Diaper Swappers

OneFishTwoFish · 07-22-2012, 09:10 AM

Putting this in parenting because I am particularly looking for opinions from parents.

We are closing on a new house in Aug. Yay! Like any house, there are things we want to change. I'm just looking for a little feedback and things I may not have considered.

Right now it set up with two bedrooms up and two down. The upstairs are huge, but it's a "different configuration". We plan to use one as a tv/playroom and the other as a guestroom. Downstairs is the master and a smaller bedroom. There is also another room between two bedrooms that was obviously a bedroom at one time (built in bookcases, hardwood floors, etc.) but they moved the laundry into the closet (it doesn't completely fit) and installed a screen door for access to the back yard. This is the only access from the house directly to the fenced back yard. Otherwise you have to go out the side or front and around the house to reach the gate.

Right now our two boys are only 1 and 4. I am not ready to have them upstairs, our room would not be near either of the two staircases and it's just too far for my comfort. So at least right away, they will share the small room downstairs. I would like to convert the laundry room back into a bedroom by closing off the door (maybe adding a window) and putting the laundry in the basement assuming there are still hookups down there. Then both boys would have their own space near us, and when everyone is ready they can move upstairs to the bigger rooms and have their own bathroom.

Closing the door is both a plus and a minus. There is an inground pool and so to me, one less door is one less way to get out! But, it also means we would have to walk around the house to get in the back yard. Is this going to be a hassle after a while or would we just get used to it? Should I just suck it up, let the boys share a room and keep the laundry room and back door the way it is? Anything I am not thinking about?

Sorry this is long!

pcjs · 07-22-2012, 10:10 AM

I would put both boys in the "master" for now and you take the smaller one if you can fit a bed and put your stuff if it doesn't fit upstairs till you are ok with the boys upstairs (I'd feel the same way) or reconfigure the upstairs so you can have 3 bedrooms there. I would not put kids in a room with a door, especially with a water hook up and pool.

OneFishTwoFish · 07-22-2012, 07:37 PM

Oh, I'm sorry if I was confusing. The door in the extra room would be removed and the wall would be closed up. This is why there would be no outside access.

Unfortunately, our kind size bed with it's large head and foot boards will not fit in the smaller room.

pcjs · 07-22-2012, 07:49 PM

You could but it might be a bit $$$ depending on labor costs where you live. If your oldest was over 5, I might put him up there with a video monitor if he was ok with it.

lissa~K · 07-22-2012, 08:01 PM

I would leave the master as the master, and keep both boys in the smaller bedroom together. Our laundry is in the garage right now and I would love to have room to put in anywhere in the house, it is a huge giant pain in the rear. Therefore I vote to keep it inside and to use the current laundry room as a laundry/mudroom since it has outside access. You could put rugs around the room to protect the floor. I understand your concern about the pool access, you could install a door alarm if that might help.
Basically I just think that moving the laundry to a more inconvenient area and making it more difficult to get outside would come back to bite you in the butt. Or maybe it's just that those are my exact problems in my own house...

OneFishTwoFish · 07-22-2012, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcjs

You could but it might be a bit $$$ depending on labor costs where you live. If your oldest was over 5, I might put him up there with a video monitor if he was ok with it.

My DH and father can close up the door no problem. My only hesitation is if there are washer/dryer hookups in the basement. I assume there are somewhere, since this obviously wasn't the first set up. But I'm not positive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lissa~K

I would leave the master as the master, and keep both boys in the smaller bedroom together. Our laundry is in the garage right now and I would love to have room to put in anywhere in the house, it is a huge giant pain in the rear. Therefore I vote to keep it inside and to use the current laundry room as a laundry/mudroom since it has outside access. You could put rugs around the room to protect the floor. I understand your concern about the pool access, you could install a door alarm if that might help.
Basically I just think that moving the laundry to a more inconvenient area and making it more difficult to get outside would come back to bite you in the butt. Or maybe it's just that those are my exact problems in my own house...

Yes, if the room stays as a laundry/mud room then we will be installing extra locks and all that jazz.

Thanks for your opinion though! That's just what I'm looking for! I guess I'm just trying to figure out if both boys having their own space at this very time in their lives is more important or laundry and yard access.

