To think a one bed flat is too small for a couple?

[Egaman]

I live in a one bed flat with dp. It’s a cute flat but small. The front door off a corridor opens straight into the living room, so you hear people walking right past your sofa. The only toilet is the en-suite. No outdoor space.

AIBU to think this too small? Especially for people on a reasonably good salary

I suppose it depends on how much time you stay in there. If it's mainly for sleep and the odd evening in I'd say it's fine

Surely it's all personal? We lived in 1 bed flats for years before kids, always fine as we were both out at work / socialising most of the time. We wanted to spend our money on fun, travel etc rather than rent.

Plenty of people live in that scenario just fine.

If you have the money for more space then go for it. If you don’t then make the most of what you have.

It depends on the flat. Some one bed flats are spacious with lots of storage. Others are really small.

It also depends on circumstances. Do either of you work from home, for example, or have hobbies that take up a lot of space?

If you can afford to move and want to move somewhere bigger then do so, otherwise, if it’s what you can afford, then it’s fine. My husband and I lived in a one bed flat for 18 months with a baby and managed.

It depends on your future plan. I lived with DH several years in a studio then on a one bed flat to save for a deposit. It worked well for us.

As a long term/permanent living arrangement, yes it would be too small.

What is your DP saying? I’m presuming this post is some sort of poll to ascertain what the hive mind thinks, so you can present it back to him?

My son and his girlfriend live in a small one bed flat because it’s all they can afford but they love it, because it’s right by the sea and five minutes from the city centre. They struggle with space but on balance they’re very happy there. But they both grew up in very small houses so I guess it depends what your expectations are.

Ours was fine, why would we need more room as a couple? It was even okay with 1 child. Then second child came and had to move.

We rent a one bed flat (with front door straight into living room) before we had our son. I absolutely loved it and we had plenty of space.

We would have stayed there with the baby for a bit but the landlord sold it.

Circumstances mean that DH and I currently live in a small one bedroom flat with a newborn, and likely will for the next 12-18 months. We manage.

I assume from your OP that you want to move and your DP doesn't?

It sounds like the place DH and I rented for a year when we first got together, we found it fine for the 2 of us.

The front door off a corridor opens straight into the living room, so you hear people walking right past your sofa.
I know of (and have stayed in) a one and a half million pound flat in London where this is also the case!

Not at all.

Not at all Usually people make choices by what they can afford
I live in the tiniest flat, basically a studio with a tiny bedroom and wet room
There was a couple here before me and the reason they moved was because they split up

I lived in a bedsit first with my husband.

Is one bedroom, a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom too small a space for a couple?
No. Obviously it's not.

If you don't like it and want more space then fair enough but is it enough space? Yes.

If you find it too small then you find it too small. It’s subjective, really. It sounds as though the problem is that the living space isn’t adequate and is awkwardly laid out, though, rather than specifically needing a second bedroom.

You're adults, it's up to you.

If you live somewhere smaller because you both prioritise the money going on something else then fine. This is between you and your partner - it's not really about hallways and separate bathrooms, it's about listening to each other and reaching an agreement where you are both happy.

If you are unhappy, you can afford to move, and your partner doesn't care or listen, then it's a problem.

I think it depends on the flat and the layout - my (one bed) flat has a long hallway and I like that my sofa is far enough away from the front door that I can't hear people, but on the other hand that extra could have gone on the rooms?

Maybe look for a bigger one bed if you don't think there's enough space? Mine is about 54 sq m and would be fine for two people IMO.

We used to live in an open plan flat, and although it was actually quite large we eventually decided we needed more than one living area so we could get a bit of space from each other. Especially post-lockdown, which we coped with but it was limiting. So I’d definitely agree that a small flat with this layout isn’t ideal in the long term.

This is a bit like asking on a forum whether a particular food is nice. It's a preference. Some couples live happily in a camper van. Some live separately because they require more space.

Why do you ask?

Depends on the size and how many other rooms you have.

DH had a one bedroom flat when I met him, which I then moved into. The kitchen was tiny, but the bathroom was its own room (as in, not an en suite), there was a large-ish hallway that the front door opened into, and the living room and bedroom were both big.

If it had had a bigger kitchen it would be been completely fine. A better dining area would have made it perfect for two people.

I think it depends on the size. The one beds I’ve lived in have been large Victorian conversions which worked out ok. It sounds like it’s more an issue with your flat than the number of rooms. Only an en suite would annoy me, and I’d hate having a door that opened straight into the living room.

For the person asking why you’d need more than one bedroom without a child, err, well a lot of people work from home so ideally you’d have an office space. Just because you don’t have children doesn’t mean you’re not deserving of more space, a garden etc.

Context is everything.

A city centre flat with all the delights and distractions just beyond the doorstep, and where space is very expensive, is an exciting prospect if you’re like my friend. It describes his retirement flat. He can walk a few metres from his front door and be in the heart of one of the best food markets in London. He’s pared back his possessions and is having a ball.

The same flat in a run down town by an industrial estate doesn’t have the same appeal.