For mamas living in small spaces with no nursery

snarkylibrarian · September 2014

Hey all! Just wondering what those of you are doing who are sharing small spaces/a room with the baby. How soon are you setting up your gear? If you have gear already, how are you managing to store your stuff? Any particular space-saving strategies?

I'm in a one bedroom that doesn't have much space, so I'm not sure when to let the baby gear take over the area, but I don't want to do everything too last minute!

ssstephanie214 · September 2014

https://www.mothermag.com/sharing-bedroom-with-baby/

I loved this post

hiketheworld · September 2014

I also have a one bedroom apartment. We have the crib against the wall, using our short dresser as a changing table an we have baby's dresser in the middle of the room since we ran out of wall space to put things up against. Ohh well! It will all work out.

SarahHeck · September 2014

This is our "nursery" so far. It isn't quite done yet, but I found the idea of closet nurseries on Pinterest and decided to go with it. I have enough space on either side of the crib to put baby gear. I think it'll work for us.

mamatohne · September 2014

We live in a two bed room. Ds room also has a guest bed in it. So we have her in our room. I am just trying to find things that can double as others. The dresser will have a changing pad on it. There is a book shelf, I took the top shelf out and I'm going to put a wood rod to hang some of her close, and put canvas bins in the rest for more storage. Under her crib are boxes of clothing all super organized and labled. It's tight but it works.

jillybean7582 · September 2014

We are in a two bedroom townhouse until April when our lease is up, then we are planning on renting a 3 bedroom townhouse or single family home.

Until then baby will sleep in our room in a RNP. She will have half of DS' s closet for hanging clothes and half his dresser for non hanging items.

We have storage cubes in DS closet that have baskets in them with all his toys. Babies toys, tummy mat, bouncer, etc. will go in the closet in the living room

We cloth diaper so her diapers will be stored in the hall bathroom linen closet in one of those plastic three drawer storage bins. We will also have a changing station with a changing pad and basket with diapers/wipes etc on top of the dresser in DS' s room, a basket with diapers wipes in the downstairs bathroom, and one in our bedroom for overnight changes.

The only thing that will be out in the living space downstairs will be the swing and I am still not sure where exactly that will go.

obviously for right now your lo won't require a ton of toys and stuff out but what we do for DS to help contain the chaos is that he gets one basket of toys out of his closet and one big toy (ie basketball hoop, riding toy, etc.) each day to play with. This way it is easy to clean up in the evening and he also doesn't get bored playing with the same thing each day. He has way too much stuff (95% of it bought by others not us) so staying organized is really key for me to not go crazy from all the toddler/baby stuff in a smaller space.

BrittG13 · September 2014

We're doing a full size crib but our bedroom is big enough to handle it. Have you heard about mini cribs? Some come with drawers and such for storage.

We also have a storage cube system in our closet. It holds six, so DH gets 2, I get 2, and now the boy will have 2. We're using the bottom drawer of our nightstand for books and just a changing pad on top of our dresser rather than an actual changing station.

Just about everything we put on our registry is 'travel' or has the ability to fold down compactly.

tj2990 · September 2014

Anyone have tips for no linen closet/really small one?

fyreandblood · September 2014

My mom and i live in a one bedroom together. I'll be in the living room so it's easier to get bottles and such for baby if needed, and my mom will take the bedroom! The baby's crib is a small travel number that holds up to 30 pounds, so that will go right next to my sofa bed. I have a tummy mat and such that will live in the closet and be taken out as needed.

As for organization, we're downsizing from a big cherry dresser to three small ikea white malms. Only difficulty is putting them together (i have a spatial disability, my mom has arthritis, and they charge way too much for delivery and installation!!), so i'm trolling CL for ones that are already complete. I have one right now that holds my things, and i'll be attaching velcro to it to hold the changing pad. Just need a diaper organizer!!

For clothes and accessories: ikea plastic tubs! Most of my clothes live in these, and i have two large ones and a small one for baby. One large tub fits formula pitcher, bottles, diapers, formula for supplementing, blankets/towels/burp cloths, rattles and toys, my organized bags of baby hats and socks, etc; the second large tub holds clothes arranged by size (minus newborn), a snowsuit, bunting, our dryer rack for bottles, grooming/health kit, bath kit, etc. The small tub is all newborn clothes! I'm planning on arranging everything for her in her own little ikea dresser, with organizers for each drawer. I have the organizers, just need the dressers!

We also have wooden toy storage in my mom's closet.

Velcro attached to top of dresser and bottom of changing pad was the best idea ever. Makes sure the pad doesn't slide around as much, esp since mine is an inflatable ikea one.

jillybean7582 · September 2014

@JT71729‌ can you buy some of those blocks to make your bed sit higher off the ground then get some plastic underbed storage containers on wheels, I would think that would be a great place to store extra blankets, diapers/wipes, clothes that are too big for right now, etc.... might also be a good place to store your out of season clothes or your extra linens/blankets that are in your closet so you can free up closet space for baby.

mamatohne · September 2014

budzer said:
We have a one bed also and it is hard with smaller space. But we are making it work. Have a crib (full size) and dresser and that is it for now. It works fine but we are looking forward to moving to more space next year.

Smaller space scares me though more for the fact that when a stroller is made, RNP and pack and play are in the living area we will be really tight for space. But it will be worth it.

Definitely look up options for smaller spaces online. You will get some great ideas as it makes people get more creative.

