The One Renovation Homeowners Made During COVID That They Should Reverse If They Want To Sell in 2026

When the world shut down in 2020 and work from home became a thing, many homeowners decided their walk-in closet was no longer that important.

More than any other area of the home, spacious closets quickly transformed into office spaces. While this may have seemed like a good idea in the COVID era, it might be an issue in 2026—especially for those who want to sell their home any time in the near future. 

If you jumped on the “clo-ffice” bandwagon during the pandemic, designers believe it might be time to reclaim your walk-in closet for what it was meant to be. 

Why this was a trend in the pandemic years

From a design standpoint, the urgency to swap a walk-in closet for a home office was driven by necessity. Homes were suddenly required to function as offices, classrooms, and living spaces all at once. 

“With multiple people home during the day—spouses, roommates, and children—shared spaces like kitchens and dining rooms were no longer viable for focused work or video calls,” says Shandon Barrett, interior designer at Love vs. Design in Washington, UT.

Walk-in closets offered privacy and separation without requiring major construction, making them a practical solution in many markets.

“While I didn’t implement these conversions personally, it was widely discussed within the design and real estate communities as a creative way to adapt existing space quickly,” explains Barrett.

The effect on homeowners today (and what they can do about it)

Fast forward to 2026 and new priorities have emerged for buyers. While remote work is still a reality, many have returned to their company offices. With that, some homebuyers are no longer looking for a home that allows for bringing work home with them, but rather the feeling of space to grow.

“A clo-ffice is no longer a desirable space, and storage is a nonnegotiable luxury. Buyers want to see custom cabinets and an organized space—not a reminder of remote burnout and fear,” says Jennifer Homeyer, CEO and designer at The Design House in Dallas. 

If you did transform your walk-in closet into an office space during COVID, Homeyer recommends you revert it back to its intended use before selling your home. 

“Buyers won't want to make the change themselves, and if they do, they'll likely use it as leverage to lower their offer,” explains Homeyer.

Fortunately, it can be fairly quick to change your walk-in closet back and you might even want to upgrade it a bit in the process to turn it into a selling point. Install custom or modular shelving, paint the space, add a mirror or wallpaper, install LED lighting. Get creative—the sky is really the limit.

How to decide whether a complete overhaul is worth it

It may be tempting to change the entire feel and function of a room to meet your current needs. Before you do, however, take a moment to pause and really think about whether doing so makes sense.

“When advising clients on renovations or custom builds, I always encourage a long-term mindset. Even if a homeowner’s current lifestyle demands a specific use, it’s important to consider how easily that space can adapt in the future,” explains Barrett.

Also, if you believe you might sell your home, ask yourself what the project will do for resale value.

“A home's intrinsic value is tied to the core spaces and their functionality: kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms (which include closets). If the modification removes one of those foundational elements, you may be devaluing your asset,” says Homeyer.