i actually like option 3, with your oldest daughter having the bed on the lower left in the drawing. that gives the younger 2 shared play space, and the older a bit more autonomy.

sharing is good. (there are exceptions, of course.) the current trend of wayyy too many bathrooms in a house, causing kids not learning how to share limited resources from a young age, isnt good!

We don't need to store their clothes in the bedroom, as there is a closet just a few steps away outside the door. We have a homeschool room with desks, so no need for a desk in the bedroom (though they might have one in there too).

I like #2 and that you plan to individualize each space with colors. I think that would be less visually pleasing in #1. #3 is okay too.

I think having them all in one room for sleeping is a perfectly viable option as you provide other spaces in your home for get away time. Will someone wake someone up sometimes? Sure. You will find ways to deal with that as you do with all your other parenting choices. What your girls will continue to learn growing up in your home is that the world they are going into after they leave is not quiet, light free, or designed around their personal comfort. An invaluable lesson, in my opinion.

We use white noise machines (Dohms) to lessen noise distractions and eye masks for light problems.

Some studies have indicated that using devices like the kindle before sleep could have an impact on quality of sleep. I'm not an expert, but I stopped using devices at night and my sleep did improve. You might want to study up on the use of a kindle for your oldest at bedtime, so you can make an informed decision on that.

OPTION 2 BUT MODIFIED

With plan 2, the 8 y/o could have the bed on the left with a pretty curtain by the side of her head for privacy and you could put a reading light over her headboard. The curtain can be tied back when not in use. My daughter did this in college and it worked great

Honestly these ages sharing a room will never really work Do you not have anyother space for the kids I guess that would be my first question.Our kids had to share a room while we renovated and this is what we did and I will tell they were not happy with the sharing thing and really happy to get back to their own space .This set up was the only way they could even think about playing in their bedroom and the space was bigger than yours . There can never be privacy in that small of a space for 3 kids . 12 x 14 is almost the right size for one bedroom maybe 2 kids

i'd be way more bummed out having my closet in the hall than sharing with sisters.

I don't like any of the plans because Mom is going to have to pull the beds away from the walls to change linens and make them up. I would do a bunk with the older girl on top, the middle one on the bottom and a separate twin for the baby. That way all of them could be arranged perp to the walls with access all around them. You might find you have room for a small armoire for the older girl's clothes, since she probably has more of them than the other two and needs hanging space. As for the comics, get her a headband with built-in LED reading light. If she's on the top bunk, it shouldn't bother the other two. Here's an idea if you have head room to carry it off.

2012 HGTV Green Home · More Info

I kind of think the idea of a shared closet outside the room is good. The older can get dressed without waking the others

following

I have 3 girls and they shared a bedroom 9x11 for several years! I detest making bunk beds, so I chose a trundle. During the day I pushed the trundle closed which made it look like a bedroom for 2 not 3. It worked just fine!

JudyG Designs, I wonder which wall you mean by "8 year old in the bed by the wall, but center it on that wall"? Where would you put two bedside tables?

As to #1 I like that it looks uniform and yes, I could make a storage bench or some shelves on the empty wall. A trunk at the foot of a bed also seems like a good idea!

ninigret, I like the idea of a small playspace between the beds and a little bit of autonomy for the eldest one!

blue gold Staiger, I'm not sure if I understand right, but if I wanted to put tables next to the walls, I would have to put them at the feet of the bed. I'm not sure it would be comfortable?

dragonflywings42, thank you for the white noise tip. I'll read more on kindles affecting sleep, thank you!

Jodie White Designs, Inc, I really like your modifications, thank you!

woodteam5, I love the idea of the curtain, thank you!

decoenthusiaste, thank you making me think about problems with changing linens and thank you for the idea of a headband light!!!!

