This is generally the time of year when people have chance to reflect after the festivities are all over and people look to re-organize around the home and their lifestyles in general. Are you finding that your home feels a lot smaller than it used to?
Perhaps your family has grown, or you have more pets and the house is beginning to feel like the size of a doll-house. New bikes, toys and other bulky items have started to take over and you feel like there is no option but to move into a bigger home? Moving house can be stressful. In fact research shows that moving house can be one of the most stressful events in life.
If you don’t want to have to face the pains of a house move then there are other options you can look into. If your kids are happy at a local school and have friends in the neighborhood then the last thing you will want to do is uproot them.
Lets look at some ways you can create extra space without having to buy a whole new house:
Loft conversion – This has become a very popular and relatively cheap way of increasing the amount of space that you have. Turn that unused loft into another room and you will almost feel like you have moved house.
Extension – If you have the option to extend your property then this could also be a very worthwhile investment, creating a large amount of extra space without the need to uproot the family.
Outdoor Buildings – There are different options that you can look into when it comes to getting an outdoor building. If you have a fair amount of room outdoors then this is a really good option. You can keep it cheap by getting a wooden or plastic shed to store lots of your bulky items in – the BBQ, the bikes, the lawnmower etc. Free up some space by moving your rarely used items outdoors. If you’re looking for something a bit bigger and intend to use the space to work in rather than for storage, have you thought about steel buildings? Durable and strong, if you have enough space you could construct an outside building that is separate to your house but provides a great opportunity for new space.
Have a clear out – Of course, the cheapest and most simple solution is to have a severe clear out. Be totally ruthless when it comes to what you are keeping. If the kids don’t want to let their old toys go even though they aren’t using them, play hardball. Tell them they can’t get any more toys until they have made room for them. That usually does the trick, especially coming up to birthdays! If you started a hobby years ago that you never carried on and you have loads equipment left then get rid. Always go by the motto ‘if you don’t use it, lose it!’
