https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:04:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house/page/2#post-717164 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:14:24 +0000 Rhdscait 717164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I, also, think it has a lot to do with your expectations. We are renting an 800 sq ft apartment with an 8 month old and 2 year old. While I'd love to move out of an apartment, for other reasons, the space has been more than manageable. We have a pretty minimalist lifestyle so if you have a lot of stuff, it may be more difficult. In all honesty, I wouldn't even know how to fill a 1300 sq ft home! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house/page/2#post-717162 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:14:15 +0000 sunny 717162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you renting or buying the 1300 sqft home?</p> <p>If renting- I would think its ok since you may decide to move when baby comes.</p> <p>If buying- I would highly recommend not buying a place you don't intend on staying in for 7+ years. If you have doubts about whether or not it can accommodate a growing family, I would pass on it!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house/page/2#post-717149 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:10:18 +0000 heffalump 717149@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in a 1400 sq ft house and it works well. Personally I'd love an extra room for a playroom, but it's not a deal breaker, it's not going to make me move. We're planning on staying when we have baby #2 too. </p> <p>I like smaller houses. Less to clean, and less work to get from one place to the next. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-717105 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:59:42 +0000 Ash 717105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think that could easily work. I gew up in a 1000 sq ft home and we managed just fine... no basement or anything. I think if it's a short term thing, it would be very easy to make it work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-717015 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:43:37 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 717015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@luckypenny: They have a beautiful home. </p> <p>I grew up in a 1900 sq ft home until 16 then we moved to 3500 sq ft. We had the same number of rooms and bathrooms. The larger house just had a lot of wasted space. The master bedroom could fit three good size rooms. When I was looking at homes to purchase with children in mind 2300 sq ft started feeling small. I moved from a 1000 sq ft apartment, but it was just me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716991 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:39:55 +0000 HLK208 716991@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I should have been more clear, what I meant was, rent could be double what a mortgage could be but it takes a lot of money to sell. For us, just to pay real estate fee's, closing costs, etc. it's close to $30k...along with putting $10k into the house, another chunk for the down payment and we've only lived in the house for 2 years. A deposit plus rent would have overall been less expensive even if rentals are sky high in price. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716970 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:35:28 +0000 Anagram 716970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HLK208: I think a lot of that depends on your area and the market, too. In Dallas, it was probably cheaper to rent...</p> <p>But where we live now, the majority of people rent, so the prices are exorbitant and there are a lot of potential fees (broker's fees, deposits) that go along with renting. In our current rental building, if we rented a 2 bedroom with parking, it would be $$3500 a month. Plus a 1-month's rent deposit that you may or may not get back (some buildings around here replace the parquet floors after every renter leaves, and take that out of your deposit).</p> <p>The buyer's market is extremely tight around here too, and you really *have* to have 20% down to buy. So no one pays PMI. If you were to buy a 2 bedroom condo in the $600,000-$700,000 range, the mortgage+tax+HOA fees payment might be anywhere from $3000-$3600 a month. And then you own! And your mortgage interest and property taxes are deductible from your federal taxes, so in the long run (or even over just a period of 2 years), you should save money in buying.</p> <p>But probably the only markets that are like this are the NYC and SF markets. I'm not sure.</p> <p>It's complicated! =) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716912 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:19:53 +0000 LuLu Mom 716912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in a 1300 split level right now and have a LO. We are fine for now, but there is no way we could have 2 kids in here. We knew that when buying it that it would be a starter home and we would built once LO started school. I think it's doable for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716901 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:16:46 +0000 HLK208 716901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's do-able with one child. Especially if there is a good layout. If you plan to have more than one, definitely too small. Also, I read somewhere that if you plan to stay in a house for less than 7 years - the costs are not worth it, rent is less expensive. I really wish we had waited an extra year to buy our first house so it would be a forever home. We bought a small house though and are now paying to sell it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716706 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:29:15 +0000 kiddosc 716706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends on what kind of storage you have available. If there was a basement or attic, then I think that would be fine. Our house is currently 1500 sq. ft. and we're really tight on storage space, but we don't have a basement. Room size is just fine for our purposes, but the guest room often gets cluttered with things we just don't have room for. Especially now that E is outgrowing some of his baby gear. I want to save it for #2, but we just don't have a good place to put it at the moment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716616 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:06:34 +0000 littlek 716616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it will all come down to how many bedrooms each option has and the available storage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716604 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:01:30 +0000 chibee 716604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@runnerd: Same here - I grew up in an apartment all my life, this is the first house I've ever lived in and it feels huge to me! And I hate "stuff" and clutter - so I never keep anything around and I think that helps in keeping the place looking bigger than it is also. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716599 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:59:45 +0000 mlm2934 716599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like someone asked/said earlier, I guess it depends on your expectations. I grew up in a 1100 sqft house with 5 people living in it. Never felt cramped to me! And our current home is the largest I've lived in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716560 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:49:20 +0000 jmarionsmith 716560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>our 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house is around 12OO sqft and while the kitchen is a little small we have actually said we wouldn't want much bigger! we have lo 1 already and plan on having at least one more in this house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716545 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:46:10 +0000 luckypenny 716545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely not too small! We hve about 1200 in a 2bdr/2ba right now with a 1 year old and it's great. 