8 Ways to Transform Unused Spaces in Your Home

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Studies have consistently shown that people spend most of their time in just one or two rooms of their house. There’s a lot to be said for taking ownership over your entire home by utilizing and transforming all your space, especially the space you may have been neglecting.

Whether you’re preparing to sell your home on the advice of your real estate agent or you’re just trying to liven up your space, transforming a “dead space” into a useful storage area or cozy writing nook instantly makes your home more desirable, warm, and welcoming.

From that weird triangular space under your stairs to the vertical space you may not even realize you have, here are the best ways to transform your unused home space.

Look up

The area on top of your cupboards can be valuable and useful space that many homeowners simply overlook. Placing baskets or bins up there can double your storage space, and if you’re feeling really ambitious, you could even commission a carpenter to install built-in shelves, bins, or extended cupboards.

This space can also be useful visual real estate. If you already have enough storage, consider placing flowers, glassware, or other decorative items on top of your cupboards. It will warm up the room and can even make the ceilings look higher. 

If you have double-height ceilings, you could build a full loft to recapture some of that vertical real estate, though this is more of a suggestion for a buyer versus a renter. The loft could be used as a reading nook, home office, a spare sleeping area, or simply as extra storage. Because storage is one of the first things buyers look for in a home, it’s reasonable to assume that increasing your home’s storage space will also increase its value.

Fill your corners

A single chair or small end table placed in an otherwise empty corner can be surprisingly useful and make a room feel much warmer. This is especially true in rooms such as the bathroom and kitchen, which generally don’t receive as much attention during the design and furnishing process. Books, photos, and other decorative items placed on a chair can lend a room a more personal, lived-in feeling. If you don’t want to furnish your empty corner, consider a potted plant or floor lamp to lend visual warmth to the space.

Repurpose your fireplace

Many older homes have unused fireplaces that are used as storage cubbies or simply left empty. If you have an old fireplace, consider installing a set of custom-built shelves in the space to make it more efficient and more visually pleasing. It’s a manageable home improvement project that will take only a day or two and won’t require you to take out a construction loan.

If you don’t need the extra storage space, consider painting the inside of the fireplace a bright, eye-catching color or painting a small mural in there to make it a focal point of the room.

Add green to the space

A plant or two is a great way to activate an unused space. Studies have shown that plants are proven mood boosters and stress relievers, and they also improve indoor air quality. There’s a reason adding plants to a home is one of the first things real estate agents suggest to eager home sellers.

Snake plants and cacti are low-maintenance plants that thrive in low-light conditions, so they’re perfect for your dim corners and alcoves. Once again, don’t forget to think vertically. If you don’t have room for a big potted plant on the floor, consider hanging plants from the ceiling. 

Think big

Don’t get so fixated on your unused nooks and cubbies that you overlook your unused rooms. Home buyers tend to buy as much house as they can afford, so it’s not uncommon for homeowners to have a few rooms, such as a den or guest bedroom, that they’re not really using on a daily basis. 

Design experts suggest making those rooms into multifunctional spaces. For example, installing a fold-down desk in a guest bedroom allows you to use it as a home office during the 51 weeks of the year you don’t have a guest staying. Other options include a home gym, yoga studio, or home library. Although some of these projects can be pricey, there are a lot of home improvement loans available, even to homeowners with bad credit. 

Hang mirrors

Mirrors improve a space in multiple ways, from reflecting and increasing natural light, to creating the illusion of a larger space. Experts suggest hanging them across from windows to maximize your light. If this isn’t possible, you can also create a “window effect” by placing a floor or table lamp near a wall mirror. Mirrors should be hung near eye level, although oversized mirrors can lean against a wall for an interesting visual effect. 

Use color

Activating your unused space can mean giving it a function, such as an office or reading nook, but it can also mean giving it a visual purpose. Painting a vivid accent wall in a neglected section of the room can bring it to life. So can wall hangings, such as artwork, mirrors, floating bookshelves, or a bold-print wallpaper.

Storage is a great last resort

If you can’t come up with a function for a space or a way to make it visually interesting, you can always make it into storage space. You can never have too much space to put extra clothes, bedding, or books. If you’re willing to build or commission custom-made shelves for your unused alcoves and bins, you can make full use of the space while keeping it looking clean and professional.

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How to Protect Your Home Sale from Falling Through

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It’s every home seller’s worst nightmare: You’ve agreed with the buyer on a sale price, found your next home, packed up, and gotten price estimates from movers. Then, out of nowhere, the sale falls through, and you’re back to square one.

When a home sale falls through, it’s often due to circumstances beyond the seller’s control. But sometimes a sale falters because of issues that could’ve been avoided. Issues that emerge during the inspection, a survey that reveals a smaller-than-advertised lot, a disastrous appraisal — these are the kinds of problems that sellers can sidestep with a little preparation on the front end. Let’s go over some of the easiest ways to protect your home sale from falling through. 