Strollers suck. I have three of the them and storage is terrible. One is a single stroller that I don't want to get rid of because it goes with the car seat, the 2nd turns into a bike, and the 3rd is a double. I have no where for them. One stays in my car one stays in H's car and the other is always in the way.

luvalways77 · September 2014

I use to use my closet as an office. I just recently took all my clothes from the dresser drawers and put them back in the closet. I lost my office, but now the baby has storage space for clothes and other items. We don't have a very big bedroom and the crib will definitely take up a lot of space that we hardly have. However, all we plan to get is a crib. No changing table or rocking chair or other extras. I bought a nice decorative changing pad that I may place on top of the dresser or my night table. Lately, I'm thinking we'll end up changing the baby on the bed. The changing pad may have been a bad purchase.

I have 5 drawers in the dresser for the baby and will organize her clothes by size. I plan to buy a small basket/caddy to organize her bath supplies so it's easy to just grab everything in one go. I'll probably store other stuff like boxes of diapers under the crib or in my closet.

Honestly, we have not bought a crib or even a stroller yet. I feel way behind. Of course next week we'll certainly get the crib, stroller, car seat. We'll be all set by the end of October.

Good luck with your organizing.

aa98 · September 2014

tarynleann said:

We have a one bed also and it is hard with smaller space. But we are making it work. Have a crib (full size) and dresser and that is it for now. It works fine but we are looking forward to moving to more space next year.

Smaller space scares me though more for the fact that when a stroller is made, RNP and pack and play are in the living area we will be really tight for space. But it will be worth it.

Definitely look up options for smaller spaces online. You will get some great ideas as it makes people get more creative.
Strollers suck. I have three of the them and storage is terrible. One is a single stroller that I don't want to get rid of because it goes with the car seat, the 2nd turns into a bike, and the 3rd is a double. I have no where for them. One stays in my car one stays in H's car and the other is always in the way.

@tarynleann here's what I got for my stroller, of course I haven't tried it yet, but I saw some NYC moms raving about it on a blog.

https://www.amazon.com/StrollAway-Stroller-Storage-Hanger-White/dp/B001GPBJP8/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=33K3X93SFK0K9&coliid=I19EEOP7RE28D7

aa98 · September 2014

We have a tiny 2 bedroom with the second currently functioning as an office/guest room. I am in the process of trying to convert it into an office/nursery, but I am trying to figure out what to do with the futon that is currently in there. We are getting a traditional style crib (less bulky than the convertibles) and a small single dresser that will have a changing pad on it. I am not sure what we are going to do about sleeping arrangements for the first month or two as it will be difficult to fit in even a rock and play. We will manage somehow though. Our closet space is also dreadful, just 3 tiny closets in the entire place, no linen closet and no pantry. So that means the baby gets no closet space as they are all packed already (even with all the under bed storage we use for linens and off season clothing). Also trying to make space in the kitchen for baby bottles, etc.

I'm looking forward to hearing more suggestions. Also if any of you have specific names for your storage solutions, please post those as well!

kkewhitney · September 2014

Yay small spaces! We are in a one bedroom + "den" (storage closet) and have been purging, donating, upcycling and recycling like crazy all spruig and summer.

We made the den/storage into a baby space sans windows mostly so all the baby stuff and full crib could go in one spot but baby will sleep in our room in bassinet or pack and play for the first 3-6 months. We plan on moving jan/feb but for now we've really made the most of our apt.

We're using the top of a dresser as a changing table which seems to be a popula choicer. Cute storage bins under crib for toys and blankets. Nowhere to hang baby's special outfits, there's a bit of room in our closet but otherwise all clothes will be in the dresser. Diapers and wipes in part of top drawer. I also tucked a nightstand beside the foot of the crib and wall and the bouncer's on top of it. I think we'll have baby's toiletries and pumping stuff in there. Swing will be stuck in the living room. We've got a little bookshelf in there too with a lamp on top and that's it!

Stroller is the thing stumping me right now. I would love to find a large hollow footstool or ottoman that would work in the "hall" that the stroller could fit in and I could sit on now. Tying shoes is becoming really hard, yo.

Oh yeah and we have a kitty so we created what DH calls her Poopenhäus. We had to move her litter box out of the storage room and have hid it in a corner of the living room inside a cabinet with an adorable curtain on one end so Novalyn can still come in and out. You'd have no idea what it's for, right now DH cleans it every day and once baby's here I will.

numlock · September 2014

Lots of little crate bins from Walmart. Stack them on shelves.

tj2990 · September 2014

jillybean7582 said:
@JT71729‌ can you buy some of those blocks to make your bed sit higher off the ground then get some plastic underbed storage containers on wheels, I would think that would be a great place to store extra blankets, diapers/wipes, clothes that are too big for right now, etc.... might also be a good place to store your out of season clothes or your extra linens/blankets that are in your closet so you can free up closet space for baby.

That's an awesome idea thank you!

snarkylibrarian · September 2014

Loving these ideas! So we just had our first baby shower and as we were putting away stuff, we started to realize that it won't be as bad as we thought! We asked for a lot of compact/foldable gear, so we've been able to store the bouncer, activity gym, and swing behind our couch for now. We have a mini Arms Reach co-sleeper that will go up in a few weeks. We also did what previous posters suggested with plastic storage bins and we did some under the bed storage as well. Car seat will go directly in the car and we picked a stroller that is lightweight and compact so that it will fit in our coat closet when it is not in use.

As far as the changing table goes, our dressers are too high for changing. I am in the camp of getting a pad and changing a baby anywhere, but our in-laws are going to take care of LO weekly and would like a station, so we are getting this changing table/dresser that can later turn into a desk https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90269013/

We've also gotten a few hanging closet organizers and have been purging unnecessary items like crazy. It's definitely an exercise in creativity, but we can make it work!

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