Recapturing Unused Space in Your Home-According to LiLu

By Lisa Peck, ASID
Confess, you have a room or nook that is used to stuff things you don’t know what to do with, don’t you? Or a “guest room” where the main occupants are boxes of memorabilia that you just can’t quite part with? Or a porch filled with old toys no one plays with (oops that’s my confession, not yours!) Today’s blog is dedicated to reclaiming and reimagining these spaces and turning them into meaningful spaces. Spots that you can use to do the things you love or be with the people you love.

Step One

The first thing you must do is take an honest and brave inventory of whatever is in the space. Is it clutter or is it useful? If you don’t have the heart or the head to figure this out on your own, I recommend enlisting the help of a brutally honest friend or compassionate professional. They can help you sort through things, develop an executable plan and make room for a new type of space in your live. One of my favorite people who does this is Dia Paxton of Home Harmonics.

Step Two

After you have cleared space you can decide what you want to do with it! This is the exhilarating part of the process for me. Maybe you have a hobby you think you would like to pursue or you’ve always wanted to host book club but haven’t had the space. Perhaps you’ve wanted to have the perfect teen hangout but your cluttered basement seemed impossible to wrangle. The idea of having a creating space for a new activity without expanding your home is truly a joyful thought.

Step Three

To turn your dream into a reality, you will need a plan. Whether you are approaching your project on your own or you have a professional helping you, developing a complete picture of your space and all the things that will need to happen to implement it is THE key to realizing your dream space. It’s a little like have a road map for a trip. Understanding your starting point and your destination will ensure success.