We love our big spaces, and bigger is usually better in most cases. If you live in a small apartment with a big family, you may not have enough space for everyone, and this can severely impede comfort. However, you can still make living with a large family in a small space comfortable with the right tricks. Here, we discuss 10 tips for apartment living with a big family.    

Maximize Space by Decluttering

Since your apartment is not spacious, you want to maximize every available space by decluttering your place. Look for items you do not use that take up space and get rid of them. Many people get sentimental about some of their belongings and refuse to throw them out even when they do nothing but take up space. If you have such items in your apartment, you should consider giving them out or binning them. 

You may also want to consider keeping such items in a storage unit if you think they might be useful in the future, which brings us to the next point. 

Invest in a Storage Unit

A storage unit can help you get rid of unwanted clutter in your apartment without letting go of those items that evoke nostalgic feelings. A storage unit may take some money out of your pocket, but it sure solves many problems. If money is a factor, you can think of creative storage solutions that fit your apartment. 

Easy-to-use bins, dressers, and baskets are viable alternatives. Use a multifunctional furniture piece to replace two or three pieces. The spaces near the ceilings and behind things can also be excellent storage locations for your items. 

Get the Right Insurance Coverage 

Living in apartments for rent in Raleigh with a large family is most likely going to make you experience property damage costs. You can prepare for this by getting an insurance cover for your apartment. You can get a homeowner’s insurance policy, also known as HO6 insurance, for your apartment. An HO6 policy covers: 

Building Unit Coverage

Helps provide coverage against smoke, fire, vandalism, or plumbing issues. 

Personal Property

HO6 also insures your apartment against damage or theft of your belongings like jewelry, clothing, and electrical appliances in your apartment. 

Personal Liability/Medical Expenses

Your HO6 policy can also cover legal costs if you get sued for damaging property or accidentally causing harm to someone in your apartment. 

Additional Expenses

HO6 can take care of lodging and associated costs if your apartment becomes uninhabitable due to hazards covered by your policy. 

Having insurance coverage gives you and your family members room to live comfortably in your apartment without worrying about specific types of damages. You may want to speak with an insurance agent to understand the scope of the apartment insurance coverages in your location. 

Modify Your Sleeping Arrangements

If you have used the available storage space in your apartment to the max, you also want to think about maximizing sleeping space. Depending on the number of people in your apartment and available bedrooms, some family members will have to share sleeping space. You and your spouse will sleep in the same room while the kids share rooms. 

Consider getting bunk beds for your kids if up to three of them have to share a room. If they are grown up and of different genders, they may need some privacy, so you want to split available rooms between boys and girls. 

Store Clothes Efficiently 

Storing clothes in an apartment with a big family can be tedious. There are usually not enough dressers to keep everyone’s clothes, so you have to get creative. Buying containers that you can keep under the beds or buying plastic boxes or drawers for clothes may help. Ensure you store your clothes in an orderly fashion so you don’t have trouble locating the right clothes when you need them.  

Keep A Home Routine

Having a predictable family routine that meets your apartment needs can also help maximize space. Setting and sticking to a schedule lets everyone in the family know what is expected of them. Eventually, everyone will adjust, and these routines will become part of your family life. 

Use Safe Spaces

It would help if everyone in a big family had a space in the apartment to turn to when they need to relax. It could be a chair, a worktable, or even an activity like drawing or writing that keeps individual family members grounded. You may have to help some of your kids find that space to which they can retreat. 

Avoid Multiple Items

Many people buy several versions of the same items like clothes, toys, sippy cups, and accessories which can take up needed space. In most cases, you do not need more than one of the same item for specific functions. You can also use an item for multiple functions to maximize space. For instance, your living room chair can double as a reading or napping chair, while your bookcase can come with a storage bin for toys or clothes.  

Trade and Thrift

Your kids will go through their wears and toys quickly and buying new ones each time can strain your budget and clutter your apartment. You can avoid the chaos from children’s items by trading them with friends and neighbors or using them to support local thrift shops. 

Be Flexible

Kids grow, and things change, so you want to be flexible. It would be best to be open to new concepts for apartment living to keep up with your family’s ever-changing needs. Your adaptability helps to ensure that you are not caught unawares and lets you provide emergency out-of-the-box solutions to problems.

Conclusion 

Apartment living with a big family is challenging but possible. All family members must first understand the circumstances and be ready to make sacrifices. There should be mutual respect among everyone, and parents and grownups should be an example to the kids. With the tips discussed and some creativity, you can live comfortably with your big family in an apartment and create beautiful, long-lasting memories.