We have a room above our garage that is pretty big, we call it a mother-in-law suite. It is kind of like a studio apartment. When we built our house we wanted to make sure there was a place for my in-laws to have an extended stay without feeling like they were imposing. Since the travel time between our houses is 6 to 7 hours we wanted them to be able to stay for several days to make the trip worthwhile.
Although this is a great space for them, we weren’t really using the space any other time, so it was wasted space. And, it has become a dumping ground for stuff that doesn’t have space. When I went from being a full-time classroom teacher to a part-time interventionist, I had to pack up my classroom. I had a ton of stuff and it all went upstairs in the corner. Not the most aesthetically pleasing heap of stuff.
Since the room is really quite large with a bed, a futon, a T.V., and a mini-kitchen (a small refrigerator, sink, and microwave) it would make a terrific family room. I want the space to be a place that we could do crafts together, build things with blocks (and leave them out), watch movies, and play board games.
I still want to leave the bed so that my in-laws have a place to stay. I just want this room to have multiple functions. Later, this space will be great for playdates and spend the night parties! It is a really great space and we just aren’t utilizing it well. That is why I decided to do my own version of a home makeover!
So, now you’ve seen all the BEFORE pictures. I’ve been hard at work cleaning up my mess and adding a few new things to the space to make this the multifunctional space I’ve been dreaming of. It’s looking pretty spiffy! Stay tuned for the updated pics! I can’t wait to show you what the AFTER pictures look like!
