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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Sleeping arrangements for guests but no spare bedrooms!

32 replies

Bellini81 · 05/10/2014 21:13

I need some sleeping arrangement help for Christmas!

We live in a smallish 3 bed, it was a 2 bed but we converted a large bedroom into 2 bedrooms so the kids got a space of their own.

I may have my dad stay for 2 nights over Christmas plus my two brothers over for at least a 4 nights, they live abroad, so just one or two nights staying with us isn't worth their journey.

I have a large living room but that is it. No other spare rooms like dining rooms etc

My dad could stay in one of my kids beds and my kids could share for a while but they are getting big, so top to tailing may be okay for one night but anymore and they may start killing each other.

I can't afford to stick my brothers in a hotel and they can't afford it either, I will pay for their fare in advance to spread the cost of that.

Are camp beds still lumpy and impractical and what about air beds? I so would love a Christmas all together, I just need another house to fit us all in

OP posts:

loubielou31 · 05/10/2014 21:15

How old are your Dcs? And how big is your bedroom? Could they bunk in with you?

Original poster

Bellini81 · 05/10/2014 21:17

My children are 7 & 12, we have the box room so could maybe fit the smallest in between us for a few nights but my eldest wouldn't share with my dad or my brothers.

OP posts:

loubielou31 · 05/10/2014 21:20

On the floor next to your bed rather than in your bed iyswim.
We're just debating inviting the Il's for Christmas but they would have to stay in a hotel, (they can afford it) we have a sofa bed in the sitting room but DSSs will be here this Christmas so that will be four Dcs in our three bed house with only one loo! And all the Christmas stuff/ tree gifts etc is in the living room there just wouldn't be room for them as well.

chicaguapa · 05/10/2014 21:21

Where are they expecting to sleep for 4 nights?

LoofahVanDross · 05/10/2014 21:22

dad and2 brothers in your bedroom. dc stay where they are. You in lounge?

Artandco · 05/10/2014 21:23

I would have

Your dad in 12 year olds bed, 12 year old on floor in that room.

Brothers in 7 year olds room, one on bed, one floor.

7 year old in your room on floor.

Look at natural Mat camping rolls for best camping beds. They are around £100 each but roll up and feel like a proper matress to sleep on. If you got two then the children could use them in future for any children friends staying over. For 7 year old you can just make a camp bed on floor with extra duvet/ spare blankets etc or let him share your bed if space

sleepyhead · 05/10/2014 21:23

Airbeds are fine for a few nights. Stick your brothers on airbeds in the living room, your dcs can bunk in together for 2 nights and your dad have the other room.

youbethemummylion · 05/10/2014 21:24

I would have the kids in your room either in bed or on floor/camp bed/blow up bed. Dad in one room. Brothers in the other one in bed one on floor. Failing that you and DH in living room but does mean you have to be last to bed and first up.

titchy · 05/10/2014 21:25

You and dp in living room, your dad in your room (if it's only two days you'll get your bedroom back quickly!), dcs in one of their rooms - younger one of air bed, your brothers in the other dcs room, one in a bed the other on maybe a pull out bed or decent camp bed.

loubielou31 · 05/10/2014 21:25

Could one Dc sleep on the floor in the others room? A camping mat and a sleeping bag doesn't need much space and is definitely more comfortable than being kicked by your brother or sister while trying to sleep.
That way your Dad could sleep in the other Dcs room and your brother in the living room.

sleepyhead · 05/10/2014 21:25

I've had a perfectly good night's sleep on this £9.99 job.

joanofarchitrave · 05/10/2014 21:26

Ask around to borrow self-inflating mattresses - much more comfortable than air beds, dh and I are large and old and can't sleep on air beds but are out for the count on Thermarests. There will be people who have them who won't use them at Christmas.

Likewise, do you have a garden? If you google 'winter camping' it's potentially an option for your brothers? You'd need to borrow a lot of good kit though.

MsAspreyDiamonds · 05/10/2014 21:31

If you have a local university nearby then they let out residential halls room very cheaply over the holidays.

Alternatively, the premier inn type hotels often have 25 pn deals advertised before xmas.

