https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:20:54 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2866302 Sun, 13 Jan 2019 15:07:01 +0000 maddyz 2866302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yes. There are bedroom toys and living room toys and toys with lots of parts (puzzels, legos, maginet blocks, musical instraments, doll house) get played with one at a time and are mostly kept up high. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2865950 Thu, 10 Jan 2019 10:11:19 +0000 Anagram 2865950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: My rules are similar. I don't care where they play with toys (well, I don't really let them bring toys into our master bedroom, but they go back and forth between their room and the living room), but the toys go back into their designated spot when it's time to clean up.</p> <p>And the only exception to that is art supplies--it all stays in the art table in the living room and I only let them use it at the art table or on our dining table. And things they can't use unsupervised (glitter, glue that isn't in stick form), I have put up high on a shelf in my master closet so they can't access it at all unless one of us gives it to them. But everything else they can access it alone and whenever they want, it just has to stay at the art table. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2865947 Thu, 10 Jan 2019 10:00:53 +0000 looch 2865947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do not have rules about where toys can be played with, I did, but they started to migrate and as my son got older, the toys got smaller and less obtrusive. I let my son have everything but paint in his art cart in his bedroom, he's remarkably neat.</p> <p>I only have one rule, and that is if the toy is in the playroom, it doesn't have to be put back at the end of the night. If it is in any other part of the house, it does, with the exception of lego construction, which is done on our dining table for the most part. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2865945 Thu, 10 Jan 2019 09:58:04 +0000 Mrsbells 2865945@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: when we lived in an assortment it was about 1100 sq ft. It was a 2 bedroom place and at that time we only had 1 child. She had a kidcraft kitchen and playarea and the obit way we could accomodate that was by sacrificing our dining room. So the dining room was her play space. So we had no dining table which is tough for hosting people. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2865913 Thu, 10 Jan 2019 08:00:41 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2865913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: the only rule we have is that art supplies and anything messy (Playdoh, science experiments, etc.) have to stay on the desk or the dining room table, and can't be in other rooms. Beyond that, everything is flexible as long as it goes back to its storage space at the end of the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2865911 Thu, 10 Jan 2019 07:54:08 +0000 Foodnerd81 2865911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: we only had toys in the living space, because our condo was 3 rooms- 2 bedrooms and the living/ kitchen area. They mostly stayed in the play area behind the couch but we weren’t strict since the only other option was in front of the couch. But she wasn’t used to anything different. I think it makes sense to have bedroom toys and living room toys. I’m currently trying to enforce the upstairs vs downstairs toys now and it’s a battle- should have started earlier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2865908 Thu, 10 Jan 2019 07:45:08 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2865908@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@codeitall: I’m glad you came back to share!</p> <p>Question for the group, do you all have rules about where the toys can be played with? For instance right now we have upstairs and downstairs toys, which helps me keep track of all the parts and each toy or activity has a designated home that LO knows where it goes back to. It’s a big deal to bring an upstairs toy downstairs and vice versa. Toys are in a few areas right now: his bedroom (up), his play area (down), kitchen (art supplies), living room (dress up, games, and tray of action figures). He’s not going to have this much space to spread out in the new house and I’m wondering if I will need to give up on the restriction where toys can be played with- each will still have a designated home. Thanks </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2865730 Wed, 09 Jan 2019 07:56:34 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2865730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a 1300 sq ft 2/2 in the DC area, with a 5 year old kid. I've lived in apartments my whole life, in a family of 4, so I'm naturally inclined toward less stuff so I tend to purge regularly. Kiddo has her own room, and we store a bunch of toys there in bins that sit in a closet (we're pretty lucky on having lots of closet space), and a toy box that a friend made us that sits in the closet under her hanging clothes. We have a desk in the master bedroom that serves as my/DH's work space (though DH also uses the dining room table regularly), and a desk in the living room that serves as kiddo's crafting/homework area. The biggest challenge we have is storing built Lego sets. Kiddo likes the playing part more than the building part, so once they're built, we keep them and she makes villages and whole worlds out of them, but I haven't figured out a good way to keep them around, except keeping them propped up on a low stand in the living room. Our bedrooms are carpeted so they aren't as conducive for Legos. Beyond that, I think it all works fine, though we are going to try selling again and buying a house so we at least have some guest space. