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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

... in not wanting my MIL to choose our bed without taking our wishes into account

110 replies

jackdaggerette · 09/07/2008 12:03

...and in thinking that as two 27 year old professionals we can probably choose our own bed?

DP and I are buying a house together (we currently both live in my flat, which we intend to sell after we've completed on the new house).

It's bad enough that his mother (who I actually get on very well with) clearly thinks this is HIS house rather than OUR house becuase he is contributing more towards the deposit (despite the fact that once my flat sells I will be paying a very significant lump sum into the mortgage), but I'm gritting my teeth on this one since we plan to get married within the next year or two after which I'm assured by DP she'll see it as OUR house.

The current issue is the bed. We currently sleep in my aesthetically pleasing, comfortable, expensive, 5'9" bed. However, MIL wants to buy us a new bed - actually, is insisting on buying us a new bed. This is extremely kind of her and I am very grateful that she wants to help us out. Unfortunately, the bed she wants to buy us is (a) 5' (DP is a rugby player who sleeps in the middle of the bed. We need all the space we can get. Frankly 5'9" is a bit small for us) and (b) from a bed website so we can't even lie on it before buying it. It's also not as nice to look at as the current bed.

What we would actually like to buy is a 6' zip-link bed so we can have two different mattresses since DP weighs not far off twice what I do so our mattress requirements are fairly different. This is not remotely about money - we have offered to pay the difference for a larger bed or suggested she just make a contribution towards a bed we choose.

We have raised the size issue but she thinks a larger bed will be too dominating in the room (despite the fact that the new bedroom is much bigger than our current room in which the bed looks absolutely fine) - plus it's our room, surely even if we wanted a bed that filled the entire available floor space that would be our choice?

Apparently she's bought beds from this website before and they've been fine. However, when I bought my bed I lay on about 50 beds all of which were very different, plus there is this zip-lock separate matresses issue.

I don't feel we can raise the aesthetics issue since she clearly thinks this is a nice bed and I don't want to upset her - plus it's not actually vile, just not as nice as my bed.

DP thinks MIL will be wildly offended if we put "her" bed in the guest bedroom so that's not a possibilty.

She is just being very adamant about this - there seems to be no way to just say "we do not want this 5' bed we haven't lain on" without causing offence.

Am I being unreasonable in feeling cross about this? She's really nice and she's been ill recently so I'm even more anxious to avoid upsetting her. She's also quite a worrier and I know could easily be really upset by this. I really am grateful for the kind thought, I just want to choose my own bed and simply cannot see why MIL should have the final say in the choice of a bed she will never sleep in!

OP posts:
charitygirl · 10/07/2008 10:48

Alicet - thank you! Great idea - that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Mungarra · 10/07/2008 14:49

She's one of those people, who think they're being 'nice', but are really just controlling. She's bullying you into having something you don't want. That's not being nice.

I would say straight out that you will be buying and choosing your own bed as you're going to be sleeping in it. She will cry, but she'll get over it.

jackdaggerette · 12/07/2008 14:28

Thanks everyone! She's coming to see the house tomorrow so hopefully will see that there's plenty of space for a big bed... if that doesn't work we'l have to review the situation again! Hopefully will all be resolved amicably...

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Hecate · 12/07/2008 14:32

You need to be firm now or she will turn into the mil from hell.

Read some of the mil threads on here and be afraid. Be very afraid.

jackdaggerette · 14/07/2008 09:51

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! Bed issue seems to have gone off the boil since Sunday visit to the house proved that bedroom is clearly big enough for whatever bed we like.

MIL spent entire house viewing trying to control where we put every stick of furniture (we haven't even moved in yet!) and trying to foist other items of furniture she doesn't want on us (er, if it's not nice enough for your house, why would we want it? Plus, we're 27, what would we want a mahogany display cabinet for, displaying our extensive collection of Royal Doulton crinoline ladies? (no ofence intended to anyone who thinks these are lovely, just not my cup of tea) while I seethed quietly. These were not "sugestions" as to where we might put stuff, these were commands as to where OUR furniture would be put.

DP and I had a (private jokey) conversation about a picture he loves and I hate (sports memorabilia stuff). He (jokingly) suggested it go in the sitting room, I said wouldn't it look lovely in his study (where we've already agreed it will go). MIL said "And whose house is this?" in distinctly non-joking way . I accidently said "yes, whose house is this?" in slightly more icy tones than I intended and went to "check something in the kitchen" before I actually exploded.

DP had a word with her later that day and is now going to go round for lunch next weekend without me to have a proper talk and point out that it is OUR house not his (or hers!) and also kindly explain that we have all the furniture we want and do not want/need large, unwieldy reject objects and that if she doesn't want them, she should give them to a charity shop.

Am so glad DP is intervening but still simmer with rage whenever think about it. The silly thing is that otherwise we get on really well, there just seems to be a block where the house is concerned! Hopefully it will improve after the talk next weekend - or when we actually move in and baricade the door against unwanted furniture...

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MrsTittleMouse · 14/07/2008 10:03

Just repeat to yourself over and over - DP is on your side. That's the key here. She may try to be a nightmare, but you have the trump card - DP agrees with you and is willing to go and sort her out as his problem.

jackdaggerette · 14/07/2008 10:20

You're totally right, MrsTM, thanks! Just needed a rant to get it off my chest

Hopefully will all sort out after next weekend.

