In the 50s the avg home was >1000sqft. How manylived in that space? How did they arrange sleeping?

Question

We are about to move into a 2 bedrm, 1000 sqft home. 2 Adults and 2 preschoolers, boy & girl. Surely generations past managed it or the homes wouldve been bigger. How did they do it?

Answer 1

Ok I live in the house I grew up in. It was built for returning WWII

veterans which my dad was.There is 1200 square feet on two floors

On the main floor there is a living room,a small bedroom a hallway,

a bathroom a kitchen and a small what we used to call pantry.

there are stairs leading to two small bedrooms upstairs. My father,mother, grandfather and two brothers and myself lived there.

My grandfather who couldn't walk had the downstairs bedroom. IT had a closet in it. The livingroom has a closet it it. I only mention this because there are no other closets in the house. The upstairs bedrooms have alcoves where you hung your clothes on hooks.

  Upstairs, my brother who was two years older than I shared a bedroom. My parents and my baby brother slept in the other bedroom. He was in a crib. My grandfather died and my parents moved to the downstairs bedroom I got one bedroom upstairs and my brothers shared a room  You forget that when I was growing up people did not have these huge monster house with 8 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. It was not considered necessary for each child to have his own bedroom, bathroom tv set etc. Even in the houses that were bigger it was usual for kids to share a bedroom.  I don't have a garage or even a driveway and very few people on my street had them as people didn't have the money to buy cars in those days. The ones that have them now had them build onto the side of their houses. Again people didn't have all the possessions that today's families think they need like mountains of clothes and toys so storage wasn't a big problem. You had a couple of outfits for school and you had some play clothes. You had a pair of school shoes and you had runners.You had a good outfit that you wore to Sunday school and on holidays. You got toys twice a year on Christmas and your birthday. Your parents didn't buy you something just because you wanted it. By the way this house was

build to last 10 years and it cost my folks 3000 on a mortgage at

2 percent. The one thing about is that it is on a extra large city lot.

It is now 61 years old and in perfect shape. The house inspector said it had a physical age of a 15 year old house. (they really built themwell in those days) The house is taxed at 40,000 but the land is worth over 300,000. (when my folks bought this area was the back of nowhere

now it is next to a big mall, the elementary, middle and high school on the main bus line etc. Everyone wants to live here) You will be able to live in your house just don't fill it with a bunch of 'things' fill it with love like this house was.

Answer 2

What?  Are you used to living in a mansion?  Most homes where I live are between 1000 and 1300 square feet.  This has NOTHING to do with the 1950's.  It has to do with how much money you have.  It always has.  You don't understand that you have 2 bedrooms?  You don't get that?  Why would you need advice?  Hey I know, how about 2 people per bedroom!  OOH, I win!

Answer 3

I have a two bedroom apartment that is a little UNDER 800 SQ feet with three adults and a 2 year old. AND you think a 1000 is not going to be enough..?

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