As children get older, the way your family uses the house can change dramatically.
A bedroom shared happily when children were younger may start feeling cramped. Homework, clothes, sports equipment, gaming, hobbies and simply wanting more personal space can all change what your family needs from its home.
The obvious solution might seem to be moving to a bigger property.
But before you start searching for another house, take a closer look at the space you already have.
Is there a spare bedroom currently functioning as storage?
Has the home office gradually become a room full of boxes?
Is there a dining room nobody actually eats in?
Could furniture and possessions be reorganised to make another bedroom possible?
Sometimes the extra room you need already exists. It’s just full of other things.
SecureStore provides flexible personal self storage and Removal + Storage across Bury, Manchester, Failsworth and Salford, helping households reclaim valuable living space without immediately getting rid of belongings they still want.
2-Week Flash Offer: First Month’s Storage for Just £1
If you’re reorganising your home, SecureStore’s current flash offer could make now an ideal time.
For two weeks only, get your first month of storage for just £1.
You could use storage for suitable spare furniture, seasonal possessions, boxes and other household belongings that are preventing an existing room from being used properly.
2-WEEK FLASH OFFER
FIRST MONTH’S STORAGE: £1
Promotional terms, eligibility and availability apply.
Call 0161 470 0288 or email info@securestoreselfstorage.co.uk to enquire.
Start by Looking at Every Room Differently
It’s easy to think of rooms according to the purpose they were originally given.
That’s the dining room.
That’s the office.
That’s the spare bedroom.
That’s the box room.
But your household may have changed considerably since you moved in.
Instead ask:
How often is this room actually used for its current purpose?
A room used as an office for two hours a week may potentially be reorganised.
A dining room used three times a year might have another purpose.
A spare bedroom containing boxes isn’t really a spare bedroom at all.
The Spare Bedroom Is the Obvious Starting Point
If you have a spare room, look carefully at what’s inside.
It may contain:
- Guest bed
- Suitcases
- Christmas decorations
- Old children’s belongings
- Boxes
- Clothes
- Hobby equipment
- Spare furniture
- Paperwork
How often does somebody actually sleep there?
If the answer is only occasionally, consider whether dedicating an entire bedroom to infrequent guests still makes sense for your family.
Don’t Let Occasional Guests Dictate Your Everyday Layout
If your teenager needs additional space every day, it may not make sense to reserve a room throughout the year for guests who stay occasionally.
That doesn’t mean you can never have visitors again.
Depending on your circumstances, you might explore alternative sleeping arrangements when guests stay.
The important point is that your home should primarily work for the people who actually live there.
What If the Spare Room Is Full of Storage?
This is incredibly common.
The room may technically contain a bed, but you can’t reach it because it’s surrounded by boxes.
That’s not really a lack of bedrooms.
It’s a storage problem.
Move suitable infrequently used possessions elsewhere and you may discover that the room can become genuinely useful again.
Look at the Home Office
Working from home changed how many households use their space.
But your current working pattern may not be the same as it was a few years ago.
Perhaps you now work from home one day a week rather than five.
Do you still need an entire bedroom dedicated exclusively to work?
You might be able to create a compact workspace elsewhere while returning the room to bedroom use.
Store Office Furniture You May Need Again
Perhaps you have a large desk, filing cabinets or office furniture that you don’t currently need but don’t want to dispose of.
Suitable furniture could potentially be placed into storage.
That gives you flexibility if your working arrangements change again in the future.
Could the Dining Room Become More Useful?
Formal dining rooms can be underused in some homes.
If your household normally eats in the kitchen, ask how often the separate dining room genuinely gets used.
Depending on your property’s layout and your family’s needs, you may decide another use would be more valuable.
Of course, any alterations to a property need to be considered properly, particularly if structural or building work is involved.
But simply reconsidering how you use existing rooms can sometimes reveal options you hadn’t considered.
Declutter Before Buying More Storage Furniture
A common response to a crowded bedroom is buying another wardrobe or chest of drawers.
But more furniture takes up more floor space.
Before buying anything, go through what’s already there.
Children and teenagers can accumulate enormous amounts of:
- Clothes
- Shoes
- Books
- Toys
- Schoolwork
- Sports equipment
- Technology
- Hobby equipment
Some will still be important.
Some won’t.
Involve Your Teenager in the Process
Don’t automatically decide what they should keep.
Something that looks unimportant to you may have genuine sentimental value to them.
Instead, work through possessions together.
Create categories such as:
Keep in the Bedroom
Things used regularly.
Store
Suitable belongings they want to retain but don’t currently need.
Sell or Donate
Good-quality possessions they’ve outgrown or no longer use.
Recycle or Dispose
Items that are no longer useful.
Giving them some control can make the process considerably easier.