There are four bedrooms on the 1st floor (including the master bedroom). I could separate the children and give each one a room... but that would mean we wouldn't be able to have a homeschool/family room and... I wanted the smallest of those rooms to be mine - I would have to give it up. DH has an office downstairs (below girls' bedroom, it's of the same shape and size) and I was hoping that I too could have at least a tiny little room where I could go and close the door behind me. Does it sound selfish of me? :(

The OP didn't ask for opinions on the decision to have sisters share a room. This is not a parenting forum. She asked for design advice but people around here jump at any opportunity to be condescending and rude. As for my two cents, I definitely think option 2 is the way to go but I'll also say that bunk beds might work well, I had them as a kid and loved them so I'm biased. Good luck and great work with the homeschooling, I've considered it but I know I don't have the patience, you're made of stronger stuff than I :)

I'm sorry, I don't understand the concept of having a separate room for yourself in addition to the Master Bedroom. I totally understand needing time to yourself with a busy household and home schooling. But isn't your Master Bedroom supposed to be a retreat for you and your husband? Naturally you could use it by yourself when he is working in his office for a bit of a respite when you need your own space.

I would put the eldest in a room of her own and then use the bedroom in this dilemma for the two youngest children.

If you're not going to put a dresser in the room, I would go with option #2 so that each bed has more distance from the other beds, giving some degree of privacy.

I shared a room for 4 years with my 3 sisters. The room was small, and we had two sets of bunk beds. There are a total of 7 years between us. I admit that I was the early riser in the house. So, I would get my book and read until everyone else was ready to get up. We worked it out and had some good times in that bedroom. But it probably explains why I enjoy living by myself now. : )

I'd rather not have a bunk bed as it's very hard to change linens on the upper bed. And if a child is sick, it's hard to take care of her. And younger children might be tempted to climb up and could fall... So many drawbacks, or am I exaggerating?

Liz Lemon, thank you, homeschooling isn't always easy, but it works for our family :)

Denita, our master bedroom is of a similar size to kids' bedroom, with a 6 ft x 6.5 ft bed, but there are doors (entrance, closet, wc) on three walls and two windows. I could only lie in bed (I don't like going to bed in my regular clothes, as I like keeping the linens clean), sit on a bench at the end of the bed (should I have one) or at a desk (again - should I have one) - but with my back facing the window. There's no space to sew, no place to study comfortably. I could do these things in the homeschool/family room, but that would mean the kids would want to be with me, so it wouldn't be solely "me time". I feel I need some space just for me. A space where children don't come, a space where I can be ME - not a mother, not a wife, but just me, with my hobbies, my needs coming first. A place where I don't have to worry about children staining my bench, breaking my favourite pencils or spilling tea on the rug... Sorry if it sounds selfish!

This images all look nice but if you put this in scale this what this room will look like with an average single bed size 36x68" and a few nightstands

I think this is to tight for 3 kids in one room with such age difference.

kicez, there are some very creative people here. If you post a floorplan of the entire house here in the comment section I'm sure one of them (or more) can come up with a few great ideas to get you your private space without having to use up the 4th bedroom. I do think having a place to yourself is important. I also think that GN Builders has artfully pointed out the shortcomings of having 3 in one bedroom given the size of that room.

ah, was i sucked in by a nicely drawn diagram, not to scale, up top? shame on me then.

GN Builders L.L.C, sorry, but my drawing is ok! The room is 11.8 ft x 13.8 ft (3.62 m x 4.22 m) and Tarva bed frame is 6.8 ft x 3.2 ft (2.09 m x 0.98 m). That "10.4 ft" means the distance from the wall to the doorway, while the whole room is 13.8 ft wide :)

I drew the floorplan of the 1st floor:

North is at the bottom.
In the master bedroom, the bed (6 ft x 6.5 ft) is positioned against the top window. There's a heater under the other window.

My DH didn't agree to moving our bedroom to the top right room. I wanted to have the home school room in our current master bedroom (with a small toilet and a low hanging wc).

I wanted to have the bottom left room for myself.

The closet in the center of the floorplan is kids' closet. I would like to store linens and the vacuum cleaner in there too.

kicez - what a fun decision!! And sweet and special memories for the girls for a lifetime! The best part is, you'll be able to mix it up anytime you want!

