If you’ve got outbuildings situated on your land, it’s important not to let them go to waste. By giving them a designated purpose and keeping them well-maintained, you can increase the functionality of your property. With this in mind, take a look at these five ways you can make the best use of your outbuildings:
Using Your Outbuildings
Wood Storage
It’s always handy to have wood available on a homestead, particularly if you’re living off-grid and relying on a log fire for warmth. However, it’s essential to store wood properly, otherwise, you risk it becoming damp and unusable. If you have the space available, use outbuildings to keep wood in perfect condition until you’re ready to use it. While you’ll need to provide ventilation to ensure it doesn’t retain moisture, this can be done by leaving windows or doors ajar for a few hours at a time.
Home Office
If you’re running a business from your homestead, you’ll certainly need a dedicated workspace. Turning outbuildings into new space used for a home office is a great way to ensure you’ve got a peaceful place to work. In addition to this, having a designated office means you can separate work from family life. Whether you’re selling the produce you’ve grown or writing your own guide for other homesteaders, transforming outbuildings into a home office is a great use of space.
Sauna
Managing a homestead can be hard work, so it is important to take care of your health. With a sauna on-site, you can relieve joint pain, ease aching muscles and even flush toxins from your body. Of course, it is the perfect way to relax and unwind after a long day too, so why not add a little luxury to your land and install a sauna in one of your outbuildings?
Games Room
At-home entertainment is essential for every family, which is why having a dedicated games room will be a big hit with kids and teens. This is a perfect transformation for one of your outbuildings. From pool tables and table tennis to mini trampolines and foosball tables, there are endless things to add to your purpose-built games room. For younger kids, setting up a designated craft space will give them the freedom to create and play in a safe environment, which will give you peace of mind.
Workshop
As every experienced homesteader knows, a workshop is an essential part of your property. From storing tools and equipment to carrying out repairs and building new structures, a workshop will be one of the most-used rooms on your homestead. By using one of your existing outbuildings as a workshop, you can create a custom solution that meets your need and increase the functionality of the structures that are already on your land.
He/She Sheds
Another creative way to utilize one of the outbuildings on your property is to transform it into a he-shed or a she-shed. This is a perfect place for finding quiet time after an incredibly hectic day. It can be used as a place to find time alone or to gather with your friends. Consider it a hideaway from the busyness of the homestead.
Final Thoughts on Using Your Outbuildings
How you use your land will have a significant impact on the success of your homestead, so be sure to think strategically. By maximizing the use of natural resources and enhancing the versatility of buildings, you can ensure that you have everything you need to start a successful homestead.
Do you have any suggestions or ideas on how to use outbuildings in a creative way on the homestead? Please share them in the comments below.