Can You Have a Baby in a 1 Bedroom Apartment
If you've been following me on here and particularly on Instagram/Twitter, you'd know that nosotros only moved out of our apartment to a bigger infinite. I've felt all sorts of nostalgic about leaving this flat that we have lived in for the past 6 years. We moved in correct before we got married and we brought Riley home (and welcomed Finn, our domestic dog, too) to this apartment and so it feels really bittersweet. I'chiliad BEYOND fix to have more space now that Riley is 11 months but it's such a HUGE and bittersweet alter. I'll talk more nigh the move sometime but I've but been reflecting on our time living in a 1 chamber apartment with a baby — a pretty small one bedroom apartment at that.
When I was pregnant I kept panicking virtually this — is it possible to live in a one bedchamber apartment with a baby (and ii adults and a domestic dog) for at to the lowest degree a year?? How will nosotros survive the small infinite with a baby and not kill each other? Am I crazy for thinking we tin can live in a 1 bedroom apartment with a babe and actually make it piece of work??
But honestly? Information technology wasn't that challenging one time we figured things out. Sure, at that place are times when I realize I forgot something in the bedroom after bedtime (normally underwear after a shower) and accept to determine whether or non I want to tempt the fates when she's sleeping to get that thing or when I wanted to scream because our minor 1 sleeping accommodation felt even smaller with all this baby stuff.
But overall? Totally doable. Totally not a terrible feel at all. I don't regret doing it. Though I won't lie — I often pined for a cute little plant nursery to decorate simply also felt like "oh hey I only accept to trounce out money for a plant nursery nook and not the whole shebang so also a win."
And, in between packing and purging things, I thought nearly how often I've been asked since having Riley HOW we are treatment the one bedroom thing and asking for tips that nosotros've picked up and I idea information technology might make for a helpful blog post to help if any of you find yourself living in a one chamber apartment with a baby!
1.Purge and reorganize before babe gets here
Babies come with a lot of crap — fifty-fifty when y'all endeavour to practise the minimalist affair — so information technology was necessary to brand space in our already crammed ane bedroom apartment if we were going to brand living with a babe in a one bedroom piece of work! This was the biggest thing that helped usa and it seems obvious but it'southward for existent the best matter we did.
Nosotros got rid of A LOT of stuff — things that we didn't use or demand anymore and then we were realistic about things we would use and need later on the baby. Nosotros have a flick collection and I had to express joy considering we haven't touched it in years and figured WELP we haven't watched these in years and I actually doubt we are going to all of a sudden make time in one case the baby gets hither. So I kept my all fourth dimension faves and the rest we let get of.
The BEST thing we did was reorganizing after getting rid of things. Nosotros went through our kitchen and found ameliorate means to store things and we were but Diddled Away at all this room we suddenly had because we were being strategic about where nosotros were putting things. Basically gained 2 cabinets worth of space somehow…just by reorganizing and finding a meliorate system and place for things — which was perfect because nosotros needed room for her bottles and stuff.
Make a list of places yous think you might need more space and work on decluttering and finding a better mode. Our closet was some other area where I realized we were Non using our infinite to the best of its power. Then much wasted space but devoting some fourth dimension to rethinking it and coming up with new ways of using the space worked WONDERS. If you listen to zero else on this listing, have this i seriously. It was essential in actually HAVING room for baby stuff.
PRO TIP: Don't await until the end of the pregnancy considering my energy level and range of motion was not then great soooo Will ended up having to exercise the brunt of it haha
ii. Two words — MINI CRIB:
Nosotros measured out for a regularly sized crib and information technology was going to be claustrophobic levels of tight in the chamber (i.east. ane of us non being able to get into bed). I did some research and learned about "mini cribs." I was kind of skeptical but information technology's been amazing. It fits perfectly and she doesn't seem to intendance that her crib isn't luxuriously big like other babies might be.
I volition say in that location was a month menses when she really started moving all over the place in bed that I thought nosotros might need to get a bigger crib but she settled downward with it and now I can't tell you the concluding time she got a limb out the crib slat or bumped her head (and honestly I've nannied enough to know this happens in a big crib as well).