I actually prefer #1 for the following reasons:

-easier to change the sheets (hard to tuck in the other ways and walls get beat up)

-they are all facing the door

-you could find a taller and deeper nightstand that will be a slight barrier between the beds so they have 'privacy' so to speak

-you can do your cute fabric/soft storage benches at the end of each bed

-then across the room from their feet on that wall, IKEA makes the PAX wardrobe (in the same finish as the bed) that goes to ceiling and you can use their deep drawers, hanging rods or shelves. Configure however you want. Be sure to use the 'mirrored doors' which since girls can't have too many mirrors, and it makes the room feel bigger! (I have 4 in my house (as my/son's closets), and they are wonderful!) I'm guessing each girl could have their own 'tower', so 3 total, this will provide additional storage for toys, keepsakes, knick knacks, clothes and misc items in their 'own space', even though you have closets outside the room.

Have fun and post pics when you are done!!

What about switching the shared bedroom with the home school room? The current home school room is larger (4.77m x 4.23m) which is 15.64' x 13.87'. Would that work better for the 3 beds and wardrobes (if you use them in the room)?

They only sleep in their bedroom. They don't play in it, they don't study there. We go to their bedroom when it's bedtime and I read a story to them while they are laying in their beds. I think it would be a pity switching the big and sunny home school room (its windows are facing south) with the bedroom...

I did consider this, when I thought of switching master bedroom with the home school room. If my DH agreed, we could let children have the bigger room and move our bed to their bedroom, but he didn't like the idea of letting go of our closet and toilet ;)

What if I went with #1 and made a big PAX wardrobe on the empty wall between the window and the door? Then I wouldn't need to use the room in the center of the floorplan as kids' closet and maybe could make a quiet study room there? I moved my eldest DD's desk under the stairs a few days ago and she's happy with that (see my other thread on the forum).

kicez, yes that is what I mentioned in my post. Add the PAX across from their feet on that blank wall... It would be perfect. One tower for each girl would be the ideal. Then if there is still room, add a comfy chair so you can read stories to them at night!

Laura Mac, thank you! What do you think about turning the closet into a study room?

Oh that sounds like a really good idea! So PAX wardrobes in their bedroom (1 for each girl), and then a study room in the closet! Love it! There is obviously no natural light in the closet, so good lighting needed (recessed and desk lamps).

Closet / Study room: If you don't already have desks, maybe you can purchase some finished base kitchen cabinets from IKEA (one for each girl). Place one on each wall, and run 'smooth laminate' (not textured since bad with pencils) along the top of the cabinets along the entire perimeter, so essentially the desk top goes around the entire room. Maybe at one end you put a tall bookcase or dresser for additional storage. They'll have plenty of room for their legs (if you need to pull up a chair next to them you can), and space for books, notebooks, computers, etc. Laminate counters are so durable (and cost effective) and come in great colors now. So, the entire room is filled with counter space for their stuff. Be sure to get some good electrical in there if you can (bring some up to above the counter (or drill grommet holes in the laminate).

Base cabinet idea: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50266040/

Below are the mirror doors for PAX. So if you get the 39-3/8" wide x 3 = approx 10 ft, so just enough space for that wall in the bedroom. It would basically take up the wall that the door is on, but it's a wall of mirror which is fun for dress up and getting ready, etc....and they go to the ceiling which is perfect! Maybe you can tape it off to see how tight the fit is with the beds and closets (or see if they have a less deep PAX system).

Mirror doors: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S69904237/

Wardrobe: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19167194/

I got about 4-5 sliding drawers (they hold a ton and are solid)! (I thought their basket drawers were skimpy). So from the bottom up, 4-5 sliding drawers, then a shelf on top of the last drawer (so things can be set on top there too), then the hanging rod, then a shelf at the top of the hanging rod (it leaves a few more inches for more things to stash....

I'd also suggest getting their crew to assemble. There are a zillions little screws and nails, etc., and they do it in no time...

