1 Bed flat, 1 Adult & 2 children, possible?

[BlueRay]

Would this be possible for a couple of years? DS 6 years and DD 2 years. Would really like to buy in London but can only afford a 1 bed flat, (outer zones!)
Current situation is a small 2 bed terrace. DS has always coslept and is not happy sleeping in own bedroom. Toddler is currently in a cot bed next to the bed.
Have realised we only use front room, kitchen (with small table) and bathroom. (Dining room is small, we don't use the table and the room is only used to dry washing in the winter). DD toys are in the front room. DS's in bedroom with the most used toys ending up in the front room.
This makes me think it would be possible for 2 years (waiting to apply for school for DD).
However, unsure for how long DS will still want to cosleep.
I'd then hope to buy a 2 bed for both to share/DD cosleeping as her brother currently does. Or even a single bed in my bedroom. (Failing increased funds to buy, rent instead). Same plan for years later when in teens (to buy a 3 bed if possible then or rent).
Has anyone successfully done this?
We do have a garden which is seldomly used (preferring to be out in the park etc. At weekends). Garden is also a chore with paying a gardener to cut the grass etc.

Yep but I only had 1 kid. (Single parent) friend of mine did it with her two girls very successfully too. If it make sense you will make it work x

With rising house prices what is the likelihood you'll be able to move into a 2 bed in a couple years? I don't think the likelihood is all that high TBH as if house prices go up for 1 beds, it'll also go up for 2 and 3 beds.
It may be possible (just) for a couple years but honestly I'd be worried about getting stuck in a one bed for years and years.

It should be fine, but only for a few years. If/when DS wants to sleep separately, could you temporarily put a bed in the living room for example?

It's doable, but why?

Agree with PP. You might be okay for a couple of years but this plan seems to rest on you somehow being able to afford a bigger place that's currently impossible in quite a short space of time, and then another again a handful of years after that. You may well be in a situation where you know that your income is going to rise considerably in that space of time. But unless that's a near certainty I don't fancy your chances.

Actually recent reports have said that London prices will increase less proportionately than the south east generally due to very high increases already. Be careful not to get caught out there op, and also factor I the cost of moving each time which I at least 5-6% of the value of the property depending on stamp duty.

I don't see why not, but are you sure of increased funds in the future to buy a bigger place? I found my outgoings increased massively as my children got older.

Also remember that development in London is often small apartments - you may find you're stiluck because of the over supply of one beds and limited amount of larger properties that will retain their value. Where possible you should try and get the most for your money to protect your investment.

Not sure where you mean by "outer zones" but the prices there might not move much, meaning you could stand to make little profit on your 1 bed when you come to sell and therefore have v little money to upsize with. If I were you, I'd be thinking I'd need minimum 2 bedrooms once your kids are 8 and 4- ideally 3 as you have a boy and a girl (or 2 bedrooms and a box room) and I can't see how 1 bedroom- even for the next 2 years- is doable.

It would definitely be possible in the short term, but I agree with the PPs about the affordability of buying a larger place.

Would you consider moving into the front room eventually? On a sofa bed? That way, the DCs could share the main bedroom. You would have to be prepared to pack your bed away each morning, but I know several people living in Central London who do this to stay in the location they live in.

Haven't done it but yes absolutely - a considerable portion of the world have huge families living, sleeping and cooking in one room. Do what you need to do. Financially it's probably a great idea in the long term.

I would give the bedroom to the children to share and have a sofa bed in the living room. The main issue I see in the medium term is the gender difference of your children going through puberty, but again this is essentially a first world problem; hopefully you could create separate areas in the bedroom through creative placement of furniture or curtains.

Choose your location carefully, in terms of (secondary) schooling, in case you can't move as quickly as you hope.

That's not even overcrowded in London!

I absolutely don't think gender differences are a first world problem. I think it is essential that adolescents share a room with others of the same sex

It depends on what your priorities are. If it's just to have a roof over your heads then fine.

Personally I think it's good for everyone to have a bit of space. Could you buy a 2 bed house with the possibility of a roof conversion in a few years time? That would increase the house value too.

It's not clear whether you are already in London. It's personal choice but I would prioritise having enough actual space to live in comfortably over the desire to live in a particular part of the city. Your budget for a 1 bed box would probably buy you a 3 bed house half an hour away from Euston. It's a personal decision

By the way OP any reason why you wouldn't consider moving out of London? Schools etc are so much better (I now live in Oxfordshire) more for your money x

Schools in London are on the whole rather good these days 90.

OP, can you stretch to a two-bed - either slightly further out or one that needs doing up, or even a flat with a loft that can be converted?

One bedroom is fine for now, but it's difficult to predict your needs or where the housing market will be.

I wouldn't
Really unfair on your 6y old
Where is her toys clothes possessions books diaries glitzy bits and bobs go?
My 6y old would be absolutely devastated to lose her bedroom
Also means friends can't come and play as no where for them
To go

My DD had a friend in a tiny flat. Her other friend went over and they watched tv all night and the friend couldn't sleep at home that night after. Children need space to play and space of their own.

I'd be reluctant to do this - one bedroom would be fine in the short term, yes, but what if it turns out to be difficult to upsize later, or the property market doesn't shift in the next few years (or even goes down)?

How would you manage the one bed flat if you're still there when the DC start hitting puberty?

I wouldn't. Too over crowded and no privacy for anyone. My family all shared a bedroom until I was 6. Two parents, dsis and dbro.

By "outer zones" how far out are you talking? I live in Bromley (London zone 5) and couldn't afford a 1 bed out here if my life depended on it. House prices could still increase, and you could find it difficult to move in. On the other hand, DP thinks house prices will fall after Brexit.

Is there a reason why you need to move now? It sounds a bit strange to want to downgrade from a 2 bed house to a 1 bed flat at this stage in your life.

If the garden is that much of a pain, just get it paved over ;)

Don't underestimate your clothes drying room!

i think it really would depend on the size of the one bedroom flat. if the bedroom was large then it should be fine. but at the moment a 6 year old boy might be happy to co sleep with you but really is this going to continue once he goes into junior school? also what if your dd doesn't want to co- sleep - you are assuming that she will feel the same as her brother and chances are she wont. with a big bedroom I would look to get a single bed and a set of bunk beds in there. use storage boxes to divide up the room so there is a bit of privacy. if you don't want to this straight away then please make sure you have the space to do it when you need to. I don't think you can plan to move on in a couple of years so make sure its somewhere you could stay for say 10 years if you had to. I would also look for something with a balcony that you could use as outdoor drying space if needed.

before you move, have a massive declutter otherwise your new flat will feel small. kids are pretty agreeable at the ages you have them at now. they wont be as the eldest gets towards 11 and starts needing home work space, friends round etc. difficult to think ahead I know but you have to see how they are going to change.

It's doable but you need a decent sized living room and good floor to ceiling space. You put the kids in the bedroom in a set of bunk beds. You get yourself a good sofa bed for the living room, which becomes your bedroom when you need to sleep.

The trick is to be really organised and you need to be pretty ingenious with storage space and the like. If you google 'living in small spaces' you can get some great ideas for helping maximise storage. IKEA is also pretty good for stuff that is multi-functional.