Parenting In 300-Square-Feet Or Less
This is the post where all of you reading decide to nominate me for sainthood. Are you ready?
Our New York City apartment is a whopping grand total of 300-square-feet. Can you even get over that? It is small. Teeny! Like, legitimately a human rights violation.
As Huck’s due date grew closer and the amount of baby stuff we were accumulating grew larger, we had to really sit down and think about what all we needed, and what all we didn’t need.
Turns out, we didn’t need much.
Right now we are getting by with just the following. I am calling it: The Bare Necessities Of Life When You Have No Space. Catchy, right?
1. Stroller
NYC mamas live and die by their stroller. When I was 32 weeks pregnant with Huck, a woman stopped me on the street and asked me in an urgent tone, “Honey, have you found your stroller yet?” like it was some life and death matter. Turns out, it is! In the city, your stroller has to be everything. Rugged, sturdy, but lightweight and foldable, comfortable for baby, with lots of storage, and tricked out with all manner of accessories (rain guard! foot muff! cup holder! organizer caddy! diaper bag carrier! hooks for your groceries!), but not requiring so many accessories (adapters, bassinets, and toddler seats) that you need an extra closet to hold it all. For a while the idea of picking a stroller was so daunting that I had convinced myself we didn’t really need one at all. I was so wrong it’s not even funny.
After much prayer (you only think I’m kidding), we bought the First Year Wave stroller. Had we the budget (and storage space) for something heftier, we may have gone with the Uppa Baby Vista or the Bugaboo, both very popular strollage options in my neighborhood. (Since strollers out here really get used, it justifies the insane price.) I wonder if I were living in the ‘burbs and had a car if a stroller would have even have entered the equation? As it is, this stroller is our SUV.
My Huck prefers to sleep in his stroller, thus making his crib a fantastic place for storing folded laundry!
2. Front Pack
Okay, so what do you do with your kid when you’re jonesing for a shopping spree in SoHo and you don’t feel like folding your stroller into a taxi/hoisting your stroller up the stairs at the Prince Street station? You toss him in a front pack, of course! There are a ton of options here: wraps, carriers, backpacks, forward-facing, rear-facing . . . it can be a little overwhelming. We have a Moby and an Ergo. Covering our bases. We really love our Moby, and you can’t beat the price!
(From what I hear, these front packs are popular outside of urban areas, too. Do you have one? What do you think?)
3. Changing Pad
I will occasionally look longingly at changing tables in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog and wonder what my life might be like in a house in the suburbs with whole rooms dedicated to babies and entire closets to hold their gear and accessories, but most times the idea of it makes me laugh. A changing table? A whole table just for changing yo baby? Clearly I have lived in the city too long. We bought this changing pad from Giggle and have been pleased as punch with it. It cleans up easily and makes a great backdrop for off-the-cuff photo shoots.
See what I’m saying?
4. Swing
We debated and debated on this one, because our floor space is precious unto us (300 square feet! Oh, did I already mention that?), but when we finally took the plunge and brought a baby swing home to live with us, our arms got infinitely less tired. It was like magic! He was so happy in there! He’d drift off to sleep peacefully and we could eat dinner–with two hands! I know every baby is different and some like the swings better than others, but the next time we have a newborn in a cramped space I will be buying a swing right away, even if it means doing without a couch. Serious as a heart attack.
(We recently swapped our swing for a floor mat play gym, and I wonder what we’ll swap that for next. Any suggestions?)
5. Walk-In Closet
The right sized closet opens up a whole world of possibility. Why, the right sized closet can turn your cramped 1 bedroom apartment into a spacious 2 bedroom palatial estate! We are talking privacy! And another room where you can talk above a whisper! Have you seen this closet-to-bedroom makeover? She has two kids in there, people! The Holbrooks are currently on the hunt for the perfect walk-in closet, might you pray for us in our search?
(This last one may be negotiable:)
6. Crib
We have the Alma Bloom mini crib. It comes in at a whopping 19.5″ x 37″–seriously small. We measured and remeasured and every time the results were the same: there is just no room for a traditional crib up in this joint! When we found the Alma Bloom it was like the clouds parted above and heavenly choirs of angels sang and sparkly confetti rained down upon our heads. Hallelujah! He will have somewhere to sleep! (I sewed my own crib sheets. Mini crib bedding, despite being smaller than the average crib bedding, is PRICEY.)
In the beginning I really thought a crib would be a non-negotiable, but it turns out I could have skipped it all together so far, because convincing my Huck to sleep anywhere but his stroller is a lesson in futility at this point.
