Has anyone given their bedroom to DC and had a permanent sofa bed downstairs instead?

[BattenbergtheHatches]

I have a very small 3 bed house, one double room and two tiny box rooms. 2 DC are growing and need room/desks for homework and friends round. I’m considering giving my double to one DC and the other having bed and wardrobe in one tiny room and homework/den room in the second smaller room.

I’m a single parent so would be fine on a sofa bed in the living room - but most I have looked at say for occasional use only and aren’t that comfy!

Anyone have any ideas how to make it work? I’d love a loft conversion but short of a lottery win this won’t happen!

High sleepers in their rooms (a small one is fine)
Use your room for extra storage and a play area during the day. Put a desk in your room if it helps.
I wouldn’t want to go through all the faff of doing the bed up every night, bedclothes hanging around downstairs.

Would the 2 single rooms turn into one double room?

Willow and Hall sofa beds look very comfortable, I've never sat on one though as there is no showroom near me. When we replace our sofa I'm going to look at them even if it means a trip to London. www.willowandhall.co.uk/sofa-beds/all-sofa-beds/the-somerton-sofabed.html?size=2%20seater

If I was single I'd be fine with it, as long as I had somewhere to store my clothes.

FWIW I've slept on the foam mattresses that go with the Ikea daybed for the last 8 years or so (replaced once but that was because I washed the removable cover on hot accidentally and shrunk it, not because the mattress itself needed replacing). I find them really comfy and they haven't affected my back. When this one needs replacing I'll get another like it, rather than go back to a conventional spring mattress.

Stay in your room but put a desk in there for them to use alternatively?

Could you not divide the largest room with bookcases / curtain and they both share that .
You could have your bed in one smaller room and your clothes in the other .

If your in the lounge and they have friends over when older ,you won’t be able to get to bed .i don’t think it’s a good idea for you .you need your space ,your the one holding the family together

Is your kitchen big enough to house kitchen, dining room and a couch? You could turn this in a family room. Turn the living room to your room. One room upstairs for storage and one room each for the children?

We only have one child, but we thought when we have another one and they become too old to share that we might give up our bedroom for a few years and move downstairs. Our third bedroom is a really tiny boxroom. I think none of the walls is long enough for a normal sized bed.

What about a wall bed in a box room? Kid's clothes/desk in your room?

how about putting a desk in your room for the one with the tiniest bedroom plus a short high sleeper for them and a normal high sleeper for the other?

Or if you have a search on here there are threads about people buying proper mattresses for the Hermes day bed

Don't go for a sofa bed. I spent a few nights on one over Xmas. A good quality one with a good topper. Was so glad to get back to my bed. Fine for a few nights, would have caused issues in long term. If you really want to give up your room go with a day bed or other option. I would think about changing your bed to a single and sectioning off some of the room as a play/work area for kid in smallest room. Then if possible a high sleeper in middle room.

Don't forget to look on Gumtree - always loads of beds available. You can always buy a new mattress.

A Murphy bed sounds like a good option for you in the room or even for the children in a smaller room.

Think carefully before you get a high sleeper. It made my daughters room feel so small it was claustrophobic and we ended up with mould in one corner because it was too large to move.

I’d look at getting someone to build a high bed in the small room to fit to size. It shouldn’t be hard to do. A friend of mine built some sort of drop down bed that was over a door for her son.

My son had the box room, we built a platform for a single mattress, that gave him space for a small desk, clothes storage and play area. We changed the door so it opened outwards too.

As a child, I had the box room. My dad used the box over the stairs as the start of my bed platform, with drawers built under the rest. There was just enough space for a small wardrobe at the end of the bed, and on the opposite wall I had shelves, more drawers and a drawing table/desk. It worked really well for me. You might be able to crate a platform using the IKEA cube shelving as supports on the front (secured well), a piece of 2x2 timber screwed to the wall across the back, and chipboard or ply as the base. If the box is the wrong height, build it up to match. Or do what Kirsty did, cut the legs off a cabin bed to make it fit the space!

Just as a thought - your life as a mother with 2 dcs is going to be demanding. You can only be your best for others if you have your basic demands met too. That includes good rest and privacy. You may sometimes need space and time yourself which would be best in your own private space.

No way on earth would I give up my bedroom to any children. You deserve your own space and privacy too.

The IKEA day bed is good for sleeping but I am not sure it's a great sofa, depends what you like. I actually think the mattress behind the sofa would be the least fuss option. BUT don't get in a habit of putting your needs last, or you will get taken advantage of and be resentful. You deserve your own space, you are the mainstay of your family.

