What To Do With Your Empty Nest

It seems like just yesterday when you were looking to invest in a small-family home, and now all your little birds have grown up and left the nest. Suddenly that house that seemed perfect ten or so years ago feels a little big for just you and your spouse. There’s a whole new chapter ahead of you, but first you need to decide what to do with your empty nest.

Sell it

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Your first instinct might be to sell your house and move into something a bit smaller; after all, it’s too big for an older couple with grown kids, but it’s still perfect for another young family. It would be easy to get in touch with a local real estate agency or reach out to manausa.com or Zillow to sell your house. But you might not want to do that so quickly; your kids could visit during Thanksgiving or Christmas, or they might need a place to crash during the summer while they search for work. Many graduates end up moving back home after college because they can’t afford to move out completely. Even if they do manage to afford their own place, there’s always grandkids to consider; it’ll be easier to have the whole family visit in a big house than a smaller one built just for an older couple. 

Home Office

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Most people are now taking the option of working from home, so if you’re one of them you’ll need a proper place to work. Experts recommend that you shouldn’t bring your work home with you, but this is a tough rule to follow if you work at home. The best solution is to set yourself up in a now-empty room and eliminate as many home touches as possible to make the place feel more like an office. Bring in a desk, an ergonomic chair, and set up your laptop. 

Gym

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It’s a cliche to turn your child’s room into a gym once they leave, but if it encourages you to do more exercise then there’s nothing wrong with it. All you need to do is clear out all the furniture - make sure you pack up the personal items and store them somewhere safe - and put in whichever machines you’d like to use. You might also want to put up some mirrors along one of the walls so you can keep an eye on your posture.

Rent it out

If you’re open to making some extra cash, then why not rent out your empty bedrooms to a lodger. It could be a student from a local college, an international student, or someone who’s moved for work but hasn’t been able to sort accommodation yet. Each of these options means you’ll have a temporary tenant, so you can try it out for a few weeks to see if you like the arrangement. At the very least, you’ll be getting help paying the bills, and maybe some help around the house if your tenant is considerate about the mess they make.