So let’s discuss this right proper now. What baby items have been most useful to you? What have you found you could do without? What am I going to do with my kid once he starts to crawl? Did I mention I have two dogs? Sainthood, yes?
With twins I definitely did not want two of every toy and gadget coming out the you-know, so here are my top three most important items to have two of:
1. Stroller with two seats
2. Two high chairs
3. Two cribs
Everything else could be shared or just never purchased at all. Though I will say that the swings and Double Blessings nursing pillow were great, but you don’t use them as long. So they might not be worth the largest investment of your funds.
I cannot imagine living with my husband and child in 300 square feet! You must be a saint. Are you sure staying in NYC is worth it? I live in the Midwest, and my 1,800 sqaure foot house was very affordable!
@Amanda, funny you should ask, I’m not really sure! Most days I think it is. (Are you kidding me? This place is fantastic!) Other days . . . (are you kidding? This place smells bad and the people are rude and everything’s too expensive!)
Nat–a random question for you (or, a moment wherein you can laugh at my ignorance); if you ever happen to take a cab or a car somewhere, where do you put baby? I’m assuming you have no carseat and I’m super curious about how New Yorkers do this!
@Rebecca, that’s a good question! I was amazed to find out there are no car seat laws for yellow cabs in the city. If you have a kid too small for a seat belt, you are allowed to have one baby per lap. Seems crazy, especially the way some cabbies drive! But then a friend pointed out that most times your cab isn’t going any faster than 25 or 30mph . . . ? Anyway, no car seat required. I did need one to leave the hospital with Huck though, so we borrowed one from a friend. (Most of my friends delivered at a closer hospital so they could walk home with the baby in a stroller instead.)
You are amazing!! Definitely a Saint. Our baby slept in his (used) swing until about 5 months when the motor died out/ he weighed too much for it to rock him back and forth. For our next one, we’re definitely buying a new swing.
Oh! I second Rebecca’s comment. I was just wondering the same thing!
Aaaand there’s the answer. Duh.
I live in Utah but we live in a 500 square foot apartment (saving for a house) and my baby sleeps in a walk in closet. I think it’s the perfect size for him! It is kind of big but I love our Bumbo with the tray because we use that instead of a high chair and it saves so much room. We don’t have much at all either- the only problem we’ve had is ridiculous gifts- people know where we live but they still sent big or impractical things. (Not to sound ungrateful!)
We have a shoe tower thing (like this but taller: http://tinyurl.com/4ht6wj9) that we use as the baby’s dresser because it fits nicely in the closet. I agree you- sometimes I dream about the baby having his own room with a glider! and a changing table and a bookcase! but mostly, I like not having lots of stuff around to clutter.
Absolute necessity I could never live without? An over-the-door shoe caddy for all that teeny-tiny baby crap that otherwise accumulates on horizontal surfaces. Lifesaver!!! As well as a hanging sweater organizer, where their baby clothes go in lieu of a dresser (which I stole for MY clothes). Also, Camryn & Tamsin both love(d) their exersaucer–the ugliest piece of baby gear known to man, BUT a fabulous high chair/entertainment center once the playmat has lost its sheen of newness and interest.
Oh, and I SO heart my kids’ toy storage–those wire cubes you can pop together in all sorts of configurations–with sassy polka dot collapsible baskets from Target. I hate looking at kids’ toys in my living room. I LOVE looking at polka dot Target baskets in my living room! Pop a square tray on top, and you have a lovely side table for pretties and such. Assuming your kid can’t pull it down.
And Tamsin slept in her carseat or the swing for MONTHS.
That is truly amazing. You are my hero. There is no way I could EVER do it. I woke up this morning and after reading your post I made my husband read it. He complains that our 1100sqft 2 bedroom 2 bathroom condo isnt enough space, lol. And we only have 1 dog!
Huge props to you!
I’m so happy to hear someone say a crib is not a necessity! We have a small place too and I decided a pack n play will give us more flexibility than a crib, but I’ve gotten so much flak for denying my soon to arrive baby a proper crib. My guess is Huck will love hearing how creative you all were duirng his first year in NYC!!
Question for you, Nat….what kind of swing did you get? My dad bought one for us (4 years ago!?) with our first kiddo, and that thing was so strong I had whiplash after watching our daughter swing. We tried it once and never went back. So no swing.
This time around (due in a few months), i’m determined to find a swing that will not rock my baby to death and might actually sooth!
