Empty room ideas?
April 27, 2008 8:56 PM Subscribe
What would you do with an empty apartment room?
So my roomate is moving out at the end of the month and I don't have a replacement or want one at this point, so I'm thinking about staying here for a bit longer.
My question is twofold, can anyone think of creative suggestions as to how I can make any amount of money on this empty room to offsite the double rent I'll be paying. The room is about 10x12 in a 2 bd 2 bath apartment. Looking for replies that would not run too afoul of the landlord and that would be considered not illegal (i.e., only idea I've thought of so far).
I don't have high hopes for coming up with any ideas for question one, which brings us to question two.
If you were a single guy with an empty bedroom in your rented apartment, what would you do with it? Second living room? Game room? Something else really, really cool?
Thanks for any ideas!!
So my roomate is moving out at the end of the month and I don't have a replacement or want one at this point, so I'm thinking about staying here for a bit longer.
My question is twofold, can anyone think of creative suggestions as to how I can make any amount of money on this empty room to offsite the double rent I'll be paying. The room is about 10x12 in a 2 bd 2 bath apartment. Looking for replies that would not run too afoul of the landlord and that would be considered not illegal (i.e., only idea I've thought of so far).
I don't have high hopes for coming up with any ideas for question one, which brings us to question two.
If you were a single guy with an empty bedroom in your rented apartment, what would you do with it? Second living room? Game room? Something else really, really cool?
Thanks for any ideas!!
Fishroom! But, uh, you'd have to be really into fish to like that one, I guess.
posted by bettafish at 9:07 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by bettafish at 9:07 PM on April 27, 2008
Seconding the Fishroom. Deck it out with goldfish wallpaper, aquariums, and enough Billy Bass fish to feed a small village.
posted by saxamo at 9:17 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by saxamo at 9:17 PM on April 27, 2008
Best answer: I'd line the walls with bookshelves and finally have a place to put all my books that are in boxes.
posted by richrad at 9:17 PM on April 27, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by richrad at 9:17 PM on April 27, 2008 [3 favorites]
Haha, I think the first thing that leaps to everyone's mind (including yours?) is cultivating marijuana. However, I bet there are legal plants that would do okay growing indoors and well lit...you'd just have to work really, really hard to convince your landlord that you were growing lettuce and tomatoes in your grow room.
You might even be able to sell the stuff to the next tenant. No questions asked, of course.
posted by crinklebat at 9:19 PM on April 27, 2008 [1 favorite]
You might even be able to sell the stuff to the next tenant. No questions asked, of course.
posted by crinklebat at 9:19 PM on April 27, 2008 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm a single guy who keeps a workbench and several cabinets full of pieces parts in my 2nd bedroom. Now you might not be a tinkerer like I am, but why not use it to set up a nice area to do whatever you're into? If you like video games, game room. Into art, studio. There's nothing like having a dedicated place to do something. You get used to doing that thing and fall right back into it when you arrive. That's why living rooms are so popular :)
posted by waxboy at 9:21 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by waxboy at 9:21 PM on April 27, 2008
Response by poster: I used to have fish but got tired of cleaning the tank. My siphoning technique was poor and it resulted in too much fish water in the mouth. If fishroom is the general consensus though maybe I can reconsider my position on that.
posted by gatorbiddy at 9:21 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by gatorbiddy at 9:21 PM on April 27, 2008
wall-to-wall mattresses and call it the Hot Chicks Room
posted by meta_eli at 9:27 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by meta_eli at 9:27 PM on April 27, 2008
Exercise room?
posted by pluckysparrow at 9:37 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by pluckysparrow at 9:37 PM on April 27, 2008
For extra money, you could rent it to someone as a storage space.
posted by xo at 9:39 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by xo at 9:39 PM on April 27, 2008
Rent it out to a massage therapist during the day?
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:42 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:42 PM on April 27, 2008
I don't know what you do for a living, but a home office can provide a tax deduction.
posted by SPrintF at 9:48 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by SPrintF at 9:48 PM on April 27, 2008
Response by poster: Moneywise, storage and massage were the two I had as well, but strangers coming and going would be in an issue in the rare chance the (offsite living) rent taker person ever ran into them.
