Diaper Swappers

indigo152 · 01-03-2013, 07:27 PM

We have a 1,400sf home with an attached two car garage and a full basement. The basement is unfinished, but holds my laundry area and has lots of room for storage. We could potentially refinish our basement to create a playroom.
Currently we have two children who each have their own bedrooms. We do not have a playroom, so their toys are in their bedrooms and our living room. Somedays our house just feels so small! I am making strides to purge, but I am not sure how much purging will help our small home.
We do have thoughts of possibly having another baby, but I can't imagine three kids in this small house. My DH and I would ideally like to move out of state to be closer to family, but the right opportunity hasn't arisen yet. His current job is very stable, and pays well. We recently had a conversation about buying a larger home in the town where we currently live until we are eventually able to make the bigger move.
I keep rethinking this idea, though, and wonder if I should just stay in our little home, or would a bigger house be nice? I know many people here live in small homes or apartments, please tell me how to make it work!
Oh, and a side note - my DH bought this house 10 years ago which was before we even met. I do finally feel as though this is my home, too, but I still have a desire to pick out my own home with him!

~*~Sunflower~*~ · 01-03-2013, 07:34 PM

I tried & tried to be satisfied in a smaller home, but we live in a big home & I love it! We don't have it filled with a lot, but it still makes a difference, IMO.

solarbabies · 01-03-2013, 07:38 PM

I have never wanted a bigger home (about 1500 sq ft) but just a different floor plan. Ours doesn't flow well. I think that a well thought out floor plan is key to feeling good in the space, no matter how big (or small) it is.

That said...we actually have plans on building a very small house. Total sq ft inside will be......drum roll please...... 253 sq ft! We have 2 kids too (boy and girl) and we think it will be totally possible! If we ever need to, we will add on. But we wanna live out our dream of living in a tiny home...even if it is only for a few yrs.

As far as you not feeling at home, I get it! Not only was this house here long before I came into the picture, but my MIL picked it out and did it all. When I moved in I moved in with mil, fil, bil, and dh. It has taken me 8 yrs to be ok with even staying on the property...but this 'house' is a double wide trailer and will move out when we build!

ajoymess · 01-03-2013, 07:39 PM

Maybe. I think it also depends on the floorplan. I am happy in about a 1200-1400 square foot space (my apt now) and we are looking to move soon and I am having a similar dilemma. I don't want a ton of more rooms to clean/furnish. We have one baby now, but I think we will have three to four at the most. I still think I could live in 1400 though. I imagine a greatroom for living, kitchen, dining, playing. kids bedrooms on one end of the house and ours on the other side, maybe as a loft. (I love efficient use of space). I also will need a yard to play/entertain. My current house (2 apts, Im upstairs) is laid out poorly IMO, but it was built in 1890 when needs were different...sigh

ajoymess · 01-03-2013, 07:41 PM

Solarbabies- Wow! I am impressed! If I wasn't considering adoption/foster care, I would consider an even smaller space. I love looking at those tiny trailer homes and wish my husband and I did that when we were younger and both in college!

cobbermama · 01-03-2013, 07:44 PM

You might like your home better at that size if you had the finished basement for a play area. Doesn't make your home bigger, but gets all that stuff down into its own area. If it were me, that's what I would prefer.

TalkinBoutMyGirl · 01-03-2013, 07:48 PM

We have a 1k sqft apartment and it is plenty of space. There are 3 of us, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. I think we could easily add another child to this space and it wouldn't be cramped. I agree with Shannon about the floor plan. The floorplan in this apartment is AMAZING!

solarbabies · 01-03-2013, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajoymess

Solarbabies- Wow! I am impressed! If I wasn't considering adoption/foster care, I would consider an even smaller space. I love looking at those tiny trailer homes and wish my husband and I did that when we were younger and both in college!

We wanted to do it long ago before we had kids. Then we had them and figured we would have to wait until we retired. That didn't sound fun so I looked and looked and found a few families with kids that do it, so we figured why not?? We break ground as soon as dh gets some time off of work. We know where we want it and have the materials to get the floor done

~Laura~ · 01-03-2013, 09:54 PM

I agree that the floor plan makes a world of difference. My house is similarly sized except I don't have a basement and DH uses the garage. I feel like if there was another room in my house, like a sunroom, where I could put toys and a more casual family room, then my house would be perfect. I'm looking ahead to when my kids are teens and want friends over or my boys are older and want to just have time away from each other. If I had an unfinished basement that stayed dry, I'd finish it in a heartbeat. DH are planning on adding on a room or two eventually. My mom has a much larger home and so do my IL's and I'd never want that, it's too much to maintain.

photocat · 01-03-2013, 11:00 PM

We are in a small 2 bed, 1 bath, 1 garage house. It flows well though, because we remodelled it and a wall was taken out before we even got it. It is a 1950's house and had a built in eating booth in the original pink kitchen, hehe.

