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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to move into a 2 bed flat with 3 children?

49 replies

PassTheBaileys · 28/02/2013 21:33

im in the middle of splitting with OH, I'm not financially well off at the moment and due to being q bit short on the rent a few times my landlady asked if I'd be interested in somewhere smaller, its a 2 bed ground floor flat with a garden and its 100 pound cheaper a month.
I know a few people with 3 kids in flats this size and they cope fine, the plan is to save up for a bigger place eventually.

OP posts:

Original poster

PassTheBaileys · 28/02/2013 22:19

lower case the boys have bunk beds but they always top and tail I suppose I could start them in the big room together and keep an eye out for a sofa bed.
kitchen is small couldn't fit the sofa in there.
I barely have two pennies to rub together at the moment so its definitely worth doing to save plus I think it will be a nice fresh start. for me and the children

OP posts:

GreenPetal94 · 28/02/2013 23:18

I'm a big fan of kids sharing, it often brings them closer and if all 3 share you won't be picking who should share with who. My boys still share at 9 and 11 and some classic conversations can be heard if you listen at the door! I'd move. It will be cheaper in heating and electricity too. And council tax maybe.

minouminou · 28/02/2013 23:23

I'd do it with scarcely a second thought.
It's a kind offer from your LL, and you'll be just fine. You're being, as a PP said, very prudent. You can always upgrade in a few years.

Good luck with it all.

Original poster

PassTheBaileys · 01/03/2013 09:28

Glad everyone thinks its a good idea, im going to go for it. Thanks everyone

OP posts:

DesiderataHollow · 01/03/2013 09:50

The couple opposite who own rather than rent have three boys, I think they're 7, 12, and 15. The maisonettes in the crescent all only have 2 bedrooms.They can't afford anything bigger.

There is another at the bottom of the crescent that has a couple, their two boys, (2 and 4) and a grandfather.

It's certainly possible.

CecilyP · 01/03/2013 10:13

I think it would be fine as your children are close in age and the bedroom is big enough to sleep 3 comfortably and still have room for toys and stuff. You also like the flat and have the added bonus of a garden. It is far more difficult if it is teenagers sharing with little ones. This arrangement should do you for a few years until you get back on your feet again.

Original poster

PassTheBaileys · 01/03/2013 10:20

the larger room is huge, it's probably not much smaller then their current rooms put together!

OP posts:

oldraver · 01/03/2013 13:20

Yes I would do it especially as it has a garden. Could you put all three in the bigger bedroom or boys in the smaller and you and DD in the bigger ?

honeytea · 01/03/2013 13:50

I think it is a great idea, I wouldn't worry about boys/girls sharing up till they reached 10/11ish, I shared with my brother till I was 10 and I missed him when we moved to a bigger house with seperate bedroom, I used to sleep on the floor in his room.

We have a 1 bedroom apartment but we have a huge living room, ds is only 10 weeks old now but our plan is to build a wall in the living room so there is 2 rooms, we plan to stay here till he is 10ish even if we have another baby. I would say that storage is a huge help, we have a storage room in the basement and things like Christmas decorations, winter clothes in the summer, skis.

Original poster

PassTheBaileys · 01/03/2013 13:54

Im going to have them all in the bigger room I think, maybe dd will sleep better in a room with her brother's I thinkshe hates being alone .

OP posts:

oohlaalaa · 01/03/2013 13:54

I've seen this done, with a single Dad, and he slept on the sofa bed in lounge.

Original poster

PassTheBaileys · 01/03/2013 13:56

the living rooms quite large so they'll definately have plenty of room to play

OP posts:

oohlaalaa · 01/03/2013 13:57

I shared a bedroom with my brother, when we were young, before mum and dad moved to bigger house.

We stopped sharing when I was 7, and my brother 5. It was never an issue.

Smellslikecatspee · 01/03/2013 14:21

I don't have DC so feel free to ignore

But I don't understand the whole needing separate rooms at this age. Surely the ages of the DC would be more relevant than the gender?

My thoughts come from being one of a large family and sharing with 3 sibs. it was a PITA when the littlest one came in with us because of the age gap, we were 9, 7, 2 and baby at this point, so the 9 + 7 (me) wanted to read etc and couldn't play in the room when DSis was napping.

I'd stick all 3 in the big room after all you deserve a little space that is all your too. And if the landlady is that good and the garden big enough ask about putting up a play tent in the garden if we ever get a summer. we had one and my just older sis and I lived it in during the school holidays coming in only to sleep and eat.

Good Luck!

Iseeall · 01/03/2013 14:33

I think you are being very sensible. I would do it, its for a few years and you have a good landlady. The money you will save in rent/heating etc can be saved. Most importantly you will not have to worry about being late with your rent and the worry that brings.

forevergreek · 01/03/2013 14:35

Sounds like a perfect solution.

£100 saving a month on rent, plus no worries about large energy bills heating the place in winter. So save money there. The savings will
Mean you can worry less about buying school uniform, going swimming as a family, ice cream treats in the summer etc

Moominsarehippos · 01/03/2013 14:38

If the rooms are, well, roomy and you can get a bunk and single in there, then why not try it? If the kids get on well and you're saving money into the bargain, then I think they will probably love all sharing!

Good luck!

ivykaty44 · 01/03/2013 14:42

do it, put all the children in together in the larger bedroom and have the smaller bedroom for yourself. The saving would be good - £1200 a year is not to be scoffed at

ivykaty44 · 01/03/2013 14:45

www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/living_room/11465/

use shelving and storage boxes to section of the bedroom and keep all there toys etc in

Doubletroublemummy2 · 01/03/2013 14:56

you can only try

meddie · 01/03/2013 15:08

No problem. I lived in a 2 up 2 down until the age of 11 sharing with my sister and brother Her 18months older him 2 years younger.
It was fine, bunk bed and single bed next to each other. We had great fun jumping off the bunk beds onto the single bed :D
I dont rememebr feeling deprived at all.

susiey · 01/03/2013 16:16

My kids all shared until last year out of choice we had a spare room but it was nicer to have then together . They were 7, 4 and nearly 2 . We just used to make sure there were some more grown up toys in the lounge so when the little ones were napping they could pay with some of their favourite grown toys.

TuesdayNightDateNight · 01/03/2013 19:17

Absolutely fine. My friend has her three in one room (large room) and they are boy 11, boy 8 and girl 6.

It's only starting to become an issue now and even then it's not a big problem.

Original poster

PassTheBaileys · 01/03/2013 19:19

defo think it will work after all your advice and personal experience. Its a good reason to de clutter too

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