Tax deduction interesting, thought about that, need to look into it more, definitely work from home occasionally (computer/programming), but wonder if that qualifies or not.
posted by gatorbiddy at 9:56 PM on April 27, 2008
Tax deduction interesting, thought about that, need to look into it more, definitely work from home occasionally (computer/programming), but wonder if that qualifies or not.
posted by gatorbiddy at 9:56 PM on April 27, 2008
I think the tax deduction thing only works if the office (or part of office) is dedicated solely to work.
I turned my extra room into my basement. Or at least, what my basement would look like if I had one and didn't live in a crappy condo. Servers and junk. And a dusty bike.
posted by gjc at 10:24 PM on April 27, 2008
I turned my extra room into my basement. Or at least, what my basement would look like if I had one and didn't live in a crappy condo. Servers and junk. And a dusty bike.
posted by gjc at 10:24 PM on April 27, 2008
ball pit?
(expensive, though, if you want to fill the entire room)
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:27 PM on April 27, 2008 [2 favorites]
(expensive, though, if you want to fill the entire room)
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:27 PM on April 27, 2008 [2 favorites]
library! complete with leather chairs, floor to ceiling book shelves and a ladder that moves back and forth along a track :D
posted by Planet F at 10:30 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by Planet F at 10:30 PM on April 27, 2008
nthing library or study. Having a place apart from the areas where everyday activity happens could vastly improve concentration and productivity. Make it your sanctuary.
posted by pedmands at 10:45 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by pedmands at 10:45 PM on April 27, 2008
Marijauna seeds (seeing as you're in the us) is going to be a problem.
Psilocybin spores, however, haven't really been spotlighted yet. Doesn't need a lot of electricity for heat/light, but having access to an autoclave or at the very least a steam cooker is all you need (plus some creativity with working with large tupperware bins).
--
Have you seen other people in your neighbourhood put up flyers offering "closet space?"
Are you home enough and maternal enough to advertise for foreign homestay students? My folks used to do it and they'd have the occassional weird one who refused to eat (and didn't complain) with the homestay parents and were at the homestay less than 1/2 of the month.
posted by porpoise at 11:14 PM on April 27, 2008
Psilocybin spores, however, haven't really been spotlighted yet. Doesn't need a lot of electricity for heat/light, but having access to an autoclave or at the very least a steam cooker is all you need (plus some creativity with working with large tupperware bins).
--
Have you seen other people in your neighbourhood put up flyers offering "closet space?"
Are you home enough and maternal enough to advertise for foreign homestay students? My folks used to do it and they'd have the occassional weird one who refused to eat (and didn't complain) with the homestay parents and were at the homestay less than 1/2 of the month.
posted by porpoise at 11:14 PM on April 27, 2008
2nding the nthing of a 'workroom': Student:Office, Grad:Library, Musician:Studio (my choice), Photographer:Darkroom or Studio (lights, drapes, gels, etc).
posted by eclectist at 11:15 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by eclectist at 11:15 PM on April 27, 2008
I think fishroom is really the only way to go hear . . .
posted by Carillon at 11:26 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by Carillon at 11:26 PM on April 27, 2008
Ball pit! (Oh, and lower the siphon hose completely into the tank, cap the end with your thumb, and pull it out and stick it in the bucket before uncapping it. Drinking the water is a big no-no.)
posted by Orb2069 at 11:52 PM on April 27, 2008
posted by Orb2069 at 11:52 PM on April 27, 2008
A friend of mine moved into an apartment with "free" electricity, and promptly made a cheater cord to power his server rack from the electric range plug, as none of the regular circuits in the place would handle the load...
