is different. Likewise, every family has a unique dynamic. In one situation, a family of five might get along just fine in a 1,500-square foot townhouse. In another instance, a family of four might find it challenging to live in a 3,000-square foot house without feeling overcrowded. It depends on personalities, needs, and characteristics of the house.
As you consider your own situation, be sure to explore all of the different options. While moving might ultimately be the right choice, you shouldn’t immediately jump to that conclusion without first considering other opportunities. Use this article as a simple starting point to push you along.
