https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:54:26 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga/page/2#post-2499178 Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:06:25 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2499178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I must have worn DH out because he said we will rent a storage unit if needed. </p> <p>@Modern Daisy: yep, hanging space is at a premium. There's one bedroom closet in particular that's just tiny. I slept on it last night and figured we could always use wardrobes with hanging space for that room.</p> <p>I still like the idea of shed for outdoor gear. Something about a shed in Georgia feels right.</p> <p>Since DH doesn't think he'll be able to install a pull up bar in a GA home die to construction differences there may be a bit more space for storage in the garage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga/page/2#post-2499108 Fri, 18 Mar 2016 07:05:43 +0000 Modern Daisy 2499108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our house has super tiny closets and we switch things out seasonally and have big dressers. The most annoying thing is not having the hanging space.. You can always add more drawers but hanging space is at a premium. Having a garage, walk up attic and huge basement help but I dream of one day living in a house with huge closets in the bedrooms. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga/page/2#post-2499069 Fri, 18 Mar 2016 06:18:06 +0000 looch 2499069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't have a basement either, and I'll be honest, I miss it for the storage. Our attic gets very hot and with the pull down stairs thing it is a pain to get our stuff up and down. If we had a basement, I would simply use it for storage (I have no desire to have living spaces in the basement) and have it set up with shelving.</p> <p>My husband isn't a packrat and purges stuff on a regular basis, but we still have a lot of things around, especially in the garage since we don't have a shed either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga/page/2#post-2498547 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 17:33:44 +0000 Tanjowen 2498547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: our last home had very limited storage. We utilized the guest bedroom closet for all items I couldn't store in the attic due to the heat. It works, but you just can't store a ton of items! Most people in our neighborhood and in my area use their garage as storage and park in the driveway, but that is going to depend on your HOA. </p> <p>We have 3 cars and one stays in the driveway. We usually only have cold enough weather to ice windows in January and February, and sometimes a few days in March. It's a non issue. Growing up in feel like we experiencing quite a few tornadoes, but the last one I can remember getting close was college, over a decade ago! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498532 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 17:28:45 +0000 youboots 2498532@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A nice option is the ability to sleep in a basement when it's super hot- even with AC if its over 100 we can't get our upstairs bedroom under 80.</p> <p>We have been spoiled the have a basement we use for storage only. It's been awesome. We store a swing, infant car seat, Bumbo, and all old clothes as far as kid stuff. Also spare kitchen things- I have several crockpots and misc items like an ice cream maker and juicer. I also store games, crafting supplies, quilting supplies and boxes of childhood and wedding mementos. I swear I'm not a pack rat but a basement helps keep our upstairs storage streamlined and organized. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498507 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 17:13:13 +0000 peachykeen 2498507@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in north Atlanta metro and park in the driveway (DH is using our garage as his workroom for now). There are less than 10 days a year I have to scrape/defrost ice before leaving. </p> <p>I would want the basement for tornadoes, but realistically it's probably not that huge of a risk. However, we have both basement storage and upper floor crawlspace storage - Georgia summers are WAY too hot &amp; humid to store anything in the crawlspace though (FYI). I've lived in Florida and Georgia and in my opinion the summer heat is roughly the same (maybe Miami is worse, but not anything north of there). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498450 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:30:24 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2498450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As far as storage in our GA home, we just have normal closets, a large shelf in our garage, and the unfinished storage room in the basement. I guess we technically have a pulldown attic in the upstairs hallway but all we have up there is paint cans. </p> <p> I think our house has really good storage. We have never found there to be a lack of storage space. All clothes are in the closets or a dresser, all outdoor things in the garage, and longer-term storage/big items/holiday stuff in the basement. </p> <p> As far as sheds, definitely check with your HOA. They are not allowed in my neighborhood at all. You are also not allowed to use your garage as storage and park in the driveway 24/7.</p> <p> While we love our basement and I would definitely get one if you can simply for the extra space and storage, I don't think they are necessary from a storm perspective. We have lived here for 4 years (and I was here another 4 years for school) and I have never had to go to a basement or any secure area for a storm. </p> <p>@regberadaisy: Most basements in GA are built on lots that have a hill (we have a ton of those in GA). So the excavating is not nearly as much as you would think. They just make all the basements walkouts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498445 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:24:20 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2498445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I can't imagine GA weather bring more misenable than where we live now. His current garage gym set up includes a portable A/C, two fans- ones a floor and the other chest height. He also keeps a dedicated laptop out there to follow his Insanity work outs. I just don't see him changing his mind on this since for right now a 3rd car garage is extra. Heck he wants to move with his nasty ass bachelor day couches and squeeze them in his music room. