Is your furniture stuck in the same old spot? It might be time for a change. Let's review this.
Why Rearranging Your Furniture is a Fantastic Idea
1. Solve the Urge to Move Without Moving:
Feeling the need for a change? That urge to sell your house and pack up your life might not be your only option. Moving is costly and disruptive. So, before you take the leap, consider a simpler solution: rearranging your furniture. Begin by giving your home a thorough cleaning, and while you're at it, think about changing the furniture layout for a fresh, inviting look.
2. A Deep Clean Opportunity:
When did you last vacuum behind your furniture? Probably not in a while, right? You also open the door to a thorough cleaning session when rearranging your furniture. Say goodbye to dust bunnies and hello to spotless and inviting rooms.
3. Transform Unused Spaces:
Your home should reflect your lifestyle. In today's ever-changing world, making the most of your space is vital. That underused living room could become a media room, office, or library. It's all about making your home work for you. Or simply rearrange it to breathe new life into the space, making it more inviting for guests.
4. If Your Family Doesn't Need a Dining Room, Swap the Room Out For Another Use:
Who says a dining room has to be a dining room? If your family rarely uses a particular space, switch it up. Say goodbye to the dining room and hello to something more practical. For example, turn it into a home office, another sitting room, a playroom, or a meditation space!
Our home's original floor plan features a living/dining room combination. Since our family is quite large and we need a big table, the living room has been transformed into a dining room and the dining room into my office.
Here's a personal example: Our home's designated dining room area is now my office. When the kids were little, it was one huge gathering room ... Over the years, it's been changed multiple times.
Dining Room into an Office Area |
5. Revamp the Traditional:
Traditional floor plans are so last season. Don't be afraid to break the mold. Turn a family room into a game room, a living room into an office, or that unused dining room into a guest room or play area. These days, there's no such thing as a defined floor plan. Whatever works for your home is all that matters.
We're slowly empty-nesting and recently turned one of our five bedrooms into a TV/sitting room:
Bedroom to a TV Sitting Room |
6. Achieve a Sense of Accomplishment:
Rearranging your furniture is a labor of love. It's hard work, but the payoff is incredible. Psychology Today even has a scientific explanation for this.
Your home will feel fresh and exciting, and your family will appreciate the change. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your hard-earned satisfaction with a cup of tea or a glass of wine.
In the end, remember that changing your furniture layout can be a fun and cost-effective way to breathe new life into your space without the hassle of moving.
Give it a try and see how your home and mood transform!
I had to chuckle a bit when I saw your title to this article, Barbara, because it reminded me of my long ago rearranging. In our very first home, we had a basically square living room so that the furniture easily fit pretty much anywhere. Also the furniture was Danish Modern and very lightweight. In other words, easily moved. Therefore, as a newlywed with a new house, I frequently moved the furniture on cleaning day. Hubs used to tell our friends that he always had to look where his favorite chair was before sitting down; knowing that I might have been 'rearranging'. LOL. I agree that rearranging furniture; even using a space for something other than what it was originally intended, really gives new life to an area. I'm currently using a bedroom for a combination sitting room/office/computer room/craft room. Rearranging and/or repurposing does indeed give you and your home a mood lift.
ReplyDeleteSo funny! I used to do the exact same thing! Hubby would come home and the family room would be the dining room, and more! At this stage of my life I do this much less (too physically challenging) - but we still shuffle things when the mood strikes! I love doing this - love organizing and cleaning and achieving the finished result
DeleteI’m 100% in agreement with rethinking the functions of underused rooms. We turned a second bedroom into a craft and jewelry making studio for me, which hit our lifestyle much better, and replaced the couch in our sitting room with a sofa bed for our occasional overnight guests. Great tips, Barbara!
ReplyDeleteI'll bet your craft room is fully equiped - smart thing to do :)
DeleteI am a firm believer in living in your house the way you want to, making rooms work for what you need and not for what was "designated" in the original design. We have a place for a kitchen table in our kitchen. Since we also have a dining room, I opted to remove the kitchen table and make a sitting area for friends and family to sit in while I cook instead of being off in another room. That has worked well for us. I must say though, your article makes me want to rearrange furniture, if for no other reason than to clean behind it.
ReplyDeleteOne of my many switch-a-roos included a sitting room in our kitchen! It was great to have that - we didn't need the second table at the time, so it worked perfectly like you said - right now, we've gotten rid of the kitchen table and put a lovely cabinet against the wall for extra storage (which we need much more than a table at this stage of our life - we have the big dining room table anyway)
DeleteI'm in the middle of heavy cleaning (one room a week in the fall) and I agree this would be a good chance to see if there is something I can rearrange. Thanks for some great tips.
ReplyDeleteIt's so fun to create a new layout for a space if the room permits; such a fresh feeling - we've been shuffling too this past week, and I feel the weight off my shoulders as things get accomplished
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