So, depending on what kind of bandwidth you can get in there, offer colo space for a compute farm?
posted by Myself at 12:00 AM on April 28, 2008
So, depending on what kind of bandwidth you can get in there, offer colo space for a compute farm?
posted by Myself at 12:00 AM on April 28, 2008
You could rent it out during the day to a freelancer as an 'office'. I have difficulty working at home like a lot of people, but having someplace to go during work hours, with washroom and kitchen facilities to boot, may be worth a couple of hundred a month.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 12:09 AM on April 28, 2008
posted by hungrysquirrels at 12:09 AM on April 28, 2008
Personalized oasis-type space where you can fully relax at the end of the day.
Indoor arboretum type plant room with as many plants as you can fit in there, with some sort of seating to enjoy it all with (I have always wanted to do that).
Turn it in to a bedroom and register with couchsurfing.com, and get a bunch of travellers to stay with you?
Turn it in to a miniature home theatre with surround sound and all that jazz.
I personally reckon some sort of games room is a great option. Cards table, gambling related games, air hokey, pinball etc are all great things to have at your house in terms of entertaining. But they are mostly only fun if you have someone to share them with.
Put a bar in there are learn how to make cocktails and entertain people in your own bar.
I think those are prertty much all the things I have dreamt of having in my mansion when I am rich, but I am probably missing a few things.
posted by atmosphere at 12:10 AM on April 28, 2008
Indoor arboretum type plant room with as many plants as you can fit in there, with some sort of seating to enjoy it all with (I have always wanted to do that).
Turn it in to a bedroom and register with couchsurfing.com, and get a bunch of travellers to stay with you?
Turn it in to a miniature home theatre with surround sound and all that jazz.
I personally reckon some sort of games room is a great option. Cards table, gambling related games, air hokey, pinball etc are all great things to have at your house in terms of entertaining. But they are mostly only fun if you have someone to share them with.
Put a bar in there are learn how to make cocktails and entertain people in your own bar.
I think those are prertty much all the things I have dreamt of having in my mansion when I am rich, but I am probably missing a few things.
posted by atmosphere at 12:10 AM on April 28, 2008
BDSM dungeon. I'm serious.
posted by turgid dahlia at 4:59 AM on April 28, 2008
posted by turgid dahlia at 4:59 AM on April 28, 2008
I used to have fish but got tired of cleaning the tank. My siphoning technique was poor and it resulted in too much fish water in the mouth.
Not an answer to the main question here, but try just pushing the whole bundle of tubing under the surface of the water and letting it fill up there. Then put your finger over one end, put that end in the bucket, and release your finger. No mouth-suction needed.
posted by echo target at 6:47 AM on April 28, 2008
Not an answer to the main question here, but try just pushing the whole bundle of tubing under the surface of the water and letting it fill up there. Then put your finger over one end, put that end in the bucket, and release your finger. No mouth-suction needed.
posted by echo target at 6:47 AM on April 28, 2008
Bike shop
posted by craven_morhead at 7:03 AM on April 28, 2008
posted by craven_morhead at 7:03 AM on April 28, 2008
Poker room. Make or buy your own felt-covered table. Keep a well-stocked mini-fridge in there, too.
posted by vytae at 7:52 AM on April 28, 2008
posted by vytae at 7:52 AM on April 28, 2008
Turn the whole room into an indoor Zen Garden.
I wanted to do this with my loft but my wife has filled it with junk.
posted by charlesv at 7:58 AM on April 28, 2008
I wanted to do this with my loft but my wife has filled it with junk.
posted by charlesv at 7:58 AM on April 28, 2008
Put one of those sensory depravation tanks in there and rent time in it.
I don't think that strangers coming and going would be much of a problem if your landlord is unlikely to run into more than one or two of them, your landlord won't even know they are strangers to you, and your landlord probably doesn't expect that they would know their tenant's guests.
posted by yohko at 9:01 AM on April 28, 2008
I don't think that strangers coming and going would be much of a problem if your landlord is unlikely to run into more than one or two of them, your landlord won't even know they are strangers to you, and your landlord probably doesn't expect that they would know their tenant's guests.
