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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get rid of the dining table?

35 replies

FatBurger · 21/08/2023 21:33

Ok, so hardly the AIBU of the century!

We had an extension 12 months ago which has an island that seats 8 comfortably..since having the kitchen extension we've used the dining table once, for Christmas dinner (10 people). We always eat at the island, kids included.

The dining room is largely a toy storage room now. With the dining table in there's not enough room for a comfortable chair or sofa as well and hardly enough floor space for the kids (4&7) to play so they end up dragging all their toys through to the lounge or kitchen (which has a sofa area) because it's where the floor space, and we, are.

I'm proposing to remove the dining table (it's an extendable one) and replace it with a comfortable chair and a rug. But will I regret it? For the one or 2 times a year we'll use it we could get a trestle table and store it in the garage.

The current dining table is too heavy and cumbersome to take apart and store when not in use.

So WIBU to get rid of it?

YANBU - Get rid, you don't need it

YABU - Think of Christmas

OP posts:
Angie147836 · 23/08/2023 08:48

Get rid of it now but prepare to re-buy in a few years when the kids get towards exam years or if someone gets a WFH job. Our dining room has never seen so much use as the last three years!

Xrays · 23/08/2023 08:49

I think it’s important you live for your life. What I mean is who cares what others do or what you feel you “should” do - don’t have a dining table if you’re not going to use it. We have a huge kitchen / diner - nearly 30ft long. When we first did it we had a dining table but we are all neurodiverse and can’t stand sitting eating at a table - sensory reasons, too confrontational etc and we all eat at different times - we do however eat out quite a bit and can manage sitting at a table then so didn’t see it as important to us. We all eat on the sofa in the living room, plates on our laps etc. So we got rid of it and got a huge Guinea pig indoor set up instead 😆 People who come round (few and far between, we don’t have a lot of people coming in anyway) are horrified and think we’re all weird but really who cares? It’s our house, we’re the only ones here. We never have dinner parties or people over for Christmas. It’s important to be happy in your own home.

annahay · 23/08/2023 09:01

Xrays · 23/08/2023 08:49

I think it’s important you live for your life. What I mean is who cares what others do or what you feel you “should” do - don’t have a dining table if you’re not going to use it. We have a huge kitchen / diner - nearly 30ft long. When we first did it we had a dining table but we are all neurodiverse and can’t stand sitting eating at a table - sensory reasons, too confrontational etc and we all eat at different times - we do however eat out quite a bit and can manage sitting at a table then so didn’t see it as important to us. We all eat on the sofa in the living room, plates on our laps etc. So we got rid of it and got a huge Guinea pig indoor set up instead 😆 People who come round (few and far between, we don’t have a lot of people coming in anyway) are horrified and think we’re all weird but really who cares? It’s our house, we’re the only ones here. We never have dinner parties or people over for Christmas. It’s important to be happy in your own home.

I love that you have indoor Guinea pigs! My rabbits used to live indoors when they were little but we have them outside now. I do miss them being in the living room with us.

Xrays · 23/08/2023 09:12

annahay · 23/08/2023 09:01

I love that you have indoor Guinea pigs! My rabbits used to live indoors when they were little but we have them outside now. I do miss them being in the living room with us.

Show quote history

😊 I love having them indoors as they are so much more interactive and part of the family. They are also a good fridge alarm - if they hear the fridge door open they wheek like their lives depend on it! 😆(No one can get away with having a sneaky chocolate without giving them a veggie snack at the same time)!

annahay · 23/08/2023 09:14

@Xrays amazing!

Original poster
FatBurger · 23/08/2023 23:40

Angie147836 · 23/08/2023 08:48

Get rid of it now but prepare to re-buy in a few years when the kids get towards exam years or if someone gets a WFH job. Our dining room has never seen so much use as the last three years!

We both work from home permanently, so have already got that set up thankfully.

OP posts:
HeddaGarbled · 23/08/2023 23:51

But …. but …. don’t you ever have anyone over 50 round?

LoveBluey · 24/08/2023 00:22

@FatBurger can you share a link to your bar stools/seats? I'm on the lookout for some comfy ones!

Murphs1 · 24/08/2023 00:32

I agree, we have a kitchen diner with a big breakfast bar, we all eat at the breakfast bar. Even when more people than stools we end up dragging the dining room chairs up to the breakfast bar!!
Im looking at ways to make the dining area more useable, but as a PP said, is very useful area for the kids doing homework.

Murphs1 · 24/08/2023 00:34

And also would appreciate the link to the comfy stools. Mine are from dunelm but have to say my 75 year old dad sits on them over my sofa more time than not.

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