by Lindsay Horvath

Created on: February 10, 2009

The day has finally come. Your child is flying the coop, and you suddenly find yourself in new territory: the Empty Nest. Whether this is your first, last, or only fledgling, you are sure to feel a mix of emotions. You may feel sadness, loneliness, or longing for the days of Barbie dolls and baseballs, of sticky toddler kisses and Saturday night sleepovers. You might also find yourself dreaming of vacations and feel a bit of excitement at the freedom you now have. And part of that freedom is the license to utilize the room that fledgling used to occupy. It's technically yours...isn't it?

It's hard to know how long to wait before cleaning out the empty room left by a child who leaves home for college or simply to live on their own. Consider the following thoughts before you roll up your sleeves and dive in.

The first question to ask yourself is: Will my child be returning? A kid who's gone off to college is most likely going to need somewhere to sleep when they come home for breaks. A child who is homesick, unsure about school, or geographically close may return home more frequently than one who is further away, or one who has moved out into their own apartment. Consider the needs your child may have for the room before you go to the trouble of converting it into a home gym. If you have any questions as to whether your child might eventually become one of those rebound kids and actually move back in, you might want to wait until you are sure they have truly flown the nest before painting the walls and calling it the den.

The next question, of course, is how much do YOU, the owner of the house, need the room? If your house is on the larger side, you may have other guest rooms, or perhaps previous children's rooms that you've already emptied out. You may already have an office somewhere else in the house. If the need for the room is low, consider leaving it alone for a bit. On the other hand, if you have a smaller house and could really utilize the space the empty room offers, waiting to clean it out might not be an option. Perhaps you want the room to serve as a guest room; in this case there will still be a bed for the fledgling but guests may not have to sleep under a poster of Brad Pitt or Ashlee Simpson. Or, perhaps you need the room for an office, a sewing room, or even just storage. In this case, you might want to clean it out completely. Having a couch or a futon, or even a daybed remaining in the room still offers the option of sleep when your child comes

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