1300 is big for the Bay Area. Check out one of my favorite bloggers. She lives in a 500 sq/ft apartment with her 2 boys - you can make anything work ! <a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/03/san-francisco-apartment-tour-500-square.html?m=1" rel="nofollow">http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/03/san-francisco-apartment-tour-500-square.html?m=1</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716530 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:41:35 +0000 chibee 716530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My house is just around 1300 - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, garage and a nice sized fenced in yard. For the two of us (well right now, 2 of us, our 2 dogs plus our in-laws displaced from Sandy while their house is going through extensive renovations and their two dogs) it actually feels like a lot of space. Even with my in-laws, I don't feel cramped one bit, but I don't have a baby yet! But I do think it's enough space - I guess it's personal preference, if my house was any bigger I think I'd feel overwhelmed in cleaning and would definitely get a weekly cleaning service. haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716482 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:26:26 +0000 Running Elley 716482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have just under 1400 square feet and for us and LO it's the perfect amount of space! With LO #2 coming I'm a little worried about it but I think it should be fine until we have a third! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716473 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:23:59 +0000 LindsayInNY 716473@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just bought a 2 bed/1 bath 1100 sq. ft. condo. The space is definitely doable! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716421 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:10:08 +0000 Anagram 716421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@runnerd: It probably depends on what you're used to.</p> <p>My "starter" townhouse as a single woman in Texas was 1600 square feet, and I didn't feel like it was big (two beds, 2 1/2 baths, 2 living areas) at all.</p> <p>Then we got married and moved to NYC area and all the 2 bedroom condos we are looking at range from 1100 sq ft to 1300 sq ft, and a lot of people here have kids in smaller spaces. We looked at a 1200 sq ft condo where the owners had 3 kids under 5.</p> <p>So...it just depends on how good you are at living in small spaces. I think 1300 sq ft is totally doable! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716376 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:54:40 +0000 avivoca 716376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Currently, we live in an 1100 sq. ft. 3 BR/1.5BA house on .21 acres. Both DH and I grew up in smaller houses, so this home feels massive to me. Also, considering that our third bedroom was empty, I think that with 1 kiddo running around, it could be okay, but with two it might be a little tight. We'll see. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716371 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:53:01 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 716371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just know that things feel a lot smaller with a baby. I would think that 1700 would be just about right! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716360 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:48:25 +0000 Freckles 716360@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It totally depends on the layout. We live in a 1200 sq ft semi-bungalow with a finished basement that adds about 600 sq ft. It definitely felt smaller with the addition of a little one, and even more so when our family came to visit. But honestly, i do like the coziness of it, and the basement is a nice big space for the kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716321 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:38:01 +0000 Mrs. Grizzly Bear 716321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just went from 1,100 to 2,500+ square feet and right now we live on the first floor because the second floor doesn't have air conditioning or heating. We have two little ones, six weeks and fourteen months. Throw in two adults and lots of furniture and it's cozy - living room, kitchen, dining room, two bedrooms and an office (no closet). </p> <p>I would go with the larger square footage but that's because I know how much toddlers love to run around. What part of town are you looking to move to, @runnerd: ? Maybe we can meet up. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716317 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:37:18 +0000 photojane 716317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think 1300 is plenty. If you want to, you can make any amount of space work for you. To save so much money &amp; be able to build your own home in the future, I think it is totally worth sacrificing some space now. We are currently living in a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom rental house that is less than 1000 square feet, and we are very comfortable. We have to get creative with storage, but that's where Pinterest comes in handy. :) </p> <p>Plus, the smaller the house, the less you have to clean!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716316 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:37:13 +0000 allison 716316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really love cozy spaces, too, and I think I would be just fine with that size. It really all depends on how much stuff you have/want to keep. I'm of the opinion that you can make any size house work for you, you just have to get rid of some/all of the non-essentials. And maybe not have overnight guests. 40% savings is a lot! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716308 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:35:31 +0000 babynumber1 716308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our home is that size and it is fine with 1 LO. We have TONS of storage space, which makes all of the difference. I we didn't have the garage or our big attic, we would be in a world of trouble. We will start house hunting when our family grows more, but right now it is a great size for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716297 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:32:58 +0000 hellobeeboston 716297@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in a townhouse that is about 1150 sq feet - on 3 floors (upstairs 2 beds, main living area (kitchen &amp; LR), and finished basement).... We are fine with 1 kid. It's a little tight perhaps with all the baby stuff, but we're trying to keep the "stuff" to a minimum. Once we have another though we feel like we will need more space. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716289 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:30:17 +0000 Revel 716289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in an 1100 square foot house and expecting LO #1. It feels like enough space to me, even as we accumulate baby items. We do have three bedrooms and a full basement, and the basement especially makes a HUGE difference. We don't even have a ton of stuff but without the basement we would be a little pressed for storage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716287 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:29:53 +0000 Alivoo01 716287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our home is 1,445 sq ft and while the size is perfect for us and 1 LO, it would be too small if we had another LO in the future. And the way the house is built, storage space is pretty non-existent. That's our biggest complaint about our current home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-1300-square-foot-house#post-716283 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:27:43 +0000 honeybear 716283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a 2yo and a 2br/2ba apartment. It's 1000 sq ft, and I would be much, much happier if it had another room with a closet, even if the room was tiny. If the extra 300 sq ft = 3br, I think you'd probably be fine. </p> <p>I want the extra room because DH and I have totally different organizational styles. We share so much, but for the peace of the realm, we have to draw the line at closet space! </p>