@Keri We have the Fisher Price Smart Stages 3-in-1 swing (http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Smart-Stages-Rocker-Swing/dp/B000WUB9R6) It’s a little ginorm but we’ve been happy with it, especially now that he’s too big for the swing motor and he can sit in the toddler chair like a mini lazy boy. The swing speed was really nice and soothing, not too jarring at all (we could maybe have used a little more of an oomph, but then again my kid is a tubby).
I am bookmarking this to read when I am (often) depressed about having two kids in a 2-bedroom 1000-ft house. The difference is that all our friends and neighbors have larger houses, so I’m constantly reminded of our smallness. BTW, I’ve been reading Babble every day for three years and this is the very first time I’ve posted, so thank you!
Don’t covet the changing table too badly. I never got one because I had heard from multiple people that it only became a place to put clean or dirty baby clothes anyway.
I agree with Abby. We have a change table and, yes, we use it, but it is totally a catch-all for his dirty laundry. Probably the least useful piece of equipment we bought.
Natalie,
You asked what you’ll swap the playgym for next… When he gets to be closer to 6 months, go with a Jumperoo (though at least ours took up HUGE amounts of floor space) or door-hanging jumper. That was the ONLY way I got ANY dishes done when The Munchkin was that age!
Um, THANK YOU, for introducing me to Jordan Ferney’s blog. I love it. Wouldn’t it be dreamy to live in Paris? I mean who cares about small apartments when you live in PARIS, right? Not me. But, alas, I don’t live there.
Second, I had to do similar thinking before my little Salie was born due to our extremely small space and came to some very similar conclusions. I think you have encouraged me to blog about it. It’s theraputic, isn’t it? Here’s what happened when our daughter started crawling/walking: she took over our bedroom and now my husband and I sleep on a futon in the front room (there are only two rooms in our apartment and no closets). Sometimes we make sacrifices as parents, right? And it’s really not a sacrifice because we have our own room at night and don’t have to worry about waking her up.
Third, when Huck outgrows his tummy mat, I have a few suggestions. An exersaucer type thing can sure be a great thing to have when you need to keep your man stationary, but entertained, while accomplishing some great task which does not allow you baby holding arms. Or being lazy on the couch. We had one like this. But there are lots of different kinds. Then, when he starts walking, you may want to swap it out for a play table to walk up to or something fun like this or this.
Hope some of that is helpful
First of all, those photos… that is one of the cutest babies I’ve ever looked at.
I have one child who is now two and I am just about done passing off all of his baby gear. Should we go crazy one day and decide to have another, I swear I will never buy as much stuff and I may get much of it second hand. Most of it was useful for such a short period of time that I feel like we could have done without and never noticed. The change table was one of them, though I would want something I could easily wipe/disinfect to put under baby when changing on carpet or furniture.
One thing I have been using since he was five months old, one of those Phil and Ted attach-to-the-table highchairs. That thing not only got use at home, but in restaurants and grandparents/friends houses. It was a total space saver too.
I must first state that I have been enjoying your new blog here at Babble. OK, my must have list is for a mom living in the country where you have to drive at least 15 minutes to get to any town.
1. An extremely lightweight stroller that I could easily lug in/out of my car and still leave room for groceries.
2. My sling, that was always in my bag, in case I ever wanted to walk and drink coffee at the same time. Lightweight strollers don’t usually come with drink holders.
3. A BIG purse with multiple pockets. I refused to buy a diaper bag, my thinking when I became a mom was yes I’m a mom now but I’m still a woman and I wanted to feel one.
I must also add, I don’t think I could have survived the first few months without the Twilight Saga and a local library because in the beginning of breastfeeding I felt like I lived on the couch. If it were not for the books I read I would have been a lot less happy.
1). My Blackberry and cell service – both babies were SLOoooooW eaters – so I read blogs while nursing!
2). Bottle drying rack.
3). For my first child, we got a used seat that plays music and rocks back and forth. She loved it and spent hours sleeping and chilling. My second child hates it, so we borrowed a vibrating chair from the daycare lady, and he loves it!
4). My front pack. Don’t know the brand, its generic. I work from home, both kids loved (and second still does) hanging out in it, and taking short little naps there! I also use it for walks, older babe in stroller, little one on front!
The essential for us was the SwaddleMe wrap from Summer Infant. My baby boy LOVED being wrapped up tight! Smaller than lugging a blanket around, plus you know they won’t get cold if their blanket falls off!
