Does anyone else live in a house not big enough for their family?

[mckenziemuffin]

DH and I have 2DC of different genders and live in a 2.5 bedroom flat (DS' room isn't actually big enough to be classed as a room, but does have a window. May just be able to squeeze in a single bed when he's a bit bigger but there'd be no floor space. We'd only intended on being here a few years whilst they're young but the market has outpriced us and we can't afford anywhere bigger that's not literal hours away and in a whole different place. We are expecting another child (contraceptive failure) and don't really know what we're going to do when they're a bit older. The only option we see is splitting our room in half for the older DC but that's only if we can put a door in a wall we haven't checked structurally. So if not then I really don't know. I'm so reluctant to move again as it was a big move to here 2 years ago and DD is thriving so much at a school and I don't want her to have to move again when she's so settled (DS probably wouldn't mind as much). Is anyone else in the same position that their home is too small for the people in it? We can't extend anywhere either

How old are they op?

And how big are the two large rooms

It’s a non issue for a few years so just worry about it then!

we live in a 2 bed in zone 2 London and have a 4 year old girl and a baby boy

they will share a room for a few years eventually in bunk beds - for now the baby is with us until he’s maybe 1-1.5

and I’ve not even thought about when they are older ! will work something out whether it’s moving area or splitting the big bedroom in half somehow and we take the small room

for us at the moment wouldn’t dream of moving can cycle to work in 10 mins and the nursery and school are so close and we don’t even need a car.
id rather the small place than move location tbh

@SleepingStandingUp almost 8&6. The bedroom that will be divided is 12'10 x 12'3. The one we'll be in is currently DD's and it's 13'7 x 11'10 but impossible to split in two logistically and part of that sizing includes a staircase so it's actually smaller.

But that's even if it's possible, we're not even sure as we'd need to cut a hole in a wall for a door and we don't know if it's the structural support wall (if you know what I mean- I don't know the technical words).

Could you look to move ready for older one to start senior sch? Potentially buying a doer upper house if it's cheaper? And then do it up slowly over time?

@Fupoffyagrasshole I understand what you're saying, but unless the housing market absolutely crashes and houses that go for £470k -£500k go for £200k then we couldn't ever afford to upsize in this area. And it's not even that nice of an area but DD loves her school and her clubs etc.

How small is your DS's room? You're saying he's 6 but there's no bed in there at the moment?

How big is the smallest room?

Our spare room is 2.80 x 1.78. Same on the whole estate. Plus the stair head box taking out a section.

Everyone I know has a built in bed for their kid - ages vary from 3yo to 19yo as well, so many have been through the school years in those rooms.

Could you get a room divider storage unit instead of actually making a room. The storage would come in useful. Also you can get those high sleeper beds that have a little desk or drawers underneath. Just thinking of storage for you if you can't move.

You and dh on a sofa bed in the living room? It’s not ideal but I did it for a year and it wasn’t as bad as I expected!

@CornishPorsche 8'2 feet x 7'9 feet but it's not a square as the upstairs staircase cuts into a chunk of it

@ACatNamedRobin no he does have a bed and his toys, but it's a kids size bed, not a single.

This is DS room if that's easier.

Op have been in exactly that position. Bought our first flat( previously council) with 2 dds aged 11 and 8 and a new baby DS.( unplanned). At first dd1 had the small half room,( she wanted that one),dd2 had the other bedroom and DS was in with us.
Later DS went in with DD2 in the biggest bedroom. When that became untenable due to the big age gap, Dd1 was prised out of her hideyhole and shared with dd2 and DS took over the tiny room.
It was all going to be temporary. 23 years later here we still are. DD 1 is back in the tiny room,DD2 lives with her partner and DS has the big room to himself.
I don't recommend any of it but it's doable.

That's plenty big enough IMO.

Look into a built in bed with overhead storage, with the length of the bed down the longest wall. Works in every house here. My mates son is 14 and 6ft already, but his bed is long enough to cope.

His bed is along the window (bottom line) with a bedside table at the end and that's all of the space take me up. The bit at the top has his clothes drawers, some toys next to it in a box and a hammock of teddies above it.

Thanks @Hedjwitch, that sounds like it's going to be what we have to do! Glad to know it's possible

Change it round. Have the bed made to fit.

Doesn't help that DS' long wall sticks out like this and isn't wide enough for a single bed down the side of it.

@CornishPorsche x posted, that was my idea too but the wall sticks out halfway in the picture I've just uploaded and we don't think a single bed would fit width wise down that wall. Will need to measure it properly though, but I definitely don't think we'd get a high sleeper in there. Thanks for your advice though, I really appreciate it

6 of us here in a 1000sq foot 3 bed semi. 3 DC in one room, not ideal but we can't afford to move. We thought about DH and I going in the lounge but then we would have no lounge and we use the lounge alot.

Is it wide enough for an IKEA day bed? They are the same length as a single but only 80 cm wide (I think a proper single is 90 cm wide).

No - you'd have to get a carpenter to build one in and it wouldn't be a full width single but it would likely still be the best solution and give you some storage as well. I guess the baby will just have to be in with you for as long as possible (3 years??) and then you and DH would probably need to go to a sofa bed, give the baby DS's room and the other two have the bedrooms.

Can you spare a floor plan?

Also, could you extend?