No matter what, they will have to share a room together when we first move. So I'm thinking that will help us decide what we will need to do....if anything.

pcjs · 07-22-2012, 09:56 PM

I would think closing it up would be more of a hassle than it is worth. A laundry hook up is not a hard thing to plumb in less you have to do a cut out in the floor (and we are thinking about moving ours to put a bathroom there and its crazy $$$). We reworked our laundry area but it was all above ground work so it was a big deal but learnable. Just put the kids together or the older one upstairs.

07-22-2012, 09:10 AM	#1
OneFishTwoFish Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,638 Ratings: 35 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Home renovations Putting this in parenting because I am particularly looking for opinions from parents. We are closing on a new house in Aug. Yay! Like any house, there are things we want to change. I'm just looking for a little feedback and things I may not have considered. Right now it set up with two bedrooms up and two down. The upstairs are huge, but it's a "different configuration". We plan to use one as a tv/playroom and the other as a guestroom. Downstairs is the master and a smaller bedroom. There is also another room between two bedrooms that was obviously a bedroom at one time (built in bookcases, hardwood floors, etc.) but they moved the laundry into the closet (it doesn't completely fit) and installed a screen door for access to the back yard. This is the only access from the house directly to the fenced back yard. Otherwise you have to go out the side or front and around the house to reach the gate. Right now our two boys are only 1 and 4. I am not ready to have them upstairs, our room would not be near either of the two staircases and it's just too far for my comfort. So at least right away, they will share the small room downstairs. I would like to convert the laundry room back into a bedroom by closing off the door (maybe adding a window) and putting the laundry in the basement assuming there are still hookups down there. Then both boys would have their own space near us, and when everyone is ready they can move upstairs to the bigger rooms and have their own bathroom. Closing the door is both a plus and a minus. There is an inground pool and so to me, one less door is one less way to get out! But, it also means we would have to walk around the house to get in the back yard. Is this going to be a hassle after a while or would we just get used to it? Should I just suck it up, let the boys share a room and keep the laundry room and back door the way it is? Anything I am not thinking about? Sorry this is long! __________________ ~Krissy Wife to Bob, and mommy to Ben and Matt. Love my boys!

07-22-2012, 10:10 AM	#2
pcjs Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 14,206	Re: Home renovations I would put both boys in the "master" for now and you take the smaller one if you can fit a bed and put your stuff if it doesn't fit upstairs till you are ok with the boys upstairs (I'd feel the same way) or reconfigure the upstairs so you can have 3 bedrooms there. I would not put kids in a room with a door, especially with a water hook up and pool. __________________ Mom to my wonderfully sweet toddler who is the joy of our lives. :

07-22-2012, 07:37 PM	#3
OneFishTwoFish Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,638 Ratings: 35 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Home renovations Oh, I'm sorry if I was confusing. The door in the extra room would be removed and the wall would be closed up. This is why there would be no outside access. Unfortunately, our kind size bed with it's large head and foot boards will not fit in the smaller room. __________________ ~Krissy Wife to Bob, and mommy to Ben and Matt. Love my boys!

07-22-2012, 07:49 PM	#4
pcjs Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 14,206	Re: Home renovations You could but it might be a bit $$$ depending on labor costs where you live. If your oldest was over 5, I might put him up there with a video monitor if he was ok with it. __________________ Mom to my wonderfully sweet toddler who is the joy of our lives. :

07-22-2012, 08:01 PM	#5
lissa~K Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,304 Ratings: 222 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Home renovations I would leave the master as the master, and keep both boys in the smaller bedroom together. Our laundry is in the garage right now and I would love to have room to put in anywhere in the house, it is a huge giant pain in the rear. Therefore I vote to keep it inside and to use the current laundry room as a laundry/mudroom since it has outside access. You could put rugs around the room to protect the floor. I understand your concern about the pool access, you could install a door alarm if that might help. Basically I just think that moving the laundry to a more inconvenient area and making it more difficult to get outside would come back to bite you in the butt. Or maybe it's just that those are my exact problems in my own house... __________________ HSing Mama of five Last edited by lissa~K; 07-22-2012 at 08:02 PM.