5 Perks Of Raising A Baby In An Apartment

We live in an apartment, not in a house. Not ideal, but at the moment, with a small child, it works great for us. We moved from one bedroom to two bedrooms when I was pregnant to have a bit more space. You know, for the tiny person who comes with a lot of stuff.

I have recently visited a friend, who lives in a house and I couldn’t help it but feel a bit jealous of her small rear backyard. I love the fact that you can just open the back door in the kitchen and let your little one run around outside, keep herself entertained for (hopefully) more than ten minutes.

I’ve lived in an apartment most of my life, and it didn’t bother me too much when I was growing up. It wasn’t something unusual. In fact, most of my friends lived in flats as well. Of course, living in a house has its benefits, but apartment living has them too. Yes, it does.

Let’s dive in and find out exactly what are some of the perks of raising a baby in an apartment.

More time spent outdoors

You are likely to spend more time outdoors as you don’t have the luxury of a garden. I would lie if I said it wouldn’t be nice just to open the door and let your child run wild in the backyard, while you get some housework done or just chill out for few minutes.

Even though it can take a real effort sometimes to get ready and leave the house, you also know how easily small kids get bored. There’s no other option but to get out if you don’t want to go crazy stuck inside your apartment with a baby or a toddler.

Here’s the good part. Exploring nearby parks and amenities, socialising and seeing new faces on a daily basis is good to clear your mind, keep your sanity and may help you from feeling too isolated. Loneliness can be a real issue, especially for new parents. If you add a small living space, heading out every day is crucial.

No stairs

This is a huge bonus when you have a baby. A couple of my friends with small kids who live in a house have said that living in an apartment would be easier. Having everything on one level while you carry your baby around is priceless. Everyone knows that baby makes you busy and tired, veeery tired. Having a bathroom, a kitchen, a bedroom close by without having to climb those stairs 25 times a day makes your life as a new mum so much easier.

There’s another thing about not having stairs. It’s one less hazard for your baby. No need for a baby stair gate. I don’t worry when my baby wanders off to another room, as I know she is safe from falling down the stairs. Furthermore, I can easily hear when she wakes up, so we don’t even need a baby monitor. Checking up on her in the bedroom doesn’t require much of an effort. See how much easier life is without stairs?

It’s also an extra help if you live on a ground floor as we do, so you can easily take your pram in and out of the apartment, and carry your shopping.

Less clutter

Our apartment is a decent sized two bedroom apartment, but there is still a lack of any storage space. At the moment, we keep the second bedroom as extra storage, while our baby sleeps in our room. No shed, or loft, or any other form of storage room means you are likely to buy less stuff, creating less clutter as a result.

I haven’t bought a changing table or a dresser for my baby. The only big thing is her cot bed with under-bed storage, for her clothes. Oh and a small plastic three drawer unit for baby clothes too.

Babies come with stuff, but do you really need all the newest toys and gadgets? Don’t think so. Everyday household items are way more interesting for babies, so buying toys often seems like such a waste of money.

I’ve even learned to let go of things I don’t need or use anymore. Everyone who knows me (especially my partner) knows that I don’t like to throw things away.

Before my baby arrived, I knew I had to clear out my wardrobe and do a proper decluttering to make room for baby gear. I’ve certainly made some good progress. I can’t believe how much rubbish I accumulated and kept over the years in the hope that it will come in handy one day. Of course, it never did.

Lower maintenance

Maintaining a smaller flat is easier than maintaining a house with a garden. Smaller space means fewer chores and household duties, and there is no garden to look after.

It’s even bigger benefit when you have a baby. You’ll be busy enough with a small baby, running after a toddler, so the fewer rooms to tidy, the better. And again those stairs. When you want to put things away to a bedroom or other room on a different level, it’s so much quicker when all rooms are only a few steps from each other.

More affordable

Many people opt for apartments as they are often cheaper than houses. If you are on a tight budget, like many new families are, living in an apartment can save you some money, as the rent or mortgage is likely to be lower. It’s usually cheaper to heat up a flat than a house. There are exceptions of course. Some flats can have poor insulation, which will then increase your energy bills.

As I mentioned previously, living in an apartment with a small or non-existent storage space will help you limit the purchases. And that means money saved on non-essential items.

So these are the perks of raising a baby in an apartment. Having a garden is nice but it’s not essential, and with a small child, living in an apartment may even be a little bit easier.

Do you live in an apartment? I’d love to hear how you are getting on.

Zuzana