Or turn the living room into a bedroom for your brothers & have your dad in one of your dc's room.

DraggingDownDownDown · 05/10/2014 21:31

Are the boy's room big enough for two people ie one on the floor?

The brothers can share for the four nights they are there. Your children can share for the duration and your Dad will have to sleep in the lounge.

Original poster

Bellini81 · 05/10/2014 21:36

Brilliant, thank you so much for all the suggestions

My bedroom has literally no floor space, I have to climb on my bed to get into it, rather than walking round it iyswim.

My brothers are big 6ft lads so was hoping that an air bed or camp bed or similar would be comfy enough for them. My experience of them has always been not great. But that was years ago.

My dad isn't my brothers dad, so that is why I thought stick him in a room if I could.

I don't want to spend hundreds if I can help it, on spare beds etc because I have no where to store it all when Christmas is over.

I may just go on holiday and come back when its over!

OP posts:

loubielou31 · 05/10/2014 21:43

Self inflating camping mats are imo more comfortable than air beds and fine for an adult to sleep on. As others have said it would be worth asking friends if they had any you could borrow, we do and wouldn't be using it over Christmas so would happily lend them to friends. That wouldn't cost anything. But if you had to it wouldn't cost much to buy and also wouldn't take up much room to store.

tippytappywriter · 05/10/2014 21:45

Ask if any friends/neighbours have any spare mattresses/put me up beds?
I'd put your brothers in your room. Dad in one room. Kids sharing. You in the lounge.

Original poster

Bellini81 · 05/10/2014 21:50

Lovely, going to send out a text to camper friends and then go from there, thank you for taking the time to take some of the stress off my over worked brain.

Anything that I have to spend even more money on, at that time of year, gets me totally stressed!

OP posts:

Coffeeinapapercup · 05/10/2014 21:50

Imho Airbeds are fine for your situation. Yes if they were staying regularly you might decide to go for something more expensive but you're already spending a lot.

MyFirstName · 05/10/2014 21:53

Camp beds are pretty good these days - better than airbeds. Something like these. www.amazon.co.uk/Beyondfashion-British-Aluminium-Folding-Outdoor/dp/B00JOAFF48/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1412542006&sr=8-5&keywords=camp+bed

They do not move like airbed - which give me seasickness! Grown man should be fine on it - maybe 2 of these for your brothers in the sitting room as they are fairly quick to put up and down - so they could be removed during the day. Then put your DS's together in one room (one on floor on sleep mat, or on an additional camp bed) and then your Dad in the other DS's bedroom. All three (DDad, DBs) could store their luggage in the room your Dad is in - so this would leave you the living room to live in whilst they are with you.

Lovelydiscusfish · 05/10/2014 23:11

If you do buy an air bed (and could they share a double?) while it might seem counter intuitive I would spend a reasonable amount. Have bought a number of cheapy ones in my time then chucked them out as they just didn't stay inflated. But at friends' have had great nights' sleep on the better ones.
For a while we had a futon mattress which we kept for guests, donated by db when he got rid of his futon. Folded it still wasn't tiny, but we were lucky to have space to store it in my fitted wardrobe. It was v comfy. I see them advertised cheaply second hand, sometimes.

CointreauVersial · 05/10/2014 23:30

We will have 13 on Christmas night.

DM and DSDad in our room.
PILs in DD1's room (double bed).
DD1, DD2 and DNs x 2 in DD2's room
DS in his own room
DH and I in the playroom (one on sofa, on on floor)
DB and SIL on blow up bed in the living room

The blow up bed is brilliant - you just plug it in, switch on the pump and up it goes. It was an Amazon purchase and has been very useful.

Just remember, kids will sleep anywhere. Give them a sleeping bag and a couple of cushions and they will happily bunk up on any flat surface. It's the adult bones which need more support!

Benguinsmummy · 06/10/2014 10:53

There are self inflate beds on offer at Aldi this week, double and kid-sized... 39.99 and 19.99 :)

Sixgeese · 06/10/2014 12:35

And in Lidl next week... same price for a double.

Original poster

Bellini81 · 06/10/2014 13:15

Ohhh I feel a trip to Lidl coming on, thank you for all the tips

OP posts:

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