To give up my bedroom?

[Stuckinarut81]

I live in a 3 bed HA house, it’s just me and my 2 dc, age 15 and 9.

I say 3 bed, but one of the bedrooms is tiny, and dd2 has that one. She’s got a shorter than normal single bed, as there’s no way I’d have been able to put any furniture in there if it was a regular single. I spent around £1k less than a year ago making her room lovely, with lots of clever ikea storage.

Dd1 has a small double room and my bedroom is a large double.

Problem is, dd2 is growing like a weed and I reckon in maybe a year she’ll have outgrown her bed, and then I’d have to take all her furniture and storage away so she could have a normal single bed. And then I’d have the issue of where to put all her clothes and belongings, there really isn’t anywhere else for it all to go.

So I was considering when the time comes giving her my room. Meaning I don’t have a bedroom anymore. I’d have to sleep downstairs in the living room, either getting a sofa bed or by turning it into a proper bedroom and then having no living room. I have a bf who stays a couple of nights a week so would need a double bed (no plans to ever live together ).

There are only 2 rooms downstairs, and you have to go through the living room to get to the kitchen. And only one bathroom in the house, which is upstairs.

It’s very unlikely dd1 will move out for a long time yet, she’s autistic and I anticipate she’ll be well into her twenties before she goes (if she ever goes!). And her autism means that the girls can’t share a room, so putting them in together is a no no.

Am I mad to consider this? Really don’t want to give up my house as private renting is so expensive around here.

Is the big room big enough to split?

Would the Ikea kallax bed hack work? It’s been good in my sons room, and fits all his clothes and toys

@thehop I expect the big room is just about big enough to split, but I wouldn’t be allowed to do that as it’s not my house. And a thin partition wouldn’t really work as dd1 would end up being driven mad by dd2.

Will look at Ikea Kallax idea, thanks.

Your house sounds like my last house!

I had to put my two in together because we had nuisance neighbour kids who would bang on the front windows of the boxroom downstairs, which I chose to sleep in originally, before realising it was easier to have my eldest down there. So in the end I was in the bigger room upstairs, they shared the next biggest room. Which is super not ideal.

Does the living room have enough space for you to put some sneaky wardrobe in it for your daughter, or you if you swap rooms? If I'd stayed at that property, I wanted to put shelves up with doors in (cupboards, that's the word I'm missing). But there was just about enough room for a chest of drawers downstairs.

Can't you sleep in the little room and keep your clothes in one of the girls rooms?

Could you get a hi-bed with storage underneath?
There’s no way I’d consider going for any length of time without a room of my own.

Is your house private or council rented?. I know lots.of people.who have.split their rooms unofficially if its.council.

I think if you have a partner who stays, then it's preferable you have a bedroom, especially if it is a situation that you have to go through the living room to get to the kitchen.

I'd get her a normal bed. Then look for other storage solutions in various places round your home.

I can't get past 1k spent on a box room!!!!

Why can’t she share wardrobe space in your room and have a single bed and small set of drawers in hers?

If I had the little room it would mean my bf could never stay over which would kinda suck.

Dd2 had a high sleeper in there before I did her room up and it was awful. It was literally all there was space for in the room, and it made the room look even smaller, and dingy as it blocked the window. And she couldn’t hang out in there as who wants to climb up a ladder and hang out in a 2 foot gap between the mattress and the ceiling?

Offer the box room to dd1? Or put them both into the biggest room together, you take the small double, then turn the box room into a bit of a den that they have to take turns chilling out in for some alone time.

It’s HA and I do get inspections once every few years.

Her sharing my wardrobe might have to be the way it goes, and keeping her room.

Seems like no one thinks not having a bedroom is a good idea. Got to see I’d be very sad not to have it, I do love my bedroom.

How tall do you think she will be though? I'm 5'4" and I sleep in a shortie single divan. It's fine, plenty of room, but I don't move around in my sleep.
Perhaps if you give the measurements of the small bedroom someone might be able to make a room plan.

Could you put a concertina door on it?

I think she will be quite tall, I’m 5’8” and she’s always been very tall for her age. She’s just turned 9 and currently around 145cm with size 4 feet!

Will measure when I can find the measuring tape!

If you don't make it too high, she could still have room to chill out on a day bed type thing, pull outs like this would work for hanging space?

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/581034789400203720/?nic=1

Another option might be to go down the Japanese route : padded floor with a roll mattress and shelving instead of wardrobes (and give her some extra space in yours).

I would take a look at tiny rooms and capsule living on the internet: there are some ingenious ideas on creatively using space, including a bed that pulls down from the ceiling!

Hi! I have a similar (vaguely) set up and I’ll
tell you what I do in case it helps:

I have a 3 bed flat and am a single parent with 2 kids and a boyfriend who stays over sometimes.

My kids have a bedroom each and I sleep in the lounge. My first choice would have been a wall bed but they are expensive and we are possibly moving within a year or 2 so I went for a sofa bed by MADE instead and it’s fine.

My wardrobe and chest of dressers is downstairs and all my makeup is in the bathroom.

I left my small double in the bigger bedroom. When my kids are at their dads and my bf stays, we sleep in it (involves more sheet washing than usual but so be it).

It’s fine, although in an ideal world I’d have my own space. However, kids are mega happy. All their crap is in their rooms which is lovely!

We are a fairly close family I suppose and live in an expensive city on a limited income and love traveling far and often. So for us, this was the best compromise.

Create a communal dressing room structure in part of the big room. You'll loose some privacy but with cleverly placed furniture it could work.

Oops sorry about my fat fingers - I meant I have a 2 bed flat. Actually it’s 88m2!

My DD is 11, very tall and size 7 feet! She also has the box room. We replaced her cabin bed with a full length but narrow bed. It made a huge amount of difference. Obviously we still have to be clever with storage but it's now a great hang out room for her and she can squeeze in a couple of friends. The narrow bed is not an issue and the length accommodates her as an adult. Maybe you could fit one in?

I’m 5”3 and can still squeeze into dc’s toddler bed. Surely it’s unlikely she’ll absolutely need a 190cm single unless she’s very tall?

NM just saw your update!

I have two bed house for me and two kids. They are 20 and 15. I sleep in lounge on sofa or on a small single mattress if I can be bothered to get it out!

Its not ideal but despite working full time plus two evenings a week we wont be moving so have to put up with it.

Can't you put a normal sized single bed in her small room and just have all of her clothes etc. in your room? If you're willing to give up your bedroom entirely, can't you just give up space for a wardrobe/drawers for her?

Also, build her an Ikea Kallax bed. They're amazing.