Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

could you cope with a tiny kitchen - one so small that you have to keep your freezer in the shed?

38 replies

missscarlett · 15/02/2009 17:03

We have to move because our landlord has decided to increase our rent. We currently live in a nice 3-bed semi which is quite big, decorated in a modern way and has a nice big kitchen with a dishwasher. We've decided to downsize to try and save some money up to put towards eventually buying our own house. Rents are pretty high where we live but we want to keep the children in the school they're at.
On our budget, we're mainly looking at two bedroom flats, usually in blocks and without gardens. I've been holding out for a ground floor one with a little garden, but most round here are entry-phone-system yuppie type flats with no outside space.
Last week we were shown a two bedroom house which was within our budget - actually about £100 per month cheaper than any other place we've seen. The only drawbacks are it's decorated in a very green carpet swirly wallpaper kind of way (not a problem really), there's not a lot of parking space and the kitchen is really tiny - three cupboards and not enough room for the freezer - you can stand still and touch every wall.
We have to let the agents know by tomorrow. Would you go for the house, a yuppie type flat or hold out for something else to come along?

OP posts:
MamaG · 15/02/2009 17:05

How long are you looking at living ther? How many dc do you have?

FiveGoMadInDorset · 15/02/2009 17:06

I am not sure if I could, but worthwhile thinking long and hard if you want to save for a deposit, as long as you put the money you are saving aside and don't spend it.

Original poster
missscarlett · 15/02/2009 17:06

Pobably about three years and we have two children aged 7 and 3

OP posts:
FiveGoMadInDorset · 15/02/2009 17:07

I take it youf DC's will be sharing?

quint · 15/02/2009 17:09

Nope sorry, I would hold out for something better.

Original poster
missscarlett · 15/02/2009 17:10

Definitely going to save the money. I'm really leaning towards the house. I just feel it wouldn't affect the kids quality of life as much as a move to a flat would. I mean, kids don't care about green carpets and tiny kitchens, do they? They care about going out to play in the garden and having a bounce on the trampoline.

OP posts:
Marne · 15/02/2009 17:11

We have a tiny kitchen and our freezer is in the shed, its hard work to cook for 4 people in the week and up to 7 at the weekend.

Original poster
missscarlett · 15/02/2009 17:12

Yes the dc's will have to share - that seems to be the only option wherever we go. 3 beds round here usually go for about £1200 per month - can't bring myself to pay out that kind of money on rent.

OP posts:
ssd · 15/02/2009 17:13

we have a tiny kitchen, no room for a freezer or a dishwasher

you cope if you have to

ssd · 15/02/2009 17:14

go for the cheaper option, life's hard enough but with no money its murder

Original poster
missscarlett · 15/02/2009 17:14

Marne - is it just annoying and a bit inconvenient or is it really depressing?

OP posts:
morningpaper · 15/02/2009 17:17

I wouldn't mind small kitchen (we have freezer in shed too!!! and no dishwasher) BUT I would need to park in front - don't know what "not a lot of parking space" means though - as long as you can park there...

Although three cupboards sounds VERY small

PollyGarter · 15/02/2009 17:18

It's possible - Japanese kitchens are tiny. You'll have to get clever with storage. So find out if you can put up hanging storage/shelves etc...And it would be good if you could buy fresh each day for the evening meal. But there are ways around it. I've got a kitchen like that at the moment, and at first i thought it couldn't possibly work - i have an a4 size area as a workbench - but you adjust. Got to keep clearing as you cook - but that saves work at the end also.

crokky · 15/02/2009 17:21

Is there anywhere else you could plug the freezer in indoors? My brother has a tumble dryer in his lounge and he finds it OK. He's had it there for a couple of years and when he wants to use it, he opens the window a bit and feeds the venting hose out. With the freezer, I imagine it would be very difficult, eg when freezing/raining/dark/all three and you want something out of it. I don't think you are supposed to put them on carpets, but could you put it on a board or something?

blithedance · 15/02/2009 17:24

Was also going to say, the main thing to ask is whether you can put up shelves - you could always undertake to make good when you move out. A tiny kitchen can work if you are really imaginitive with where things go and what can be elsewhere- eg. a pantry cupboard in the adjoining room, cleaning stuff in the bathroom, china and stuff in the dining area. Wall mount the microwave, put up utensil hooks etc.

If it were me I'd go for it. Scruffy houses are much more forgiving of family life than pristine white-carpet yuppie flats.

chainstitch · 15/02/2009 17:25

a smaller kitchen is better . easier to cook in.

Original poster
missscarlett · 15/02/2009 17:35

Well, apparently the landlady is quite happy for us to do a bit of decorating. Maybe creative storage and lots of shelving sre the way to go. I can feel a trip to Ikea coming on....

OP posts:
Original poster
missscarlett · 15/02/2009 17:37

There's a big through lounge and a decent-ish size hall - perhaps the freezer could go in another room...

OP posts:
morningpaper · 15/02/2009 17:39

ooooh I think you really know the house is best, don't you?

mileniwmffalcon · 15/02/2009 17:42

i have a small kitchen (6' x 8' with 3 doorways, so little storage/work space) though it sounds bigger than yours.

we have a fridge/freezer, it's a small freezer compartment but fits a couple of pizzas, fishfingers, chips, peas, plus some fresh meat/prepared meals. we have 3 wall cupboards plus under sink cupboards, one unit's worth of drawers, plus storage trolley and baskets. around 4' +corner worktop (usually half covered in dirties ). all clean plates etc. live in the dining room.

i actually ruled the house out when we were looking because of the size of the kitchen, but ended up viewing when something else fell through. have been here 9 years now and never really suffered because of kitchen, although a dishwasher would be nice. i cook a lot, 2 kids, you just narrow down to your absolute essentials esp. appliances. it just means you can't really have 2 people working in there at once, no biggie, i hate it when guests "help"

Pannacotta · 15/02/2009 17:45

I would probably go for it, I think outside space is the most important thing really.
And yes be creative with storage and see if the freezer can go somewhere else.
IKEA is fab for cheap but effective storage (think walls, under beds, on top of units/bookcases etc).

Original poster
missscarlett · 15/02/2009 18:00

Lovely Ikea...getting quite excited now at the thought of new storage but must rein myself in slightly and remember the reason for having the tiny kitchen in the first place is to save money....

OP posts:
sagacious · 15/02/2009 18:00

I'd choose outside space over a bigger kitchen especially as its cheaper.

Be careful with keeping a freezer in a shed, most have to be kept in areas with reasonable temperatures otherwise it affects the motor.

sagacious · 15/02/2009 18:01

That said we have a spare freezer kept in the garage and its worked fine for the past year or so ...

AliceTheCamelHasGotTheHump · 15/02/2009 18:08

I went from an enormous kitchen to a glorified cupboard. It's been okay actually. I've had to learn to be a LOT tidyer when I cook. I had to change my shopping habits a bit (no enormous fridge to stash half of tescos in) but I think I shop wiser now and waste less.

Different. Not depressing.