Unequal bedroom sizes for DC- solutions

[GiraffesAndButterflies]

I am getting ahead of myself thinking about what we might want to buy next time we move house. We can afford a 3 bed in our current area, but they all have such comparatively tiny third bedrooms. We have a DD and a DS so we'll ultimately want them to each have their own room.

How have other MNetters overcome this problem? Or have you regretted buying a house like that and found it to be a major issue?

My dc have switched between who needed more space at the time.
So eldest (dd) had the bigger room as she was having friends over and ds was too little to want to play alone upstairs.
Then later dd was past wanting to play with toys but ds wanted cars and train tracks out then they swapped over.

Mr and dh have the teeny room just about room for a double bed get in at the bottom and a wardrobe.
Twins get the big room and dd gets the medium room.

Why don't you put them both in a bunk bed in the small room for sleeping only than turn the bigger room into a joint play room/ chill out room with either their toys or games consoles etc in depending on their ages.

Teenagers often quite like a cosy small room, as long as it's furnished to work. So a cabin bed with a wardrobe and desk underneath. You can get a hook-over shelf for cabin beds that could be used to support a laptop or other bits and bobs.

If you can tuck a spare mattress on it's side somewhere for storage then there should be enough floor space for that to make room for friends to sleep over.

I think kids tend to be quite accepting of having a small bedroom... It's just the way it is.

What are their ages? I'd put the one with toys into the bigger bedroom, then as they grow swap them so the eldest who outgrows "stuff" and becomes more into devices will need less space

We moved when I was 15 and db was 13 to a house with a similar configuration.

Db got more invested in his furniture so that his room "worked" better. When I went to Uni 2 years later, he moved into my room.

Being the younger sister, I had the little bedroom whilst growing up, it wasn't up for discussion. I loved my little room, don't worry about it.

Have a couple of friends with similar set ups.

Friend 1: two dds, 2.5y age gap. DC shared small room with bunks and had big room as playroom initially. Then when they wanted own rooms when elder child was secondary school age the Oder child chose the small room. Had a bunk originally and also room for wardrobe, drawers and desk. Had shelving above bed for books and soft toys, and used bottom bunk for chilling. Now has a high rider bed with clothes/wardrobe space below, and more freed up room - plus has a bigger desk and computer space at top of stairs in hallway. Younger child had bigger room as still had bigger toys etc.

Friend 2: two dc - dd/ds, 7y age gap. The elder child has big room upstairs with double bed and more space. Spends more time up there. Younger child has smaller room with bunks. Room for wardrobe and drawers plus some room on floor for playing. Toys up there too but organised in boxes etc under bed and in shelves.

Both seem to work.

I agree - children couldn't give 2 hoots really. DS has a smaller room that my DDs but we spent quite a bit of money on fittings / furniture to make it work for him.

We have 2 in box rooms and 1 in a generous double room. One in biggest room has almost all the toys in a couple of wardrobes in his and it serves as a playroom really. Other 2 have their books and a few bits and pieces, but not much. None of them have questioned it so far! (Touchwood)

When my big brother and I wanted to stop sharing we agreed that I got the biggest room on the proviso that when we had overnight guests I was the one turfed out onto a camp bed. Then when the little ones wanted to stop sharing my little bro got the other big room but he had the computer in it and had to let us all use it when we needed to. It was all fine

When I was 5 years old I choose the tiny room in our new house. Didn't mind at all

As long as it's not the cupboard under the stairs à la Harry Potter at the Dursleys

prettybird

Thanks all, that's reassuring. At the moment they are 4mo and 3 so no issue with sharing for a little while, but the next house will need to last us through their teenage years. DH thinks a big disparity in bedroom size is a deal breaker so I'm relieved to hear it needn't be.

It is so common in 3 bed houses in this country. Rule here is the younger one gets the smallest room, and we've paid out more for their furniture to make it work. Also part of the deal for the bigger one is the child has to vacate when we have guests.

If you have an airing cupboard that opens onto the landing, you might be able to convert it for smaller bedroom owner's use in the future, or otherwise cobble a bit out of the neighbouring room. A floor to ceiling built in wardrobe can be a really good solution, if well designed with hanging space, drawers and shelves, and that can be just about all you need. Add wall shelves for books and "treasures".

When I was a child we had the same issue. My DSis had the smaller room with a highsleeper and a wardrobe and desk under it. I had the bigger room so I had more space but I was always the one evicted when we had guests so my DSis saw it as a fair trade off.

It makes more sense to give the DC the bigger rooms and you have the smaller one.

As older (by 1.5 years) child, I always had larger room in various houses (my parents moved A LOT). Obviously I didn't question it :D But I don't remember my brother questioning it either.

As younger children we would play in either room. As older children we'd spend time in the room with the games console! Or otherwise wander in and out of each others' room depending on who was bored and seeking company. Size didn't really come into it.

We both had input into how our own rooms were furnished, so even the small room had a sense of personalisation.

My dd now 12 chose the smallest bedroom when we moved 2 years ago & hates it. It's not tiny (around 10ft x 8ft) but now she's in her room much more she does go on about how small it is. Trouble is it's not fair on ds to turf him out of his room as he had the smallest in the last house & is 11.5 himself so is now spending more time in there too. We are considering moving the wall in dd room and take a few ft off the bathroom - trouble is it going to be costly.

We had this growing up although there was 3 of use in a 4 bed house. The rule was we got to choose in age order. As the eldest I chose the attic room which was bigger and more private but further away from the bathroom. Middle child chose the small box room and youngest got the big room that I had to walk through to get to the attic so less private but plenty of space for toys. All of us were happy with the arrangements and even when I moved out the other two kept to the same rooms.

When we moved into 3bed semi the third bedroom was teeny. My DD got it on the understanding that we would convert the attic into a usable room. We have done this now, it has a ladder to get to it, but has a velux window and is a really nice room. Cost about £12k, which I was able to add to the mortgage. So it's not an official bedroom but is a really nice room and I'm sure will add to house value. I now want the teeny room back so I can use it as a single spare room. She's resisting:-)

AndNowItsSeven - I'm working on the assumption that the smallest room doesn't have space for a double bed plus wardrobe, hence wouldn't work for me and DH. Anything that size or up and I wouldn't think there would be much justification for complaint!

I like the idea of spending more on furniture to even things out a bit/make it more comfortable for whichever DC gets the small one. Similarly I guess they could be first in line for redecorating.