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how small (apartment) would you go with 3 kids?

post #1 of 36
3/12/08 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
ages 6, 3.5, and 7 months? dh working out of province, visiting once/month.

http://homes.point2.com/CA/Ontario/Ottawa/Sandy-Hill/1591997-Photos.aspx

i think i know this is too small. but it is sooooooo sooooooooooooo cute.

so the main question: how small with 1 parent and 3 kids? right now i'm overcluttered in a 3 bedroom house and dreaming about futons for sleeping, a huge box of leggo for toys, one box for crafts, bookshelf, and paper-cut-outs kids that are building with leggo without arguing EVER

ETA: found dimensions:

imperial:

Second level
Full bathroom : 7 ft x 4 ft ,11 in
Master bedroom : 8 ft ,10 in x 8 ft ,8 in

Main level
Living room : 12 ft ,8 in x 8 ft ,8 in
Kitchen : 8 ft ,11 in x 7 ft ,5 in
Eating area : 6 ft ,8 in x 6 ft ,4 in

Metric:

Second level
Full bathroom : 2.13 m x 1.50 m
Master bedroom : 2.69 m x 2.64 m

Main level
Living room : 3.86 m x 2.64 m
Kitchen : 2.72 m x 2.26 m
Eating area : 2.03 m x 1.93 m
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post #2 of 36
3/12/08 at 3:20pm

I think it looks doable....

those high ceilings make it feel so roomy : ) As long as you and Dh are in accord with each other on it. You just have to get into good routines, or stay in them if you already are- like teach the kids- take out one thing to play with , then put it away and then take out something else... i/m working on this with mine. Start decluttering now, as if you ARE moving to that place...
post #3 of 36
3/12/08 at 3:25pm
Looks roomy enough. I'm just thinking about safety for the LO, especially w/the stairs and top level.
post #4 of 36
3/12/08 at 3:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Purplehaze View Post
those high ceilings make it feel so roomy : ) As long as you and Dh are in accord with each other on it. You just have to get into good routines, or stay in them if you already are- like teach the kids- take out one thing to play with , then put it away and then take out something else... i/m working on this with mine. Start decluttering now, as if you ARE moving to that place...
it does look roomy iwth the high ceilings!

i just keep staring at it the location would be so good, as it is walking distance to everywhere, it seems.

if we buy, dh will be out of province for that year...and then we are likely to sell and relocate anyway. so it will be me and the kids, most of the time...

i'm so ready for a small place. the site doesn't give dimensions, though. we will need to contact the agent. but according to the furniture that they have, it isn't that bad. though it could be the camera lense...

anyone else thinks it is doable?
post #5 of 36
3/12/08 at 3:55pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jannah5 View Post
Looks roomy enough. I'm just thinking about safety for the LO, especially w/the stairs and top level.
we do have stairs now, but carpeted...

yeah, that's a concern. i coud have a gate for the top...never had one, but these stairs aren't carpeted.

i'm thinking that if i have air mattresses for sleeping, i could stack them easily during the day, and the upper level will have more room for playing.
post #6 of 36
3/12/08 at 4:01pm
I think it is too small because it is only one bedroom.

We live in a one bedroom apartment with a 3.5yo and a 16mo (and me and my dh). I would not want to be in this situation with one more child. I would need another bedroom. I say consider carefully, especially if you are buying. One thing to consider is closet space. We all share one teeny tiny closet and one dresser, and as the boys get physically larger, it is getting cramped with all of the clothing. We have two beds in our bedroom, and it takes up almost the whole room.

As for us, we enjoyed one-bedroom living, but we will be moving into a two-bedroom apartment within the year.
post #7 of 36
3/12/08 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LionTigerBear View Post
I think it is too small because it is only one bedroom.

We live in a one bedroom apartment with a 3.5yo and a 16mo (and me and my dh). I would not want to be in this situation with one more child. I would need another bedroom. I say consider carefully, especially if you are buying. One thing to consider is closet space. We all share one teeny tiny closet and one dresser, and as the boys get physically larger, it is getting cramped with all of the clothing. We have two beds in our bedroom, and it takes up almost the whole room.

