Cindy in C-ville Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 So, we moved from 3600 sq. ft to ~ 2200. We have six kids at home right now. Sara Maria is in college, but comes home several times a semester and will be home for the summer. The little girls share a room, the boys share a room, and the older three girls share a room, which we have nicknamed "The Diva Dorm." Outside and unattached from the house is a garage, a huge garage, really more like a warehouse. Attached to this garage is a partially carpeted room with a large window. It doesn't have air conditioning and has one of those tiled ceilings. My question for you is would you get that fixed up for Sara Maria to use when she is home? We'd need to get some kind of air conditioning unit in there, fix the ceiling tiles, and get an area rug to cover the un-carpeted space. She wouldn't have a bathroom out there. Really, I'd anticipate her sleeping out there and getting space when she needs it, but mostly being with the family. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 If you fixed up that room, would you use it beyond your dd's using it? In other words, will it be worth the money to fix it up? But if the bedrooms simply do not have space for another body, it seems like your alternatives are the garage or the sofa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I'd ask Sofia Maria which she would prefer. Do you think she would need that space? Or, would she rather sleep in the house? If money weren't an issue, I would probably fix it up, anyway. It sounds like a great space to send the kids for sleeping when we have company. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Yes, we'd use it beyond her. It would function as a guest room when she wasn't here, or as simply a space for someone to get some space when they need it. We've talked about having a friend of hers who is having a hard time at home live, with us for the summer. It could be that we fix it up, but use it for her friend for the summer, and then it's available to her after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 So, we moved from 3600 sq. ft to ~ 2200. We have six kids at home right now. Sara Maria is in college, but comes home several times a semester and will be home for the summer. The little girls share a room, the boys share a room, and the older three girls share a room, which we have nicknamed "The Diva Dorm." Outside and unattached from the house is a garage, a huge garage, really more like a warehouse. Attached to this garage is a partially carpeted room with a large window. It doesn't have air conditioning and has one of those tiled ceilings. My question for you is would you get that fixed up for Sara Maria to use when she is home? We'd need to get some kind of air conditioning unit in there, fix the ceiling tiles, and get an area rug to cover the un-carpeted space. She wouldn't have a bathroom out there. Really, I'd anticipate her sleeping out there and getting space when she needs it, but mostly being with the family. What do you think? I think with kids that age, you could get some real use out of turning the garage into a rec room with a spare guest room. It could be a really neat space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 I think with kids that age, you could get some real use out of turning the garage into a rec room with a spare guest room. It could be a really neat space. I think so. Sara Maria will be home for Spring Break and I may make this a project we work on together and let her decide whether she wants to call this space, "home," or simply and escape place when she needs it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted2Coffee Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I would do it! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Anyway you could add a toilet & sink? Nothing fancy but maybe a composting toilet that wouldn't need plumbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 That space would be called a 'sleep-out' here in NZ & it is very common to have sleep-outs as bedrooms for teenagers. Dd's bedroom is our old caravan (hard-top camper). During the winter it is too cold for her to sleep out in the caravan, so she sleeps on the couch if she's home for a couple days in winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I would turn the garage into a rec room for the kids, and then the bedrooms could just be for sleeping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I have a 10 x 12 shed, which we had sided, insulated, and drywalled. We put in double-paned windows, a pretty front door, a nice light fixture for the ceiling and a little porch light, and decorated with pretty colors. It has a little room air-conditioner, and a little electric heater for the winter months. I am astounded at how often we use "the shed" for guests. I had pictured using that little room as a personal space, but now it's definitely a guest room. No one seems to mind that it doesn't have a bathroom, though I seriously wish it did. My only real problem with the space is what to call it. When people hear our offer, that they're welcome to stay in our shed, they're all: :001_huh: The space doesn't seem grand enough to call it a "guest room". My mom said we should call it "the cottage", but yeah, that's not quite right. My dd thinks we should call it "the holiday inn". :D If I were you, I'd *absolutely* fix up the extra space as a guest room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I would probably fix it up as a rec space with an extra bed to be used as needed - not for one kid in particular. Even with the understanding that others will use it, having a room fixed up 'for Sarah Marie' might cause hard feelings in a crowded house, kwim? Why not fix it up for everyone? They could take it in turn to sleep there, both boys and girls, giving everyone a chance at occasional extra privacy. Like a week or so at a time, and just adding her to the schedule when she's home. It just seems non-conducive to sibling harmony to have 3 boys in one room, 3 girls in another room, and the dd who is off to college with a room of her own. ((and I get that the others could make use of it, but you talk about her getting to fix it up, etc, which makes it more "hers")) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeScholar Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I'd fix it up as a spare room and use it as a special space for the family. When she's home from college, it's all hers, but when she's away you can use it for sleepovers, girl's night, boy's night, or the like. If the garage is that large, maybe you can divide it into 2 areas: one area for sleeping and one for other activities. It sounds like a great area for slumber parties. :party: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Once we have a MAJOR garage sale, then we could have fun space. There actually is a bathroom in the garage. I need to look and see if it would work to put a door from the space we're thinking of converting into a bedroom directly into that bathroom. She's totally fine with it being a family space and guest space as well as her space. She's fabulous with power tools and a paint brush and it will be great to give her something productive to do over Spring Break. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I say go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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