My Family of 5 Lives in a One-Bedroom Apartment

I live in a one-bedroom NYC apartment with my three kids and my husband. I redesigned our apartment, and my kids now sleep in the bedroom and have a rock-climbing...
My Family of 5 Lives in a One-Bedroom Apartment
Written by
Karri Bowen Poole
Published on

    My family of 5 lives in a one-bedroom apartment. The kids have a climbing wall and a foam pit, but my husband and I don't share a bed.

    When my boyfriend and I moved in together, we found a nice 650-square-foot one-bedroom apartment in New York City. It was perfect for just the two of us, so we rented it.

    a rock wall and foam pit in the living room of Jenny Davis' apartment

    We lived together for almost a decade before getting married, and two years after that, we started trying to have kids. 

    Before my first son was born, I had two miscarriages, including one that could have led to cancer if it wasn't cleared. Not wanting to jinx anything, I didn't want to move to a bigger space while I was pregnant. And when our first son was born, we realized we could stay in our one-bedroom abode to save money, avoid the hassle of moving, and continue living in the neighborhood we preferred.

    We now have three children and still live in that same apartment 15 years later. While it's small, the apartment is right for us after I made a few design changes. 

    Without our first kid, the apartment was a great fit, but then suddenly it wasn't

    The first year was easy. Our son's crib was in our room, which was convenient because I was nursing. We also carved out a spot in our living room for his toys.

    Things got a lot harder in the second year. Our easy-to-contain baby was growing into a free-roaming, curious tornado. His toys were everywhere, which was ironic because he seemed more interested in hiding the remote control and pulling out our kitchen drawers than in his toys. Plus, he was a sensitive sleeper, which made opening and closing the bedroom door feel like we were handling dynamite.

    I was on edge and felt like I had no room to breathe. I started to resent my husband for taking up space and my son for having so much energy. I started to wonder: Why did we make this dumb decision to stay in a small space and let ourselves burn out? 

    Since our lease wasn't up, and we couldn't move to a bigger space, I started rearranging the furniture 

    In a desperate attempt to create a room for our son, I turned to the alcove in our living room. We had a carpenter install accordion doors so the space could be closed off at night. I moved his play area next to the alcove so that the kid spaces were close together.

    The white bunk beds in the children's bedroom of The bunk beds in the children's bedroom.' house

    I then moved the living-room furniture — couch, coffee table, and TV — to the opposite end of the room and used our dining table to divide the kid and adult spaces.

    Carving up our big living room into zones with specific functions was life-changing. Suddenly, the madness of raising a toddler in a one-bedroom didn't seem so unmanageable anymore. I felt calmer, more present, and empowered.

    But then we got pregnant again

    When I got pregnant a few years later, I didn't feel the sudden urge to move. But then things got harder than I ever could have imagined. I was having twins, and seven months into the pregnancy, the pandemic hit. Then my older son's school went remote. 

    We couldn't move to accommodate our growing family or to escape the pandemic because we were paralyzed by the day-to-day struggle.

    Designing the apartment to work for our family became my coping mechanism

    I did a ton of research on early childhood development, and it helped guide our toy setup in the apartment. For example, we invested in more open-ended toys like blocks and set up a rotation system. We also now have a great gross-motor area with a small rock-climbing wall and foam pit. The alcove now has a dress-up area, too.

    The foyer Davis and her husband sleeps in

    Now that things have settled back into a more normal routine, we've given the kids the bedroom. They have a bunk bed that resembles a tree house; my twins sleep on the bottom two beds, while my oldest sleeps on top. 

    My husband and I, meanwhile, are in the foyer at night. I sleep on a Murphy bed, while my husband is on an air mattress. We finally have more space and privacy since the rest of the apartment is ours after the kids go to bed.

    Since we don't own our apartment, I'm not against moving if it's what's best for our family. When my kids get older, I'd like my daughter to have her own room. But I do believe there's still so much I can do to optimize this space. It's all about trade-offs, prioritizing values, and thinking outside the box.

    Full article here.

    You May Also Like

    roombldr logo
    Chats with Roombldr

    Karri chats with Roombldr about her mission to change the way kids play by creating the ultimate play spaces for kids to explore, play and learn. Karri Bowen-Poole used her...

