Making the Most of Living Arrangements

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Hi Friends this is just a tip to try and help my friends and members make the most of out of their living arrangements It is possible to comfortably accommodate a large family of seven into a small three bedroom home. Building an extension was never an option! A larger home (with a larger mortgage) was also out of the question, so some careful planning was needed. We managed the perfect solution for less than $1,000! Our two daughters (aged from two to 6) occupy one of the bedrooms. Both rooms have two sets of second hand steel bunks. We took out the bottom bunk of each set and made an under bed study area for each of the girls, which we surrounded with homemade curtains. They love this arrangement and they all have the privacy they need. We also have 3 sons. When my teenage sister came to live with us, our family increased to seven. We utilised the space at the back end of the lounge and turned it into a small bedroom for her, by partitioning off the room with cupboards, all backed with burnie-board to the ceiling, and fitting a sliding door. We now have a new 'wall' of storage cupboards in our lounge/dining area that looks neat and tidy. The cavity door cost us $180 in kit form and the plaster required was $40. Installation cost us nothing because we have a handy brother in the family. The four cupboards cost $180 each. Based on the prices of houses in our area, we have saved between $40,000 - $100,000 in mortgage debt or in excess of $80,000 in house extension costs, based on builders' quotes. Our living areas are now a little cosier than before but as everyone has their own little areas to disappear into as the need arises, we manage very well.