As for us, we enjoyed one-bedroom living, but we will be moving into a two-bedroom apartment within the year.

well, dh won't be there for huge chunks of time. so the biggest kid is removed from the equation

closet space is important, thanks for reminding.

i like one bedroom living, but this one is also open, so this is another consideration.

our current family bedroom is wall to wall matresses, and we love it, but our living room is really big, and there is a big play room (the master bedroom). BUT the kids play there only if i'm there, so they mostly play in the living room or "office," and i feel we have so much extra space which we are not using efficiently, as it stays empty most of the time. (emptuy of people, no the STUFF )

this will also be for a year, maximum 1.5. but right now we are thinking it is better to buy and then sell than to pay two rents in two provinces.
post #8 of 36
3/12/08 at 4:41pm
Thread Starter 
imperial:

Second level
Full bathroom : 7 ft x 4 ft ,11 in
Master bedroom : 8 ft ,10 in x 8 ft ,8 in

Main level
Living room : 12 ft ,8 in x 8 ft ,8 in
Kitchen : 8 ft ,11 in x 7 ft ,5 in
Eating area : 6 ft ,8 in x 6 ft ,4 in

Metric:

Second level
Full bathroom : 2.13 m x 1.50 m
Master bedroom : 2.69 m x 2.64 m

Main level
Living room : 3.86 m x 2.64 m
Kitchen : 2.72 m x 2.26 m
Eating area : 2.03 m x 1.93 m
post #9 of 36
3/12/08 at 4:47pm
I think you could do a 2 bedroom but a 1 bdr might be pushing it a bit.
post #10 of 36
3/12/08 at 5:00pm
That is too small! I have three kids and there is no way I would want to be stuck in there. It is very cute, but the dimensions on that bedroom is WAY too small. Sure you could sleep there but all of your clothes would be elsewhere. Unless you want bunkbeds for you and the kiddos--but most people who do family bed don't want bunks!

The lower level is very doable. But I would want another bedroom--maybe it would be the dressing room and the first one the sleeping room.

Amy
post #11 of 36
3/12/08 at 5:24pm
Thread Starter 
our current bedroom is: 2.94m x 3.36m. (out of this, the mattrasses are 2.24m x 2.28m.)

so this is versus theirs: Master bedroom : 2.69 m x 2.64 m

with the identical sleeping areas, the available space around is 45 (18") cm and 36 cm (14"). well, narrow.

enough space for a queen and a twin mattrasses flalshed together, this is how we currently sleep.

what about storing some of the clothes in canvas bags hanging off the railing, towards the living room? if the railing is sturdy enough.

we could also probably have a shelf above the mattresses for light stuff...though it would have to be really secure as not to fall on us.
post #12 of 36
3/12/08 at 5:30pm
The smallest I would go with 3 kids is what DH and I are in right now, which is a 2 bedroom. But I would put the three kids in the "big" bedroom and DH & I in what is currently the guest room. Even with co-sleeping, the toys would need a place to live. And we'd have to get rid of a lot of our "stuff".

Closets can be made. At least for hanging clothes. There are also canvas wardrobes that you can buy.
post #13 of 36
3/12/08 at 5:50pm
It is so beautiful! Is it to buy or rent? If you are buying you could do a lot with building in storage, but renting would make that more difficult.

I think the wood floors and high ceilings + three children would make that a very loud space!

Is there a playground or outdoor area for the children?

I'm thinking go for it!
post #14 of 36
3/12/08 at 5:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathleenRay View Post
It is so beautiful! Is it to buy or rent? If you are buying you could do a lot with building in storage, but renting would make that more difficult.

I think the wood floors and high ceilings + three children would make that a very loud space!

Is there a playground or outdoor area for the children?

