Starting a family is a big change for everyone in the household, be it your spouse or the dog. The more smoothly you can make the transition of adding a new person the easier it will be on everyone. If you are considering moving before you make the leap to grow your family here are some great amenities for apartments that you should consider looking for before signing a lease. What apartment amenities are a must for your family?
8 Apartment Amenities To Consider When Starting A Family
Dish Washer
An extra mouth to feed is going to equal extra dishes that need washing. Spending your day keeping a little human alive is exhausting work. If you disagree then you obviously haven’t had to do it around the clock. While you can still make time to do the dishes, it will be far easier for you and help to lower your stress load if you have an automatic dishwasher in your home. The dishwasher will also come in handy for keeping toys clean. Just a quick run through the dishwasher helps to clear away unwanted germs.
Washer and Dryer
While going to a laundromat is always an option, you’ll want to keep in mind that you’ll be bringing along a tiny human which can make doing things a little more difficult. Kids go through a lot of clothes, sometimes 3 or 4 outfits in one day. With that many clothes getting dirty you’re going to find the laundry piling up, and it is so much nicer when you can get things clean from the comfort of your own home instead of hauling it across town.
Having a washer and dryer in your apartment or home makes dealing with those late night blowouts or the dreaded stomach bug making its way through the house. Simply toss it in the washer and go back to caring for your sick child immediately. It is one of the apartment amenities that you don’t want to give up.
Heating/Cooling
While it may be easy to keep your own body at a comfortable temperature, that might not hold true for your child. If you live somewhere that has extreme highs or lows, you will want to prepare for that by ensuring you have a way to keep your home livable. Keep in mind that a toddler that is too hot or too cold will most likely be grumpy. Having your home at a good temperature is as much for your sanity as it is for their comfort.
Play Area
Once your kid is able to move around the apartment well enough, they are going to want to get outside and play. You want an apartment that, at the very least, has a clean grassy area you can take your child to so they can wander around when the weather is nice. If you’re especially lucky, some apartments even have little playgrounds in the complex for kids to get their wiggles out at.
Fences
Most apartments don’t offer fenced-in areas, but every now and then you can find one. This is going to be something you really love as a parent especially if your little kid is adventurous. A fenced area means you can sit and watch them play instead of constantly chasing after them.
Storage Space
No matter how hard you try and live a minimalist lifestyle as a parent you will find your home being overrun with children’s toys. If you plan on having more than one kid then you’ll probably want to hang onto your more pricy baby items like bassinets and swings, the only problem is you’ll need somewhere to keep them until the next little guy comes along. Try and find an apartment with large closets or some other storage option like an outdoor shed. However, most apartments have small closets or limited storage space. You can ask if the property additional storage space available for rent.
Knobs vs Handles
This is something you can change yourself if you want to, but make sure your doors have doorknobs instead of handles. A baby will learn to open a handle far quicker than a knob. By putting knobs on your door you will give yourself a few extra months of peace before your kid starts opening all of the doors including the doors to the outside.
Parking
Having parking that is available right outside your front door is an amazing thing when you are carrying a car seat and baby bag to and from your vehicle every day. If you have to carry everything to the other side of the parking lot every time you want to leave the house, you might find yourself staying home a lot more than you’d like.
While having certain amenities at your apartment might cost you a little more, they may be worth factoring into your budget. Being a parent is hard work, and anything you can do to make everyone’s life a little easier is definitely a major plus. Just make sure you find what will be best for you and your growing family.