Childhood Belongings Don’t All Need to Stay in Their Bedroom
Teenagers may still want to keep possessions from childhood without having them surrounding them every day.
Examples might include:
- Favourite toys
- Childhood books
- Collections
- School projects
- Keepsakes
- Sports trophies
- Old games
Suitable sentimental possessions can be packed, labelled and stored rather than discarded.
That allows the bedroom to evolve without requiring them to give up every part of childhood immediately.
Create a Memory Box
Instead of storing sentimental belongings randomly, consider giving each child a clearly labelled memory box or set of boxes.
For example:
EMILY – PRIMARY SCHOOL MEMORIES
JACK – CHILDHOOD BOOKS
SAM – TROPHIES AND KEEPSAKES
This makes belongings much easier to organise and retrieve later.
Clothes Need Regular Attention
Teenagers grow.
Styles change.
Sports change.
School uniform changes.
Yet old clothing often remains in wardrobes indefinitely.
Go through clothing regularly and separate:
- Currently worn
- Seasonal
- Outgrown
- Good enough to sell or donate
- Ready for appropriate recycling
There is little point filling a new bedroom with clothes that no longer fit.
Seasonal Clothing Can Be Rotated
Bulky winter coats don’t necessarily need the best wardrobe space throughout summer.
Likewise, some summer belongings can be packed away during colder months.
Suitable seasonal rotation can help reduce pressure on bedrooms and wardrobes.
Sports Equipment Can Take Over a Bedroom
Football boots.
Tennis rackets.
Golf equipment.
Cycling gear.
Gym bags.
Sports equipment can consume considerable space, particularly when several family members have different interests.
Ask what needs to be immediately accessible and what is seasonal or rarely used.
Suitable equipment that isn’t currently needed could potentially be stored elsewhere.
What About Gaming Setups?
Gaming, computers and technology can require more room as children get older.
A desk, chair, monitor and other equipment need proper space.
Rather than trying to squeeze everything around childhood furniture, consider whether the room needs redesigning.
Removing furniture that no longer serves a purpose can be just as important as adding new furniture.
Make Space for Studying
As schoolwork becomes more demanding, having somewhere suitable to study can become increasingly useful.
That doesn’t necessarily require a huge desk.
But a bedroom overflowing with boxes and unused furniture may make it difficult to create a practical workspace.
Clear first.
Then decide what furniture is actually required.
Don’t Just Move Everything Into the Garage
If you clear a bedroom and put every unwanted item into the garage, you haven’t really solved the storage problem.
You’ve relocated it.
Within months, the garage may become impossible to use.
The same applies to the loft.
Use the reorganisation as an opportunity to decide what is genuinely worth keeping.
Review the Loft at the Same Time
Family homes often accumulate possessions in the loft for years.
You may find:
- Baby equipment
- Old toys
- Children’s clothes
- Christmas decorations
- Suitcases
- Old furniture
- Boxes from previous house moves
If you’re reorganising bedrooms, it can be a good opportunity to review these belongings too.
Some may be worth keeping.
Others may have been forgotten for a reason.
Sell Good-Quality Items You’ve Outgrown
Some unwanted possessions may still have value.
Depending on the item, you could consider:
eBay UK
ebay.co.uk
Vinted UK
vinted.co.uk
Facebook Marketplace
facebook.com/marketplace
Money raised from unwanted clothes, furniture or equipment could even contribute towards redecorating the new bedroom.
Donate Suitable Items
Good-quality clothes, books, toys and furniture may also be suitable for donation.
Check individual charities’ current requirements before donating.
British Heart Foundation
bhf.org.uk
Oxfam
oxfam.org.uk
Don’t Design a Bedroom They’ll Outgrow Again Immediately
If you’re creating a room for a teenager, think beyond today’s interests.
A heavily themed room they love at 13 may feel very different at 16.
Neutral larger furniture with easily changeable accessories can sometimes make the room easier to adapt over time.
The same principle applies to storage.
Create enough organisation to work properly without filling every available centimetre.
Think About Privacy Without Isolating Them
Wanting their own room can be a normal part of growing up, but every family’s circumstances are different.
The goal isn’t to turn a bedroom into a completely separate household.
It’s to give each person appropriate space within the family home.
How you arrange that will depend on your property, children and household.
What If You Simply Don’t Have Another Bedroom?
Not every house has an underused room waiting to be reclaimed.
If you’ve looked at the layout and there genuinely isn’t another bedroom, self storage obviously can’t create a physical room that doesn’t exist.
But it can still help you make existing bedrooms less crowded.
Removing suitable:
- Seasonal belongings
- Spare furniture
- Boxes
- Hobby equipment
- Sports equipment
- Childhood keepsakes
could create more usable floor and wardrobe space within the rooms you already have.
Avoid Turning Your Own Bedroom Into Household Storage
Parents often solve children’s storage problems by moving everything into their own room.