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Sim43 · 14/07/2008 10:28

My ex husband chose my bed for me and my partner, now that is kind of weird!

jackdaggerette · 14/07/2008 10:41

Sim43 - did he choose it for you and your new DP after the two of you had split up?! You guys must have a great post-split relationship - congratultions

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Sim43 · 14/07/2008 11:11

Well he wanted the old one (god knows why), so he bought me a new one and yes it was for me and my new partner. Unfortunately our post split relationship has gone a little downhill since. It was a bit weird to say the least choosing a bed with my ex FOR me and my partner.

jackdaggerette · 14/07/2008 11:58

Hehe, Sim43 - assume you din't go around the shops saying "oooh, this is nice and bouncy", "good headboard for handcuffs" etc? [win] Must have been a weird shopping trip!

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Sim43 · 14/07/2008 12:22

Yes it was prob more embarrasing for me than my ex, and he told the guy we were buying the bed from, the whole story. Funnily the guy he just laughed and sympathised WITH ME! Prob realised why I was splitting up with him.

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 10:25

Update - yippee! We have ordered our giant 6' bed, soft side for me, firm side for DP, exactly what we wanted! Can't wait for it to be delivered. Now we just need to avoid acquiring MIL's unwanted mahongany display cabinet (to display WHAT???) and we will be all set!

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partaria · 20/07/2008 10:45

surely it will be perfect for displaying the large collection of porcelain figurines she will also be keen for you to take off her hands ?

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 14:14

Oh, Partaria, you have voiced my fears! And then that's what she'll give us for birthdays and Christmas for ever after. The sort you get in the back of the kind of magazines you find in the doctor's surgery - this kind of thing springs to mind... or perhaps this...

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tootyflooty · 20/07/2008 14:30

Kind of her to want to help, but a bed is personal choice you definatly needs to try them out, maybe say you are sticking with your old bed for now until you have settled into your new home and decide what will suit your new room, once you have lived in it for a while. Give in now and you will be for ever.If she is a reasonable person she will understand.

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 14:40

Oh I soooo love the gone with the wind figurines!!!! (sarcasm) lol
My DH's Uncle emigrated to NZ a few years ago and we wer made to hire a luton truck to pick up stuff from his house (3hour drive away) that was all really useless! Lovely PINK crystal chandelliers! A really stunning brass clock! Mahogany TV cbinet! (Oh it was awful!) basically, the hire of the luton and the petrol cost far more than the bunk beds that we were actually grateful of, would have cost if we had bought them new! I was more interested in the wodden rocking chair, but when my DH got there, they had decided they were taking it with them after all!

When we moved into our house, we were given a piano and a welsh dresser - we gave the piano to a charity shop - it was beautiful, but just didn't go with anything and the dresser couldn't be given away - we had a sign on it outside our house "Take me I'm yours" and nobody wanted it - we had to take it to the tip! Oh and to think, I was promised all the Country Roses tea sets to go on it too! Pity it just didn't fit after we had our 6ft fish tank installed! Such a shame!
x

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 15:36

Hannah81 - just Googled the Country Roses china - how tragic you couldn't fit it in . Am also fascinated by the pink crystal chandelliers...

Just had an update from DP - apparently we are not only having the display cabinet but also a "corner unit" which sounds marginally worse. Apparently we can put our glasses in the display cabinet - and there I was thinking it was ok to keep them in the kitchen cupboards like normal people. Frankly I may as well resign myself right now to the fact that I am going have to spend the rest of my life someone else's sitting room and start collecting those Gone With The Wind figurines straight away. Also I should probably get some lace doillies and perhaps some antimaccassars...

At least I won on the bed front...

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Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 15:53

Well the country roses are still ours if we want them, so seeing as you liked them so much, why don't you have them to go on your display cabinet? - I'm sure they would really suit in your sitting room!!!

It would be such a shame if your display cabinet and stylish corner unit got damaged during transit - make sure the driver secures them well and doesn't go over any road humps - how tragic would that be?

Oh the pink crystal chandelliers - they were adorable! they even left the light bulbs in them for us! Pity i threw them out, they'd go lovely with your gone with the wind figurines.

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 15:56

Did I say throw them out? Silly me! What i meant to say was, my husband dropped the box and they got smashed - I was so devastated!

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 16:03

Oh just bending the subject slightly, xmas just gone i was still pregnant with my now 10wk old and my DH's great aunt bought me a kaftan in the strangest gold/pink/peach colours - seriously it was meant for seriously obese people! It was almost as big as my living room! She thought it would be good to hide my bump! Not that I wanted my bump hidden, but boy! I couldn't have stuck out any more in that! I did (for some bizarre reason) try it on for a laugh to show my DH - and had literally MILLIONS of static shocks taking it off!!!

I think I did a good job in convincing everyone it was exactly what i needed! It went promptly out for recycling - My DH did ask if we could sell it on ebay - but really, not even ebay could have done that "little" number justice!
x

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 16:07

Ooooh, Hannah, thanks so much for the country roses offer but I couldn't posibly deprive you and your heirs of such a treat

Tragically I think MIL will be packing up these delights and sending them down to us otherwise perhaps it could have been arranged for the back door of the lorry to fall open en route? Oh god, am going to be living in my grandmother's house...

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cocoledoublepost · 20/07/2008 16:10

You do know that she's giving you display units, as she is preparing to buy you figurines for birthdays/Christmas/anniversaries?

You really have to say 'no'. It's tough if she gets upset, she's an adult not a child. I have the MIIL from hell, btw.

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 16:12

Haha, Hannah, only just saw your kaftan story! That is awesome. My cousin once bought me a silver, quilted baseball cap - the mind boggles as to how these things are ever designed and made, let alone purchased.

The true reality of my lovely new house being marred by all this old-fashioned, heavy furniture is starting to sink in - the really alarming thing is that am starting to suspect that DP may secretly quite like this furniture... what am I getting myself into?

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FabioUnblogged · 20/07/2008 16:14

Can you tell her that your new place is going to be full of your stuff, and her stuff doesn't go with it, and no one will be able to appreciate the full beauty of her tat cabinet?