We keep our mini crib in the aforementioned spot simply the Babyletto mini crib that we got has wheels then if yous were to desire to motion it you could. It stores pretty decently and Will said it just took about v minutes to set upwards. We accept no reason to take information technology down but you can do it like, for instance, if you have infant in a studio flat and want to be able to move the crib to a different spot when not in use. The Babyletto was the best mini crib for a modest infinite for sure!
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You'll demand special bedding for information technology. We got the Babyletto brand crib sheets and we did the Babyletto Pure Core mini crib mattress because I liked that information technology was non-toxic so it'south a bit pricier but y'all can find other brands — merely exist sure to brand certain it'due south FOR a mini crib.
3. WHITE NOISE IS A Gift
I literally don't know what we would accept done without white noise having a baby in a small space. It's a godsend.
We started out with classic Dohm but then ended up getting this portable Dohm when we left the other one at my sister's one 24-hour interval she napped there and we actually grew to love the portable one considering it could be a piddling louder. So we put the quiet one closer to her crib (not TOO shut– be careful of that) and then put the other ane over near the door (her crib was furthest from the door) and so that information technology could kind of block out any firsthand noise.
It helped united states of america non to feel like we had to tiptoe all the time and we could actually make racket. Plus living in an apartment there'due south always SOME racket (though luckily we had decently quiet neighbors) and we have a dog who barked anytime he heard any dissonance.
I can honestly say she was NEVER woken up because of some racket we fabricated or from the dog barking in the virtually yr of 1 bedroom apartment living. The maintenance guys fifty-fifty came and did (loud) piece of work out in the kitchen and she never woke up. Also that time I gear up off the smoke detector while cooking (okay and by 1 time I mean it happened a few times).
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4. Make a sleeping nook
My husband is pretty handy so when I explain what I wanted (to section off a little sleeping area for her in our sleeping room) he totally delivered. It looked pretty easy to exercise…at least from my vantage betoken lounging on the bed while he did information technology.
Her crib was in a corner of the room and he put upwardly galvanized pipe (though I'm sure you lot could apply PVC or copper) and then put these blackness-out curtains on each one so that we could open and shut them.
It made for a cute petty sleeping nook and some privacy — plus actress lite blocking for good sleep. Be certain that the curtains will exist far enough away that your baby tin can't grab them as they become older. This didn't become a trouble until the concluding few weeks nosotros were at the flat (eleven months) where she just wanted to play with them and not nap because she could juuuuuuust accomplish them if she stretched hard enough.
EDITED TO Add together IN 2020: On Pinterest a couple people have commented that this isn't rubber considering of air catamenia. I gauge I tin can't know (though I always felt like there was enough air menstruum) for certain and so enquire your pediatrician. We had a fan lower on the ground pointed that manner on low and nosotros didn't have the defunction go all the way to the floor. You could as well make the nook bigger than nosotros did. The moving picture makes information technology await REALLY meaty simply I hope you there was lots of air menses and room.
Don't listen the terrible movie — I forgot to take a adept moving-picture show beforehand and this was literally right before we folded the crib down and took the curtains down to motion…ON MOVING DAY to our new firm.
5. Position the crib furthest from the door to your living space
When nosotros starting time put the crib in the room we had it on the wall that was closest to the door (before nosotros did the sleeping nook) to our living infinite just we apace learned that one) in that location wasn't much space to buffer the noise from our living space and two) it was annoying as HELL to James Bond our way into the bedroom and into our bed (with a canis familiaris) because nosotros had to sneak past her.
Nosotros did some major rearranging — we had 4 bookshelves, a dresser, our bed, 2 nightstands and a crib so space was limited — only we figured out a fashion to put her on the wall furthest from the door so we could accept some infinite as a buffer, in add-on to the white noise, and nosotros didn't have to sneak past her to get into bed. Such a small thing only a game-changer.
half-dozen. Get things that have multi purposes
As I started going through the things we'd demand I realized nosotros didn't have enough infinite no matter how difficult we tried. There was no style to cram in all the things everyone says y'all volition need when you lot are in a one sleeping room apartment with a baby (p.s. def bank check out my newborn must-have list).
