Making room for baby: Anyone else worried about space?

Mungojim · November 2013

One of my major anxieties right now is over where we're going to put this baby after he/she is old enough to move into a crib. We are a family of 5 living in a 2 bdrm/1 ba. 800 sq. foot house with a baby on the way. What's funny is that I have worried about this every time we've had a baby since #1 arrived and it always works out. My mom is great with fitting everything we need into a small space without things looking too cluttered. But, this is going to really stretch all of our skills.

I know that the baby will sleep in our room in a bassinet beside the bed until he/she outgrows it, but I'm worried about what will happen after that. Still brainstorming.

I posted this pic in my intro but I'll add it again here, just so anyone who is nervous about space will know how 3 kids in one small room can work! I'm hoping to figure out how to fit 4. I'm thinking maybe loft over crib. Another friend of mine sent me the attached photo of a cool bunk bed set up. We'd have to get a carpenter to make it happen though. And, it would totally block that back door which I don't want to do.

Moving isn't really an option right now or in the foreseeable future. We live in the city, in a fantastic location and an adorable house. My husband's commute is 10 minutes and we walk to the kids' schools, grocery store, etc. Larger houses in our neighborhood are (literally) a million dollar pipe dream. We were lucky to get into this house when we did. We bought it in 2002 before the market went crazy. I was 25 and at the time this place seemed massive compared to our tiny apartment.

Anyone else stressing over space? From experience I know it will work out...but boy, getting there can be a challenge! (and, Sorry to those of you who have already read/responded over at my intro thread about this! I hate to be repetitive, but I figured I'd break the space issue out to another thread since I've read some posts in other threads about folks with these same concerns.)

1982Babies · November 2013

I responded in your original thread with built-in bunkbeds. I think you should stay where you are. Why not. People used to raise 10 kids in tiny houses. Just buy less "junk" and be sure to sell off and donate what you aren't using and you shouldn't get too cluttered.

purpleXdandelion · November 2013

I was stressing about space but mostly clutter. Ds has so many toys and with Christmas and a new baby coming I nearly had an anxiety attack with all the extra stuff we will be accumulating. So I emailed my parents and in-laws asking for "experience" gifts for Christmas (swim lessons for ds, zoo membership, tickets to go on a train ride etc). They have responded well to it and will respect our wishes with no more "stuff."

I have DS' s and the new baby's room figured out space-wise and the fact that we won't be adding a buttload of Christmas gifts makes me breathe easier that it'll work out. Plus we got rid of 2 recliners in the living room so DS's little desk will go where they were to make room for the changing table in his room.

SummerMomma2Be · November 2013

We have a cape cod style house. 2 bedrooms upstairs and 1 on the main floor. We are upstairs with DS. With Baby #2 we are thinking of keeping him/her in our room for a while. Then eventually turning the guest room on the main floor into a nursery for the new edition. We'd like to get a bigger house in the next 2 yrs. I hate losing the guest room though since my parents visit every few months. So who knows!

stella_blu · November 2013

We have more space but I'm stressing over who will share with who. We have enough bedrooms for everyone but one is in the basement so they will have to share until DD is old en

stella_blu · November 2013

ough to be down there on her own.

(Sorry posted before I was done)

lindslalala · November 2013

I am only worried about where I'm going to store all the random crap that currently resides in our guest room. It looks like an episode of Hoarders up in there.

Mungojim · November 2013

Yes! I also feel like we have too much junk! Over the next few weeks, I'm going through every drawer, every closet, ever nook and cranny and getting rid of/donating stuff we don't use.

I also have to really go through our garage. That is truly a hoarders episode. We have like 20 bins of toys out there! It's ridiculous! I'm happy I can at least fit my car in but it is getting out of control.

stefaniew26 · November 2013

We own a 1400 sq 3/2 house. But the third bedroom is my husbands office. I have no idea how you do it! I already feel like we are outgrowing our house with just 3 people.

We plan on moving and at least doubling our space the beginning of August. It's gonna be a rough newborn/moving stage but I seriously can't wait. I'm on realtor.com everyday searching for houses!

mommyfied · November 2013

I like the solution this image propose

You can fit one person on top, and the have the same situation you have now. As the last one is old enough to fit in the bunk bed, build a similar on the other side of the room. They would be the oldest kids and could get privacy from the young with a cute curtain and have those DIY walke-talkies (paper cup and tread) between the loftbeds.

707mama · November 2013

We are in the same boat. This will make us a family of 6 and a 950sq ft house. My daughters both have loft beds. I think we are putting the crib in our bedroom. It's going to be REALLY cramped but the crib set is one of the fun parts lol. We will probably co sleep anyhow and figure out what to do with space by the time out baby is like 2

purpleXdandelion · November 2013

I was thinking along the same line as mommyfied...if we have a boy, DS and him will get these in their room when they are older. It isn't as high, but still plenty of room for a little reading / play nook underneath.

https://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/80253814/

Eta: clarity

abrazz · November 2013

Our kids share a bedroom right now and we could fit a crib in it if we put the chaise lounge in storage. They are both in toddler beds so their set up would be like the bunk beds and single bed pic you have if they were in bigger kid beds. Hopefully we will be renting somewhere a little bigger when DH gets out of school. We are living with my parents so really we have nothing except our clothes and beds in the house. Everything else is in storage and has been for over 3 years. It's hard to find 3 bedroom rental houses where we live and the only apartments in town are 2 bedroom. We have found that we can live in a pretty small space.

