Are you feeling blue because your kid is all set to take their first flight and leave the nest? It is completely normal for parents to dread parting with their children. But cheer up! There are many productive activities to engage in that’ll distract you from missing your kid.
It is not just your kid entering a new phase in life. You are also ascending another step up the ladder. So, focusing on renovating your home to reflect the change will keep you busy. Moreover, it will also elevate your mood and outlook on life. But before you think too far ahead, help your kids prepare for their next chapter of life!
Moving out of the house is their first step toward independence and adulthood. Although they may seem ready, your young ones will need your utmost support and love to make this transition easier for them.
For instance, if you live in South Florida, you can hire a West Palm Beach moving company to help your kid with everything from packing and storage to shipping and unpacking. It’ll ensure that their first big move is smooth and stress-free.
After your child moves out, you can contact the same company to utilize their long-term storage solutions. Sure, they’ll be back for Thanksgiving, but they probably won’t need their childhood playset anymore. By moving some of their childhood memorabilia to a storage unit, you can easily free up space in the house and experiment with new home improvement ideas. Here are five tips to spruce up your empty nest!
Get Creative With Your Kid’s Bedroom
Now that your kid no longer lives in their bedroom, there are plenty of options for you to unleash your creativity and make proper use of the now-empty room in any way that suits you.
One idea is to turn it into a guest room by changing the entire setup of the place. You can remove the personalized furniture and replace it with something more neutral to complement the rest of the floor plan. Doing so, you’ll be killing two birds with one stone, as the room can be used by any guest, including your kid, when they visit you.
Another option is to turn it into a home gym. Why not use the empty room to do some push-ups, yoga, or other exercise to keep yourself in shape?
You can also turn it into an office or an entertainment room. Place a large TV in there with cozy couches to relax after a long day.
Many empty nesters adopt pets to counter their loneliness. If you get a furry friend, you can set up its crate and food station in the empty room, too.
Buy New Furniture
The best thing about becoming an empty nester is that there are no teenagers damaging your furniture anymore. You have your house all to yourself! So you are more in control of what you put in there. Design the house according to your taste. Use curtains and sofa covers freely without thinking of the best colors to avoid getting stains on them. Now that your kids are not in the house, you do not always need dark-colored upholstery for fear of teenage shenanigans.
Turn Your Bathroom Into A Spa
Now that the kids are on their own, you can finally splurge your money on things you’ve wanted for so long but couldn’t because you had other responsibilities. Keeping your budget in mind, spend on the luxury items you have always wanted, especially if they can ease your life and bring you joy.
Consider renovating and expanding your bathroom. Install your favorite heated floors, walk-in showers, double sinks, and light fixtures. You can also install quartz-topped benches in the bathroom for a more comfortable morning routine. Combine luxury and comfort and design a bathroom that doubles as a wellness retreat for you and your partner.
Upgrade Your Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the house, where the family comes together to share meals and memories. But after the kids leave, you and your other half are back to being each other’s only companions in the house. So it is high time you think about upgrading the kitchen to suit you both. You can start by adding a fireplace or renovating the pantry. Replace old tiles, flooring, lights, and furniture. You can also insert a breakfast nook in the kitchen to spend quality time in the morning together. This new setup will allow the two of you to reacquaint yourselves with each other and help ignore the silence during meal time, as now the kids aren’t around to stir up a ruckus.
Repaint Your Walls
Repaint those old walls and see what a little change of color can do! In a house with kids, chipped paint and smudges are inevitable. You also don’t have the time or budget to consider repainting the house. Moreover, your preferences keep changing as you age. The paint and décor you chose when you first bought the house might not be your current taste. Now that you have fulfilled your duties as parents, your budget can finally allow you to paint the house for a fresh look.
Final Thoughts
Parting with kids and joining the empty nesters community is not an easy ride. It is not just the kids who need your support with their first steps into the world. You also need to give yourself a leg up for this new life. The best way to accept change is to change your surroundings. That is why home improvement is a significant first step for empty nesters. Following some of the tips given above, you can be better prepared to face the physical separation from your children while also preparing yourself for enjoying a comfortable life.