- I live in a one-bedroom 550-square-foot apartment in Brooklyn, New York, with my husband.
- With a baby on the way, we had to get creative with our small space.
When I found out I was pregnant, I was flooded with panic. I not only was nervous about becoming a mom but also had no idea how I was going to raise a newborn in a one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, New York, that's under 600 square feet.
My husband and I searched for two-bedroom homes in our neighborhood and realized that kind of upgrade would cost us double the amount of money in rent every month. Since we couldn't afford to live in a two-bedroom apartment in our area, and we didn't want to move someplace else, we decided to stay put.
We spent a lot of time strategizing on how to fit everything in our small living space. Here are all the ways my husband and I transformed our 550-square-foot apartment into a livable and practical home — for us and a newborn.
We bought functional furniture that could be used for different needs throughout the day
Since my husband and I both work from home, we each had our own desks and separate working spaces. My husband had a corner of the living room as his work-from-home office, and I did the same with a corner of our bedroom. But with a baby on the way — and with both of us still planning on working remotely — we had to figure out how to take away at least one workspace so we'd have room for a crib and play area.
We decided to get rid of my bedroom workspace and invested in multifunctional furniture. We sold our kitchen table and purchased an oval-shaped table. I now use that table as my desk during the day, and we use the table for meals at night.
My husband also upgraded his desk so that it had two levels: a shelf for his monitor and office equipment and a lower shelf that doubles as a changing table for the baby. Similarly, we purchased a media console that had two shelves inside it, which we can use for extra books and toys.
We also bought furniture that could move around the apartment on wheels
We purchased a bassinet on wheels that can be placed in the corner of the living room or in any unused area of the bedroom during the day. It can then be moved right next to the bed at night so that we can be close to the baby as we sleep.
We also purchased storage carts on wheels that we plan to use for diapers, baby toys, or books. As we move around the apartment — during the day or at night — these carts can move with us.
Rather than bulky furniture that takes up permanent floor space, we now have items that move around. It makes it so we can transform the apartment layout into how we need it at a given moment.
We got rid of all the decorative items to reduce clutter
We decided to sell over 15 pieces of decorative furniture and accessories around the apartment, including vases, mirrors, extra lamps, and accent candles. We also sold our workout equipment, including an exercise bike and a weight rack.
While these items initially helped make our small space come to life with personality and color, the decorative accessories didn't provide any practical value. Removing them helped make the apartment feel bigger.
We sold these items using platforms like Poshmark and Facebook Marketplace, and we used the profits to purchase must-have baby items — like diapers, a stroller, and a car seat.
I made sure each person in the apartment had a designated space they could call their own
Since this apartment will soon house another human, I found it important that everyone had their own space to do what they wanted with. With the exercise equipment gone, we now have an area that the baby can use for lounging and playtime. We added a rocking chair, a foldable playmate, and bookshelves to that area.
I rearranged our living room so that there's a space just for me. It includes a bookshelf, items for my content creation like a microphone and tripod, and a comfortable chair.
My husband has a space in our bedroom that he uses for his books, gadgets, and accessories.
Giving each one of us our own distinct area of the apartment makes this small space feel like we each own a tiny piece of it. Even though the apartment isn't big, it's big enough for all of us to truly feel at home.