Repurposing Space in Your Home

Original Purpose of Space

Usually when we move to a new home, we designate spaces for our daily living. Most homes have living room space, kitchen, dining area, bedroom, and bathroom. The home might also have an entry, den, laundry room, pantry, guest room, and office. Each room has a purpose and some rooms may have multiple purposes.

Why Re-Purpose?

Over time family dynamics may change. The original purpose of some of the spaces shifts. This may be a slow shift or a sudden change due to a life-changing situation.

As children grow, they may start using the dining area as a study area. The same space may also be used to work on bills because there is more space to spread out than the original communication center in the kitchen.  Rarely is it used for a sit-down dinner. This dining room space now takes on a cluttered and haphazard look.

Work dynamics change and all of a sudden, your work office is now somewhere in your daily living space. This crowds the original items that were there in whatever space is now being shared – the living room, the bedroom, or the dining area.

A guest room is so rarely used that it becomes an easy space to store items that have come into the home without a real designated space to put them. The door is shut and the room has lost its original purpose altogether. It is now an unorganized drop spot and storage area.

A spouse leaves or dies and the office or clothes storage left behind, now has no purpose. Other items are added for storage and it becomes overfull and overwhelming.

Your home no longer matches your vision. It is not a refuge to come home to but instead a place where everywhere you look you see items out of place and projects that need to be done.

How to Re-Purpose Space

In order to reclaim your home and match it to your new lifestyle, visit each area in your home and ask these questions.

·        What is bothering me about this area?

·        What is the main purpose of this area now?

·        Is there a secondary purpose?

·        How do I want this room to look and feel?

·        What do I need to do to make this area match my vision?

After answering these questions, develop a plan for each space. Take every item on your list of what you need to do and put it in logical order. Break down each idea into small manageable parts.

Set a completion date for each area.

Use your calendar and write down when you plan to do each task. Leave space on your calendar for unexpected life occurrences.

A Personal Example

On a personal level let’s look at how this might work.

My husband died last October. He had an office that also was his personal retreat and a place where he stored his clothes that were on hangers. Over the 11 years that we lived in this home he accumulated things and loved this space.

With his death this space lost its purpose. After some reflection I decided to make this space my exercise/meditation space. I wanted this room to motivate me to improve my health and to reflect on my life. I wanted the space to be peaceful and inviting.

The first step in the process was to find homes for all of my husband’s possessions. This task took many months of sorting, organizing, research, and working with his sons and grandsons. Eventually everything found a home and a use elsewhere.

I hired a Professional Organizer, Tami Puckett, to assist me in setting up the new space. We did not rush the process, and I changed my mind several times. At this point in time the space is nearly complete.

As with any area in the home, there will be a maintenance plan, and a once-a-year re-evaluation of how the space is being used.

Conclusion

Our homes should be our refuge. The spaces and items in our home should serve and support us. If we have areas that are not currently doing that, it is time to revisit original intentions and notice what has shifted. Then develop a plan to re-purpose each space so that it again supports your current lifestyle.

If you are ready to work reorganizing your spaces or on any other specific organizing project and want some tips, encouragement, or accountability join Diane Quintana and me in our Clear Space For You virtual clutter support group. You could complete a small project or set up an organizing plan during the call. The group will offer ideas, support, and gentle accountability for working on developing plans or projects.

Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients.