One of the most exciting parts of moving into a new home is the chance to work with its extra space and give additional rooms a variety of specialized purposes. As you prepare for the big day with your movers and packers and set up your new house exactly as you want it, consider these useful approaches for getting the most out of every part of your house:
Storage and access
Storage options range from informal to highly regimented. Whether you want to install an entire system designed to organize your closet or simply add a mix of shelving and racks, consider where these items can best fulfill their purpose.
If you don't plan to use an additional guest bedroom or small office, dedicating that space to storage can free other areas of the home for their intended uses. For example, cutting down on clutter in the garage means keeping both cars inside and safe from the elements. Similarly, a specific space for general storage can keep bedroom closets, basements and other areas more open and accessible for some of the uses detailed below.
Specialized use
There are plenty of things people want to have inside their homes instead of away from them. A home gym is a popular example, as it can cut down on the cost of staying fit in the long run and make it easier to squeeze some exercise into a busy schedule.
Creating a Home Gym
A home gym can go in a variety of spaces, from the basement to the garage and plenty of smaller areas throughout the house. MoneySense offers some tips to make your home gym inexpensive and practical. There are a few other pieces of advice to consider as well. Make sure to use protective floor mats in a concrete-floored basement or garage to prevent damage to your home or equipment. You should also carefully plan around the space available when purchasing large pieces of equipment. In many instances, smaller weight sets and calisthenics are effective, foundational exercises and don't require large pieces of gym gear.
Creating a Game Room
A game room is a popular choice for adults and kids alike, whether it's for classic board games or the type that require screens, keyboards and controllers. A dedicated place for play keeps other areas of the home uncluttered, while allowing gamers to use large screens and (safely) high volumes without worrying about their impact on family members. The DIY Network shared a work-intensive strategy for creating an excellent game room, but you can start off with a more informal approach, too. Simply get the basics set up - a table and some chairs for board games, the necessary accouterments for video games - and slowly make improvement and additions as time goes on.
Creating a Home Workshop
A workshop is a great place to focus on practical and fun projects, both for inside the home and out. Because of the mess that often comes with such a specialized area, it's usually easiest to relegate the workshop to the basement or garage. That may mean using a separate room in your home for storage to create enough space to fit all the tools, work surfaces, raw materials and other items necessary for a fully functioning workshop.
Want to get the most out of the space in your new home? Make sure to work with the professional movers from Atlas. They don't just make sure your belongings arrive safely, they can put each and every box, container and item exactly where it needs to go. That means it's much easier to start setting up your new home exactly as you like it.