Place in my home | Imamother

Bunch of Tulips

Sat, Mar 09 2024, 10:56 pm

I’m having a hard time organizing my home.
I feel very crowded, and can’t keep things orderly.
I think that a bigger apartment would make it easier as I am actually naturally very organized.
What do you think?
Also, am I being spoiled to think that 1,100 sf is small for a family of 6?

Tzutzie

Sat, Mar 09 2024, 11:15 pm

My upper lever is 1100 Sq ft. But I Adlai have more living space/guest room/play room/study and garage downstairs that's an additional 1000 Sq ft. And I feel that it's very tight.
So my guess is no you are not spoiled.

My biggest tip to keep things organized is to ONLY have things you must have. The rest isn't worth your real estate.

Eta, we're a family of 6 too.

Tzutzie

Sun, Mar 10 2024, 12:23 am

Technically yes.
But we mostly live upstairs. 3 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom, lining room, dining room and kitchen.
Downstairs we mostly use the playroom and laundry.

zaq

Sun, Mar 10 2024, 1:33 am

I have no idea what my square footage is because here they talk about the number of rooms, usually the number of bedrooms, which isn't too helpful. Two bedrooms and a living room is not the same as two bedrooms, a living room, dining room, family room, playroom, laundry room and two and a half bathrooms.

But the bottom line is that you cut your shirt according to your cloth, meaning that if you have limited space, you limit your possessions. Your sil may have four ride-on toys for three kids, but if you have limited space, you may need to do without any.

Of course you can reach a point at which you're truly overcrowded. A family of twelve in a three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment comes to mind. But most of the time, people who say they need more space really need to purge their possessions.

pnimi

Sun, Mar 10 2024, 1:35 am

Do you have more things then you need? The way I see it the only way to be comfortable in in smaller space is by having less things. Throwing out all the extras. Not holding in to things that 'might some day be useful'...

I grew up in an apartment that size with double the family size... I think if my mother wouldn't keep so many things it wouldn't be so bad at all.

I have a smaller apartment than that now but also a smaller family. We recently downsized on many things (got rid of our big, beautiful table... gave away appliances we never use...) and it feels much more comfortable. Gives room for things to actually stay organized.

zaq

Sun, Mar 10 2024, 10:51 am

Forgot to mention that the type of furniture you have and the way you store things makes a big difference. Some furniture has space-hogging features (like very wide armrests on couches) and is designed davka to help fill up big empty spaces; you have no business possessing such furniture if you're pressed for space, even if it's a valuable antique that belonged to Marie Antoinette. You need small-scale, simple furniture without nonfunctional features. Storage should be as tall as possible and reach all the way down to the floor (not on legs) and have a relatively small footprint. OTOH, a few big pieces are better than a collection of small pieces.

But the bigger issue is not having too much stuff.

Bleemee

Sun, Mar 10 2024, 9:18 pm

enjoying kids wrote:

Following. It feels so unfair to me, if I can't afford a big house, to say that I should get rid of my stuff too?? That will make me feel even poorer!

Are you getting rid of literal necessities?
I don’t find that having multiples of items or things saved for a rainy day make me feel more rich.
If anything I feel amazing when everything in my home has a specific purpose and when I know where every item is.
Caveat-this applies when I have all my basic necessities.

zaq

Sun, Mar 10 2024, 10:12 pm

It all depends on your priorities. If you don't have a big place, and you don't want to feel that the place is a hive and the walls are closing in on you, you have to have fewer possessions. OTOH, if having a lot of things make you and your family feel secure rather than claustrophobic and you don't mind either living amid perpetual disorder or spending all your time moving things out of the way, then go ahead. It's your home, you arrange it as you see fit. But OP clearly is of the first POV. She said she's very organized but her house is nevertheless a mess. That's a clear sign of having too much stuff for the space.

I once read a book that stated "Every item of clothing you own should be wearing out thread by thread." Meaning you use it and use it and use it. If you're not, you wasted money. The same is true of toys, books, utensils and everything else in your home except fire extinguishers and emergency medical equipment, which you should have and hope you never need to use. If it's not being used to its fullest, it was a waste of money.

Bunch of Tulips

Sun, Mar 10 2024, 10:24 pm

enjoying kids wrote:

Following. It feels so unfair to me, if I can't afford a big house, to say that I should get rid of my stuff too?? That will make me feel even poorer!

It's so funny you say this. I actually was thinking the same. Because yes I am a very organized person actually. But I am also creative and fun. I love to do art with my kids, and I scrapbook etc. Fact is, that not having space is due to not having space. It's not because I'm being a hoarder. And I really don't feel like it makes sense not to save clothes etc. And I really don't feel like my kids should have 2 outfits because they don't have more place in their drawer. And I may not have riding cars in my house, but if there's no yard, no toys, no cars, then wow...Sounds amazing.

Maybe my question should have been - how are you staying sane if you are in this situation....