I'm thinking go for it!
to buy.

i'm okay with loud. maybe because my current two kids are not very loud.

i'm checking the vicinity for playgrounds and such, though long distance, as we are not in ontario even.
post #15 of 36
3/12/08 at 6:16pm
If you know what you would do for sleeping arrangements it looks very doable. I'd be interested in knowing what the total square footage is. Small spaces are great, but you've got to be willing to make sure the space is going to meet your needs. Everything in walking distance would be awesome. The one thing I'd want to make sure is that you had easy access to a park/playground with the kids.
post #16 of 36
3/13/08 at 9:37am
It looks cute in the pics, but I wouldn't do it. My main reason would be that everything's open. Here in the NL we don't use the ft measurements so I'm not sure how big/small it is, but we live in an 850 sq ft (I had to convert that ) with the 4 of us and that's do-able right now because the kids are still small. But if we didn't have two separate bedrooms with doors that can be closed, I would go nuts! But I don't like a lot of noise and need peace and quiet to get baby or toddler down for a nap. If you don't have that, it might work. As I said, it's a cute place, that's for sure.
post #17 of 36
3/13/08 at 11:06am
I would find the biggest issues with noise and light. with the open floor plan, if there's a light on anywhere, or any noise, everyone has to deal with it.


I was in a 1br with dd and Dh. dd has never been able to sleep with a light on, often Dh would be up at the computer in the bedroom (not a laptop) and the light would keep dd up, so dd and I often slept on the livingroom floor.

Also think of playdates for your older 2 while the youngest is napping.

For my family we need to have both a quiet space and a noisy space.

another thing with no walls upstairs, is it limits the use of bunkbed/lofts. I've been reading the other thread with using a loft bed to give a child a playarea under it, and while I love that concept I would don't know if you could do that with so few walls.
post #18 of 36
3/13/08 at 11:35am
that is lovely but way to small. and no privacy. I would want at least two bedrooms with one closed off. cause sometimes you just need your space. the down stairs looks wonderful. the perfect size but the bedroom situation just doesn't cut it. that is a single bed and a small dresser. and that is it. My smallest bedroom is 9x9. there is room for a double bed and small dresser. that leaves about 24 inches of walking/playing/sitting space. from head to foot there is just enough room to get the closet door half open.

also i would be far more scared of the railing than the stairs. that railing would scare the crap out of me.

it is beautiful though.

here are some pictures to give you an idea how furniture fits. this room is slightly larger than the one in the condo.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...m/DSC05819.jpg
the head of the bed is in one corner. the window is in the other corner. in the small amount of space that is left the closet door has to open and close. (those are fairly standard sized windows). that is a double sized bed on bottom.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...m/DSC05817.jpg
this is one whole wall.that little bok shelf is actually one that is supposed to go over the toilet but our bathroom is too small. so it is about 5cm wider than a toilet.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...m/DSC05825.jpg

this one shows another wall. the bed you are seeing there is twin/single sized.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...m/DSC05818.jpg
this one give a feel for the amount of walkway she has. the dresser is on the left and the bed on the right.

We could fit 4 people in that room to sleep. but the rest of our house would be a disaster. clothes and toys everywhere. we could probably fit one king sized mattress in there. but nothing else. and we probably wouldn't be able to access the closet.

in the pictures of the condo I couldn't tell where the doors for the closet and bathroom were. that is something you need to consider when looking at usable space. Ava has to rearrange her room to open her closet door. (its a bean bag so it isn't a big deal but still.)

but since the place you are looking at is so small (no play room, small living room and kitchen) you have to keep in mind if it won't fit in the bedroom where is it going to fit.

I am a huge fan of small and would like to get to a smaller home but I tink that is really pushing it.
post #19 of 36
3/13/08 at 3:58pm
I agree that it is too small, loud, open, and unsafe for small kids. I would never be able to sleep because of worrying about my kids trying to climb over the rails at night!

If the upstairs was a traditional bedroom, I would be fine with it. We live for weeks at a time at my mom's house in one room (me and 3 kids). We have just a few changes of clothes in a basket and a few toys. But it is a quiet space for naps etc. With that layout, you could never watch tv while the kids were in bed, etc. But it would be great for a couple.
post #20 of 36
3/13/08 at 4:15pm
Oh I wouldn't do it... too small for the reasons the other posters already said.

But dang, it's cute!! Back in my pre-kiddo days.....
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