Four Ways to Make Your Home Work for You (When You Can’t Move)
Homeownership used to be a clear progression: you bought a “starter” home when you were young, built up equity, and then made money as prices went up and up to something bigger, newer, or with features you really wanted. And if you bought a home that didn’t live up to expectations, or if your situation changed without warning (hello, surprise third child!), you’ll list the place and move on to a better option.
But increasingly it seems like an artifact of a bygone era. These days, it’s easy to feel “stuck” in your current home—whether because of that amazing mortgage rate you were locked in years ago, the incredible value of a home these days, or some other issue. If this is you, don’t despair: You may not be able to sell and move right now, and an expensive renovation or whole-house addition may not happen, but there’s a lot you can do to your current home to make it fit your family and lifestyle, without having to launch a Kickstarter.
Work with it
If you’re stuck in your current home, your first step is to evaluate what you have and find ways to make it work for you. This doesn’t have to involve an expensive major renovation or extension – there are probably plenty of resources already in your current home that you’re not making full use of, such as:
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Closets are potentially versatile spaces that can become home offices, closets, or even small spare bedrooms.
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Home offices don’t have to be a separate room—aside from a tiny closet, you can place an office under a loft bed, in the corner of a bedroom, or under a flight of stairs.
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Hallways are often overlooked as usable space , but if they’re wide enough, you can add seating, libraries, and even a sleeping area in hallways.
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A second (or third) bathroom might not be possible if your home (and budget) is small, but if you just want a practical solution, you really can create a usable bathroom almost anywhere in your home without any plumbing.
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Storage is one of the main reasons people feel like they’ve outgrown their homes, but you might be surprised at how much extra storage space you can carve out of your home if you think about it.
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Having laundry in your home is one of the greatest gifts of modern times. If your current home doesn’t have a washing machine, a portable washing machine can make your life easier until you find a place with laundry facilities.
By harnessing every inch of your home’s potential, you can find ways to make it meet your needs—at least for a while.
Start over
Sometimes all you need to make your home work for you is a reset. A cluttered, overcrowded home can have a negative impact on your overall mental health, which will obviously affect how you feel about your home. Rooms filled with boxes cannot be used for their intended purpose, and the constant feeling of bustle and unfinished tasks can make the home less comfortable. Decluttering and decluttering your home can make your home feel almost brand new.
And it doesn’t have to be a monumental project that requires time off from work and an extra therapy session—start with one room. Give it a complete clean, cleanse and freshen it up (a coat of paint can make a room look brand new) and then reintroduce it. Even if it remains a storage space, keeping it clean and tidy will make it usable , which will make you feel more positive about it and therefore the home. Repeat these steps for each room at your own pace, and you’ll gradually regain that sense of pride, control and ownership that you had when you first bought the place.
Look outside
You may have explored your available square footage and decluttered like a champ, and there are things your current home can’t give you. After all, space is limited and there may not be super creative solutions that can give you the space or functionality you need.
If you are stuck in your home for a while, you may find satisfaction by looking elsewhere for what your home is missing. Don’t have a place to workout? A gym membership will help you. Don’t have room for even a tiny office? A coworking space nearby may be suitable. If your closets are overflowing, shipping seasonal items to a local storage facility could give you back your home. While ideally you might want to have all of these items conveniently located in your home, storing them temporarily will at least satisfy your needs until you can make some property moves.
Personalization
It’s funny: you go through all the hassle and expense of buying a home, and then work really hard to keep the place “neutral” for potential resale. You never use the tub, but you keep it because it’s “resaleable.” You choose paint colors and design elements that generally match what “most people” want in a home.
This can lead to the house never being yours – it’s like living in someone else’s house. If you’re going to be in this home for a while, one way to feel better and make it work for you is to go in the opposite direction: personalize the space. Choose colors and furniture pieces that make you happy, display your collections and artwork, DIY whatever you want or need to use the space the way you want. If part of the reason you want to move is feeling uncomfortable in your current home, working to make it as comfortable as possible (resale value be damned) may solve the problem.