Get a Pre-Sale Home Inspection

Once your home goes under contract, the buyer will very likely order an inspection. Most sale agreements have a contingency stating that the buyer can back out of the sale if the inspection uncovers significant issues, so if something like a cracked foundation or leaky roof is discovered, the sale could fall through.

But why wait until the last leg of the sale to find out if your home will pass inspection? Smart sellers will get a pre-listing inspection to make sure there aren’t any hidden problems. A pre-sale inspection will make sure the foundation and roof are in good shape, that all major systems are functioning, that all renovations were done properly, and look for hazardous materials like lead or asbestos. 

If your pre-sale inspection does uncover problems, you’ll be able to proactively tackle them before your home hits the market. This can be a big financial benefit for a seller. If a buyer’s inspection uncovers a problem with the roof and asks for a $10,000 credit, you may have no choice but to take the hit. But if your pre-listing inspection finds the problem, you could fix it for a fraction of that cost.

The main drawback of a pre-listing inspection is that you’ll have to pay for it out of pocket. (The buyer will pay for their inspection.) In an era when many sellers are looking to cut costs by finding the agent with the lowest commission rates or even selling without the help of an agent, an inspection can be a daunting upfront cost. But it’s probably worth it. Not only does it give a seller peace of mind, but it can also attract buyers who are looking for a home that’s free of problems. 

Look for Qualified Buyers with Fresh Approvals

When you’re evaluating prospective buyers, you’ll want to look for ones with mortgage prequalification or preapproval letters. These letters are proof that they’re qualified buyers who don’t have the kind of financial or credit problems that come with, say, having co-signed a student loan that’s now in default. 

But what many sellers don’t know is that a mortgage preapproval isn’t necessarily a guarantee that a buyer will get a loan. If the buyer experienced a change in their financial circumstances since acquiring their preapproval letter — something like job loss, taking on more debt, or taking a hit on their credit score from something like a missed debt payment — their financing could very well fall through. 

Look for buyers with a fresh preapproval letter. Preapprovals are generally valid for 90 days, but a lot can happen in three months. Buyers with newer preapprovals are probably your best bet for a smooth sale. 

Try to Avoid Contingencies

If you’re selling a highly desirable property, or you’re in a strong seller’s market, you’ll probably be able to find a buyer who’ll agree to a sale with no contingencies. On the other hand, if you’re in a market where you might have a little trouble attracting a lot of buyers, you’ll probably have to accept a few contingencies in the sale agreement. If a contingency isn’t met, the buyer can walk away from the sale, so these can potentially derail a sale if you aren’t careful. 

The inspection contingency, which we touched on above, is one of the most common — and is generally considered pretty fair. So is the loan contingency, which simply states that the buyer is released from their obligation if their financing doesn’t come through. 

Some contingencies, however, can be a little troublesome. A home sale contingency, for example, states that a buyer won’t close on the purchase until they sell their present home. This contingency puts the seller at the mercy of the market, and can lead to some anxious waiting. (In fairness, most home sale contingencies allow the seller to walk away from the sale if the buyer’s home doesn’t sell within a certain amount of time.) Sellers who want a fast sale should target buyers who have already sold their home, or don’t need to use the equity on their current home to fund their purchase.

If you’re looking for a smooth home sale, reject offers that come with a ton of contingencies attached.

Get a Pre-listing Appraisal

A low appraisal has derailed many potential sales. If an appraisal comes in significantly below the agreed-upon purchase price, the lender will only approve a mortgage at that lower appraised amount. If the buyer can’t make up the difference in cash (or if the seller won’t lower the price), the sale can’t advance.

The benefits of a pre-listing appraisal are similar to a pre-listing inspection: It takes a lot of guesswork out of the equation. If you have an unusual or large home, you may not even have a very clear idea of how much your home is worth. A pre-listing appraisal will help you set an accurate list price, and an accurate list price is like elite SEO — it helps your ideal buyers find you with the least effort.

Consider Getting a Survey

If you have a large lot, a survey will determine its exact boundaries — information that a buyer will certainly want to know. It can also help you avoid the embarrassment of finding out the property you thought you sold is actually smaller than advertised. More importantly, if you have a fence around your property, a survey will ensure that you’ve built within your legal boundaries, and that the buyer won’t have to worry about future legal entanglements with neighbors. 

Some property boundaries are viewable on Google Maps, but not all are. If it’s been a while since your last professional survey, it’s a good idea to get one before you put your home on the market.

Designing a Home Office for Remote Work: Ergonomics and Productivity Tips

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The work-from-home revolution has made home offices a requirement in many markets, with some agents reporting that a property’s home office is nearly as important to buyers as the kitchen. 

