If you’ve moved out of the house, we’ve got some news for you: Mom and Dad are already eyeing your old room and coming up with cool ideas for a complete makeover. While you might have to sleep on the couch during your visits, it’s great to know that your parents will be able to get plenty of use out of your former bedroom now that you’re on your own. Check out some of the possible ways your parents might be thinking of renovating your room.
Work out with a Gym
Image via Shutterstock
Using their adult kid’s room as a gym is perhaps the option you should push on Mom and Dad the most. After all, it will be great for their health to have a convenient place where they can stay in shape! Plus, you’ll have access to some workout equipment on every visit home, which is sure to come in handy when you gain five pounds after Thanksgiving dinner. Even in small rooms, there’s usually enough space for some essential exercise equipment, like an elliptical machine, some free weights, and a weight bench. Full-length mirrors and some floor mats will make the space feel like a real gym.
Work at Home in Their New Office
If your parents have no intention of retiring soon, they might want to use your former bedroom as a home office. If your Dad is anything like Notre Dame Professor Kent Emery, Jr., say goodbye to your room. He turned his daughter’s old bedroom into an office when she flew the coop.
Those who work from home or sometimes have some after-hours work to attend to will love the ability to retreat to a quiet place to get some work done. Now that your bed is long gone, they’ll have plenty of room for a desk, a computer, and all their files.
Host Their Friends with a Guest Room
The easiest transition is usually when parents decide to turn their adult kid’s room into a guest room. You may not appreciate, yet, how much it cost to raise you, but Facebook user Hae Larson says, “put it on AirBnB for profit.” It’s a chance for your parents to make some extra cash since you will presumably only be home for the holidays and special occasions. They can repurpose your bed rather than having to figure out where to store it. As for all your odds and ends, they might need a storage unit to keep your childhood souvenirs safe. However, all that free space means they can make it into a guest room that feels like a fancy hotel. It might not feel quite the same without your posters and photos on the walls, but it sure is nice to be able to sleep in your old room when you visit home.
Explore Their Creativity with a Craft Room
If your parents have a special talent for the arts, they might enjoy using your old room as a dedicated craft room. Certain crafts take up lots of space, whether it’s sewing, woodworking, scrapbooking, or gift wrapping, so it’s nice to have a whole room where they can spread out. It’s a great idea to find some attractive home storage solutions they can install in the room in order to keep all their supplies neatly organized. Then, they can find a nice big table where they can work on all their masterpieces.
Build Their Own Hobby Room
Maybe your parents aren’t into crafts, but they do have a hobby that requires a bit of space. Playing an instrument is a popular one, which means that Mom and Dad might want to put a few things in your old space to spruce it up. While rock n’ rollers might want to install sound-proofing and speakers for their drums or guitars, the room could also be taken up by an elegant piano or fancy music stands where a parent can practice their Beethoven or Bach.
Finally Get the Walk-In Closet
If there’s a shortage of clothing storage in your parents’ home, consider the fact that they might want to turn your room into a deluxe closet. This is an especially popular choice for parents who have their own bedroom next door to or just down the hall from your old room. Installing beautiful storage systems where all their clothes, shoes, and accessories can be neatly organized is a dream come true for parents who have struggled with a tiny closet in their own room for years.
Turn your old Bedroom into a Storage Room
While you might be wondering what cool ideas your parents will come up with for your old room, the real answer might not be all that exciting. Many parents simply end up using an old bedroom for storage. Though it sounds boring, it can actually be a great thing. Hey, maybe they’ll finally clear out that extra space in the garage so you can park your car in there when you visit! Plus, they’ll suddenly know where all those long-lost mementos are stored now that everything is organized in a larger space.
It can be tough to say goodbye to your old room. But with these great options for using an adult kids’ room as a guest room, or for converting the room into a gym or other unique space, you can be excited for your parents as they transition to a new and exciting empty nest.
