Bigger bedroom or smaller bedroom for only child (preschooler) in our new 3 bedroom house?

[Parkingbird]

Hi everyone!
We’re moving into a 3-bedroom semi-detached soon, and I’d love some advice from fellow parents.

At the moment (we’re renting another 3-bed semi), our setup is:

• I sleep in the main bedroom with our 3.5-year-old daughter.
• My husband sleeps in the second bedroom (I’m a restless sleeper, so this works for us).
• The third bedroom is his study, and I work from the dining room.

We did try moving our daughter into her own room a few months back, but it only lasted two nights before she wanted to be back with me. Since it’s a temporary rental, we didn’t push the issue and moved her cotbed back into my room.
In the new house, we’ve decided to try sharing a bed again (buying a king-size this time, fingers crossed it works!). Now we’re wondering about the best setup for our daughter:

• Option 1: Use the smaller third bedroom for her (fits only a single bed, small wardrobe, and maybe a little table/chair). This way, the second bedroom can be a guest room and my husband’s workspace.
• Option 2: Move her straight into the larger second bedroom, even though it might feel too big for her tiny cotbed at first. Then the third bedroom will be the home office.

What would you do, start her off in the smaller, cosier room, or give her the bigger space right away?

Thanks so much!

I'm not moving my 4 year old from the boxroom into the 2nd bedroom until she stays in her bed all night! We'll see when that may be.

Can you both work from the 2nd room, might be comfier than you being in the dining room if thats a plus for you.

Is there space downstairs for toys? We have a playroom so the tiny bedroom is fine for now for a child.

Where will she store her toys, spend her time and have any big toys if she has them? Where will she play with friends from school when they start coming round? If the answer to those is "her room", bigger bedroom for her. If actually there's space for that in the living room, she will fit happily in the smaller room and you can then have a bigger office/guest room which might fit a double sofa bed or something if needed.

I would use the larger second bedroom. Even if it's big you can make it nice and cosy with her stuff. And she'll need a bigger bed in 18 months anyway.

Definitely option 2! Plus if you have a double bed in there it’s so handy

I’d say move your daughter into the smaller room and keep the second bedroom as an office / spare bedroom.

I couldn’t imagine sharing a room with a 3.5 yr old.

I don’t need to imagine… I can remember 😂

bedrooms were all theoretical for a while!

Mine were in their own rooms by 6 months.

No way I’d be sleeping in with a wriggly toddler.

Bigger bedroom. Put a full size single with trundle bed in, move her in to the single and you sleep on the trundle at first (put a proper mattress on it!) before moving in to the main bedroom. That’s what we did moving house and moving DC in to their own room at a similar age.

Option 2. As she gets older she will play more in her room and will need the space for her toys. Or to dance in the case of my daughter…

Option 1. She doesn’t need a big space at this age.

Does your house have a play room? If not, option 2 as toys at that age seem to take up so much space.

Option 2, have her cotbed in there and a single bed so there is a spare bed if you or DH need to swap beds for a bit, then the single will be there for DD when she is ready. She’ll have enough space for her toys and things too.
Smaller bedroom as a study.

This

Also option 2 - make her a lovely room, talk all about her new big girl room, let her pick a few things for it (even if just some cheap cushions in a colour she likes), etc. My only caveat is you mention a guest room - if you regularly have guests to stay, eg grandparents, having a room for them may be important to you.

Give her the second largest room. At 3 she should have her own room with space for playing and toys. Get her a double bed, or small double or maybe even a single with a trundle if the room is tight, then you always have the option to sleep in with her.

Option 2 so it doubles up as a playroom.

If your husband is a restless sleeper I would highly recommend getting a zip and link super king bed with separate mattresses rather than king sized. It makes all the difference.

It is the only sort of bed that I can share with my DH without being woken every 5 minutes. If you are still being disturbed you could always separate them into twin beds.