Like a lot of people, you move into a house in preparation for your first child. You need more room, so you find somewhere with at least one additional bedroom – but ideally two. One room is used as the baby’s room when they arrive, and the other is a spare room for guests. It’s the perfect setup…until baby number two arrives!
Having a second child throws everything up in the air; you now need even more space. Ideally, you want to keep the spare room, but you also need both of your kids to have their own space as they grow older. It feels like you have to move again, but there’s one simple solution staring you in the face: convert the attic.
You only use it for storage, which means you’re wasting so much valuable space in your home. It’s time to embark on a home improvement project and convert this space into a new kid’s bedroom. Here’s what you should do:
Move everything into storage
An attic seems like a great storage place, but it’s terrible. Most attics aren’t equipped to keep things in great condition – unless you convert them into livable spaces! Nevertheless, you like keeping things up there because it removes clutter from your home and feels like the only place to store them.
On the contrary, you can get the best of both worlds by using storage units. Move all of the attic clutter into a storage unit for a small monthly cost. Think of it this way; it allows you to add a new bedroom to your home without having to move house and spend far more money.
Clear it all out, leaving you with an empty attic space that’s ready to convert.
Make the attic livable
This is the biggest step in the conversion process. You need to turn your attic into a cold, dark, and gloomy place into something a child wants to sleep in every night. Make it a livable area by focusing on the following:
- Boarding the flooring
- Installing more insulation
- Adding lots of lighting
- Decorating it with kids stuff
The first two points will be the hardest, so you may want to get help with them. Board up the floors and reinforce the walls/roof with quality insulation so the room feels warmer and more soundproof. Lighting brings it to life – and the final step is a brilliant excuse to spend quality time with your kids. Ask your child to help decorate their new room and they can pick out everything they want.
Be sure there’s a safe way in and out
Lastly, we have a step everyone always forgets. Your attic is usually accessible by a ladder that pulls down from the ceiling and allows you to climb up. This is a great space-saving idea, but it’s not ideal for a kid’s bedroom.
This room has to be as safe as possible, so you’ll need to install some permanent stairs for your child to walk up and down. There should be a handrail on them for added safety – you’ll find tons of ideas on Pinterest to give inspiration.
After all of this, you’ve completed a big home renovation project and added a new kid’s bedroom. It stops you from needing to move home and deal with all of that stress, yet you gain extra room for a growing family, while keeping the handy spare room too!