If you’re expecting your family to expand soon, whether it’s because you’re welcoming a new baby into the mix or because you’re inviting someone to live with you, like an elderly parent, you shouldn’t underestimate how much even one new addition can interrupt the flow of the household. They demand extra space and use of the shared facilities, so the right upgrades can be a crucial part of adapting the home to everyone’s needs. Here are a few to consider.
More Living Space
No renovation can make a bigger difference than adding more livable space to your home. Whether you’re finishing a basement, converting an attic, or adding an extension to create more room for play, storage, or an extra bedroom, ensuring that new arrivals have their own space can relieve a lot of strain.. As more people live in a home, opting for a more open-plan design for shared spaces like the living room, hallway, or kitchen can also reduce clutter and the feeling of not having enough space to share.
Upgrading Your Kitchen’s Functionality
As the hub of the household, the busier the house, the busier the kitchen is likely ot be as well. You can accommodate all of that extra activity if you renovate with open layouts, ample counter space, and family-friendly features like large islands with seating or easy-to-clean surfaces. Add deep drawers for pots and pans, a pantry for bulk storage, and energy-efficient appliances to handle increased cooking needs. It might be a good time to ensure you’re using the appropriately durable materials for flooring, counters, and the like, as well as more people mean more foot traffic, more spills, and more general wear and tear.
Prevent Bathroom Fights
When there are more people in the home, the chances of arguments over bathroom usage can increase as more people need to shower and prepare for their day, not to mention take care of those bodily needs. Adding an extra bathroom or converting a half-bath to a full one is often the best solution. However, taking the time to renovate your bathroom with double sinks, walk-in showers, and larger vanities can help reduce congestion, allowing people to either share the space or be a lot more efficient with it. Don’t neglect to look at your water heater to ensure that you’re able to meet the hot water demands of a growing family, too.
Finding Your Storage Spaces
In order to make extra room, you might find yourself shifting a lot of things around. Past storage areas could find themselves becoming fully functional rooms, meaning you have a need for new storage spaces. Consider expanding closets or building custom storage units in hallways and living areas. Laundry rooms can also be upgraded with extra cabinets, folding tables, and even a second washer/dryer to handle the load. Thinking vertically, where possible, with mounted organizers or overhead storage can help a lot, as well.
The best renovations always keep in mind not just what you need now, but what you might need in the future, as well. Keep that in mind as you choose which of those mentioned above might make a real difference.
