The Unused Rooms in Your House Are Trying to Tell You Something...

Read on to see the message your unused rooms have for you.

by Bridget Blonde

December 29, 2025

December is the month when your dining room finally gets put to use.

But, if it's only the second time this year you've used it, there's a message in there.

Yesterday I was thinking about when we downsized. I remembered that our unused dining room was one of the biggest signs that we had more room than we needed.

Your unused rooms are trying to tell you something, too, that it's time to downsize.

It Takes a While to Notice

Back then, it took me a while to notice what was happening.

It was little things. Walking past a room that stayed spotless because no one ever used it.

Keeping furniture "just in case one of the kids could use it one day." Spoiler: they didn't want it.

Holding onto all those bedrooms for the rare moment when everyone came home at the same time.

And honestly, it's such a common story for empty nesters.

Life Changes Quickly

Life changes quickly. Before you know it, kids grow up.

Their priorities shift. So do yours.

Suddenly whole rooms become more like storage for memories than places we actually live in.

The guest room that was supposed to be for when the kids visit? They stay at a hotel now because it's easier with the grandkids' gear.

The formal living room that you keep nice? No one sits in there. Ever.

It can make you wonder if the home that worked for yesterday is still the right fit for today.

The Real Cost of Unused Space

Here's what I see people not talking about enough. Those unused rooms aren't just sitting there being harmless.

You're heating them. Cooling them. Cleaning them. Paying property tax on them. Doing maintenance on them.

You're climbing stairs you don't need to climb. Managing space you don't need to manage.

And for what? For the maybe two times a year when everyone's under one roof at the same time?

I'm not saying it's not worth it. That's a personal decision only you can make.

I'm just saying it's worth thinking about.

Plot Twist: What Downsizing Actually Looked Like for Us

We didn't excactly have the traditional downsizing experience.

We didn't just move to a smaller house. We actually created a multi-generational home with two separate living spaces under one roof.

My parents needed help. We needed less house. It solved both problems at once.

But, back to the topic at hand.

Before we got there, I had to sit with the reality that our big family home wasn't serving us anymore.

That was harder than I expected.

Because letting go of that house felt like letting go of a stage of life. And in a way, it was.

But here's the thing. Letting go of that stage made room for this one. And this stage is pretty great.

The Gentle Nudge

If you've been feeling that unused rooms frustration lately, you're not the only one. It might be your gentle nudge that something in your life is ready to shift, too.

Maybe it's time to think about what you really need right now. Not what you needed five years ago. Not what you might need in some future scenario that may or may not happen.

Right. Now.

What would make your daily life easier? What would give you more freedom? What would let you focus on the things that actually matter to you at this stage?

Those are the questions worth sitting with.

And if you decide the answer involves less house and more life? I've been there. I can help you figure out what that looks like.

But even if you're not ready to make a move yet, just noticing the unused rooms is a start.

It's permission to think about what you really want. Not what you think you're "supposed" to want.

And that's worth something all on its own.