Do you have a room in your home that you walk by all the time and think to yourself, “If only I could use this room for blank.” No judging on what your “blank” may be – that’s up to you. Or, maybe you have a related challenge: you have a specific blank you want to pursue and no “blanking” space to do it in. I’m beginning to appreciate the multiple uses of the word “blank” through this blog, which is highly fitting since the topic we’ll explore today is making your home more valuable through multi-purpose rooms.  

Some basic concepts of redesign will be a good starting point. Redesign is all about using what you already have, checking with family and friends to see if they have some items they no longer want or need, and finally, if you need to purchase something, trying to get something previously used so you can repurpose it into your home. Remember for this last one, it’s always worth checking local online markets like OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace, and of course any garage sales or thrift shops near you.

Multi-Purpose Room Idea 1: Creative Space

Suppose you have a guest room and really want a craft space where you can do all your creative projects without having to drag everything into the main part of your house and the accompanying hassle of putting it all away each time. This one is a no-brainer for creating a multi-purpose space.

Start by “active standing” in the guest room, which means moving to the center of the room and slowly turning in a circle taking physical or mental notes. What would you need to make that space work for both purposes? Does the room have a closet? If so, closets can be turned into great work areas for very little money. Many times, you can remove the closet doors and fit in a desk or work surface. If shelves are in place, you have instant storage. If you’re a crafter, you probably already have some type of rolling storage or cart you can also fit into this new space.

Electricity can be a bit of a challenge and may involve running some extension cords to get the power you need for lighting, sewing machine, or other tool when you are crafting. Not a hard fix, but something to consider as you’re planning your space.

Multi-Purpose Room Idea 2: Office & Bonus Space

Now let’s take that same guest room and fill in the “blanks” with two needs: a home office plus a bonus space for guests or to get your yoga on each day.

If you have a bed in the room, you may want to consider getting a sofa sleeper or a futon. When it’s in closed mode you will have ample room for yoga-ing. For your home office, you may add a desk to the space and shelves for storage. If you have a TV in the room for guests, you could mount it on the wall to free up additional surface area.

Perhaps you might consider going the route of finding a hutch or armoire that is big enough to be your “office” when it’s open, but when guests are on the horizon, it can be closed up and the office disappears. 

If you are doing a dual office-guest room, good storage is another thing to think about.  I don’t know about you and your office needs but in my office I have so much stuff.  Using baskets or storage cubes in cubbies can be a great way to store all the little stuff and make putting it away before guests come a much easier prospect.  There are a lot of different options for this type of setup so make sure you make a good list of all the needs that the room needs to satisfy so you can plan appropriately.

Steps For Setting Up A Multi-Purpose Room

1. Honestly assess what you need to accommodate your desired uses for the room.

2. Make a list of needed items and determine which you have and which you’ll need to get or buy.

3. Set a budget of what you’re willing to spend on the conversion.

4. Check online for ideas on how to make your multi-purposes work together in one space. Believe me, there are no shortage of ideas on Pinterest and other search sites.

5. Finally, be patient; often when you set up a new space for multiple purposes, you’ll find that only after using the space for a while will ideas to make the space even better become apparent. So, don’t feel you have to have absolutely everything figured out right away. If you get your basic needs right, the missing items and enhancements will become obvious over time.

A Functional Home Is a Happy Home

As our needs and desires change over time, we should be able to find different ways to make our homes work better for us to help accommodate those changes. Being creative with your home and how you choose to use the different spaces within it is part of the joy of having a home.

Sometimes you may feel your current home just isn’t serving you well, but if you really examine the options and you are able to repurpose certain areas, you may find that you can fall back in love with it. This experience has happened to my friends, clients and even me. A functional home is a happy home!

Don’t be afraid to get a little creative and think outside the box when looking for new solutions. Even if you come up with an idea that may seem a little unconventional to others, remember it’s your home and your space. You should always strive for ways to make it work the best for you.

Now, what will you do next to love where you live?

Please feel free to reach out to us at The Redesign Habit and ask questions or simply share a project that you are working on or have completed.

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