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas/page/2#post-2865716 Tue, 08 Jan 2019 23:24:29 +0000 maddyz 2865716@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have an NYC two bedroom that is under 1,000 square feet. There is a living room with a galley kitchen and the bedrooms. We have a lot of hallways and closets which helps. We have a play kitchen and a few sets of toys (brio, Duplo, cars, magnet blocks, puzzles and a huge little people thing from Mil for Xmas which is about to go), toys come out one at a time. It's kinda a pain. I cyc stuff often. The boy's room is small and has toys in it to but they do most of their planning in the living room. Our room is filled with everything I dont want them to get their hands on... </p> [attach=5385/19/pl1qwu.600x337.20181007_123725.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2865628 Tue, 08 Jan 2019 15:58:22 +0000 codeitall 2865628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I realize I'm really late for this thread, but I wrote this whole response last week and then apparently forgot to hit submit :silly: </p> <p>I grew up in a house that was over 3000 sq ft. So I'm used to copious amounts of space and storage. Which is why I blame myself for how much stuff I have :silly: </p> <p>We lived in 750 sq ft until DS turned 2. Kitchen was very small. We augmented with a stainless steel rolling cart with shelf storage. Now we also have a chest freezer that doubles as counter space. The desk went in the living room. DH is a gamer and perpetual student, so we've always had a desk. We had two very large couches (hand me downs of course) that were really too large for every space they've been in, but we made them work.</p> <p>We've always had bookshelves next to the desk to augment the storage and a paper organizer on the desk to pseudo-hide clutter until we got to it.</p> <p>We upgraded to a 850 sq ft apt with a storage shed and that was great. Like others, we have an expandable IKEA table. For extra seating, we got little IKEA stools <a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10135659/" rel="nofollow">https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10135659/</a> that we kept in the coat closet.</p> <p>For kids: DS shared a room with our food storage/pantry for a while, but in the 850 sq ft space we got him a bunkbed and used the top bunk for storage. We had the bed turned so the ladder was against the wall. We fit 10 boxes of diapers as well as an unreasonable amount of 'sentimental' quilts/blankets from my MIL up there. We filled underneath the bed with toy bins and DH is working on a lego table we can roll underneath when he's not playing. Crib was set up on the other side of the room for DD. All clothes lived in the closet. Toys lived in the living room in bins under the TV and we rotated the bins in the coat closet for variety.</p> <p>But when DD refused to sleep nicely with DS in the same room, she ended up in our room in the pack and play and DH and I were slowly going insane, so we moved again to 1300 sq ft with 3 bedrooms and over half the space as a kitchen/dining room/living room open concept. My closets are still stuffed to the brim, but the kids have more playspace in the front and DH got a bigger L-shaped desk to put in the living room corner.</p> <p>I know I want more kids so I keep all the baby stuff which is the primary reason I feel like I don't have enough space. DD has almost her entire closet filled with old baby toys, swing, jumper, carseat, bottles, etc. All outgrown kid clothes I shove into the ziploc vacuum bags by size (pro-tip: stick colorful post-it notes inside the bag with the size/gender) and stack in bins in the garage.</p> <p>I'm constantly organizing. Kallax shelves are my favorite, they're in every room.</p> <p>In the end, living small is a perpetual process. You or someone else is always going to be stuffing new things into the house. Have an unreasonable amount of drawers and storage. Trim down on shoes (I'm serious, they take up so much space even in storage!), clothes, decorations, seasonal stuff, and do floor-to-ceiling storage everywhere you can. Get used to using walkways as places to put things. My room gets sacrificed every holiday. I have less than a foot of space on my side of the bed.