That can quickly result in boxes, spare furniture and household belongings surrounding your own bed.
The whole family needs usable living space.
Try to solve the storage problem rather than continually moving it from one person to another.
Removal + Storage Can Help With the Bigger Items
Changing bedrooms may involve moving:
- Beds
- Mattresses
- Wardrobes
- Desks
- Drawers
- Bookcases
- Boxes
SecureStore provides Removal + Storage, allowing you to discuss moving suitable household belongings as well as storing them.
That can be particularly helpful if you’re completely clearing a room before redecorating it.
Decorate While the Room Is Empty
If a room is changing purpose, clear it properly first.
It’s much easier to:
- Paint
- Replace flooring
- Complete repairs
- Clean thoroughly
- Reorganise furniture
when you’re not constantly moving boxes from one side of the room to the other.
Once the work is complete, only bring back the things that genuinely belong there.
Give Every Item a Home
Once the new bedroom is ready, avoid allowing clutter to rebuild immediately.
Create sensible places for:
- Clothes
- Shoes
- School equipment
- Books
- Technology
- Sports equipment
- Everyday belongings
If something doesn’t have a sensible place, ask whether it really needs to remain in the bedroom.
Reassess After Six Months
Family needs continue to change.
After a few months, review the arrangement.
Is the new bedroom working?
Are stored belongings actually being missed?
Do you still need everything you’ve kept?
You may decide to bring certain things back.
You may also realise that some stored possessions can now be sold or donated.
Use SecureStore’s £1 First-Month Flash Offer
If your family needs more usable space, our current flash offer could make now a good time to reorganise.
For two weeks only:
GET YOUR FIRST MONTH OF STORAGE FOR JUST £1
Suitable storage could help you:
- Clear a spare bedroom
- Remove unused furniture
- Store childhood keepsakes
- Rotate seasonal clothing
- Move sports and hobby equipment
- Clear an underused home office
- Create more usable bedroom space
2-WEEK FLASH OFFER – FIRST MONTH’S STORAGE £1
Promotional terms, eligibility and availability apply. Contact SecureStore for full details.
How to Book Your Unit With SecureStore
Getting started is straightforward:
- Review how every room in your home is currently being used.
- Identify whether an underused room could become a bedroom.
- Involve your teenager in sorting their belongings.
- Separate possessions into keep, store, sell/donate and dispose categories.
- Pack and label suitable stored belongings.
- Contact SecureStore and ask about our 2-week flash offer – first month’s storage for £1.
- Choose a suitable unit.
- Ask about Removal + Storage for larger furniture.
- Clear and prepare the new bedroom.
- Only bring back belongings that genuinely need to be there.
2-WEEK FLASH OFFER: FIRST MONTH’S STORAGE FOR £1
Call: 0161 470 0288
Email: info@securestoreselfstorage.co.uk
Visit: 574 Manchester Road, Bury
Locations: Bury | Manchester | Failsworth | Salford
No deposit required in many cases; same-day move-in may be available.
Contact SecureStore for promotional terms, eligibility and current unit availability.
Before You Look for a Bigger House, Look at the Space You’ve Already Got
Families change.
Children grow up.
Bedrooms that worked five years ago may no longer work today.
But changing family needs don’t always mean you immediately need to move house.
Sometimes the problem isn’t the amount of space you own.
It’s the amount of that space being occupied by belongings you don’t currently need.
Clear the boxes.
Store suitable furniture.
Organise the keepsakes.
Reconsider underused rooms.
And give your home the opportunity to change alongside your family.
SecureStore provides flexible personal self storage and Removal + Storage across Bury, Manchester, Failsworth and Salford.
And for a limited period, your first month of storage is just £1 with our 2-week flash offer.
Call 0161 470 0288 or email info@securestoreselfstorage.co.uk to discuss your storage requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can self storage help us create another bedroom?
Self storage cannot physically add a room to your property, but it can help clear an existing spare room, office or other suitable space currently being used to store furniture and household belongings.
What can we do with childhood belongings our teenager wants to keep?
Suitable keepsakes can be packed into clearly labelled boxes and stored rather than taking up everyday bedroom space.
Can SecureStore help us move bedroom furniture?
Yes. SecureStore provides Removal + Storage. Speak to our team about the suitable furniture and boxes you need moving.
Can we store seasonal clothing and sports equipment?
Suitable seasonal and sporting belongings can be stored subject to SecureStore’s terms and unit availability.
What is SecureStore’s current flash offer?
For a limited two-week period, your first month of storage is £1, subject to promotional terms, eligibility and availability.
Where does SecureStore provide storage?
SecureStore provides storage solutions across Bury, Manchester, Failsworth and Salford. Call 0161 470 0288 to discuss your requirements.
