How to Raise a Baby in a One Bedroom Apartment

Raising a baby in a one-bedroom apartment is no joke. Even if you’re working with more room than that, saving space in a nursery is still an incredibly important task. Whether this is your first child or you’re a seasoned parent, here are some of our best tips and tricks on how to stay sane in your small space.

Raising a Baby in a One Bedroom Apartment Means Downsizing

Our first tip for how to raise a baby in a one-bedroom apartment is to downsize. You probably already thought about making more room by downsizing. However, downsizing doesn’t have to mean you get rid of everything! If there are some items that you just don’t have room for but want to keep, it might be time to consider getting a storage unit. For everything else, here are our best tips on downsizing in preparation for your new baby:

Consider what you need to keep. Only keep what you will need to use every day. If it’s sentimental, but you haven’t touched it in a couple of years, put it in a storage unit.
Digitize everything you can! This goes for books, movies, photos, important documents, and more. Not only will this help save space, but it will keep on-paper keepsakes safe from damage.
Invest in multifunctional furniture. Use multifunctional furniture to cover those rare needs. Let’s say you have guests over to stay the night, a futon or fold-out couch provides an extra bed when you need it — and a far more functional living area when you don’t.
Maximize your vertical storage space. For example, if you have a wide dresser, consider selling it and replacing it with a taller, narrower one.

Keep All Your Diaper Supplies in One Location

After you downsize, it’s time to prep for raising a baby in a one bedroom apartment. We all know that babies and diapers go together, like peaches and cream. It takes few things to make a diaper change happen. Diapers, of course, as well as wipes, cremes, and powders. However, if you scatter all around the nursery, they’ll take up a lot more space. Better to keep them all together in, for example, a changing table with built-in storage. You can also put a small shelf above the changing table for the same reason. You’ll need less space and, at changing time, things will go much more smoothly.

A Hammock for Raising a Baby in a One Bedroom Apartment?

We’ve all heard of hammocks. They’re great for relaxing in the sun on a summer day or sleeping at a campsite. They’re convenient and keep everything off the ground. But did you know that you can also purchase smaller hammocks for use in the nursery? It’s true! They’re smaller, of course, but just as easy to hang on the wall. They allow you to utilize vertical space, as we mentioned above! That includes toys, balls, and stuffed animals. You could also use a hammock to store towels, diapers, and blankets for your little one. It’s one of the best ways to save space in a nursery! (Plus, they look nice and keep everything well organized!)

How to Raise a Baby in a One Bedroom Apartment

Donate Baby Clothes When They No Longer Fit Your Baby

Here at HideAway, we love to support our local charities and nonprofit organizations by donating unused items. Babies grow incredibly fast. (If you’re a new parent, you’ll find this out very soon!) That means they’ll need new clothes like onesies, bibs, shirts, socks, and more in no-time. So one of the best things you can do when raising a baby in a one bedroom apartment is to donate your unused baby clothes! While it might be sentimental, it is better to save space. Not only will you save space, but you’ll help a new mom in need too. (Keep a few things, though, because they make fantastic reminders of these first days and weeks with your new baby.) Some of the best ways to donate baby clothes include the following:

Goodwill
Your local church
A used baby clothing store (They may give you a few bucks for them.)
Any local charity
A daycare center. (They always need extra clothes on-hand, just in case.)
Your local hospital’s NICU.
A local food bank. (Many accept clothing also.)

DIY Idea: Hang Baskets From a Hanging Rack

This idea is so brilliant we wish we had thought of it ourselves. Using some basic tools and products, you can make a DIY hanging basket for extra storage space in your nursery in an afternoon. All it takes is a few baskets, a dowel rod, and scraps of leather to create a simple nursery wall storage above the nursery’s changing table. It’s super easy and, when finished, will give you a lot of extra storage. (The article shows it used for changing diapers but, in our opinion, it would work for toys, clothes, and more.) If you’re big into DIY projects, this is one of the best to save space in a nursery. (It would be great for extra storage in other parts of your home also!)

Having a baby is hard work, and that is true in the best of times. Raising a baby in a one-bedroom apartment is even more challenging. When space is coming at a premium, it gets harder if you go in without a plan. But don’t panic -we’re here to help! If you find you need a little bit more space, come down to HideAway Storage. Best of luck to all the new moms and dads out there!

Check out more small space tips from the HideAway Blog:

How to Organize a Storage Unit: Declutter Storage — Seven Best Practices on How to Organize Your Storage Unit

How To Turn Your Hall Closet Into a Pantry

This post was originally published on 8/23/2018
It was updated on 11/16/2020