One of those things for us was the pack & play we got — we were very strategic well-nigh it.
We knew we likely needed a bassinet, a changing table and some sort of chair for her to sit down in as a newborn. We besides knew nosotros wanted a pack and play for travel. We knew information technology all couldn't fit.
Every bit we started looking for a pack and play we realized we had a solution as we found some that had multi-purposes. The ane we got was a pack and play, had a bassinet element, a changing tabular array chemical element that we used until 5-6 months until I needed the actual pack and play every mean solar day when she came to work with me.
Information technology also had a reversible seat that could be a rocker or merely a reclined seat. It was one of the best purchases for her because we have already, only in a yr, used the hell out of this thing! Worth EVERY freaking penny. And the all-time part is that, even when we don't use all the other stuff anymore, we volition be using that pack and play for years I'thousand sure.
Our dressers didn't piece of work for this considering they were likewise high but I've totally seen people put a changing pad like the one we had after on a dresser superlative (ours were way too loftier) just I would take loved to be able to utilize something we already had like that!
If yous have room for a changing table, get i a changing table that also doubles equally a dresser. Changing space + room for baby clothes!
seven. Encompass your minimalist side with infant gear & toys
I think the biggest thing I realized was that we didn't need EVERYTHING. Y'all really don't demand EVERY SINGLE Petty Matter. For example, at that place are 20 different kinds of chairs or sitting device sorts of things people will tell yous that you need for a babe. You don't. I promise. She did a lot of playing on a blanket/mat on the floor vs sitting in a container of some sort.
Related: my favorite things in the newborn months and the iii-half dozen month range
Building a registry (we loved Amazon's babe registry!!) was so overwhelming but you really need to think about what yous absolutely will need and what your lifestyle looks like. For example, I knew I wanted to babywear lots so I got an easy to use stretchy wrap carrier and then a more structured carrier. over getting lots of chairs for her to exist put in.
I retrieve the other thing I realized is that they literally go through things SO QUICKLY. Non even simply space wise but coin-wise I simply think information technology'southward a waste to spend then much money on things that aren't fifty-fifty in use in a couple months. Being minimalist in all the gear and clothes, especially in the early on days, is the mode to become to being able to live with a babe in a 1 bedchamber apartment (and also to save money).
I also realized beingness minimalist with her toys really paid off because we didn't have a ton of room and half the time she had more fun playing with the dog's toy or a water bottle or something that wasn't her toy more than her toys.
I kept small batches of toys in dissimilar places throughout the apartment and I would rotate them out in her principal little bin that I kept out in plain sight for her. It really worked space-wise and keeping things fresh for her with her toys since we didn't take too many for her. And honestly pots and pans and measuring cups were just every bit fun for her.
eight. Get things that can fold up hands.
With the exception of a couple things (like our exersaucer) nosotros specifically got things that could easily exist folded.
We had the Fisher Price this sit down-me-up floor seat which was one of our about used babe items and it folded upwardly sooo easily and nicely we could just shop it under our burrow. I didn't want a chair that simply took upwards space and couldn't be easily folded.
When I was looking upwardly high chairs I wanted one that could 1) fold up and 2) hands exist cleaned 3) wasn't a complete eyesore and information technology led me to the Joovy Nook which we Dearest and so much.
I remember a family unit member looked at our registry and kindly wanted to buy us a nicer and bigger (as well more expensive) loftier chair instead of the one we had on our listing and I had to explain that nosotros chose it specifically considering nosotros didn't have much space and this loftier chair folded upwardly and was infinite efficient opposed to the i she wanted to so generously get the states.
I too retrieve that these ones that attach to a seat or this one that attaches to the table are smashing space-saving ideas for having a babe in a one bedroom flat.
They fifty-fifty have foldable/collapsible babe baths though we went a different route and got 1 you lot tin hang.
9. Use bins to hide the ataxia
When you don't have a whole lot of storage space, your living area has to go super functional to store all these added babe things. We didn't want to have the things we needed on a daily basis tucked abroad in closets or inconvenient spots but we also didn't want it clutter things up.
