Having spare space in the house always seems like an advantage, and perhaps this is true. After all, having an unused area where you can safely store your belongings is always appreciated, and serves as the last option you can implement if you were unsure how to proceed otherwise.
However, it’s also true that not all homeowners are happy simply leaving their unused space, or only using it for their bad storage habits instead of properly categorizing items and placing them where they’re supposed to be.
This leaves you in an awkward position – you’re not sure what to do with the space but know that you can’t just leave it given the opportunity. So, what does this mean in practice? Well, finding a space for a small (or diminutive) spare room could require a little thinking and planning in advance, especially considering the dimensions of specific furniture that will fit.
Never fear, because in this post we hope to give you four options to get the ball rolling. With that in mind, please consider:
A Compact Study Corner
What do you need when studying? Well, you need a desk, a comfortable seat, and perhaps some power outlets for a laptop. You also need good lighting that is easy enough to implement in a small room with an overhead light and a smaller lamp.
What won’t you need? Distractions. That’s why a smaller room can be ideal for study. Implementing a standing desk, a comfortable seat with enough lumbar support to keep you healthy, and an air purifier or window ventilation lock to keep the space well-ventilated and cared for, all of this can combine and help you feel your best self. As such, a compact study corner is a worthwhile investment, especially if you need some quiet time.
Pet Retreat Zone
Many people love pets, but not all. Some of your relatives or friends might be allergic to certain animals like your cats, or they may have somewhat of a fear. Perhaps you’re inviting new friends over and you’re not sure how comfortable they are around big dogs, so you want to give them fair warning. Perhaps a midwife is coming to check on the health of your wonderful newborn baby, and you don’t have the ability to handle your dog as they jump on such a visitor.
In these circumstances, having a pet retreat zone in your spare room can be ideal. You might furnish this space with laminate flooring that’s easy to clean, a dog bed, some toys, a dog gate so they don’t feel trapped behind a door, food and water, and some comforting lighting. This way if you need to keep your dog apart from a guest’s pet for an hour or two, you can do so without being cruel to your dog or locking them away in a room unequipped to handle them.
A Spare Guest Room Or Bed
A guest room doesn’t have to be fancy, and of course, it doesn’t have to be explicitly used for guests either. Perhaps your partner has been working long night shifts, to the point where you don’t want to bother them while they rest throughout the day. As such, you might retire to sleep in your spare room with a beautiful bed with drawers (that also helps with storage), and then return to your main sleeping area when their shifts realign with yours.
A spare guest room can also help you in various ways, be that by providing a safe space for your child’s sleepover party, or even a bed you feel is easy to get in and out of after suffering an injury, thanks to the lower profile of the bed frame. With a simple bedside table and hanging rack for clothes, you’ll have everything you need for quick and temporary accommodations.
A Meditation Space
Never discount the value of peace, nor having a space to relax in peace. If you live in a relatively suburban environment you may enjoy spending time in your garden, but can never truly do so without various sounds outside (not to mention how cold it can get depending on where you live). A spare room with a yoga mat or meditation rug, candles and mood lighting, gentle ambient music played over speakers, and a place to contemplate your day to day can do wonders for your mental health, especially if you’ve been through a rough patch as of late.
With this advice, we hope you can get the utmost out of even the smallest and most diminutive spare room.