I'm considering this,single mum in 2 bed with 2 dds 14 and 7,currently sharing with 7 year old.Wish I could afford a 3 bed but can barely afford our tiny 3 up 2 down as is,not too much of an issue at moment as youngest wakes up if I'm not there in night anyway but obviously will need to change in couple years,was also considering sofa bed as living room too small for wall bed etc.

As 1 of 9 who grew up in a 3 bedroom house (2 double rooms and 1 box room. I was the second youngest with 12 year age gap from eldest to me) do NOT give up your own space. All that will happen is they will start fighting over who gets the largest room.

In the small box room I had a bunk built over the stairs bit with hanging room and drawers underneath. 2 of my sisters had bunk beds the other side. We all had curtains and lights if we needed to escape.

When they moved out I still had the box room but had room for a wardrobe and underneath was turned into a drawers/ telly area with bean bag in the corner. I had friends over in my tiny room. It was like a little den!

Remember, when they have friends round they are more liable to use the lounge (telly and space and games consoles) and you will be able to retreat to your bedroom. if one has your room where are you going to escape to for some peace and quiet??!!

If they need a desk for school work get a cheap wooden fold up variety which they can use sitting on the sofa and if they need quiet they can use noise cancelling headphones or these can be moved easily to their rooms for use whilst sitting on their beds or small fold up chair.

Desks do not have to be a permanent fixture and you may find they are just a waste of space and used as a dumping round. Friends can squeeze into the smallest of spaces and if there are sleep overs they can camp in the lounge whilst you are in your room.

Put yourself first OP you are the one who holds it all together.
There are options for the smaller rooms, you could make desk space downstairs or in your room or have all clothes stored in your room.
KIds need less room as they get older but you will always need a good proper bed and privacy.
Post a floor plan if it helps and we can offer some practical suggestions.
There is some good advice and some useful examples on the IKEA website for maximising small living spaces.

The problem with the sofa bed idea is also where would your stuff/clothes be stored?

Can you put desk somewhere for them to use? Kitchen/living room or even your bedroom.
Can you put some of their clothes/storage into your room so that they can make more space in their rooms?

I think I'd be inclined to keep the children in the small rooms. Millions of children have grown up with boxrooms. Giving one child the big room, whether the other gets 2 small ones or just one, will lead to resentment.

Keep the big room and at some point, stick a TV in there and treat it like a little den. When the children are older and have homework or friends over etc, let them have the run of the downstairs and you retreat occasionally to your sanctuary to watch the odd film etc. I know TVs in bedrooms isn't the ideal precedent, but it doesn't mean you have to be a slave to it or let the children have them. It would just be making your bedroom work a bit harder, rather than (as you are proposing) making the living room work harder by sleeping in it.

If you do do the living room thing, I would suggest a futon rather than a sofabed. They are not as comfy for the first few nights, and not as comfy to sit on as sofas, but if you get a decent one, it'll be better for your back long term than a sofabed.

I wouldn’t give up your room but consider better uses of space Eg.

Keeping their clothes in your room to leave more space for toys
Putting desks in your room so they can do homework whilst you’re downstairs
Putting desks in the living room
Putting a sofa in your room to create a second living space (either for you or them)

At a push you could consider moving into one of the box rooms and make the larger room a playroom/bedroom and the other box room a bedroom only.

If you look on Pinterest there are loads of ideas for small rooms.

A single mattress hidden behind the sofa is the easiest and cheapest solution for you and may be the most comfy. You can have a set of drawers in the living room for your clothes, the TV can go on top of it. You could get a blanket box type storage to keep your bedding in. If you try being in the front room and it doesn't work out then you haven't invested much money.

My kids hated the high sleepers they begged us to buy after seeing them at friens houses. You couldn't easily join them in bed for a cuddle and a story and when they were sick they needed to sleep on their mattresses on the floor (vomit at a height is not easy to clean) they soon went back to singles and the highsleepers went on Gumtree. When teens they never really used desks for homework, they did it lying on the bed or if they wanted help/supervision did it at the kitchen table. Most was submitted online by secondary age. They all got great grades/uni etc.

My youngest has a box room, it takes his single bed, a tiny beside cabinet and a set of drawers (we bought tall drawers) which makes the room seem more light and spacious than having a wardrobe and holds lots more stuff and a set of bookshelves for all his games/books/stuff. It's fine if friends come he can have a console monitor on top of the drawers and they can sit long ways on the bed (or use downstairs). Never been an issue.

You could experiment and see if your dc actually uses a den. If not, take that room for yourself or to use when you want privacty. You can get single futon chair beds and ikea do single fold out bed chairs too that you could use in a small bedroom.
www.ikea.com/gb/en/cat/chair-beds-16296/