</p> <p>I wish I was a better minimalist, but every purging season I listen/read minimalist blogs and podcasts to get me in the right mood :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2864140 Sun, 30 Dec 2018 18:19:18 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2864140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Raspberry: great idea about the bar stool area.</p> <p>Now, that I am finally using my Peleton I don’t want to give it up!</p> <p>@Mrs. Toad: Yes for water tables! I’m definitely bringing the one my late dad built for LO with us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2864074 Sat, 29 Dec 2018 22:37:03 +0000 Mrs. Toad 2864074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in a 1100 sq feet apartment - 2bed/2bath with a 4 yr old, 23 month old, and I'm due in June. We don't plan to move unless my job moves us this summer. My bedroom has a queen size bed, 3 bookcases, and 2 chest of drawers. We also have a small storage for towels/sheets/etc and a walk-in closet.</p> <p>The kids room has a set of bunk beds with a trundle bed, a chest of drawers, a bookcase, and another piece of furniture (drawers and hanging space) that we also use as a changing table. We have a washer/dryer closet and a walk in closet as well. </p> <p>Our open living room has the kitchen with a 4 person table immediately upon leaving the kitchen. There is a short bookcase there as well with cookbooks on the top shelf. We have a small chest freezer next to the table. If we didn't have the freezer, we could have a larger table. The rest of the space is taken by another bookcase, the TV/video game player/DVD player, sofa across from the TV, and a recliner. We have never had a coffee table. We have a small play kitchen and doll house in the living room. Most of their toys stay in the living room and live on the lower shelves of the two bookcases in the living room. </p> <p>One bathroom attaches to the master while the other attaches to the kids and the kitchen. We have a small coat closet, but it's always blocked by our open double stroller. </p> <p>The kids play mostly in the living room, occasionally their room or ours. They like to be in the same room that we are.</p> <p>We also have a small balcony with two chairs and a small table. We have a few plants and we had a small round water table during the summer.</p> <p>We do have storage, however, most of it is outgrown toys/clothes and empty boxes. I'm military and we will move again. We both prefer to put our electronics and kitchen items back in the original box. It's safer to move that way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2864071 Sat, 29 Dec 2018 22:23:18 +0000 Raspberry 2864071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are currently in an 890sf 2BD/2BA with LO1. I’m due in 1.5 weeks with LO2 and we will move into an 1100sf 3BD/2BA in February. (I know, we are crazy.)</p> <p>No room for exercise equipment other than dumbbells/resistance bands and a yoga mat. We’ve only ever lived in buildings with gyms, though. The dining table doubles as LO’s art table and I move my sewing machine on and off of it as well. It’s a rectangular table that’s pushed against the wall unless we have guests over.</p> <p>We don’t have a coffee table to maximize play space. There is a breakfast bar counter but instead of having bar stools we tuck a play kitchen and toy toolbench under it.</p> <p>Before LO was born, we chose his dresser for the comfortable height to double as a change table. We are also getting to a point where I refuse to buy furniture that doesn’t have storage in it. Our beds have drawers and we will probably get a storage ottoman as a coffee table for the new place. I am also planning on replacing our nightstands with a pair of low dressers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2864064 Sat, 29 Dec 2018 21:44:07 +0000 lamariniere 2864064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: it’s hard to tell from the pic, but my monitor is huge; it’s like having 3 monitors (I used to have 2 separate ones). It’s a total game changer having one huge one and makes for a nicer aesthetic. The bonus is that we use it to watch movies in the bedroom from time to time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863972 Sat, 29 Dec 2018 11:58:06 +0000 periwinklebee 2863972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>p.s. there would be room for a train set or toy kitchen in the place where we have LO's toys... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863971 Sat, 29 Dec 2018 11:55:55 +0000 periwinklebee 2863971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: We are in a 900 sq ft 1bed/1ba. 1 LO. Kitchen, bath, and closet are tiny. In the great room, we have a 72 x 36 dining table that can double as a work space, with a large credenza for storage on one side and a 30 x 60 desk with large monitor on the other. I also have a treadmill, couch, lounge chair, bookcase (LO's favorite things are books), and DH has a bunch of stuff for his hobbies in that room. LO's crib is in our room, together with a king size bed, chair, and dresser. There's an office nook off the living room (completely open with no door) that we use for LO's toys, glider, storage cabinet, and dresser/changing table. Outgrown baby gear goes under our bed and in a couple of bins in the closet. Stroller gets folded up in the living room entry, and carseat sits there as well (we don't have a car). If we were going to be there long run, I would purge more stuff, as the clutter does reach me no matter how hard I work to organize what we have. But there are limits... if we weren't storing the outgrown baby stuff and didn't have to keep the stroller and carseat in there, I think it would be better.