If you’re seeking a long-term property to live in, thinking ahead is essential. And if you plan to start a family or add a couple more kids in the near future, you need to find a home that’s family-friendly.

But what’s does ‘family-friendly’ actually mean? What should you be looking for? What does a growing family actually need?

Family-friendly home considerations

When searching for your very first home away from home, your needs are usually simple. A one or two bedroom, one bathroom home in St Kilda or Carlton, is not only cosy - it’s also affordable and does the job.

But then time goes by. You get married and begin thinking about or starting a family. Suddenly, your little one-bedder doesn’t seem cosy anymore. It just seems cramped.

Your criteria have changed. Now you’re considering four bedroom, three bathroom houses, with big backyards in Bentleigh or Hawthorn. But what other features should you look for?

When it comes to family-friendly homes, here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

1.The Floor Plan

• Are all the bedrooms close together? When dealing with 3am feeds or nightmares, you don’t want to navigate your way from one side of the house to the other in pitch black.
• Are there stairs? If yes, consider whether it’s easy to add safety gates. This is especially important if there are young babies and toddlers around.
• Is it open-plan? By having an open-plan layout, you’re able to let your children run around while still keeping an eye on their (potentially mischievous) activities.

2. The Backyard

• Do you plan to get a pet or spend time entertaining outdoors? If you have dreams of owning a Great Dane and/or kicking around a soccer ball with the kids, you’ll probably want a big backyard. Alternatively, you might be content with a small ‘inside pet’ and a simple patio with a barbecue.

3. The Bathroom

• Is there a bath? You can’t exactly have bath-time fun without a bath! If you plan on having multiple kids, consider a place with a bath big enough for everyone - or the space to renovate if necessary.
• Is there plenty of space? Ideally, you’ll want enough space to sit by the bath and dry the kids off. And, room for them to move past each other while frantically getting ready in the morning.

4. The Kitchen

• Is there enough storage? When kids come along, you’ll need space to store their plates, bowls, and sippy cups. You’ll also need somewhere for their lunchboxes and drink bottles. That’s in addition to all your decorative dining decor and food storage!
• Can you watch the kids from the kitchen? Ideally, you will want to have easy viewing of your kids in the lounge room while preparing meals or washing up.
• What’s the accessibility like? As kids grow up, many want to help with the cooking at times and have access to the bench-top. However, you also need to be mindful of any hazardous areas and consider ways to prevent children from running into the kitchen while you’re cooking.

5. The Location

• Is it close to schools? Even if your kids are babies, if you want to live in the place for the long haul you need to take this into consideration.
• Is it close to parks? This is probably more important if you have a smaller backyard, whether it’s based on choice or budget.
• Is it close to shops? Nobody likes a long drive to the shops. Being somewhere close to a medical centre is also handy when inevitable falls and cuts occur.

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