https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:44:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2469084 Sun, 21 Feb 2016 06:12:52 +0000 dc yoga bee 2469084@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2littlepumpkins: I know for us, I was just approved to telework an additional day. Right now we are using the guest room as an office as well, but one of the conditions is a dedicated office space. DH was approved to work from home one day a week. So, we need a legit seperate room for our office space. Growing up, my dad had a room as his workout space with equipment, treadmills, etc... We just bought a treadmill, and I have no time to drive 45 min to a yoga studio now that we moved to the burbs. I kind of agree with my dad, I'm not spending $$ for gym and classes around here! So, we need a workout space. Each kid gets a bedroom if possible so they can have their own space. And that's 5 bedrooms if you use basement as workout space, and play area (depending on size.) We spend a lot of time at home. Saturday's we go into the city and go to muesums or parks, and Friday night and Sunday we hang out at home! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2469011 Sat, 20 Feb 2016 22:18:20 +0000 Mrs. Pink 2469011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our house is about 2,800 square feet on 2 levels-- I don't think I'd want a smaller house, but I could if we had decent storage space. </p> <p>Our first home (which is our rental) was right around 1,000 square feet with a garage and it was really small feeling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2464732 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 15:12:01 +0000 ValentineMommy 2464732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have 2800 and could definitely use more. Even finishing the basement would help us significantly. The problem for us is hobbies that take up a lot of room. Without large scale hobbies, what we have would be fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2464714 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 15:03:43 +0000 littlejoy 2464714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>SF doesn't matter to me. What does matter is having a basement for storage ... 3 dedicated bedrooms ... a dining room ... a kitchen ... and a living space (preferably on the larger side, so we all have space to stretch out). </p> <p>We live in 1,200 finished sf right now, and it's perfect. The layout and distribution of the sq isn't quite right, but this isn't our forever home, so that's okay. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2464382 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 11:26:28 +0000 Mrs. Detour 2464382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're 2 adults, 1 toddler, 2 cats in 550ish usable sq ft (there is a big porch over an alley, but in Boston, it doesn't add much) and it's way too small. We're moving to the midwest and looking for at least 2500, but ideally closer to 3000. DH and I both work from home a lot and need space to set up separate offices. We also have a steady stream of houseguests so we're hoping to have a guest room and dedicated guest bathroom. We love that our family comes to visit us often, but they are very high-maintenace guests (think 45-min shower in the only bathroom during the morning rush hour without checking to see if anyone needs it first) so we're hoping to have enough space so that they are not underfoot all the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2464351 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 11:09:38 +0000 MrsKoala 2464351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1800-2000 sq ft. Something a bit bigger than we have now so we can have larger groups of people over for birthdays and such. Right now, we have only 1440 sq feet with a lot of small rooms and it is difficult to have more than 2 or 3 people extra in our living room. There is just not enough room for people to sit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2464263 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 10:26:35 +0000 aegie 2464263@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Minimum 2800 sq ft. Although I'm sure once the kids leave it will be too big ... but since it's my forever home .... why not? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2464198 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 09:44:02 +0000 Kimberlybee 2464198@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>2500 sq ft, one story would be my ideal for when the kids are in school. Our condo right now is 1100 sq in a great location but it's only a 2 bedroom. I wish it was a 3 bedroom and with a slightly different layout. It could easily be our forever home if it was a 3 bedroom. We'll be moving to the suburbs in a few years, just can't seem to find the right fit for us. Even if we move, this unit will be our investment property.</p> <p>@erinpye: Once the kids are off to college, we'll be returning to condo living too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463957 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:46:09 +0000 erinpye 2463957@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't want a forever home! Ours is 2000 sqft and it's just fine. We'll probably move again once or twice to a slightly larger home as they get older, but when our kids go off to college, we want to move away from the suburbs and have a condo in the center of the city. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463954 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:43:19 +0000 QBbride 2463954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>2000 sq ft would be perfect for us </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463941 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:15:07 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2463941@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If by forever home you mean something all kids could fit in, so the largest we'd need, I could see as small as about 1500 sq ft with two kids before space would be an issue. We're in less than that now and it's not a huge deal! I honestly don't get it when people say they need a lot of square feet...what are they keeping in their home? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463930 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:01:03 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2463930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't need a huge house. Just a big yard, functional kitchen, and enough space for me to have an in-home office.</p> <p>Right now we have 3 kids and live in 12000 sqft. I don't think we would ever need more than 1800-2,000. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463906 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 22:36:02 +0000 Ms maths 2463906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our house is ~2000 sq ft, with an unfinished attic and basement (so lots of storage); we'll probably be here until we're too old to walk up stairs.