If you have a baby on the way, it might be time to renovate. Your home’s been sufficient for you and your partner, of course, but that’s likely to change once you add another member to your household.
With that in mind, here are five popular home improvements for a growing family.
1. Bring the Outdoors In
Getting closer to nature is healthy, and bringing the outdoors inside offers considerable mental and physical benefits. For example, plants like peace lilies remove excess carbon dioxide and other harmful fumes, such as those from nail polish remover, from your indoor air.
Let natural light flow through your living space by getting rid of your curtains and opting for one-way window film instead. Use natural materials such as bamboo, cork, and wood. Add houseplants everywhere — a basket hanger in a sunny corner makes a stunning holder for several trailing varieties.
1. Prepare an Entertainment Room
Is there a spare bedroom on the north side of your home that doesn’t see much use? You generally want more ambient light when redecorating, but you want to minimize both it and glare when building an entertainment room.
Naturally, everyone’s idea of entertainment varies. You might want a Skee-Ball arcade in one corner and a foosball table in the other. If you enjoy a drink now and then, perhaps you want to put in a bar. Will you add a kitchenette to make washing highball glasses a snap?
It’s still a wise idea to leave one wall blank — perhaps paint it a bold accent color. Then, if you invest in a home theater projector, you can watch the big game while you play pool. How jealous will that make your friends?
3. Expand Your Outdoor Living Space
The best remodeling ideas for a growing family don’t all involve the indoors. If you want to increase your curb appeal and revel in springtime magic, why not expand your outdoor living space? Fully 87% of home buyers look for a patio — and an outdoor kitchen makes the space even more appealing.
Please ensure you factor in weather conditions when planning outdoor projects. Concrete takes longer to set in cold weather, a detail you don’t want to overlook if you previously only built decks in the summer. Also, make sure you get plenty of plastic sheeting to cover your progress if rain and snow intervene.
4. Get More Sustainable
How energy-efficient is your home? One of the wisest home improvements for a growing family is making your place more eco-friendly. You save the planet — and also monthly utility costs.
If you catch a draft when you walk past your front door or bay window, you’re paying to heat your neighborhood. Stop the vampirization of your energy by getting out the caulk gun and weather-stripping. If that doesn’t do the trick, it may be time for new windows. Time and the elements can separate the seal from the pane. You might not see the gaps, but you’ll feel the effects.
If you want to earn bonus eco points, why not use this time to go solar? You can still get a tax credit for upgrading, and even renters have options. Manufacturers now make portable panels that you can take from apartment to apartment.
5. Consider an Addition or Outbuilding
If you need more room, why not consider putting an addition on your home? If you have the budget, it can spare you the agony of countless sibling fights when you have to force your kids to share a room.
Since this project falls on the pricey side, it’s wise to secure financing before you break ground. Stricter lending rules mean far too many projects sit uncompleted due to a lack of money.
Once you have the cash you need, the fun begins. What do you want to put in your new space? Are you going to add bedrooms for your growing family? Perhaps if your work-from-home situation became permanent, you want to add office space? Your only limits are available land and money.
Another option that might save you cash is adding an outbuilding. Your she-shed or man-cave can become a source of extra monthly cash. You can rent the facility out as an Airbnb when you don’t use it and pocket that sweet moolah. Some folks have done some incredible things with Home Depot sheds for less than $20,000.
Make These 5 Popular Home Improvements for Your Growing Family
If you have more time at home than you’d like, why not use it to fix up your place with these remodeling ideas? Once you make these five popular home improvements for your growing family, you’ll have the perfect place to raise your kids.