Most parents are concerned about apartment living with kids as it is becoming much more relevant. This brings up the question – Is Living In an Apartment with A Child possible?
Due to Covid-19, with school being held at home, children have shifted to mainly staying indoors. Parents are also working from home and it only adds to the unprecedented challenges. Apartments for families are not always the best options as they offer some restrictions in terms of having your own space and privacy. However, it is not impossible to manage living in an apartment with children. By following the right tips and tricks, you can make apartment living with your kids more convenient.
The Upside of Living in an Apartment with a Child
There are many advantages to living in an apartment with children such as:
Low Maintenance
We all know apartment living is usually very easy. It requires low maintenance and provides compact living. If you are a single parent, an apartment with children might be the best option for you as it requires less cleaning, gardening and chores.
Low Rent
Not to mention they’re often more affordable than houses and you do not need a lot of money to rent an apartment. Apartments with children are an affordable way to live in a nice urban location.
Spend More Family Time
You are close to the city and have security for your kids too. You can easily spend time with your family instead of working and cleaning or even doing groceries.
Keep Eye on Children
Since you and your kids live on the same floor in an apartment, it is easy to keep an eye on your children. You can monitor them and watch what they are doing.
The Downside of Living in an Apartment with a Child
Now no one said that living in an apartment with a growing family is not a challenge. Here are some downsides of raising children in an apartment:
Less Privacy
It is not very easy to have everyone and everything up the stairs. You will have to compromise a lot on privacy as you and your kids will be living on the same level all the time.
Building Restrictions
You will also have to negotiate a shared laundry/drying area with neighbors. Try not to bring any pets in an apartment with kids as it’s harder to have pets in an apartment.
Safety Concerns
The safety of children is also something to be kept in mind especially with things like stairs, elevated windows and balconies.
Less Entertaining
Some people also complain that they are less likely to entertain their guests and family due to the small space.
Tips For Small Apartment Living with Kids
It might be harder to pull off living in an apartment with children but if managed right, it can also prove to be a good idea. Here are the top 6 tips to help you manage living in an apartment with children:
Make Sure to Cover the Couch
Nowadays, even post covid-19 kids are spending more time at home so it is better to take precautions. These are some things you would not normally otherwise do but the extra time at home will lead to a prolonged amount of time on the couch. If you want your family’s couch to stay safe and not be ruined, simply, invest in a couch cover! This has proven to be the simplest and most effective way to help everyone feel comfortable without spilling anything. Couch covers can also be taken off. You can even wash and clean your couch covers whenever you want.
Use Smaller Items
Most parents buy big toys that just keep getting bigger and take more space. Instead of spending on a huge stuffed animal or a big toy, try to purchase smaller toys for your children. Do not worry you can definitely make some exceptions to this. Sometimes a small toy just is not what your kid wants but try to keep the quantity to a minimum instead of piling up. This will lead to little to no space at all within your apartment. Also invest in the right storage unit like toy chests to store all the toys.
Make Use of Open Bins
Most families, when they put things into a container, place the lid on immediately. This might not be the best thing to do because an open bin system will help your kids more. Whenever children see that the bin is open, they directly put the trash into the bin. It is much harder for children to open the lid, place the trash and close the lid again. Open bins just make it easier and you will not have to clean up more often. Proper and effective places to place these open bins are on bookshelves and titled shelves.
Add A Minimalistic Look
Another very easy way to avoid a lot of stress and mess is to keep everything simple. The Marie Kondo method is to keep the things that make you happy which is exactly what you should be applying in your apartment. Practicing minimalism will give your apartment an open look and help you to leave behind unnecessary items that are not in use. Minimalists use simple and light items that they know they actually need and will be used in the long-run. Try to get rid of messy looking furniture or even big chunky carpets and limit the number of your belongings.
Expand Closet Storage
We all can agree on apartment closets not being the best as they are not very big and storing items might not be the easiest in such small spaces. If you are creative enough, you can expand your own closet storage in so many ways. This will help you in storing your clothes, shoes and even other items easily. Make use of shelves, hangers, cubbies, boxes, baskets and organizers in your closet. Fitting all your personal stuff into your closet will allow your apartment to less likely be messy.
Give Your Kids Space
Since living in an apartment can feel very cramped, it is important to give your kids space as well. They do not have the luxury to go out and play in the yard so it is better to let them have fun within the apartment. Dedicate a section or room as a play area or wreck room where they can spend leisure time. This area should be the kid’s area where they can have fun and create mess without getting scolded. This will also give you some time away from the kids to work or just rest in some peace and quiet.
Conclusion -Living In an Apartment with A Child
Let’s conclude this article by adding that apartment living gives parents quite an opportunity to teach their children lessons about respect as well. By following the above-mentioned steps, you can easily make your small family fit into an apartment and not regret the decision. Other than this, give your kids some space too and enjoy family time whenever it is possible. You might find it hard in the beginning but it should get easier with time. Good luck!
If you’re interested in finding out if you can live in an apartment with a baby, check out this article.