Are you an empty nester? I feel for you. Once the kids have flown the coop, their old bedrooms can seem awfully empty. But they don’t have to be sad spaces in your home. In this article, I’ll show you some new, amazing things to do with bedrooms that just aren’t doing much for you anymore.
#1 Make a Meditation Room
Meditation has been proven to radically transform your health in a number of ways, including:
- Lowering your stress level
- Increasing your creativity
- Soothing inflammation
- Lowering your blood pressure
- And more!
You can see why so many CEOs and healers have made it an important part of their daily routine.
If you have an empty bedroom, why not make it into your personal meditation room? Having a designated space to meditate in may inspire you to keep this habit up.
Start by clearing the bedroom of clutter, then paint it a calm, restful color. If there’s a fireplace in the bedroom, consider making it into a shrine. Finally, fill it with plants, as there’s nothing like nature to promote a Zen state of mind.
#2 Hello, Craft Room!
Are you crafty? Me too. On a rainy day, there’s nothing I enjoy more than settling down with a paper craft or cool cricut idea.
However, as we all know, crafts have a tendency to take over the house. That’s why I recommend creating a special space for them, somewhere that’s out of the way. A disused bedroom fits that criteria to a T.
After removing the bed and any other furniture, add shelving to the room, as well as a high, durable table. You’ll finally have the space you need to explore your artistic side. Even better, you’ll be able to hit pause on your projects without having to clean them up!
#3 Guest Rooms Are the Best Rooms
Here’s the truth: no houseguest enjoys sleeping on the couch or in the den. For one thing, such rooms lack privacy, for another, couches are often uncomfortable, even if they have pull-out mattresses.
Give your houseguests the gift of a good night’s rest by turning your empty bedroom into a true guest room. To make it genuinely welcoming, include:
- Framed wall art (no tacked-up posters, please)
- Green, healthy houseplants
- A high-quality foam bed
- Decor accents with real personality, such as colorful pillows
#4 Create an Exercise Sanctuary
Did you know that exercise can help heal the depression that many mothers experience? It’s true! Exercise causes chemical changes in your brain that lead to elevated moods and increased well-being.
Sounds good, right? But it’s easier said than done. In my experience, one of the keys to actually exercising is to make it as easy as possible for myself.
That’s why I recommend turning empty bedrooms into exercise rooms. When you have an exercise bike, yoga mat, and other gear close at hand, it makes it harder to tell yourself that working out is too much trouble.
Up the sass level on your workouts by getting yourself some cute activewear. I really like Rochelle Porter’s designs.
#5 Meet Your New Lady Lair
What’s the opposite of a man cave? A lady lair, of course. I know this idea is a little cheesy, but these days, we need to find joy where we can. So why not turn a boring, empty bedroom into a relaxing, fun place for you to practice self-care?
Your lady lair needs may vary, but here are a few suggestions:
- Hanging up widescreen TV, adding a blanket-covered couch, and using this room as a “safe space” for watching the shows you love (and your partner hates)
- Setting up a rocking chair and a pile of books next to some art that inspires you
- Buying an antique bar cart and filling it with the makings for your favorite drinks
This is a “choose your own adventure” room. Honestly, you can’t go wrong as long as you’re following your bliss.
Your Empty Rooms Want to Be Reincarnated
Empty bedrooms don’t like being empty. They want to be useful to you! To truly shift the energy in your home, rethink the spaces you no longer use. By giving them new life, you’ll help yourself (and your family) feel happier, more optimistic, and more lively in general.