To be considering making our living room our bedroom?

[Snufflebabe]

Dd is nearly 2. Our very small house, with zero storage, is bursting at the seams. Dd bedroom is a small room, only accessible through our v small bedroom.

The location of the house is overly convenient for us. GPs, who look after DD while OH and I both work live 2 mins away, we have a large garden, and her potential nursery is 2 mins away. The street is safe, neighbours are lovely, and we have a little oasis, tucked away in a huge bustling city.

OH and I both would like more children. However, the house as it stands, is putting the stoppers on any plans.

The house is very old, not listed, but terraced. Extensions may be possible, but would be limited size wise.

I am seriously considering the option of a sofa bed in our living room, so our bedroom can be used a big child's room.

Would I be crazy?! Is it a stupid thing to do? My thoughts are that we would NEVER be able to afford a big property with a garden in this area, and I just couldn't put a price on having the outdoor space. My DD spends so much of her time out there, rain or shine. Life is so convenient just now, so why move miles away for a big house with garden, but away from the 'easyness' this house offers, albeit, compact?!

[Olympia2012]

I did this in my housing association house. When housing officer found out she was horrified. I was moved veryvery quickly as sleeping in a room which had a gas appliance in was very risky. Also, if a room with a boiler leads off from it, that wasn't 'allowed' either

Be careful

[medievalgirl]

If it works for you and your OH, why not? It's not as though you can't change your minds again later on.

[JumpingThroughHoops]

can you extend into the loft space?

[MrsKeithRichards]

I know people who do this through necessity and the manage!

[curiousgeorgie]

Obviously, having a sofa bed in your living room would sort out where you sleep... But what about clothes / toiletries / books etc?

And do you always go to bed at the same time as your DH? I'm a bad sleeper and stay up late, whereas DH goes to bed early, would this be possible if your bedroom was your reception space?

Could you not move slightly further out for more space and travel slightly to work / for childcare?

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

The people who lived in our flat before us did that - they had their bed in what's our livingroom/kitchen and the baby in the other room. I imagine it could get you down, but where's the harm trying it? Why not give it a go right now, see if it drives you nuts the first night/week, then go from there?

[JarethTheGoblinKing]

Well, if it suits you then go for it.

Get a decent bed though. Sofa beds are the work of satan.

Any chance of a loft conversion?

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Some sofa beds are quite good! I've slept on ones that are great and ones that are awful.

The good ones are probably quite pricey though.

[Yama]

To me, it sounds like the pros outweigh the cons. Garden and being near work are my two biggies when it comes to having a home with small children.

Obviously you'd need to move before the kids are teenagers but that's years away.

[oscarwilde]

Personally I wouldn't but as *medievalgirl" says, you can always change it back. I think you would go mad in fairly short order if you couldn't close the door on your bedroom and had to pack up a bed and all the associated nightstand clutter every morning/before visitors/toddler demolition teams.
Your house sounds perfect in every way apart from the size. Millions live in tiny apartments all over the world and manage. You could put in a wall of Ikea storage that might take a ton of stuff.
Declutter, declutter, declutter. Rent a storage unit for seasonal clothing and stuff you need to hang onto or put in a decent brick garden office/shed that is well insulated if the garden is big enough.
Look into an attic conversion. Buy a bunk bed for your child with a wardrobe and drawers underneath.

[HipHopSkipJumpomous]

We had a really fantastic sofa bed with 8" innersprung matteress, very solidly built etc. Really comfy to sleep on - didn't hold up too well with the sexing though

[minipie]

Why not? But I'd turn it into a bedroom properly, not with a sofabed - you don't want to be folding up your bed every day surely?

Then turn your bedroom into a small living room which DD can use as a playroom in the day and you can use as a TV snug in the evenings.

[TanteRogge]

I have folded my bed/futon up every day for the past 20 years - not gone mad yet

You just get used to it - you will need to sort out storage though

[Paiviaso]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[MissFaversam]

I have no choice but to do this as in a housing association 1 bed flat and have given my DS the bedroom.

It's not ideal but very do-able.

dreams of one day having a bedroom

[Ambivalence]

yes, seems very sensible indeed. i always think my bedroom is wasted space,

I saw this at the ideal homeshow - think they are about £5K - cheaper than moving house though!

liftbed.co.uk/

[Petsinmyolympicpudenda]

We are just bout to do this in our HA flat.
Its two bed and there are 4 of us (2 adult,2 kids,10 and nearly 2) but the second room can only get a single bed in it so we cant move into it or have the boys share.


Our wardrobe and drawers will go in the bedroom with the toddler but we brought a really good proper sofabed for the front room.

Needs must

[darthsillius]

My dhs family did this for 20 yrs. 3 boys in a 2 bed flat. His friends still do it, their kids are late teens now. Its definitely do-able

[forevergreek]

I wouldn't hesitate to do but think in your case you could try other solutions as sounds like poss space is available

I would use 2 year olds bedroom just for her sleeping and then add floor to ceiling storage in that space that's left.

Then how big is your room? I would push you bed up to wall to save space then add floor to ceiling storage here also

2 year olds toys can be stored in either bedroom and played with either in your bedroom if space or lounge or garden

I think storage is key here. Storage under beds, floor to ceiling, cull crap etc..

( we have 1 bed place and storage has meant every space is used. Also all clutter is hidden in storage so place seems bigger)

[HecateHarshPants]

Can't you convert the loft space?

[HecateHarshPants]

Or have the two children in bunk beds in your small bedroom and you and your husband in a bed in what is currently her room? That way would be better as they get older anyway, rather than have them go through your room to get to theirs. iysim.