We already had a shelf similar to this 1 with textile drawers both from Ikea in our living room merely before her it was half decorative and half functional with 4 bins. We decided to upgrade to take 8 bins and nada decorative shelves so that we had actress storage infinite.
Nosotros and so stored diapers and wipes for piece of cake access (the overflow of diapers remained in our laundry room storage closet), burp clothes/bibs/blankets, etc, toys, miscellaneous baby things. It gave me some sense of at-home to have infinite for all this baby stuff where we needed it only without it cluttering upwards our living space.
I too put cute bins from Kohls on tiptop of our dressers in our room to put her socks, pilus bands and other things.
10. Hang ALL THE THINGS you tin & call up vertically in general.
I hung mine and Riley's muddied clothes from our laundry room door thanks to this awesome laundry bag.
We got a hook for the stroller to hang while folded up in the cupboard nearest our entrance.
I got this affair to hang on the back of the sleeping room door to concur some extra diapers and wipes and her wash clothes and stuff in the bedroom.
I got a bathroom toy holder that can hang her toys in the tub.
I got a baby bath tub that tin can hang because our bathroom was SO tiny we wouldn't have room to shop it.
I tried to think how I could go UP rather than using wall space a lot. Then when I looked for a niggling toy box I didn't go with i that was wide and would take up a lot of wall infinite merely rather one that was taller.
Find information technology on Amazon
11. Get a camping light
Okay I know this might be a weird suggestion but this affect lite made all the difference for us. It made things so much easier — especially in the heart of the night.
If we were doing a diaper change in the middle of the night when she was really petty or a night feeding we could adjust the brightness rather than turning on the lights (peculiarly the brilliant, harsh light in the kitchen) and nosotros could bring it effectually with us very easily.
OR if I needed to become something out of our chamber and she was already sleeping I could put this on the lowest setting and QUIETLY go grab it without turning the light on and waking her.
It always but felt like with all the overheads/lamps in our apartment we had light traveled and brightened upward every unmarried part of our apartment and in the middle of the night I wanted the least corporeality of low-cal as humanly possible. SLEEPY VIBES ALL Dark LONG, bright harsh lights need not utilize.
12. Get artistic
I mean, merely in general, Get CREATIVE.
Get artistic with storage infinite — nosotros used all sorts of nooks and crannies and odd places for storage then that her stuff did not overtake the WHOLE apartment fifty-fifty though someone else might be similar WHY IS THIS STORED IN THE KITCHEN?? Well, that's where we found some space and our kitchen is right side by side to everything SOOOO it works.
We got creative with our schedule to accommodate when she would be sleeping back in the bedroom. We got creative with our sexytimes (hey, I'one thousand simply beingness honest…information technology's always what I wondered when I thought of the prospect of sharing a room with a baby).
We got creative with decorating her plant nursery nook since she wouldn't have a existent nursery. We got creative with EVERY aspect of it. Sometimes information technology was trial and mistake and we'd be like "OKAY BAD Thought" but nosotros ever fabricated SOMETHING work.
thirteen. GET OUT
I feel like sometimes yous don't realize it until you are prepare to LOSE Information technology but living in a small space with a baby (AND A Domestic dog!) tin make you experience like the walls are closing in on you lot…especially in the winter.
You feel like everything happens in the same room…considering mostly it does. And sometimes, particularly in the earlier days, it just felt like so much WORK to get out. Past the fourth dimension I FINALLY got united states ready to get out the door we would barely have whatsoever time to exist out until it was naptime and it was like OKAY absurd I take 15 minutes to hang out the place I drove fifteen minutes to get to and will accept to drive 15 minutes dorsum home to.
You outset to experience trapped in that apartment. Nosotros also didn't have a lot of money then I couldn't just go exercise a 1000000 things that toll coin — fifty-fifty going to Starbucks was non on my listing of things I could but do only because I needed to become out of the apartment.
