House Calls: Empty nest remodeling

Many baby boomers are finally saying goodbye to their adult children, who are moving out of the house and starting the next chapter in their lives. Some empty nesters are excited about this new phase, but it can be a stressful time for others.

When your kids move out and you're faced with an empty nest, lots of questions come to mind.

Should you move and downsize? If you stay, how should you use the kids' rooms? What other changes should you make as you get older?

If you've made the decision to stay in your home - at least for now - it's time to figure out how your house can work better for you.

Focus on small do-it-yourself jobs: With the kids out of the house, you may be surprised at how much free time you have. Use this time to tackle some of those home renovation jobs that have been on your to-do list for a while.

Before you begin any project, however, look at your house - room by room - with a fresh set of eyes. Now that your house doesn't need to accommodate a growing family, how do you want to use each of the rooms to fit your new lifestyle?

Perhaps the mudroom is no longer needed, but a craft room has always been on your wish list. Now you can focus on making those changes.

Create a home office: You may be an empty nester, but you are still a very active member of the workforce. An extra bedroom or den previously used for family activities would be a great place to turn into a home office.

Home offices are becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity with more people telecommuting or running their own businesses from home.

Expand your space: Depending on the age of your home, you may find that your master bedroom or bath is too small for comfort. With other rooms now vacant, expand into space. Build the master bathroom of your dreams or create a separate seating or dressing area in your bedroom.

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House Calls: Empty nest remodeling