    Read More
    Chats with Roombldr

    Karri chats with Roombldr about her mission to change the way kids play by creating the ultimate play spaces for kids to explore, play and learn. Karri Bowen-Poole used her...

    Read More
    design new jersey logo
    The Fuda (RHONJ) Family's Journey to an Inspiri...

    Inspired by the Montessori principles of education and purposeful design, the Fudas knew the types of activities they wished to incorporate — from active play areas to art and reading...

    Read More
    The Fuda (RHONJ) Family's Journey to an Inspiring Playspace

    Inspired by the Montessori principles of education and purposeful design, the Fudas knew the types of activities they wished to incorporate — from active play areas to art and reading...

    Read More
    business insider logo
    8 Tips for Creating Spaces that Facilitate Inde...

    This mom of 3 has designed more than 1,000 playrooms. Here are her 8 tips for creating spaces that facilitate independent play.

    Read More
    8 Tips for Creating Spaces that Facilitate Independent Play

    This mom of 3 has designed more than 1,000 playrooms. Here are her 8 tips for creating spaces that facilitate independent play.

    Read More
    nbc news logo
    Best Board Games for Kids

    The educational value and learning aspects of a board game are also important when shopping because while games should be entertaining and engaging, they should also help foster growth of...

    Read More
    Best Board Games for Kids

    The educational value and learning aspects of a board game are also important when shopping because while games should be entertaining and engaging, they should also help foster growth of...

    Read More
    Home Is Where the Art Is
    Home Is Where the Art Is

    And use this paragraph underneath: The Varets have a 8 year old son Julius and a 6 year old daughter Zelda. They reached out to Smart Playrooms design a playroom...

    Read More
    Home Is Where the Art Is

    And use this paragraph underneath: The Varets have a 8 year old son Julius and a 6 year old daughter Zelda. They reached out to Smart Playrooms design a playroom...

    Read More
    Mom Blog logo
    Interview with Karri Bowen-Poole of Smart Playr...

    “Karri took an idea and after a newspaper ad, her idea took flight! I find her story absolutely inspiring. Not only is she doing something amazing for kids and their...

    Read More
    Interview with Karri Bowen-Poole of Smart Playrooms

    “Karri took an idea and after a newspaper ad, her idea took flight! I find her story absolutely inspiring. Not only is she doing something amazing for kids and their...

    Read More
    insider logo
    This Mom of 3 Has Designed More Than 1,000 Play...

    Almost any parent will tell you they wish their children played on their own a bit more. Independent play isn't just important for mom and dad's well-being — it's also...

    Read More
    This Mom of 3 Has Designed More Than 1,000 Playrooms. Here are Her 8 Tips for Creating Spaces That Facilitate Independent Play

    Almost any parent will tell you they wish their children played on their own a bit more. Independent play isn't just important for mom and dad's well-being — it's also...

    Read More
    open house logo
    Every Home Has a Story

    How do you bring warmth and joy into a modern townhome in NYC? Interior Designer, Jennifer Morris will quite literally have you jumping off the walls with joy in this...

    Read More
    Every Home Has a Story

    How do you bring warmth and joy into a modern townhome in NYC? Interior Designer, Jennifer Morris will quite literally have you jumping off the walls with joy in this...

    Read More
    cubby logo
    Here’s How a Professional Playroom Designer Tur...

    Karri Bowen-Poole has been designing play spaces for 13 years through her company, Smart Playrooms, but it was only recently that she created a dedicated space for play in her...

    Read More
    Here’s How a Professional Playroom Designer Turned Her Garage into the Ultimate Play Space

    Karri Bowen-Poole has been designing play spaces for 13 years through her company, Smart Playrooms, but it was only recently that she created a dedicated space for play in her...

    Read More
    Smart Playrooms
    Shipping

    Bulky, heavy or both? We'll get it to you! Check all delivery times and shipping costs here

    Smart Playrooms
    Customer Service

    We are available from Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm EST via hello@smartplayrooms.com

    Smart Playrooms
    Returns & Cancellations

    Almost all our products are custom made just for you, and therefore not returnable. Read full policy.

    Smart Playrooms
    Secure Payment

    Your payment information is processed quickly and securely. Credit cards and PayPal accepted.