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863968 Sat, 29 Dec 2018 10:32:33 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2863968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: your office looks nice and not obtrusive at all. I think I could still get away with the double monitors for my space. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863941 Sat, 29 Dec 2018 03:00:39 +0000 lamariniere 2863941@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My office set up in the master bedroom. I can’t work in the living room because there are too many distractions and it’s too hot during the day. </p> [attach=3467/18/pkhnm4.600x450.39434063-315E-4FFC-99F0-758421C5E3F3.jpeg] [attach=3467/18/pkhnm6.450x600.D50B2797-382F-4919-9599-93F61778478A.jpeg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863867 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 15:23:59 +0000 Anagram 2863867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: so no one I know has a printer at home....except for us. And it’s basically exclusively used to print amazon return labels, which is practically a daily occurrence in our house. </p> <p>In our master bedroom, we have a giant IKEA PAX wardrobe on one wall for my husbands clothes (I use our walk in closet for my clothes, plus luggage, seasonal decor, art supplies, the vacuum, etc), and my husband drilled a hole in the back of the PAX, so he can store the printer inside but keep it plugged up and able to print while inside the wardrobe. </p> <p>We actually have no furniture except the PAX, our bed, and our bedside tables. Our neighbors have a typical bureau and dresser, plus a tiny desk in their master. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863866 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 15:22:01 +0000 LCTBQE 2863866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We lived in 800 sq ft (me, husband, boy) until our son was 20 months. It was a little tight; before he was born when it was just us as a couple it was totally fine. I think if you could find something that was 1000~ sq ft and had garage storage or basement storage for seasonal stuff, etc, it would be super easy and livable. My best advice is to have fewer pieces of nice furniture that *really* earn their keep vs buying a bunch of small-scale pieces. Like, a nice/comfortably sized couch vs a small couch and small loveseat. And like a pp said, ruthless clutter-clearing and stuff-purging. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863865 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 15:21:30 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2863865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Love this thread! I have 3 kids under 5 in a 900-1000 SF 2 bed room 1.5 bathroom apartment.</p> <p>With one kid I’d say it’s super doable but you have to sit and figure out what’s important to you.</p> <p>For me what’s important: play kitchen, keyboard, desk/chairs, easel, and a Montessori type shelf for their toys, a real dining table (seats 6)</p> <p>Not as important: a whole lot of other toys, tv, I’d love more kitchen space but I’m used to a small kitchen so I can make do... </p> <p>We don’t have a train table but we covered our coffee table with a rug and they use it like one. I would have invested in a nicer train table/coffee table combo if I knew ahead of time.</p> <p>Our living room is spacious so one side we put the couches and the keyboard (we don’t have a tv but we have keyboard in that space instead haha) and the other side has their little table and chairs, a Montessori type shelf with toys and books, and an easel.</p> <p>The kids room have beds, playbkitchen, an expedit with more toys and books, and the glider. Their clothes are in their closet.</p> <p>Because our kids share a room we gave the big room to them and we use the little room.. it’s my least favorite room in the house bc we crammed our bookshelves, desk, and bedroom furniture in there. It’s the “least presentable” room and I’m discontent with it but I will sacrifice that over having a more presentable/uncluttered living room and kids room.</p> <p>We have a shared laundry room with some other units and we have some storage boxes in there as well as the kdis’ Scooters.</p> <p>As an emergency storage we use our cars... haha!!!