What’s the done thing with the Uni kids bedroom?

[WhatsAppening]

I have plans.

The tumble dryer currently lives in the dining room so that’s going up there. I’m thinking a whole laundry room, with hanging space and even an ironing board.

DH wants to move his office up there (wfh for the foreseeable) as it’s bigger and lighter than the office downstairs, and spread his music stuff out over the office instead.

I’m also considering making it a walk in wardrobe.

DS is appalled and thinks we should stay the fuck out of his room while he’s away

What are your plans?

(Obviously lighthearted before anyone jumps on me, it will still be his bedroom however we repurpose it temporarily).

We're not there yet - few years off already decided and agreed by girls DD1 and DD2 - in small box room will swap. I'd be expecting them to sort and move/pack their things with some help rather than me go in and do it - will expect to do some re-decorating at same time.

When DS goes - not sure will talk through options with them all - when DD2 goes - may have to move DH desperately wants to change job which means long commute or another move so it's the kids schooling keeping us here.

When we have less children here there will be pressure to have IL stop in the children's rooms rather than sleep downstairs on sofa beds as they are getting older - so DS room may end up with a bouble bed or larger sofa bed in there and be a sort of guest room/p/t child room.

I didn't have my own room long - shared most of my life - and wasn't allowed to decorate the room much - I was back every holiday for a short while and it was there - went and did masters straight after and sibling returned so after that it was sofa downstairs till I moved and started job. I've only once been allowed to stop under their roof with first GC and never again - so have to pay out for hotels when we visit.

There is space pressure even in four bed house but I hope the children feel they can always visit or even live with us.

My children will always have a bedroom at my house. It may not be the original room and it may end up sleeping the grandchildren but there has to be space for them to return to.

@GreyhoundG1rl

I think I’d probably have used it as wall to wall storage and had the three boys in together. Me too. It seems the obvious solution.

It’s not great to fill a teenager’s bedroom with howling babies while they’re trying to do GCSEs or A levels.

@GreyhoundG1rl

I think I’d probably have used it as wall to wall storage and had the three boys in together. Me too. It seems the obvious solution.

the small double didnt have room for a single bed and bunk beds due to the size of it and placement of built in wardrobes. you could have probably got them in at a squeeze but then wouldnt have been able to access the top bunk without climbing on the single bed and the bottom two would have been touching like a double bed, not really ideal. really it was only a big single. we did consider it but with the age gap and layout we went with the best option. all the boys we happy with the arrangement and they are all good friends.

Repurposing a room as an office with a bed in it sounds perfectly reasonable to me - especially when space is at a premium.

Or rotating rooms round to give younger siblings more space.

Please don’t, however, spend the whole drive to uni chatting about how said DC is “leaving home for good”, redecorate their room within a couple of weeks and keep overtly referring to it as “the guest bedroom” to said DC like my parents did! (They already had a bloomin’ guest bedroom!)

DD(10) is getting DS's large double and he is having her box room with a really decent sofa bed and new decor, shelves and storage. I really think it is her turn to have the good room, but I hadnt thought about further disruption this winter and DS being back here all the time! I think I might stall for a bit and let DD half take over both rooms and see what happens in the autumn.