posted by yohko at 9:01 AM on April 28, 2008
Okay, the whole mouth-suctioning thing wigs me out. You can use echo's method (I don't like to, since one end of the vacuum goes in the bucket which I share between tanks, and I don't want to risk spreading germs from one tank to the next), or pump the siphon very quickly to get water moving up the tube, or buy a Python ... nowadays there are plenty of no-mouth-involved water vacuuming methods, promise!
posted by bettafish at 9:10 AM on April 28, 2008
posted by bettafish at 9:10 AM on April 28, 2008
How about an artist's studio? Call around local studios and ask how much they rent their spaces for, and rent yours for less. Then advertise in your local paper or at your local university or wherever for studio space.
posted by greta simone at 9:20 AM on April 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by greta simone at 9:20 AM on April 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
Oh man, I would totally turn that room into a little chicken coop, and have fresh eggs every day.
Great idea, but dear God, do you have any idea how bad chicken waste smells? Egads.
posted by cabingirl at 9:43 AM on April 28, 2008
Great idea, but dear God, do you have any idea how bad chicken waste smells? Egads.
posted by cabingirl at 9:43 AM on April 28, 2008
Turn it into a Serious Business office, but also fill it with chuckee cheese balls to knee depth. "Hold one moment please, I'll get that tax form for you...*sound of trudging through the plastic balls* Ah, here it is."
posted by proj08 at 9:48 AM on April 28, 2008
posted by proj08 at 9:48 AM on April 28, 2008
I nth "library" or do something that'll make you spare cash. Rent your space for whatever reason, and to be ultra adultish, put the money you make into an account. Money making money = pretty.
posted by damnjezebel at 5:38 PM on April 28, 2008
posted by damnjezebel at 5:38 PM on April 28, 2008
Modern fake grass is pretty realistic.
So, carpet the room in fake grass. Then, get some stone like cushions and scatter them about, then get some realistic fake plants and strew vines and leaves everywhere. Finally you can hide some satellite speakers about and play ambient jungle noises. Hooray! Jungle room!
posted by tomble at 6:08 PM on April 28, 2008
So, carpet the room in fake grass. Then, get some stone like cushions and scatter them about, then get some realistic fake plants and strew vines and leaves everywhere. Finally you can hide some satellite speakers about and play ambient jungle noises. Hooray! Jungle room!
posted by tomble at 6:08 PM on April 28, 2008
As much as I want to say "turn it into a conservatory with a ball pit, two hammocks, and a fish tank!", that wouldn't be answering your question.
I would turn the extra space into a darkroom, and rent it out to students for cheap. You might have to spend a bit to buy some equipment, but if you're into photography I think this is a great option. Some of the more budget darkroom rentals I've seen charge $5/hr with the use of their equipment and basic chemicals, and something like $50-$80/mo for darkroom use.
Advertise at your local school/classifieds, and even 10-20 regulars could potentially recoup equipment costs and make up for your former roommate's rent in a few months time.
No clue about legality, whether you have an interest in photography, etc. just $0.02
posted by s01110011 at 6:19 PM on April 28, 2008
I would turn the extra space into a darkroom, and rent it out to students for cheap. You might have to spend a bit to buy some equipment, but if you're into photography I think this is a great option. Some of the more budget darkroom rentals I've seen charge $5/hr with the use of their equipment and basic chemicals, and something like $50-$80/mo for darkroom use.
Advertise at your local school/classifieds, and even 10-20 regulars could potentially recoup equipment costs and make up for your former roommate's rent in a few months time.
No clue about legality, whether you have an interest in photography, etc. just $0.02
posted by s01110011 at 6:19 PM on April 28, 2008
Response by poster: Thanks for the replies everyone! I think I'll start off with the workbench idea on which to make my Hammock Stand, because I really do enjoy a good hammock, then go with the conservatory and library idea, maybe explore some indoor vegetable potential. To top it off, I can charge people to play real life Clue in my apartment! I think I'll just make it a room I can enjoy and not worry about the money just yet.
posted by gatorbiddy at 6:36 PM on April 28, 2008
posted by gatorbiddy at 6:36 PM on April 28, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by gatorbiddy at 9:05 PM on April 27, 2008