This is the second post in a series about the struggles we as a couple face parenting two children. The issues and topics can also be applied to parents of one child, but the struggles just become amplified when you have two. (We compare parenting one child to the calm before the storm. Because parenting two children often feels chaotic and scary. ) As parents we have so many struggles both internally and externally, and we thought it valuable to share them. Each post in the series will revolve around a single issue or topic, which I will talk about in the various contexts of our family life. Last topic was on Time. Today I will discuss Space. The next topic will be about Sleep.
As parents of two children we no longer have our own space. One child is always taking up some aspect of it.
Not to mention we live in a small house (read:1,000 square feet small), so some days it feels like we are practically living on top of one another. I can't tell you how many times I've wished for an upstairs or, at the very least, another bedroom or bathroom.
The solution we have come up with to maximize our space is to utilize the perimeter of our garage as storage, since the attic space above our house is useless and we are denied the luxury of a basement because we live in a Califfornia style ranch house. We pretty much bought stock in Rubbermaid. Not only that but Keith has become a craftsman of sorts when it comes to storing/displaying his winter sports gear.
We've slowly been working on closets within the house but when you have two children how do you find the time to keep up with it? Even if one is napping, the other is usually waiting to be entertained. (Although a miracle happened the other day, when for the first time in a year, Cole took a nap at home in the early afternoon, instead of an ugly nap right after dinner. It was a miracle in part too, because Bevin was asleep too, albeit on me.)
Although we've figured out a solution for storing things we don't use all of the time, the problem of what to do with the stuff we use regularly is still being worked out. This applies to our clothes that have literally taken over the tops of our dressers, the various seats and entertainment centers we have for Bevin when she dares to let us set her down for a couple minutes, and Cole's many many toys and books.
What I've started to do is take a page from my friend Allison and store toys Cole doesn't regularly play with. I put two boxes of toys (that Cole chose to put away) in the closet about two months ago and, to be honest, he has completely forgotten about almost all of them. The only exception was the dollhouse that he asked about a month after we stored it.
The purpose of doing that was to a) save space and b) reintroduce them after some time so he would have renewed interest in them. If no interest then our best bet would be to store them in the garage until Bevin is old enough to play with them.
Another problem we have is the issue of space for both children to sleep. We have a three bedroom house but one of those rooms is a cozy office Keith and I share. We've already downsized and gave Cole the bigger room, so until we move to a bigger house or can afford substantial renovations, Bevin and Cole will have to share a room (once Bevin actually starts sleeping on her own).
One solution that we decided upon would be to purchase a bunk bed for their room. Growing up I always wanted a bunk bed, much like I always wanted a sibling. They always seemed like so much fun (both the sibling and the bed).. Instead though, since I was an only (until my father married when I was 19), my father and grandmother bought me a pretty day bed when I turned 14. It was nice and all, and I appreciated having a special bed that my friends didn't have. But now? I get to live vicariously through my children and buy them a fun bed they can share and play on for years to come. (Internet, please don't jinx me on the sharing and having fun part!!)
How do you deal with the problem of limited space in your house?
I'm loving this series :) We'll definitely be going the bunk bed route if we have another child. And since it's still like musical beds around here, I've kind of lost concept of having my own bedroom space (something I hope changes very, very soon!). We also have stock in rubbermaid bins - it's crazy!
ReplyDeleteGabriel turns 2 in September and sleeps literally 5 feet away from us! #truestory. Pre-kids we converted our attic into the master bedroom and transitioned Saige to the only other bedroom (yup 2 bedroom house and a family of 4) on the main level when she was 9 months old.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you brought up beds because we actually splurged on custom made beds to help with our storage situation. For us we got a local furniture maker to make a queen 'captains' bed that acts as a dresser with drawers on both sides and for Saige we got a trundle bed made and use the large drawer that's supposed to hold another twin mattress as... wait for it... storage!
another idea we stole was to make a breakfast nook bench out of kitchen cabinets and have invested in like 5 storage ottomans that double as extra seating and/or footstools.
thank you so much for commenting on my emotional post - xo