A room full of memories: Poignant photo series reveals how empty nesters struggle to adapt unoccupied space A new photo series focuses on the emotional turmoil many parents face when their children leave home. Dona Schwartz, 58, from Minnesota captured empty nesters posing in the bedrooms of their sons or daughters. Many appear to be in a state of mourning, with sullen facial expressions striking a depressing tone. While some have left the unoccupied spaces untouched, others have transformed the extra square footage into home gyms, offices and TV rooms. Down and out: A new photo series focuses on the emotional turmoil many parents face when their children leave home - here 'Jean' poses in the bedroom of her son who moved out two years ago Ms Schwartz spent years tracking down empty nesters in Minnesota and Illinois through e-mail shootouts, fliers and word of mouth beginning in 2006. Some had been childless for less than two months, while others had been for as many as five years. Ms Schwartz says parents often know how prepare for the arrival of a new baby, but when it comes to treating the unoccupied room of an adult child they are more unsure. Moving on: Dona Schwartz, 58, from Minnesota captured empty nesters posing in the bedrooms of their sons or daughters - Gloria and Alan (pictured) turned their child's room into a gym Not the same: Many appear to be in a state of mourning - Lollie and Alan's (pictured) son moved out three months ago New era: Robin and Bob, whose child moved out nine months , still seem undecided as to what to do with the space 'There's a sort of gray area between what you do with that room when you've gone from full-time parenting to whatever it is that comes next,' she told Slate.com. 'In some of the houses I went into, people didn't need space, so those rooms could stay intact. They'd close the door and pretty much not go into them. 'In other houses, there's more of a calculation: They need the space, but they want to preserve it to maintain the memories.' She told MailOnline that her images seem to prompt 'storytelling'. Empty nesters: Wendy and Phil's daughter moved out one year ago Time for a remodel: Sue and Jim get to work on their child's bedroom one month after they moved out Source of support: Pam and Bill hold each other's hands - their daughter moved out two months ago Sense of emptiness: Carol and Charles have started using their child's room as a storage room nine months on Indeed once commentator wrote after seeing one of her images: 'That is kind of what my old bedroom looks like. 'My parents have my old bed, my dresser and a giant pack 'n play in there which they added for when the godchildren visit and they do all-day babysitting for naps and diaper changes. 'It's a weird mix of old kid c*** and new grandbaby stuff along with the ironing board and a bunch of plants and pictures they don't know what to do with.' Another added: 'When I moved out, I left my room a hell of a mess. 'I guess I can't be bitter that my parents swiftly remodeled it into an office.' Room of memories: The photographs reveal the bizarre assortment of things children leave when they move out Holding on to the past: Heather and Tom pose in the room of their daughter - she moved out four years ago but her possessions are still on display Sparse: Karen has given her child's room a more adult look Emotional struggle: Chris and Susan look bereft after being left childless seven months ago But many have expressed surprise at how 'depressed' the parents in Ms Schwartz's pictures look. One viewer exclaimed: 'If you were to take a picture of my parents on my old room, you would see a man and woman with their scotch and martini glasses, surrounded by friends and having the times of their lives. My stuff would perfectly crammed into the closet. Ms Schwartz, who is an empty nester herself with three adult children, said through doing the project she came to appreciate the many changes humans are forced to adapt to in the course of a lifetime. When we become parents our lives are forever changed. Then after the many years of child-rearing - the nurturing, hard work and self-sacrifice - it quietly comes to an end. Lost: Ms Schwartz says parents often know how prepare for the arrival of a new baby, but when it comes to treating the unoccupied room of an adult child they are more unsure 'There's a sort of gray area between what you do with that room when you've gone from full-time parenting to whatever it is that comes next,' she said Learning curve: Ms Schwartz, who is an empty nester herself with three adult children, said through doing the project she came to appreciate the many changes humans are forced to adapt to in the course of a lifetime Getting on with things: Peter poses alone in the bedroom of his child, who moved out three years ago She said some of the parents she met were 'excited by the freedom' of seeing their children fly the nest, others were anxious about how their relationship with their spouse would change. But the majority were wistful, and reminisced about their experiences as parents and their bonds with their kids. 'Their kids had been so central to their day-to-day activities and emotions that they felt like they'd lost their bearings and needed to chart a new course,' Ms Schwartz concluded. Alongside her photography, she acts as an associate professor of journalism and communication at the University of Minnesota.