Home Improvement Project Ideas
for the Empty Nesters
For years, the kids have essentially run your home. Sure, you’re the head of the household and the one paying all the bills, but the kids have taken over the house itself. At a young age, it was toys, books, snacks, cups, and clothes, and as they got older it was homework, book bags, shoes, jackets, phone cords, and an endless coming-and-going of friends. Now that the house is kid-free, it’s time to reclaim it as your own
Below are just a few home improvement project ideas to get you started.
If You Want to Keep the Kids Rooms...
Add an Addition
Before we talk about the smaller-scale projects, let’s take a moment to discuss a bigger one: an addition. Perhaps you’d like to keep the guest room free for visits from family and friends (and, of course, the kids), but you still want a space of your own such as a home office, TV room, or exercise room. Maybe you’d like to add on to the kitchen or bathroom, or add a room over the garage. Regardless of the ideas, remember that an addition to your house will cost more than your basic home update or project. How much? The average cost for an addition is around $40,000, but depending on the project’s size and materials, it could be more. After all those years of parenting, you deserve it, so it’s something to keep in mind and start budgeting for.
If You’re Ready to Revamp the Kids Rooms...
Create a Home Office
How great would it be to have a dedicated office space other than the dining room table or living room couch where you can work, pay bills, or simply escape for a few moments of solitude? To create your home office, you’ll, of course, need a desk, but splurge on a comfy chair too. Take it to the next level with a mix of lighting (natural and ambient), décor, and plants for added greenery and a natural calming effect. Keep things organized by securing all cords underneath or behind the desk using binder clips, install shelving for extra storage, and get creative with a spice rack or mason jar to hold small office supplies. If you’re not able to take on any of these projects on your own, consider bringing in a handyman to help. The cost of hiring a handyman in nearby Lynchburg averages $505, but this will depend on the scope of the job.
Designate a Hobby Room
Rather than being banished to the garage, you can explore current and new hobbies in your own hobby room. Don’t have a hobby? The internet has plenty of hobby ideas for you such as painting, collecting, photography, or sewing to name a few. Creating a hobby room is similar to a home office. Simply fill it with all the necessary workstations, storage, and supplies you’ll need. Make it comfortable, let in the light, and add personal touches to help your creative juices flow.
Design a Walk-In Closet
Have you always dreamed of adding a walk-in closet? Well, now you have the space to create the closet of your dreams. You can easily get started by adding the right DIY closet system; The Container Store, Rubbermaid, Closetmaid, and IKEA are great places to start your search. Also, add signature closet pieces such as a wall mirror, shoe bench, jewelry drawer/hanger, hat rack, belt holder, and a graphic rug to bring it all together.
Make It a Multifunctional Space
Having that extra room is awesome, but maybe you’d like to have it be a guest room and also a space where you can do other things, suchs as the above-mentioned home office and hobby room, or perhaps an exercise room, yoga studio, or reading nook. You can get the best of both worlds with a Murphy bed, aka the bed that folds up into the wall. Your typical Murphy bed runs about $2,500, but if you want something a little more customizable, you’re looking at about $5,000. You can fold it down when you have company over, and easily fold it away and utilize the space in any way you want, making it a win-win situation.
You’ve got an empty nest and some extra space, congrats! Now what? Put some thought into what you’d like to do with that extra space, and make it happen!
By Ray Flynn, the DIY Guy
BTW: Need to add a family room, master bedroom suite or garage with living space above? Contact Jack@LogHomesByJack.com at 800.767.4916
