What to Do With a Spare Room — 20 Creative Ideas
Once your youngest kid leaves for college, you realize you now have an empty room in your house. Or perhaps you’re still planning a family and are looking for things to do with a spare room to bring some productivity erstwhile.
Whatever the case is, no one can deny that having a spare bedroom means an opportunity to experiment with different ideas. If you’re wondering what to do with the spare room, here are some fun ideas for extra room to get started!
Turn It Into A Home Office
In many cases, most homes don’t have a proper space to work from home.
Luckily, an empty bedroom can offer a far better WFH environment than just a simple writing table in your bedroom.
You arrange a table, chairs, office supplies, machines, bookshelves, file cabinets, as well as a sofa set if you expect visitors.
This way, even a small spare room will mean plenty of space and comfort for the perfect WFH career!
Build A Supply Closet
Some spare rooms are too small or oddly structured to become fully functional. Well, no worries! Supply closets make some of the best spare room ideas.
Here, you have a range of options for what you can keep in the spare room storage. You can keep your office files and records. You can store crafts or material supplies. You can even store spare stuff from your house, such as old furniture, suitcases, etc.
Install A Security System
If there’s crime in your neighborhood, or if your house is too big to keep an eye everywhere, then turn it into a security room.
An average security room only needs a few monitor screens, control panels, and a safe, so it doesn’t take up too much space, either.
This way, you can use a small part of a large room to monitor security or turn a small room entirely into a security system.
Start A Small Business
Investing in business property is expensive, especially as a small startup. Instead, you can turn your spare room into a mini startup.
You can use part of the room as a warehouse and the other to entertain clients. You can start a tailoring service, a spa, a beauty studio, or anything you can hope to monetize.
Once your business kicks off, you can use your earnings to integrate the room with more equipment!
Turn It Into A Guest Room
If you already have bedroom furniture in the spare room, then a guest room is one of the best extra room ideas.
Ensure that the interior is in a liveable condition. A bathroom, a mini kitchen, and an outer door would be a bonus.Then, you can advertise online, in newspapers, or register the room on Airbnb, set the rent, and get some passive income!
Practice Your Hobbies
Let your spare room be a room of fulfillment of your dreams. You can use it to learn a new hobby, such as photography or painting. You can turn it into a recording room and try your luck at podcasts. You can set up a gaming system and follow your dream for eSports.
Or, you can practice a skill, such as woodworks, sculpting, sewing, designing, etc. The choice is all yours!
Turn It Into A Plant Room
So what if you don’t have a big garden to decorate with an assortment of plants? A spare room can do just fine! You can buy a few pairs of pots, some good soil, and get a few seedlings from a local plant nursery!
You may have to do a bit of research and investment here, but the end results will be pretty satisfying. If the room doesn’t receive direct sunlight, you can install artificial lights or maybe keep some artificial planters.
Set Up A Library
Every bookworm knows the struggle of having more books but not enough space. However, a spare room can change that. You can use it to set up a mini library of your dreams.
Imagine a wood-velvet interior. A ladder to reach higher shelves. Plush chairs with a coffee mug by the window. The ideal reading room.
Plus, you can also rent books from the library. Just keep a catalog cabinet somewhere in the corner!
Turn It Into A Kids Playroom
A playroom can mean small ziplines, tent houses, toy cabinets, tunnels, hammocks, Twister mats, books, and so much more! You might ask for professional help in setting up a room for your kids, or you and your family can take up a DIY challenge.
This is going to help you keep all of your children’s mess away from the rest of the house and will give them a sense of independence as well.
Set Up A Lab
Are you a science lover? Are you into microscopes and telescopes, and incubators? If yes, then a small DIY lab is the perfect option! You can use this spare room to try out your own ideas, think, research, and even call other colleagues to brainstorm with you.
You can set up a lab for your chemical research, physics experiments, stargazing, botanical studies, or anything else you like!
Build A Vanity Room
Bring your fashion ideas to life with your very own vanity room! From skin care to massage chairs to shoe closets to your luxury wardrobe, do it all in an all-in-one vanity room.
You can use wallpapers, get wardrobe renovation, and buy some second-hand vanity furniture, or even DIY the room. You can also set up a nice little photography spot where you get the golden hour to photograph your fashion journey!
Set Up A Cozy Fireplace
If these ideas sound too permanent or extreme, then you may consider a cozy fireplace with some carpets and cushions. True, many households have fireplaces in their central lounges, but that’s also a pretty busy room.
Instead, a separate fireplace can offer more privacy, comfort, and peace of mind, especially after a long day of working or parenting!
Build A Mini Pet Sanctuary
Having pets is fun, but it can sometimes be infuriating. Therefore, a separate room for your pets sounds like a great idea.
Cats, dogs, owls, birds, fish, koalas, lion cubs, deers, goats. Whatever’s your kind, you can customize your room that way.
You can keep cages, you can build a miniature barn, fit an aquarium, or even merge multiple habitats into one!
Turn It Into A Meditation Room
Normal rooms have way too many distractions to allow us to focus, so why not use the room for that much-needed escape? You can keep this room a safe haven for inspiration, mental peace, and reflection.
A minimal interior with a yoga mat, a prayer mat, some incense, soft lights, and speakers with relaxing sounds. And there you go! It’s now your go-to when times are bad or when you want a quick power nap.
Set Up A Home Gym
A personal gym, customized for the whole family, right in your own home. How cool does that sound?
Depending on the room size and your skillset, you can install a few basic pieces of gym equipment here. You can keep a treadmill, dumbbells, punching bags, ropes, or anything else that you use at the gym.
Make Yourself A Home Cinema
What better way to unwind after a long day at work than putting on your favorite movie in your very own home cinema? Home cinemas are easy to set up and a great way to use a spare room.
All you’ll need to do is buy a home cinema unit and you’re good to go. You can also switch out the unit with any large flat screen TV or, for a budget friendly option, a projector!
Set Up A Gaming Room
If you have any gaming enthusiasts in the house, using your spare room for gaming purposes is a great idea! This way, all gaming equipment is confined to one room, and the rest of the TVs are free for other household members to use!
A gaming room is also simple to set up. You’ll just need a sturdy desk and chair, a television, and of course the gaming consoles themselves.
Turn It Into A Walk In Closet
Most people are always looking for the best way to utilize the space within their houses, and let’s face it, most closets are pretty small. So, if you’re someone who likes to shop, or just happens to have a lot of clothes and accessories, turn your spare room into a walk-in closet!
Get some shelves built, move some dressers into the room, and get a nice mirror installed! Once that’s done, enjoy all the extra storage.
Use It As A Spare Bathroom
It’s never a bad idea to have a spare bathroom in the house, especially if you only have one or two to start with. A spare bathroom can always come in handy for big families, or serve as a guest bathroom for when you’re expecting company.
Make It A Music Room
For any music lover, a spare room is a godsend. You can take advantage of this extra space and turn it into a music room. Use it to store any instruments you have lying around and turn it into a practice space too!
Conclusion
A spare room is like that hen that lays a golden egg. You’re lucky to have one, but you should do your best to use it wisely. Instead of letting it sit and collect dust and amount to useless property tax, it’s a good idea to turn it into a source of income.
Or, if you’re already too much into work and are looking for some fun ideas, then our list has some of the best ideas for you to try!