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498422 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:06:53 +0000 gingerbebe 2498422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live on the West Coast so we don't have basements, but my in-laws all have them in Michigan and I am SOOOOOO jealous of the storage!! They also hall have separate guest suites downstairs in the basement that makes it so comfortable for us when we stay with them and I imagine once your kids are old enough, its a great place to have all their toys and mess sprawled out without making the main living areas look so cluttered (like in our current single-story home). DH says he and his siblings romped to their hearts content in their basement growing up because it wasn't making a huge racket like if they were on the second floor and yeah, my in laws are hoarders and they had SOOOO much stuff but its all tucked away in the storage rooms. We love having a 3-car garage for storage purposes (we keep a drop freezer and extra fridge out there, on top of storage in the garage cabinets and shelving units, but if I were building new, I'd go with one with the extra deep bays, or like a 3-car tandem garage in case you buy a huge SUV. I know people who ended up not getting the big SUV because it wouldn't fit in their garage and they didn't want to leave a $50K car sitting outside in the elements all the time. </p> <p>I think your DH should consider having a gym in the basement cuz I think it gets pretty hot and muggy in GA - it sounds really unpleasant to work out in a garage when you could be nice and cool inside with a TV! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498319 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 15:02:15 +0000 ShootingStar 2498319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yup, I always planned to keep our stuff too. So imagine every single thing you've bought for baby - all gear, clothes, bottles, everything. Now imagine you need it all to be put away and stored. It can be a lot of space! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498318 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 15:02:12 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2498318@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: yes, at the new construction home DH is practically ready to sign for adding a basement- any model- is an extra $45,000. Each basement comes with an extra bed and full bath (our preferred model means that would be bed 6, bath 5) and tons of open finished space (carpeted though), some unfinished space, and a single door to walk out to the backyard (with that much space I'm surprised it's not French doors).</p> <p>@Mamaof2: you're definitely maximizing the sh%t out of your basement. DH for some reason does not want to use a basement for his gym. Something about dropping weights he only wants to do it in the garage on concrete. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498306 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:54:59 +0000 Mamaof2 2498306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just thought I would add I LOVE our basement!!!</p> <p>We store next season clothes down there, all holiday decorations, our home gym is set-up down there, the kids play kitchen is down there, we have a bar/den with couches and TV, also a bedroom for my DSS. Ours is a walkout to the backyard which makes it even better.</p> <p>I cant imagine not having a basement!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498301 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:53:40 +0000 regberadaisy 2498301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I don't know much about construction costs in GA. But I'm going to guess you're going to pay a premium for a basement. Basements are expensive, period. You have to excavate, select fill, pour concrete for foundations/footings, etc. What would you miss that a basement provides that you can't get in more SF? I'm guessing the $/SF above grade will be cheaper than $/SF for basement. How much are tornado shelters, if that's a genuine concern of yours? Things to think about and ask your realtor or builder? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498296 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:50:54 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2498296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I'll find out from our realtor ow finished these attic spaces actually are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498287 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:46:56 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2498287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: totally separate from the storage concerns is just what you mentioned I don't want to regret not having a basement.</p> <p>Ugh...home buying round 2 is so much more complicated this time. I know more of what I want based on what doesn't work well in this house. However, to get what I want comes with stuff I don't *think* we need or maybe not have due to budget constraints. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498285 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:46:36 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2498285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yea there is something with the type of trusses they can put up there to make it open for storage and then you want them to put plywood floors up there so you can walk around and store boxes on a floor versus just open beams. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498282 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:40:58 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2498282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TrailRunner: that's really interesting one of the resale homes we saw in Roswell had a scary basement. Half of it was finished, place to watch TV, play pool, large bathroom and then two unfinished storage areas. We initially liked the house, but then were concerned about losing our kid in a creepy basement that neither one of us wanted to enter. That house also had backstairs and sun room + enclosed patio. Too many rooms, too many deathtraps. Lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498281 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:38:22 +0000 Smurfette 2498281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I have lived here since 2001 and remember one tornado warning. LO and I had to go into the basement right when she was about to go to bed. </p> <p>I would prefer a media room in a basement over upstairs next to bedrooms. I couldn't sleep if DH/kids were up watching a movie. Sunroom you can add on later. You can add a 5th bedroom in a basement. You can't add a basement on and I know people that regret not doing it with their new build cause now they need the space. All what you want and how you use your house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498278 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:37:13 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2498278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm trying really hard to figure out what we will need to store. Baby stuff, luggage, Christmas tree &amp; ornaments, bikes (eventually)...