So, when we did the kitchen, we pulled out the booth and now that space is all part of the kitchen, so the kitchen is out-size for the size of the house and that suits me just fiiiiine, lol. I even have my deep freeze in there.

We also have a decent sized laundry, which we fitted out with storage, a bench and power points and the washer and dryer are stacked to give more floor space.

Boys are in bunks and when we were pregnant with #3 we planned to eventually put a trundle under the bunks for kid #3, then later on maybe the bunks and a single in the one room. It's not a big room either. All toys fit in their room.

The only thing we'd like is an extra 'nook', not even a room really, for dh's desk/computer etc. His desk is in our bedroom which is ok, but occasionally it gets out of hand with bills and bits of paper. Not way out of hand, but seeing as it's the bedroom, I'd prefer it always to be under control, neat and uncluttered.

About 2 years ago we were def in the market for a 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 car on a full block. So glad we didn't follow through on that.

01-03-2013, 07:27 PM	#1
indigo152 Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 1,049 Ratings: 46 Feedback: 100%	Would I be happy in a bigger house? We have a 1,400sf home with an attached two car garage and a full basement. The basement is unfinished, but holds my laundry area and has lots of room for storage. We could potentially refinish our basement to create a playroom. Currently we have two children who each have their own bedrooms. We do not have a playroom, so their toys are in their bedrooms and our living room. Somedays our house just feels so small! I am making strides to purge, but I am not sure how much purging will help our small home. We do have thoughts of possibly having another baby, but I can't imagine three kids in this small house. My DH and I would ideally like to move out of state to be closer to family, but the right opportunity hasn't arisen yet. His current job is very stable, and pays well. We recently had a conversation about buying a larger home in the town where we currently live until we are eventually able to make the bigger move. I keep rethinking this idea, though, and wonder if I should just stay in our little home, or would a bigger house be nice? I know many people here live in small homes or apartments, please tell me how to make it work! Oh, and a side note - my DH bought this house 10 years ago which was before we even met. I do finally feel as though this is my home, too, but I still have a desire to pick out my own home with him! __________________ Make Mine Home

01-03-2013, 07:34 PM	#2
~~Sunflower~~ Registered Users Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: California Posts: 2,157 Ratings: 122 Feedback: 100%	Re: Would I be happy in a bigger house? I tried & tried to be satisfied in a smaller home, but we live in a big home & I love it! We don't have it filled with a lot, but it still makes a difference, IMO. __________________ Homeschooling mother of 6.

01-03-2013, 07:39 PM	#4
ajoymess Registered Users Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 85 Ratings: 3 Feedback: 100%	Re: Would I be happy in a bigger house? Maybe. I think it also depends on the floorplan. I am happy in about a 1200-1400 square foot space (my apt now) and we are looking to move soon and I am having a similar dilemma. I don't want a ton of more rooms to clean/furnish. We have one baby now, but I think we will have three to four at the most. I still think I could live in 1400 though. I imagine a greatroom for living, kitchen, dining, playing. kids bedrooms on one end of the house and ours on the other side, maybe as a loft. (I love efficient use of space). I also will need a yard to play/entertain. My current house (2 apts, Im upstairs) is laid out poorly IMO, but it was built in 1890 when needs were different...sigh

01-03-2013, 07:41 PM	#5
ajoymess Registered Users Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 85 Ratings: 3 Feedback: 100%	Re: Would I be happy in a bigger house? Solarbabies- Wow! I am impressed! If I wasn't considering adoption/foster care, I would consider an even smaller space. I love looking at those tiny trailer homes and wish my husband and I did that when we were younger and both in college!

01-03-2013, 07:44 PM	#6
cobbermama Registered Users Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,045 Ratings: 64 Feedback: 100%	You might like your home better at that size if you had the finished basement for a play area. Doesn't make your home bigger, but gets all that stuff down into its own area. If it were me, that's what I would prefer. __________________ If I have b/s/t with you, odds are good I owe you feedback. You may have to remind me a time or six.