Flux Capacity: 5 Steps to (Constantly) Repurposing a Room

Ahh, “extra” rooms, the dilemma of the empty-nester. The kids have grown up and have their own pads – what do you do with their old rooms? The last thing you need is a pair of stockrooms littered with old toys, bits of boxes, and hoarded, underused furniture – looking look like an atomic bomb went off.

Time to reclaim that space. The art studio you want for painting? Totally doable. A mini-gym to pump iron or a yoga spot for the missus? It’s yours. You can even set up that mini-theater you’ve always dreamed about –  you’re limited only by your imagination.

“And my budget,” you add. Well, not necessarily. You simply need a remodeling philosophy that’ll stretch the possibilities of an existing room, without exploding your mind and wallet. Something that isn’t necessarily set in stone and allows you a certain amount of ongoing flexibility.

Introducing, Flux Capacity or 5 steps to (constantly) repurposing a room!

Set aside two spare rooms. Or, if your extra room is big enough, divide it into two.

Think of the first room as your front stage. This is where stuff gets done. This is where the magic happens. The art, the work, the study, the exercise. Your second room is your green room. This is where things wait when unneeded on stage. This is a glorified stock room where your tools wait to be called up for action.

Internalize. What are your goals for the year? Decide on the roles your front stage will play throughout the next 12 months. (e.g. January – workout room, March to May – summer home theatre, November to Dec – entertainment room with mini bar, etc).

Your plan will help you change things up as the year progresses. It will also keep your green room from becoming just another storage room. Remember why you’re doing this – to shake things up and use the room with purpose.

Put everything in place. Prepare your front stage and stock up the green room for the months to come.

For example, say you want to write a book. You can set the room up as a study. Meanwhile, your green room is full of other stuff (musical instruments, mini-bar etc) for when your writing project is over and you’re ready to transform the room into something else.

Because your room is in a state of flux, you get to clean and maintain it differently. It also means constantly evaluating your stuff, Marie Kondo-style. Do you need to keep things you have little affection for? Get rid of them. Temper your tendency to hoard. When the green room fills up, think of the things you can let go. That way you can live a clutter free lifestyle.

Whether you’re building a man cave with mini -bar and -theatre, a music room to play your old vinyl records and forgotten instruments, or a mini-gym for exercise and wellness, it’s fun repurposing rooms every few months, depending on the seasons and cycles of your life.