For two years, my husband and I lived in a studio apartment that covered a whopping 500 square feet. We would often marvel at our tiny home and how minimal it was: nothing excessive, nothing extraneous. Everything had its place. We had to forgo a bigger footprint for an amazing location downtown close to Lake Eola, and we loved it. The bars, the restaurants, the farmers market! And then, of course, I got pregnant. But we still wanted to stay downtown. With a playground and library each just steps away, forget about it; we were digging in our heels. Thankfully, we had recently signed the contract for a larger place (a whole 200 square feet larger!) with a separate bedroom (oh, the luxury!). Still, it was a little place for a growing family. So we rearranged, relearned, and rethought the usual approach to preparing for a baby.
1. Everything Has Its Purpose—Or Two Or Three
Instead of buying a changing table, we used the top of our dresser by simply adding some non-slip cabinet liner and her changing pad. Every piece of furniture with any space under it doubles as storage when you slide in a bin or a basket. Bibs hang on the back of the highchair on a hook, and the tv console holds toys on the shelves and clothes in the drawers. Before registering for anything, take a look at what you already have and see if it can be used in a different way. Oh, is that a hanging shoe organizer behind the door? Now it also holds extra diapers.
2. Wheels on Everything
Creating a space for play is easier when the coffee table easily rolls out of the way. Even the crib can be moved to another room for a nap or nighttime. Wheels add flexibility to your furniture and allow you to use your home’s space when you need it. Bonus points for putting wheels on your multipurpose storage, like an ottoman that can open up and hold blankets or toys.
3. Toy Rotation is Your Friend
It is brilliant and simple: only keep out a fraction of your kid’s toys at a time. There are many ways to do this, and every family should find the system that works best for them. I sorted all the toys into three different bins and approximately every two weeks it is on to the next one. That means that every two weeks my little one’s hands are on toys that seem new to her. There are infinite perks to this system, including quick clean up and more imaginative play, but it also keeps my floors relatively clear of clutter. Win.
People ask us all the time how we could possibly stay in our teeny tiny place with a teeny tiny person, but we love our little nest. Actually, living here has made us more thoughtful about what we need and bring into our space. We only keep what we love, and I think that is a great lesson for our little one.
What other space-saving tactics do you use to the make the most of your home?
