January 13, 2008

add square footage to your home- in just one day!


chaise (by Design Snitch)


This time of year, a lot of people start thinking of organizing and straightening up around their home. (Of course, some of us just feel pressured into doing it by the barrage of articles and TV shows that seem to be haunting us at every turn...)

Organizing often leads to an all-out investigation of your home and the positives and negatives of your life there- Are things feeling a little cramped? Has your office taken over your living room? Do you need a "me" spot in the house, just to relax and be indulgent?

If you're wishing for a little extra space... take a look around- you might already have it!

Call me a rebel- but I've never been one to follow the rules ALL the time. If your home is set up according to the name of the room on your floor plan, it might be time for you to become a rebel, too. Tie a bandana on your head and start a revolution in your own home! It's time to reclaim your space and redefine your rooms- but where do you start?

* Begin by identifying the room that is LEAST used in your home. This room is usually the "formal" living room, dining room, or a spare bedroom. Really think about this room and how much you DON'T use it... I know, I know- it may contain your grandmother's antique dining room set or your prized collection of beanie babies, but it could soon be the answer to your lust for new space.


* Need some help opening your eyes to this idea? The answer lies in simple math. (Believe me, this is the ONLY time I'll ask you to do math...ICK!) Take the total heated square footage of your home and divide it by the current dollar value. This number is your home's value per square foot. Now take the square footage of that underutilized room and multiply it by your per square foot value. BAM. That's how much that room is worth in dollars and cents. Now come on- your grandmother was no dummy... would she want you wasting that much money in the name of her antique table? (Ignore this if your grandmother was a Kennedy or Vanderbilt...)


* Money might not be your motivator. That room you're dreaming of may have value in another form of currency: happiness. You may be longing to turn that old bedroom into an art gallery, craft room, or collectible room. Some may think this is "wasted space", but if that room will make you feel content, then it will have TRUE value- do it!


* I'm not saying dispose of everything that is in the room now. The last thing you will ever hear from me is "get rid of that"! If you love something or if it has meaning to you, then you should be enjoying it every day! This redefinition project is a good way for you to think of ways to use what you have in different places. A buffet piece or china cabinet looks incredible in living areas of the home. Take the doors off that china cabinet and place art inside the display area for a unique and fresh look!


Go on- dream big! To motivate you to begin your project, it helps to envision your "new" room in its recreated state. Imagine being able to lounge in that chaise by the window and read or watch TV in your very own sitting room...

leopard chaise (by Design Snitch)


Can you estimate how much more productive your household or business could be with a fully- functioning office? How about a room to organize and house all those toys?! No more tripping on Barbie as you walk down the hallway in the middle of the night for that Diet Coke "fix"! Yay!

The way we live is changing dramatically. Let your house reflect that change! Don't let traditions and outdated floor plans dictate how your space is "supposed" to be utilized. Don't just wish for that "new" room- it just takes a little creative thinking (and maybe a bandana) to find that space you're wanting in your home today!

1 comment:

kat said...

This post could have been written just for me! Trying to simplify this year!