TurtleMonsters · November 2013

We have enough space, just have to recajigger it, which is going to be annoying. Dh leaves his office, for DS's now bed room. I have to disassemble the darn crib/convertible day bed (now) to fit it through door ways.

If I needed to, I'd share my office with a baby, did that with DS, who co slept. Having his toys all over my office sucked though.

alyss0nl · November 2013

My complaints of space are nothing to compared to what I've read. We have a ranch style home, 2200sp ft with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. My concern is that we have 3 dogs, a toddler and one on the way. We have so much "stuff" that we have to go through and donate what we are not using. We are getting rid of a recliner to make room for DS's art stuff. It's so easy to let clutter build up when you have the space to just store it.

Cheekers2010 · November 2013

Until 6 months ago we lived in an 820 sq ft, 2 bed 1 bath. We did fine with just the three of us. It was tight but we also lived in a perfect neighborhood in the city. I miss it sooo much. We decided to move to the burbs for many reasons. Primarily that my DH's commute was very long and now he is 10 minutes run from work. Anyway, we like fairly small living. I've always been a fan of the "Not so Big House" series. So, even though we moved to the burbs, we chose to buy a modest ranch (~1300 sq ft 3 bed, 2 bath). The bedrooms and bathrooms are quite small. Smaller than our little condo bedrooms! But the living space is large and open. It's the majority of the sq ft and feels palatial to us. We also have a small cute yard. We are committed to continuing to live as pared down a life as possible. I try and go through and donate/sell stuff we don't need at least 1-2 times a year.

this is all to say that I really admire you living in that small space with 6 people. I can totally understand choosing livibility and location over space.

Mungojim · November 2013

My aunt knows the author of the "Not So Big House" series and she sent me all the books. I love them! But, I had to laugh because it seems her ideal square footage is around 1,200-1,400. I think that would be quite comfortable.

It's funny that you mention that series because my aunt has told me in the past she'd love for her friend to come out to the house sometime when she's lecturing in the area. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought, "I've got to ask her when Sarah is coming out. I neeeeed help!" I'd love to have her look around here and give me some tips! We may eventually renovate to add another level - but that is years off and we'd need a very skilled architect to keep the "cottage" aesthetic that I want. I hate the McMansions that are taking over the neighborhood!

Cheekers2010 · November 2013

Mungojim said:

My aunt knows the author of the "Not So Big House" series and she sent me all the books. I love them! But, I had to laugh because it seems her ideal square footage is around 1,200-1,400. I think that would be quite comfortable.

It's funny that you mention that series because my aunt has told me in the past she'd love for her friend to come out to the house sometime when she's lecturing in the area. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought, "I've got to ask her when Sarah is coming out. I neeeeed help!" I'd love to have her look around here and give me some tips! We may eventually renovate to add another level - but that is years off and we'd need a very skilled architect to keep the "cottage" aesthetic that I want. I hate the McMansions that are taking over the neighborhood!

That would be amazing! Can you imagine having her space plan with you! Wow. Yeah, I really dislike ginormous cookie cutter homes. Your cottage sounds adorable. It would be amazing to add on a level. Have you looked into cost?

sAAmFam · November 2013

Omg you read my mind. Ours is actually around 800 maybe smaller lol. 2 bedrooms. Luckily we have a basement and we live in the basement. Our house is still not finished. We were working on refinishing all our hardwood floors. We got one bedroom completely remodeled. If I can just get the floors done before this baby comes I can live with that. Our 10 yr old boys will be getting a room in the basement remodeled this winter. Hopefuly. I'm getting those books for sure!

futureAG · November 2013

I must find this book!! We live in a 900sqft home with one bedroom and 1 bathroom.... I'm major stressing because I want the baby to have a nursery! This is our first baby. We are planing on adding 2br and a Jack & Jill type bathroom but it hasn't happened yet!! And now it's the winter/rainy season is here so it's a terrible time to build!! We have our house plans to bulid our "forever" house but decided to save more money and stay in our house for another 3- 5ish years.

LB8427 · November 2013

Space is a major issue. It's literally giving my husband panic attacks. We remodeled a 3/2 (1200sq ft) about 3 months ago. There is an awesome half-finished attic but we took the stairs to it out because they were taking up 5 usable feet in the kitchen. Our then contractor told us we could install a pull down easily in our hall way. Long story semi-short, our contractor under bid the project and kind of skipped out at the end without installing pull down stairs. We just got around to getting someone over here to see about installing one - he said it was impossible because of the old structure of the house. So now we have all of our storage in the spare bedroom with no where to put it. Thinking we are going to have to take 4 ft out of the new baby's room and run stairs up again making the room 11x8 ft (But we will carpet the stairs and the room up there and it can be a storage/play place for toys and sort of like an extension of his or her room).

Just sucks because we thought we were done with renovations.

dkizz82 · November 2013

Yes! We live in a 600 sf apartment. Luckily we have two small bedrooms but now we won't have a guest room for my mom, who loves out if town. I definitely want her here.

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