</p> <p>I definitely think we could live comfortably in less, but we basically use the whole house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463859 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 21:43:16 +0000 rachiecakes 2463859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@maddyz: we're in a similar sized space in Boston, soo jealous of your washer! :silly:<br /> the home we owned in NY was 1200 sf and was great for us, 1500 would be perfect. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463853 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 21:39:10 +0000 maddyz 2463853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think we are in the NYC apartment we will be in for ages, maybe not forever, but at least most of the kid years. We have around 750 sf. two bedrooms one bath, lots of hall closets. Whenever we go visit the grandparents houses feel SO HUGE. I am sure I could get used to more room. But this feels pretty nice. And we have a washing machine (super special for NYC). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463852 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 21:38:26 +0000 lady baltimore 2463852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have 1250 square feet now, and I can't see needing much more. The finished part of our basement is just storage right now, but eventually we will get some furniture down there and "expand" into that space. Oh, and there's a bathroom roughed in down there that we'll finish at some point, so . . . 1275? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463842 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 21:27:11 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2463842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Probably around 3000 if not a little more. We have 2750 now and could definitely use a little bit more space (a couple extra rooms). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463840 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 21:25:48 +0000 sapphire 2463840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do t believe in the ide a of a "forever" home for us, but in buying our first home, 2200 was our target. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463834 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 21:20:54 +0000 ShootingStar 2463834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have about 3000 and I don't think we'd like too much less. Though I wish I could redistribute some of the footage from downstairs where our living room is too big, but our master bathroom isn't big enough for both a tub and a shower (we have just a big shower). I'd also like a full laundry room not just a laundry closet. </p> <p>I like having 4 bedrooms, an office and a playroom. You just don't get those extra rooms at much lower square footages. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463810 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 20:54:23 +0000 Applesandbananas 2463810@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have 1800ish and don't even use half the house. I would prefer a different layout and 1500-1800 sf. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463805 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 20:44:03 +0000 mamabolt 2463805@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have 2400 and don't need more, but I wish it was better laid out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home/page/2#post-2463709 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 19:31:06 +0000 pinkcupcake 2463709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Around 2000 square feet. Any more and it feels unmanageable and I don't want to devote my life to cleaning (or hire someone to do it) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home#post-2463698 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 19:26:22 +0000 Littlebit7 2463698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me it's less about square feet but more about layout. In the past 10 years I lived in a 2200 sq foot town home with three levels and 4 beds and 3.5 baths in a different city, a 1500 sq ft 2 bed apt which was a 5th floor walk up, and a 1400 sq ft three bed apt(current). Oddly I like our current place the most because the layout is great and we have a third bedroom and it's on one level. The only thing I would change is a slightly larger living room. I think I would want a big house if I lived in a suburb and couldn't walk out my door to a ton of stuff ((I'd probably be home more?) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home#post-2463690 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 19:14:45 +0000 Corduroy 2463690@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have 1400 sf ft (no basement). It's perfect for our family of four. I think it helps that our neighborhood is all 1100 sq ft homes so we feel like we have a lot of space in comparison. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home#post-2463663 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 18:46:48 +0000 Synchronicity 2463663@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have somewhere around 1200 now, plus finished basement. I would like more space in our "forever home", but definitely not more than 2000 sq ft. I'd say 1600ish plus finished basement would be ideal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home#post-2463656 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 18:38:39 +0000 hummusgirl 2463656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ours is 2200 and I wouldn't want any bigger. I was all about small spaces having lived in 250 and 900 sq ft for our past two apartments, but I have to say it's nice to have a dedicated guest room, large kitchen and more than one bathroom! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home#post-2463645 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 18:17:17 +0000 jape14 2463645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our house is 2300 sqft and it's a good size for us. We have an attic that we will likely finish if we decide to stay here long-term - that would become a playroom/den plus a guest room. (It's nice for us to have a guest room bc half of our immediate families live an 8-hr drive away, and we are planning on 2-3 kids.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home#post-2463631 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 18:04:31 +0000 Greentea 2463631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really dislike basements unless they are walkout and completely finished :) (Random thoughts here.) I've had some bad experiences! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home#post-2463625 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 18:01:25 +0000 cat620 2463625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Between 2,600 and 3,000 square feet. I want to have a bedroom for each child and a bonus room. Plus a large enough living area to entertain. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minimum-square-footage-for-forever-home#post-2463553 Tue, 16 Feb 2016 17:00:27 +0000 Ms. RV 2463553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in my forever home now, it is 2200 sq ft and is way too big. I wish my bedroom was half the size it is (so like lose 150 there) and that there wasn't a formal living room (150 there). I would also kind of like to lose the eat in part of the kitchen (70 sq ft there). I guess then 1830 sq ft if I did my math correctly. </p>