3 ways to use your uni-bound child’s room

It’s hard to describe the different emotions you go through as one of your children packs up and leaves for university.You’ll feel a mixture of pride, sadness and an inevitable sense of worry as they fly the nest for the first time. 

Photo Credit: Petras Gagilas

While you may like the idea of keeping a shrine to your offspring, or at least keeping their bedroom in its current state for when they visit between semesters, there comes a point when you simply have to move on. Instead of using the room to store your vacuum cleaner and other domestic appliances in the short term, you can grab hold of this opportunity and do so much more with this space. Here are three ideas for you to consider.

Turn it into a study

Photo Credit: Sean MacEntee

You may have noticed that new laws have been introduced in the UK that give employees more scope to request flexible working arrangements from their boss.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 4.2 million home workers across the country as of March 2014 - the equivalent of 13.9 per cent of the nation’s overall workforce. This figure is expected to rise sharply in the coming years.

With this in mind, maybe you’d benefit from turning your university-bound son or daughter’s room into an office? It’s far better to have a professional environment to work in, rather than trying to cram your laptop and paperwork on to your dining room table.

Decorate the room and rent it out

It’s understandable that you’ll be wary about having strangers in your house, who wouldn’t be? However, more and more Britons are renovating their spare rooms in order to make a bit of extra pocket money.

This is a particularly shrewd move if you happen to live in the vicinity of high-profile local attractions. For example, there were plenty of stories doing the rounds of London-based homeowners renting out their spare rooms to sports fans during the 2012 Olympic Games.

Of course, with paying customers coming through your door, you’ll need to ensure high standards are maintained, which might mean you need to check the quality of insulation, heating systems and the general decoration of your spare room before you take anybody’s money.

Create your own gym

Photo Credit: C.C. Chapman

The 2013 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report showed that 12.6 per cent of the population are registered members of a gym or health club.

We all know that gym memberships can be expensive, so why fork out £30 or £40 every month when you can use your child’s room to create your very own gym? Granted, the cost of buying a treadmill and weights benches will be high at first, but think of the long-term financial savings.

If you are planning to go down this route and your spare room is on the first (or second if you’re lucky) floor of your property, you must ensure your floor is strong enough to hold the weight of your new equipment. The last thing you want is a gaping hole in the ceiling below.

Think of the value

Whether you choose one of these three options, or something completely different, it’s always worth considering any extra value that your plans will add to your property should you decide to sell further down the line.

A house that boasts a specially kitted out study with all of the mod cons will appeal to a buyer far more than a neglected old room that still has a poster of Cristiano Ronaldo hanging on the wall.

Bio: This blog post was written by Rachel Hurley, who is the brand development manager at Appliance Spares Warehouse

How to decorate your bedroom with some easy steps

STEP ONE: DETERMINE YOUR THEME

Deciding what theme you want your bedroom to be is a crucial part to any home design. Colours, patterns, sporty, girly, the possibilities are endless thanks to your beautiful imagination! It will be the key bluepoint you are going to follow when your first start so its important you get it down straight away.

STEP TWO: TIDY UP

Before you start slapping on the paint and chucking out the bed make sure to get the room nice and clean! Wash the carpets and get your old unusable junk out the way. And before you know it you'll have a lot more space to work with and will look better instantly.

STEP THREE: SHOULD IT STAY OR SHOULD IT GO?

Now you've decluttered your bedroom you will most likely be left with some junk, what to do with it?! Local charity shops are a good bet if you have any items that can resell quite nicely. If not there is always the recycle bin. And if you're a bit of a horder put it in the attic if you don't want it in your bedroom.

STEP FOUR: GET IT OUT

Move all your furniture out the room, or at least put it in the middle with protective white sheets over them. The last thing you want to do is splattering paint on your bed or ruining your wardrobe! Allow a metre of space between the wall and the furniture to prevent this from happening.

STEP FIVE: TAKE DOWN CURTAINS AND WALL DECORATIONS

This includes pictures, mirrors and any nails driven into the wall. You can always put them back up but, its good to give your room a clean slate at first when deciding what to do. If you decide to do something new with that area, you will then need to fill the holes with polyfiller or something similar and then sandpaper them down to get a smooth surface.

STEP SIX: PAINT OR WALLPAPER? 

Select your paint colour or wallpaper. Make sure it is not so bright that it gives you a headache or so dark that it makes your room gloomy but if that's your style then go with it! Remember to paint your walls.

STEP SEVEN: SPACE OUT

Measure out the room and find out how much room you have to work with. This will dictate the size of the items that you purchase afterwards if necessary. For example, the size of your bedside lamp will be determined by the size of your bed.

STEP EIGHT: PATTERNS AND SPREADS

A tastefully printed bedspread makes a room stand out and gives it some extra flair. Try and keep it within the same colour range as your theme OR if you really want your bed to stand out to you as you walk through your bedroom door then go for a totally opposite colours. Also bear in mind the pieces of furniture you have. Decorate with consistency, don't have mismatched objects as it can make your room look messy and disorganised.

STEP NINE:  ADD POPPING COLOURS

There isn't a wrong way to do this, but adding colour is essential in decorating your room. Do you want to introduce pops of different colours throughout your room, or have the room become saturated with a specific colour?

STEP TEN: BIT OF A FIXER UPPER

Get items that can be fixed to walls. Shelves and adjustable lamps can be affixed to walls and are a great way to save space.

STEP ELEVEN:  ADDING WARMTH

Add warmth with neutral tones. Soft overhead lighting or a clip-on overhead lamp is a great way to accomplish this.

STEP TWELVE: PERSONALISATION

Personalise your space. You don't want your entire room to look like you just raided the Ikea catalogue. Find a couple of offbeat pieces at a charity shop or boutique furniture shop to give your room an eclectic look.

STEP THIRTEEN: CREATURE COMFORTS

AND FINALLY add some pillows to your bed to make it an even more relaxing place. You can also add a nice blanket for those harsh winter months comfortably sitting at the foot of your bed, to snuggle down whenever you wish.

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!