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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask is a 5bed house is a waste in these circumstances

160 replies

Chickenshwarmamarma · 04/10/2025 18:49

Young couple who have 2dc half the time (and no plans for any more!)…5bed house…is it a waste? YABU=yes ridiculous YANBU=no, each to their own.

OP posts:
TickyandTacky · 04/10/2025 18:51

Depends. Both home working and regular overnight guests, not unreasonable.

RabbitsEatPancakes · 04/10/2025 18:51

Waste of what? Money? If you can afford it and you like it then it's fine even if you've no kids.

Could easily have 1 room as a dressing room, 1 as a hobby room, a study and one as a spare.

Original poster
Chickenshwarmamarma · 04/10/2025 18:51

TickyandTacky · 04/10/2025 18:51

Depends. Both home working and regular overnight guests, not unreasonable.

No only one wfh two days a week max. No visitors overnight…

OP posts:
DaisyChain505 · 04/10/2025 18:52

It’s all relative.

Can they afford it?

Are they making sacrifices else where in life financially because they have a big mortgage etc for the house?

Is it somewhere they see themselves staying for a long time?

It’s a personal choice. Some people prioritise where they live and what their home brings them over things like cars and holidays.

Original poster
Chickenshwarmamarma · 04/10/2025 18:53

DaisyChain505 · 04/10/2025 18:52

It’s all relative.

Can they afford it?

Are they making sacrifices else where in life financially because they have a big mortgage etc for the house?

Is it somewhere they see themselves staying for a long time?

It’s a personal choice. Some people prioritise where they live and what their home brings them over things like cars and holidays.

Edited

Yes they can I presume. Said they will never move again.

OP posts:
DarkTreesWhisper · 04/10/2025 18:54

Buy what you can afford. My friend had a 5 bed house and her 5th bedroom was the laundry room for drying clean clothes and she had her ironing board up permanently in there.

A house can be an investment in terms of increase in value when you choose to downsize.

DaisyChain505 · 04/10/2025 18:54

Chickenshwarmamarma · 04/10/2025 18:53

Yes they can I presume. Said they will never move again.

Show quote history

Well then it’s not a waste.

It’s not as if they’ve been given a house by the council that could be used by a bigger family.

It’s their home, they’ve bought it and if they’re happy, they’re happy.

Donotpanicoknowpanic · 04/10/2025 18:54

Someone sounds jealous 👀

It's up to them what they spend their money on

If they want it...go for it

It's not up to someone else to say what people can or can't do with there lives

Their decision

Their responsibility

BubblesandBows · 04/10/2025 18:56

I have a five bedroomed house and there’s me and two children during the week and DH at weekends. The fifth bedroom acts as a drying room for clothes and no one sleeps in the fourth bedroom but the kids do watch tv in there on the bed. We have plenty space downstairs and they have a playroom as well as us having a living room and a dining room and conservatory. Nice big garden for the children and a double garage for storage! For us it’s not a waste x

BournardTourney · 04/10/2025 18:57

People make the mistake of only buying enough space for what they need but that leaves no room to spread out as circumstances change. Just because they are listed as bedrooms, they don’t have to stay that way. A library? A screening room? An upstairs dining room?

childofthe607080s · 04/10/2025 18:58

On the one hand- their money their choice

howwver if it were an elderly couldn’t living in a 5 bed there would be mutterings on here about taking family homes from people who need them and how they should downsize

Bananafofana · 04/10/2025 18:59

We have a 7 bed house with 2 dc and have just turned the extra bedrooms into rooms - a study each, a gym, a tv and games room etc people can do what they like with their money

Owly11 · 04/10/2025 19:04

Why do you care?

WhereIsMyLight · 04/10/2025 19:05

Just because they are listed as bedrooms, doesn’t mean they need to be used for sleeping in. They could become play rooms, snugs, studies, gyms, craft rooms.

Perhaps they’ve decided to get a big house so they have space to downsize later. Maybe one of them has an extensive hobby and the other got fed up of it being everywhere so wanted it contained. Maybe they have plans for other children but don’t fancy sharing that information yet. Maybe they want a drying room or a walk in wardrobe. Maybe the just need a junk room so the rest of the house can stay clean. Does it matter? They can afford it and it’s them that has to maintain it.

HelterSkelter224 · 04/10/2025 19:08

We have a 5 bed with 2dc, we use all the space in the house. I’m curious, what’s it to you?

WickedElpheba · 04/10/2025 19:08

It sounds like you're talking about someone else in which case it's wholly for them to decide if it's a waste or not.

Theif · 04/10/2025 19:13

I have a 4 bedroom house for just me. It's an investment for my future as much as a place to live. If I choose to have kids, want to take in a lodger, travel and rent it out I want to have stretched myself as much as possible when it comes to property to make sure I have as many choices as possible.

FortnumsWeddingBreakfastTeaPlease · 04/10/2025 19:13

Donotpanicoknowpanic · 04/10/2025 18:54

Someone sounds jealous 👀

It's up to them what they spend their money on

If they want it...go for it

It's not up to someone else to say what people can or can't do with there lives

Their decision

Their responsibility

So, 2 adults, 2 kids. That's 4. In a 5 bed. Omigod.

Are you the other parent (or that parent's mum) of the kids who's pissed because you're a bit squished in a 2 bed semi or something?

canchewcashew · 04/10/2025 19:14

We have a house that's bigger than we 'need', if every bedroom were used only for sleeping. But we use the other rooms for other things (wfh, hobbies), so the space doesn't go unused. Speaking as someone who doesn't get out of the house much, the extra room has been invaluable. Definitely not a waste.

Hallywally · 04/10/2025 19:15

Couldn’t care less, up to them 🤷🏻‍♀️

Alconleigh · 04/10/2025 19:17

My partner and I have no kids and live in a 4 bed house. Wasn’t aware this was something I had to worry about other peoples opinions on Confused

londongirl12 · 04/10/2025 19:19

1 room for them, 1 room for each DC, 1 WFH office room, 1 spare room for any guests.
why do you care???

Growlybear83 · 04/10/2025 19:19

We’ve lived in a five bedroom house for the last 35 years and have no children at home now, but we’ve got no plans to downsize. We’ve always loved having plenty of space.

Theeternalrocksbeneath · 04/10/2025 19:26

My husband and I live in a 4 bed detached house. Never had kids, we wanted lots of lovely space just for us and so that’s what we bought! We do also have a million animals so the space helps with them, but it’s not like we have cages of small furries in every room - most of them live outside (apart from the dogs 😄)

I do remember a couple of people raising an eyebrow when we bought the house - “what, it’s just the two of you??” which did make me smile. Our money, our choice - the more space the better!

ResusciAnnie · 04/10/2025 19:29

Chickenshwarmamarma · 04/10/2025 18:53

Yes they can I presume. Said they will never move again.

Show quote history

So it’s not you then - so why do you care if it’s some sort of ‘waste’?

It’s not a waste, the house isn’t going to run out. WFH you say - 1 office each then perhaps. 1 bedroom for each child. Master. Spare room. Dressing room. Music room. So many options.

(Also thinking can they really be that young if they already have a kid each/one of them has 2, with custody arrangements, and the mean to buy a 5 bed 😄)