Help! Box room dilemma

[Rocky1989]

We currently have our cottage on the market within less than 1 year of purchase because my husband wants to move because of this small bedroom! We have 2 children, 1 boy (6) and 1 girl (2) and was thinking when my son hits approx 9/10 and possibly starts growing out of toys and my daughter into them the to swap and put my son in the box room but my husband says it's just too small. I have my dream home in the right location and don't want to give it up, it's right next to there school all there friends and has a 60 ft garden. We have looked into an article conversation but it's too small. The dimensions of the room are 5.7ft wide by 6.8ft length. A single beds width is on the door frame so thinking we are going to have to have custom made. Looking for ideas, suggestions on our situation (kind words only please) and opinions on anyone who has had a small room as a bedroom.

Tbh that window would bother me with small children more than the size of the room. What about a cabin bed so they can have room to play or a desk underneath it?

Yep definitely a high up bed, probably custom as you say.
Alternatively can you steal space from another bedroom? Can you post a layout plan?

It is an exceptionally small room even for a box room, but I don't really think you need to move immediately.
I would not ever make your son have this room though, it isn't big enough for a bed and desk, which he would need as he approaches secondary school.

I think it will cause you future problems unless there is another way to make more space.

No way would i give up my dream house in the perfect location because of a small bedroom, especially when it's a problem for the future, rather than right now. With such a large garden is an extension not a possibility, if not now then in a few years time? My dd is 16 and still in a box room, it is what it is.

Do you have any other storage space? My room was the box room and the solution we had was the cupboard in the hall became my wardrobe/storage and so all I needed in my room was a bed and a desk.

If the garden is 60ft, can you have an extension in the future if you really want to stay?

Could do, the windows upstairs are always locked with the keys on a shelf out of the way and all our rooms have small windows at the top so not so bad. I was thinking a cabin bed but I need it to accommodate wardrobes etc. Looking for any ideas or thoughts on a kid having a small bedroom.Where thinking of putting our son in there at age 9/10 thoughts anyone?

If the garden is 60ft can you not extend? You’d save the stamp duty/moving costs and you don’t even need to do it immediately as your DD will be fine in that room until about 5 when she outgrows a toddler bed then you could always do a high sleeper. Or what about reconfiguring to steal space from DS’s current room so you have 2 decent singles but no box room. Or going into the loft. Like you I’d be loathe to move again after only a year if everything else about the house is perfect so I’m thinking there’s surely got to be a solution somewhere!

I would get a high sleeper, not a cabin bed, as you will need all the room underneath for playing as well as putting other furniture etc. It will double the potential floor space. My son had a high sleeper from age 5 and it was perfect for him at the time.
I honestly don't think your son is going to want to be in this room when he is 9/10 and by the time he gets to a teen he's not really going to want a high sleeper. My youngest had a room 9 x 7.5 for most of his childhood and it was cramped so I can see why your DH thinks yours is too small, but it could work for a lot of years.

Edited to say - I would do the room with your dd in mind, and leave your son where he is. Also, I think you need to forget about wardrobes - they will not fit in a room this size. Just have a set of drawers under the high sleeper.

I love that window and could easily see a cushion there and curl up with a book.
A room like this must be kept tidy which is the biggest challenge. A bed with storage under would be critical.
Could you also mount cupboards above the bed on the wall to maximise the space above the bed? This isn't a great picture but the best I could see on Pinterest on a quick look: (minus the wardrobe end) https://pin.it/7vF9G7KP1
The IKEA Platsa looks similar.
You could also then add a bedside light to this to negate the need for a bedside table

Finally I'd add a fold down desk above the radiator - Pith and stem do some awesome ones but many pennies, but perhaps you could find something similar?

If you have a big garden, could you put a really sturdy big shed in it which can be a playroom and then further down the line a teenager hangout space?

As PP have said, you are giving up a lot for a problem you don’t yet have. Extending sounds like a much better option. Instead of spending money on stamp duty and moving costs, which is then dead money, you spend it on increasing the value of your home.

We have a room like this and make it work for DC10. High sleeper with desk, drawers and wardrobe underneath.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/smastad-loft-bed-white-white-with-desk-with-4-drawers-s99428866/

I also love the idea of a garden pod- it would make a cute playhouse when they’re little then great teen hangout when they’re older.

I wouldn’t go for a high sleeper bed when he’s older , everyone I know who has had one said their kids didn’t want it after they were about 8yrs. Also it’s hard to change the bedding, and kids can get too big for them quickly. My DD had an Ikea Kura bed with the mattress up the top from age 4 ish and by 6 she was bored of climbing up all the time and asked for a “normal bed” again 😆

What’s the space like in the rest of the house? If your son has to have that room is there space else where in the house for homework etc? Another room to store his clothes? My 12yr DD has a small room, not as small as yours and it has a desk but she still does homework downstairs on our big dining table.

It might be hard to try and sell the house within a year of buying it. Plus all the costs. In your shoes I would keep the younger child in the smallest room and make
space in other rooms for their clothes etc.

My dd(8) has a room this size. We fit a lot in but she currently has a short bed (165cm) across the window end with floor space underneath to play. It’s built in but you can buy mattresses this size eg from ikea. We are hoping to change the house before she gets much bigger but otherwise I would soon need to get a high sleeper along the long wall. You can get 80cm wide ones fairly standardly.

Leave your DD in her room, the smallest room. Honestly I think at 9 your son would absolutely kick off if he got swapped to the smaller room after having the larger bedroom for years. You learn to live in the space you have and accommodate it elsewhere. That might be a garden room or whatever.

Can you upload a floor plan of the upstairs (usually on RIghtmove under the sold section) to see if there is potential to grab some space from an adjoining room?

If you do need to move let it be when your eldest is looking toward secondary schools. Just because the primary is good doesn't mean the secondary is great. Consider moving then. Right now the house works for you.

My DC share a box room at their dad’s place. They are 10 and 12. I got them a custom made high sleeper in an L shape. The room is like 2.8m x 2.5m (for 2 kids!!!)
We managed to set up two desks and a chest of drawers underneath and a little clothing hanger thing near the window.
It’s tight but it works. They don’t seem to mind the small room.

My ds who is 14 and 6ft 2 his room is similar size. He has a desk on the left side of the wall with a built in wardrobe. The radiator is under his desk. A built in single bed with draws underneath and draws over the bed.

Would you be able to send me a picture please 🙏

@Rocky1989 I hope this helps.

Its small but not an uncommon size for a “smallest” /box bedroom to in UK houses. Fold down desks, storage beds, high sleepers are all common solutions.

I would not be spending tens of thousands to move within twelve months of the last move on the off chance that a child might not like it in a few years time. Is that seriously why you have put the house on the market? Consider what else you could do improve the house with the costs of moving. At the least I’d wait a year or two and consult on other options for the existing house.

Youngest child will be fine in the box room. Just need to have sensible storage and keep on top of clutter. When we had a box room, we had a big cupboard/wardrobe built in over the bannister on the landing which was used as a wardrobe.

The box room only became a problem when ds was approaching secondary age, and needed a desk, plus wanted to spend more time in his room.

Totally unfair to expect the older child to take the boxroom at 9/10 just when they need their own space more.

Keep youngest in the box, but plan to move by secondary age so she can have more space.

Is there any other way around this problem such is bedroom 1 big enough to spilt it could you move rooms around upstairs?

I would stay and make that work as a sleeping space possibly cabin bed

I’d consider a play space elsewhere- with the money saved how about a garden room for play…or office space to free up elsewhere

Your children won’t know any different

No way to pinch off another room unfortunately