I have an 18 month old and another on the way due in March. First off, hats off to you! We are trying to simplify so that we can stay in a two bedroom apartment with two or three kiddos as long as possible. We have way too much stuff and are trying to figure out what to get rid of and what to keep. Anyways, we totally ditched the changing table too, and don’t miss it. We also got a boosterseat that comes with a tray for when they are little, and it just attaches to a chair, and there is no need for a high chair that we don’t have room for. I also have a moby wrap, and loved it when she was little, and am looking forward to using it with the next one. Really really want an ergo at some point… being in the country, we could have done without our stroller and just gone with a carrier, and then bought an umbrella stroller later…
thanks for sharing!
We don’t have a car so a good stroller was a lifesaver as well as a good sling/carrier. Our space isn’t as small as yours, but we have two boys under 5 in 850 sq, in a climate that has been -20C or colder for the last three weeks and most of the winter. So I would add WiFi and a laptop to the list for when the kids are a bit older and mama needs a little time to herself away from the kids.
Hats off to you for doing all that in 300 sq ft! That is awesome! My Fenn also loved his swing and we just traded that in for an exersaucer. He LOVES that thing so I recommend that be your next step ! I review most of his toys by age on my blog! igriza.com if you are interested!
also have you seen the posh mommy organzier that goes in your purse and eliminates a need for diaper bag? also does great in the stroller basket!
Hey!!! Is that a BYU T-shirt? Are you from Utah?
@Monica Hah, I’m not FROM Utah technically, but I did go to BYU. So did my husband! I was his FHE mom
.
living in a house, in the suburbs, a changing table was totally overrated. i preferred to use the floor. but what i could not live without was my front pack, especially when #2 came.
Could not have lived without the swing. I don’t care about any other piece of equipment (not big city girl but I did LOVE my phil and teds stroller) more then that.
My kids slept in it as a bed for ages. So, no worries on the stroller as bed…all 3 of mine finally slept in a bed just fine
My husband and I live in just under 300 sq ft (we rent out the extra 2 bedrooms and the livingroom as a bedroom) so we´re left with a shared kitchen and bathroom and a small bedroom for us and our 3 month old. Our house is busting at the seems but theres never a shortage of babysiters!
We also live in a city and we have…
1. stroller (bugaboo bee)
2. Crib (ikea… the cheap model)
3. changing table which also provides more storage.. also ikea cheap model…
4. a bjorn
that´s it… it actually helps to have less because we don´t really need much and we´re saving for a down payment for a hosue in a few years so we´re saving money all around!
Wow, these stories are inspiring! Thank you!
We live with 3 boys (4, 3, 1 yrs) in Chicago. Our apt is maybe 800 sq ft, or so; I’d die without the backyard. We’re here (we hope) impermanently, so I’ve invested next to no money in quality space solutions, like a smaller couch, bunk beds, closet solutions, etc. I do want to live small, though, and when we find out if we’re staying here or moving, these stories provide a great reminder that a space can be small and totally okay. (Seriously, though, I cannot LIVE without a backyard, LOL!)
Also, your baby is super-cute, Natalie!
Next, I’d swap the floor play mat for an exersaucer (it was the only way to contain a mobile baby in an un-baby-proofed home while I peed, and she loved it for a few months), and then swap that for a lidded basket of toys that don’t fit under the crib. A high chair is no good for tiny spaces…I used a Bumbo to feed my baby girl until she could sit totally unsupported, and now we both love her booster seat (Fischer Price Deluxe Healthy Care Booster Seat: $24!). I also like the Phil and Ted attachable seats like someone else mentioned, but my dining room table a a foldable card table, so it wouldn’t work. I used my front pack and my sling much less than I thought I would (although I used it a lot on vacations), but I can’t imagine life in the first 6 months without the carrier car seat, stroller, and swing. As for a changing table, it’s easier and safer to change babies on the floor, anyway. I also can’t live without my microwave (to sanitize bottles and pacifiers in my Tommee Tippee sanitizer, and to heat water for bottles, and to “cook”.)
love this post! obviously, you aren’t making good use of your alma mini but how long do you think huck will fit in there? i know they say 24 mos / 50 lbs but i’ve heard mixed reviews. what’s your guess for huck?
@mp I honestly don’t know how long Huck can sleep in that crib . . . it seems like it’s tall enough and sturdy enough to handle a two-year-old, but it’s not very wide – already Huck can touch both sides of the crib without much of a stretch. I think it’ll work just fine as long as he doesn’t become a restless sleeper who needs a lot of space to kick and thrash. Do you think he’d continue to let me swaddle him when he’s two? . . . Ha, we’ll see!