So some days I just chose to do a car nap and just promise all the residue of the naps for the twenty-four hour period would be in her crib (overtired Riley was not fun so naps are important). Or sometimes I would put her in the stroller and walk or bring a blanket out in the grass behind our apartment and play/eat. I got out as much as I could because it'south suffocating to look at the same 4 walls…even if I felt like it was a hassle to leave for no reason.
fourteen. Consider if yous NEED a coffee table (or maybe other furniture you might accept that isn't necessary)
Once Riley started moving I realized she had NOWHERE to play because our coffee table took upwards and then much of the floor space in the living room. We decided to become rid of information technology.
Honestly? We haven't gotten a new one for the new place because we don't miss it. It basically just accumulated clutter anyways. I sometimes miss information technology to put drinks on simply nosotros built a shelf Backside the burrow on the wall (an idea we got from perusing Ikea haha).
So effigy out if you need some of the bigger bulkier things in your flat. It was the coffee table for us and information technology made the space so much more open without it and I didn't worry about her falling into it when she started standing.
15. Stay on top of your cleaning/decluttering
This is such a biggie. It'south kind of incommunicable to exercise in the newborn stage because information technology was like "shower or clean?" on a daily footing and I e'er chose shower every time. Just I institute in the apartment that, especially with the baby, that it could get from 0 to disaster zone very speedily and that STRESSED ME OUT.
I mean in that location were times I felt like I couldn't move because laundry was every where and her toys were out and dishes were piled considering bottles were all in the sink and the canis familiaris was always under my feet (he even so is even in our much bigger space now lol).
I had to ready up a organization for keeping things clean and decluttered that wouldn't overwhelm me and was doable. Our place NEVER looked perfect or immaculate just I could keep the ataxia and overwhelm to a minimum.
Babies move through things (apparel, gear, toys) very quickly in the outset year so staying on summit of removing the things we didn't need anymore fabricated And so MUCH Difference. At one point I had a huge overflowing laundry handbasket of clothes she couldn't wear any more and information technology stressed me out with how much space it was taking up considering I didn't practise anything with information technology right abroad. (Nosotros aren't planning for baby #two so we aren't saving whatever of her stuff…so you might need a different strategy if y'all are saving it).
xvi. Make certain you take a Expert solution for diaper disposal if you have are going the disposable route
Listen, ane muddied atrocious diaper tin can stink up your whole apartment quickly. TRUST ME and what happened the ane time I didn't throw it in our Ubbi but the regular trash and thought something died in our apartment.
I was nervous about this attribute of having a babe in a one bedchamber because we've ever had to work really hard to not allow our actual garbage stink up our apartment because I always felt like small spaces but trap in smells.
I did a lot of enquiry and the Ubbi diaper pail seemed to get rave reviews and I loved that you don't Need special bags for it. As long as y'all proceed information technology closed after yous put the diaper in there you are Skilful. I never once smelled it if information technology was airtight. Taking the actual bag out is some other story *gag*
If a diaper pail is one of the things you desire to forego, and then I highly recommend getting these bags that nosotros take in our diaper purse for dipe changes on the go. I think if yous at least throw a poop diaper in one of these suckers yous can proceed your regular trash from needing to get out every second of the twenty-four hours.
—————–
So those are my tips for making living with a baby in a small space easier….I'grand HAPPY to answer whatever specific questions and help based on my experience.
I honestly didn't feel corking, when I was pregnant, about living in a one sleeping accommodation flat with a baby, dog and 2 adults but information technology honestly worked. We had a lot of laughs and a lot of good memories in our infinite that outweighed any of the negatives (like feeling like everyone was breathing down your neck when you were in a bad mood or tripping over stuff when things got out of command). I honestly cried quite a bit when we left.
And HONESTLY…at that place are SOME pros — less stuff to buy considering you don't have to decorate a nursery or take a whole playroom, yous tin literally see your kid from well-nigh places in your apartment (I miss being able to see her while I pee…now I take to bring her in with me or wait until she naps). Y'all have less cleaning to do. Less back and forth when your child is up all night.
Yous really learn how to adapt quickly and y'all make your space work. It really was not terrible at all if you have the right things and are smart near information technology!
Pin information technology for afterwards:
Source: https://www.perpetualpageturner.com/living-in-a-small-one-bedroom-apartment-with-a-baby/
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