</p> <p>We won't need to store lawn stuff. We're selling or giving away all the stuff DH bought and used for maybe 2 months before realizing he doesn't want to cut our lawn or trim hedges. </p> <p>Right now we're minimal on the holiday stuff. When I help my mom decorate for Christmas she's pulling so.much.stuff out of the under stairs storage. I don't think we'll ever get to that point, but just having kids makes everything seem more special where you want to go overboard, right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498276 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:36:16 +0000 TrailRunner 2498276@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just wanted to add this really quickly...houses in the metro Atlanta area typically sell quicker if they are on a basement. I say typically bc of course this is not true for every house, but in our area I notice basement homes go much quicker and slabs tend to sit on the market longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498273 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:34:40 +0000 mrsjd 2498273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Hahahaha, that's pretty funny. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498269 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:30:32 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2498269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: curious, what would you compromise on to get a home with a basement? The new construction homes we like (meaning they fit our must have list including a great layout) also have these unexpected extras: sunroom, 3 car garage, 5th bed/ 4th bath, and what our realtor calls a reverse basement- upstairs enclosed media room. </p> <p>@regberadaisy: I just asked DH to ask his coworkers about tornadoes &amp; basements and I swear his response was tantamount to a blank stare. @mrsjd: I'm not winning that one on safety purposes.</p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: Any third car garage has been earmarked for DH's at home gym space and motorcycle. I'm sure with creative wall solutions we could store other stuff in there too. So far all of the attics have that ceiling pull down thing, so maybe not finished? The house DH is rooting for has dormer windows in the pull down attic so that may indicate it's big enough to comfortably stand up.</p> <p>@ShootingStar: I bought gear for this one with the specific purpose of saving it for hopefully LO2 &amp; LO3. That was the only way to justify what I spent on some of the gear- cost per use. So, yeah we will need storage space for baby gear. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498268 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:29:54 +0000 mrsjd 2498268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: I'm surprised by that, although to be fair some people consider them more serious than others. Perhaps it is more common in north Georgia and Atlanta. I grew up near there and it's constant during the season. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498237 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:10:55 +0000 regberadaisy 2498237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsjd: how interesting. My BIL lived in middle Georgia for 6 years and I've never heard him speak of tornado warnings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498233 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:09:26 +0000 regberadaisy 2498233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: really! My inlaws were in GA for quite a few years and no one in their developments had basements. All slab on grade. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498227 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:06:12 +0000 ShootingStar 2498227@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I don't live in GA, but we have a toddler and a TON of stuff. We will have 2.9 years between kids and there is SO MUCH STUFF we've saved. In our basement we have a jumperoo, 2 baby seats (yup, we needed both), the bucket car seat, and a couple boxes of random baby stuff.</p> <p>We have boxes of baby stuff and gear in the new baby's room, and in our guest room. Clothes, bottles, pump, socks, burp cloths, infant toys, etc etc. </p> <p>Of course, you don't have to have all of this stuff. You don't have to save clothes or baby gear between babies. But I'd have to have to re-buy all these things with only about 2 years in between using them. </p> <p>In our garage we have all of DS's outdoor toys stored for the winter - baby pools, tricycle, water table, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498224 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:03:21 +0000 avivoca 2498224@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: We had a fairly mild winter this year (KY), but I still had to scrape ice off my car and let it warm up. It's a PITA, I would much rather park in my garage and not have to deal with scraping the windshield. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498210 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 13:55:43 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2498210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: If you are looking at new construction, see what it would cost for them to build like a 2.5 car garage. Bump it out to the side or make it extra deep. It can make a HUGE amount of storage difference. Also will the attic be finished off? We store our christmas/holiday decorations up there which helps a lot to keep the garage organized. </p> <p>We are in north florida but we dont store stuff like seasonal clothes in the garage/shed. Still too many bugs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498205 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 13:53:25 +0000 Smurfette 2498205@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: If you have a HOA you might have to get permission to have a shed. but that is what we use for all the outside/yard work equipment. You can't see it from the street.</p> <p>I would love a garage to park in. Buckling a kid in and out of a car seat when it is raining is a pain in the ass. But yes you will have to scrap ice off the windows on some days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/storage-living-with-kids-amp-living-in-ga#post-2498196 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 13:51:25 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2498196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsjd: hmm, definitely something to consider! </p>