There are more than 2,000 escape rooms in the U.S. today.

But while this fun and exciting activity may have captivated our imaginations, its also putting a strain on some wallets.

To help tide you over in between those $30, $35, or even more expensive games, why not create your very own at home? Keep reading to learn how to create your very own DIY escape room.

Skip the Room

One of the biggest reasons that people don’t feel like its possible to make your own escape room at home is because of just how elaborate escape rooms have become.

But while your DIY version might not be nearly as interactive or immersive as the last awesome professional escape room you did, you can still capture all of the excitement and fun of the room at home.

All you have to do is put aside the notion that you need an immersive “room”.

While those fancy sets and decorations might help you get into the story, they aren’t what you spend most of your time focusing on. Instead, you’re focused on beating the next puzzle, which will then help you move onto the next puzzle, and so on.

All of this can be accomplished in your living room. You don’t need locking doors or alarms. You can easily scatter your puzzles throughout your room and let your friends and family go at them!

Get Creative With Your Puzzles

The puzzles you enjoy during a commercial escape room are usually a perfect fit for the theme. But as long as your puzzles are challenging, they don’t actually need to be totally within the theme.

Instead, get creative with your puzzles and utilize things you might already have at home.

For instance, a literal puzzle could be an excellent prop. You might hide pieces throughout the room. And when the puzzle is assembled, the picture it forms might hint at a book or another picture somewhere in the room that will lead the players on to the next clue.

Choose a Storyline

While you may not need an elaborate set for your game to be fun, you do need a storyline.

The storyline is what sets the stage for the game. It gets your players hyped up, and often, it leads them to their first clue or gives them a small hint that might lead them to a later one.

It’s also what makes racing the clock so much more exciting.

To make it feel more immersive and real, choose a theme that might already fit your space.

Maybe your living room was the scene of a robbery, and the game revolves around figuring out who did it. Or your kitchen is actually a restaurant, and someone has hidden poison intended to be used on a spy dining at the restaurant.

Get creative, and don’t be afraid to depend on your guests to use their imaginations!

Don’t Forget the Clock!

Perhaps the most exciting part of doing an escape room is racing the clock.

So when you’re creating your own DIY room, don’t forget to add some sort of countdown clock. You can easily achieve this with a simple laptop countdown, or even one on your television screen.

Creating Your Own DIY Escape Room at Home

Creating your very own DIY escape room at home is a great way to entertain guests or tide your family over until you can play another professional game.

Looking for other hacks you can take on at home? Check out our blog for more how-to guides.