From Mudrooms to Murphy Beds: 7 Smart Customizations Every Young Family Should Ask Their Builder For

Shopping for a new home as a parent with a growing family is a whole different ball game than shopping as a DINK couple.

You’re not just thinking about square footage and an open-concept kitchen – you’re looking for where to store the stroller, where future soccer gear is going to go, how to keep tiny hands out of drawers, and which flooring can handle tricycle wheels and endless games of tag for the next few years.

Millennials have made up 38% of all home buyers in the U.S., more than any other generation, and 56% of millennials want new homes. They’re settling down, setting roots and starting families. New homes offer a unique advantage for growing families over resale ones: the ability to handpick upgrades and bespoke features that are designed around young families from the ground up.

From flexible layouts to built-in storage and safer materials, here’s a full checklist of customizations your builder can make for your family (or family-to-be).

1. Safe, Family-Friendly Layouts

Think about the flow of the home and what would make parenting easier for you – from bedtime checkups to keeping an eye on little ones while you cook.

Ask your builder about:

• Open-concept layouts so you can keep an eye no matter where they are – or where you need to be

• Bedrooms on the same floor, especially convenient to check on your child in the middle of the night

• Ensuite bathrooms, perfect for late-night diaper changes or bathtime, and, when everyone is older, for keeping your spaces separate

• Standard-width staircases with room for baby gates at the top and bottom – going for a standard-size ensures you won’t need custom-designed gates to fit niche measurements

• Sturdy handrails along stairwells for toddler grip and safety, and for your safety as you carry little ones and laundry baskets up and down the stairs

2. Mudrooms That Manage the Mayhem

A functional mudroom is a game-changer for busy families. It’s a space to unload muddy shoes, raincoats, and backpacks so your kids aren’t leaving a dirt trail as they step into the home.

Entrances to the home are high traffic areas for everyone, and young families have even more traffic. You’re in and out constantly for school or daycare drop-off, dance class, swimming lessons, playdates, reading time at the library, evening walks, and more. So, it’s completely worthwhile to work with your builder to include a mudroom and wide landing space at your front door so your family has room for every transition throughout the day.

About your builder about:

• Built-in cubbies or lockers for backpacks, lunch boxes, duffle bags and more

• Child-height coat hooks so kids can hang their own jackets

• A built-in bench with storage underneath for shoes and boots

• Water- and scratch-resistant flooring for muddy or wet gear

Builders also often offer mudroom or drop zone options off the garage entry, ideal for catching messes before they hit the main house. Have a furbaby, too? A mudroom is a great place to incorporate a dog wash station and other pet-friendly features.

3. Durable, Kid-Friendly Flooring

Falls, spills, and crackers stomped into the floor are part of daily life with toddlers. Don’t forget their penchant for dragging toys, tricycles, and scooters around the hallways, or for playing chase with the family dog. This is why families should prioritize flooring that’s safe, low maintenance, and durable.

Ask your builder about:

• Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring – it’s waterproof, scratch-resistant, wipeable, and more forgiving than tile

• Laminate flooring – it’s affordable, durable, and less prone to fading than hardwood

• Stain-resistant carpet – especially for bedrooms and playrooms for a softer feel on the feet

Avoid hard tile or hardwood in play-heavy zones where kids might fall. Aside from being cold and hard on falls, these materials are prone to denting, scratching, and water damage. They’re best kept to spaces like the bathroom and dining room.

Remember, you can always upgrade to hardwood floors when the kids are a bit older and the years of rough-and-tumble have come to an end.

4. Smart Storage Everywhere

We all know you can never have too much storage – and this couldn’t be more true for families with little ones. Babies alone require a crib, a stroller, a high chair, play mats, a play pen – the list is endless. And as any parent will tell you, the accumulation of “stuff” just grows with your kids – you’ll need to store toys, books, clothes, extracurricular equipment, you name it.

Work with your builder to incorporate storage throughout your home’s design seamlessly.

Ask your builder about:

• Custom built-in shelving that’s fitted to the wall to reduce the need for tip-prone furniture and the number of holes in the wall to secure standalone pieces

• Built-in under-stair storage for toys, cleaning gear, or seasonal bins

• Garage and attic space for strollers, bikes, and baby gear in rotation and, later, gear for hockey/soccer/swimming/etc.

• Over-door cabinetry in bathrooms and laundry rooms

• Walk-in pantries with adjustable shelving

Some builders even offer closet organization packages – worth considering when you're planning for a growing family.

Your builder can also ensure shelving is designed in for a kid-friendly household by:

• Installing soft-close hardware on cabinets and storage spaces to reduce pinched fingers, prevent slamming noises during naptime, and protect from wear-and-tear

• Design and build upper cabinets to keep household items out of reach from little ones

• Pull-out trash bins and appliance garages to keep dangerous items locked away

5. Outdoor Spaces That Are Safe for Play

Most families upgrade and buy a new home to give their kids more space – including outdoors. Backyards are a big selling point for young families, but not all are created equal when it comes to safety.

Ask your builder about:

• Fenced-in yards, especially if the property backs onto a road

• Flat, grassy areas ideal for swing sets, kiddie pools, or backyard soccer

• Full railings around the perimeter if your backyard deck or front porch is elevated from the ground

• Big windows in the front and sliding doors leading to back of the home, so you can easily supervise outdoor play from inside the home

• Avoiding steep drop-offs or open water features, which pose hazards to toddlers

• A pool fence, if your new home does have a pool, to keep everyone as safe as possible

6. Flexible Rooms to Future-Proof Your Home

Flexibility in your home design is crucial. Before you started house hunting, your home office or spare room likely transformed into a nursery. With a new construction home, however, you can plan flex spaces to create a floorplan that’s adaptable as your kids get older.

Ask your builder about:

• A playroom with a built-in Murphy bed to transform into a guest bedroom

• A renovated basement or attic that can evolve from storage to a teen hangout

• Adult-sized closets in all bedrooms so kids have enough space as they grow

• An upstairs loft with a built-in desk and outlets – ideal for arts and crafts for little ones, and for study sessions for older kids

7. Built-In Safety Features – Inside and Outside the Home

Instead of retrofitting childproofing tools after you’ve moved in, talk to your builder about built-in safety during construction.

Ask your builder about:

• Cabinet locks on kitchen and bathroom drawers

• Cordless window coverings, which are typically required in most new homes now

• Window guards and limited-open hardware for upper-level bedrooms

• Anti-tip furniture anchoring systems and built-in shelving

• Railings on stairs and gate-compatible walls

Outside the home, ask your builder about:

• Proximity to schools, daycares and parks

• Safety crossings and bus pick up and drop off zones for little ones going to school

• Sidewalk-lined streets that are stroller, scooter and bike-friendly

• On-site schools, community centers, and libraries in larger master-planned communities