</p> <p>With one kid it was fine but honestly now that I have three and my oldest is getting closer to 5 I can’t WAIT to get a bigger place! But we love our location and the set up of our place so I guess we are just staying here until we burst at the seams haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863863 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 15:07:39 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2863863@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: thank you, the visuals help! In fact I have two foyer tables that I’m not sure which one will make the final cut that remind me of the piece you have behind the sofa. Where does your husband set up his printer? TBH I’ve never really used my desk as intended, but now I have a second monitor which is supposed to make me more efficient. I can’t balance both the monitor and laptop on lap.</p> <p>@looch: already LO has taken over our existing coffee table, but it’s an hexagon shape the train set won’t fit on it. IKEA for the win! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863862 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 15:04:21 +0000 Anagram 2863862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I think you’ll be fine. We have friends in our building with 2 kids and our exact floor plan. They had an enormous train table in their kids’ room for the past 2 years, along with a crib and a toddler bed and 2 dressers and a ton of toys. So, you just make it work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863861 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:59:27 +0000 Anagram 2863861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The toy side:</p> <p>We have toy storage under the beds and in the closet, too. </p> [attach=2976/18/pkgq74.600x450.5DAA6FFF-1AE5-439C-A23F-8C883085E9EF.jpeg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863860 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:58:22 +0000 Anagram 2863860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our kids room is like this: </p> [attach=2976/18/pkgq5a.450x600.9171E3F6-C6C8-414D-A60D-ED8227875564.jpeg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863859 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:54:11 +0000 looch 2863859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If the train set is something you think your son will play with a lot, you could always forgo a formal coffee table in your living space and instead use a train table with storage underneath.</p> <p>We have an Ikea table that's been repurposed into a lego table, it has baskets underneath that hold all the pieces. </p> <p>Look at it as a short term season and you won't miss the adult furniture. Try to repurpose what you can, maybe the desk has to go, but the credenza can go in the dining space?</p> <p>eta: I also would get a built in murphy bed with a desk that folds out. What you can do in a small space is amazing now! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863858 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:48:27 +0000 Anagram 2863858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You can see the pantry in this pic. Our kitchen would have no storage space without it.</p> <p>[attach=2976/18/pkgpor.600x450.House3.jpg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863857 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:48:15 +0000 Anagram 2863857@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in a 1290 sq foot 2 bed/2 bath with 2 kids. We have space in our garage for our adult bikes, but everything else is in our apartment. </p> <p>We recently switched to bunk beds in the kids room, so there's more space in that room now--so the play kitchen and all their toys are in their room now, save for their art table and chairs, which are in our living room against one wall. We have a pretty big entertainment center in the LR and one side of the cabinets is dedicate to kid toys/puzzles/games, so it's there but out of sight.</p> <p>Our kitchen is small (open concept, but not many cabinets), but we have a big pantry so it works out. I also have a small liquor cabinet and the other half of our entertainment cabinet holds kitchen appliances I don't use very often.</p> <p>We have space for a dining table that fits 6. My husband works from home, and he just plants himself on the couch or at the dining table, where he can see the TV. I'll post some crappy cell phone pics. We've been here 5 years and it's been fine. I would love a 3 bedroom, but it has to be just the right space and tick all the boxes, and we haven't seen anything we like in our neighborhood in a long time (my husband won't move downtown, even though it's less than a mile from where we live now--eye roll). </p> [attach=2976/18/pkgpof.600x450.House2.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863856 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:37:51 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2863856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: definitely long term downsizing from what we have now, but temporarily living in an even smaller space than what will become the permanent smaller space. Does that make sense how I am describing it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/apartment-condo-dwelling-mamas#post-2863849 Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:25:49 +0000 Anagram 2863849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I saw your post about downsizing before--is it temporary or potentially long term? </p>