But properly setting up a home office isn’t as easy as buying a desk and chair from IKEA. A good home office takes light, sound, space, and ergonomics into account to create a workspace that maximizes your productivity. Whether you’re using your home office for your full-time salaried job, or for a few side hustles, let’s go over some basic principles of how to set up the right home office for you.

Home Office Productivity

Create a Separate Physical Workspace

You want to choose a location for your home office that’s quiet, aesthetically appropriate, and conducive to concentration. Ideally, this would be a separate room you won’t use for any purpose other than work.

This deliberate separation of space will help you get into a “work mindset” when you’re in your office and preserve the rest of your living space for relaxation and other activities. (Anyone who’s worked from the sofa in their living room knows how hard it can be to toggle between work and home mode.)

If you don’t have a separate room to spare and have to make do with a corner or nook, try to establish some separation. Use a privacy screen to cordon off the space, or make it visually distinctive so you’ll know you’re in a designated “work space” while you’re there. 

If you opt for a nook, design experts suggest using a drop-down desk that can be folded up when not in use, or a glass one that will take up less “visual space.” And since you’ll likely be facing a wall while using your home office nook, take special pains to make the area you’ll be facing visually interesting — for example, with a mood board, art, or a large wall calendar.

Optimize Your Light

Maximizing the amount of natural light in your workspace is always a good idea. Sunlight has health and mood benefits that will increase your productivity and comfort, so place your workspace near windows. 

You should also consider how much light your workspace will get at different times of day. If you need to be at maximum productivity in the afternoon, but your home office only gets sunlight in the morning, it might not be an ideal fit. Track how sunlight moves through your workspace over the day and place your desk accordingly. 

Beyond natural light, studies have shown that cool, blue light boosts alertness and mood and reduces eyestrain. Interestingly, it boosts alertness by lowering melatonin production, producing an anti-fatigue effect similar to drinking coffee — which is why experts suggest avoiding screens close to bedtime. Installing blue-tinged lightbulbs in your home office could measurably increase your productivity. Consider using dimmers so you can finely adjust their intensity.

Also, consider using warmer, softer light in the rest of your home to encourage relaxation and differentiate your living space from your workspace. Not establishing some separation between work and living space is a bad idea in the long run because it can make you feel like you’re living in your office. Establish those boundaries now, or you may be offloading your space to a cash buyer and starting over in a new home.

Proper Desk Placement

Where you put your desk in your home office can have a massive impact on your productivity. Home design experts suggest placing it near a natural light source, facing the door, with your back to a wall. 

Specifically, consider putting your desk perpendicular to a window. Facing the window could be too distracting, and putting the window behind you could produce an annoying glare on your computer or TV screens. Don’t forget to consider your backgrounds. In the Zoom era, you’ll want an uncluttered, pleasant-looking backdrop for your video calls. 

The Right Furniture

Start with a good-quality office chair. Experts say you need a chair that supports the natural curve of your back, especially the lower part. Look for sufficient padding and adjustability, especially when it comes to height.

Although many low-priced goods and services are just as good as more expensive alternatives — for example, most 1% real estate agents offer the same services as full commission agents — a high-quality office chair is worth the money. If you really don’t want to shell out for an expensive chair, you can also upgrade your existing office chair if you buy a lumbar support pillow and a nice seat cushion. 

Your chair should be ergonomically compatible with your desk. Ideally, you’d want a desk with a fully adjustable height, giving you the option of converting it into a standing desk at times. Look for a desk that can be set to a height where your elbows are at a 90-degree angle when using your keyboard. If you have a non-adjustable desk, you can elevate your keyboard or use a keyboard tray to lower it to the proper level.

In this same vein, look for a monitor that can be raised or lowered into your eyeline so you don’t risk eyestrain or neckstrain. If you won’t use a separate monitor, try to get the best laptop within your budget.

Finally, you’ll need a good amount of storage, so consider multi-purpose furniture with built-in storage. Having consolidated storage will also come in helpful if you end up buying a new home and have to move a lot of electronics. If you’re committed to working from home, installing high-quality built-ins is a great way to keep your clutter out of view. 

Don’t Forget Sound

Don’t forget to take a few soundproofing or sound reduction measures, especially if you spend a lot of time on video or phone calls. If you live in a noisy house, consider installing some discreet sound-absorbing panels in your office. If you have a media room or home theater you don’t use much; it’s an easy home upgrade to turn this into a soundproofed, high-productivity home office.

You can also use white noise machines or noise-canceling headphones for your concentration. One straightforward but effective sound reduction measure is to establish “quiet hours” with your roommates or family members so you can count on having a portion of the workday nice and quiet.