Natalie, when Huck is too big for the crib he will start to cry and fuss soon after you put him down and when you go in and watch him for a minute you’ll see that his hands are banging into the sides of his bed and waking him up. Yep. My Dad made a crib for my fourth child – who turned out to be the largest, at 9lbs. 11oz. – and he only slept in it for about a month and a half.
this makes me laugh a bit. We lived in a 500 sq ft apt on the UWS until my oldest child was 2. We had a tiny crib, a bugaboo we took apart every night and hung up on a bike hook in the kitchen so the kid wouldn’t chew on the wheels, and a fairly small collection of toys and books (the kid got the bottom shelf). We were out pretty much every day, all day, other than naps. Playground, playdates, etc.
We moved to a bigger place in Brooklyn when my daughter was born (1800 sq ft) and that’s enough space — they are 4 and 6 now. But even if you stick with one kid, what will you do when he needs a full size bed? I guess you give him your room and sleep on a pullout couch or Murphy bed, or build a loft unless you have one already. But it’s a bit crazy. Honestly, we really did come to love Brooklyn! More space, more green. (yeah, Park Slope)
I used to fantasize at night about how I’d build a giant loft bed, with my husband and me on top, my son underneath… and then dream of opening our closet to find an entire complex inside it.
Anyway, good luck in that space! Someday, you will look back on how you managed it, and laugh, too! Seriously, raising a boy (in particular) in 300 sq ft of city space (ie no outdoor space) = impossible in the long term. But for babies and toddlers, it’s totally doable.
We live in a three bedroom home, but we do travel around quite a bit with our two boys (3 and 8 months). As travel usually leads to small hotel rooms, our must have item is a…sound machine. Anything made by Marpac works great! Makes sharing a small space so much more doable!
We traded the swing for the jumperoo.
this is my first time commenting, but i must say i love your posts and that im so glad to have found a blog with a REAL mom writing. as in not “oh how lovely everything is and blah blah blah” lol thank you!
things i couldnt live without, def a SWING, next time we will get a good one and not much else. my son, who’s now 2 weeks away form being 4 (wow where DID the time go) had his own room albeit small one starting out. we had a ‘cozy’ 2 bedroom duplex in florida, (how do you guys live up there in the cold!???) being able to just walk outside was a blessing however i didnt go out too much being a hermit type myself. we did have a changing table which is pretty much useless, so your not missing out. i sold mine after awhile and got a small dresser. thankfully my son slept in his crib early on, so im glad we had one that he could sleep in for awhile. ended up getting a toddler bed when he could climb out haha. the beds at ikea are shorter than toddler beds and extend out so that might be an option for you later on.
i loved my front carrier but it was too hot to use it most of the time here. having a newborn in the summer in florida isnt exactly whats cracked up to be. i think strollers are useful no matter the climate or city/suburb. our got use till my son could walk with us at almost our pace.
one of the main things i would NOT get again if i had another child, all those bright and shiny clunky toys. seriously a handful of toys and the child will be happy. anything more than taht is just a waste. that stands true way beyond infancy. my son is almost 4 and he has too many toys. at the bottom of his toy box and most dont get played with. we live in about 600sqf and thats plenty of space even if we have another child here. . cant beat 525 a month with a huge back yard, close to parks and eateries and a pretty lake and trees everywhere! also a hospital, police dept, fire dept, park, river and library all within walking distance!! i just love where im at, although i have always wanted to visit ny! i know now to bring a stroller when i do! hhaha thanks. and sorry for such a looong comment here. i have shared your blog with many of my pregnant friends.
im making a quilt/blanket with all his baby/toddler clothes and that will be a dual purpose blanket. keepsake and keepya warm. do you sew? you can easily make a blanket that is a play mat. and they rolls up out of the way when not in use. my son hated the excersaucer thing and they are so bulky and awkward shaped. i would avoid if it possible. the jumparoo thing someone posted about is handy. the door way one. assuming you have at least one door frame inside the apartment.
you should check out apartment therapy if you havent already. they have TONS of solutions or ideas for small spaces, and there is a child section with all kinds of ideas for turning a corner into a play zone or closet to bedroom transformations! the link you shared here was cool, i would have NEVER thought of that. if my son didnt have his own room that would have been so great!
I live in a small apartment with my son also. I am constantly reorganizing everything and trying to make everything fit. It’s tough but hopefully I will have enough for a house in a few years.