Be sure that your flooring is good and you're not planning on changing it for a while, because it's too hard to move those beasts and you have to disassemble (and they say only one time).

Wow, it sounds like fun! And again, I'm just throwing out some ideas....

What about this? (In our home, walls are “mere suggestions” as to where rooms should be, so please bare with me.)

If the closet wall between the master and the homeschool room could be built flush expanding the closet by a few feet, rather than having the jog that is there now, and a window could be added to the closet, it could become a lovely, private office/craft/sewing room for mom. A desk could go under the window, storage could go along the back wall. There might even be room for a trusty recliner in there. ; ) If not, might I suggest keeping a cozy throw blanket in the bedroom that could be tossed on the bed for naps, that way you could lie down, but not get your bedding soiled?

The hall closet could become the master closet by installing a door from the master bedroom and closing up the hall door (or perhaps leaving a tiny cleaning closet from the hall side for the vacuum and such. I drew in a door swing, but a pocket door might be even better.

I like the idea of the Pax wardrobe type storage for the girls’ clothes and things right in the bedroom, and this would make up for the loss of the hall closet.

By doing these changes, you retain two bedroom for the girls without any sacrifice of mom’s sanctuary. (In fact, you gain your own private space with an added level of protection, since there are two doors between your zone and the public area.) This plan would give you a lot of flexibility in the future. DD who stays up late and doesn’t need naps could have her own room. Or youngest DD who still needs naps when the older two don’t could have her own little room. The little bedroom could become a library, or the quiet work zone for schoolwork that requires deep concentration, or whatever else your family might need in the future, especially if the girls and you love their sharing a space.

Here are some offices for inspiration:

Private Home, Notting Hill · More Info

Bloomington New Home Construction · More Info

If you feel comfortable with it, you could also connect the “mom office” with the homeschool room as well as the master...

Up thread you asked about bunks. Once our kids are around 6 or 7, I don’t mind them sleeping on a top bunk. Any younger than that, and I like them to stay on the bottom. We do teach them not to be wild on their beds, because I don’t want them to fall. That’s not to say that children will always obey, but so far, they have been ok (our oldest is 17...) If the kids are sick, we let them have a little nest on the floor in mom and dad’s room or out on the couch in the living room until the worst is past. Bunks aren’t fun to make, but our kids do manage to do it. I’ve seen top sheets that are fitted at the bottom like a bottom sheet; those are nice, but I’ve never invested in them. I liked them at a cottage we vacationed at, though! Some kids really like bunks, others, not so much.

You can get a bunkbed, and a single bed.

The 8 year old can be on the top bunk. Children younger than 8 easily use bunk beds too, and love it!

An 8 year old is absolutely and completely able to make her own bed to perfection on the top of a bunkbed, with bottom sheet, top sheet, blanket, pillows, the works, with absolutely no assistance. With hospital corners, too.

Boarding schools and summer camps and their alumni the world over can attest to this. (As can I.)

Most children make up the top bunk while sitting on it, but you might also want to buy a step stool to keep in the room if the 8 year old needs it.

If you are concerned about illness, you can buy a folding foam pad, and if the 8 year old gets sick, you can put the 4 year old's bed linens and pillow on the foam pad on the floor and put the 8 year old's bed linens on the 4 year olds bed.

(Google: Therm-a-Rest Z- Shield Sleeping Pad for $11.99)

This setup also leaves more floor space for your children to actually do things in their room.

That also solves the problem of the 8 year old reading late at night, because you can rig up a light at the top of the bunk bed, or she can use a flash light without disturbing the younger children.

They might want to be in a room other than their schoolroom, and not only want to lay on their bed in their bedroom.

You might even have two bunk beds* because very soon your oldest will be at the age of wanting a friend to have a sleepover.

When your oldest moves out and you only have two girls living at home, they can both sleep on top and the bottoms can turn into "daybeds". You can position the bunkbeds against the walls, put large cushions on the back of the lower beds and the girls can use them as lounging sofas for reading, entertaining their friends and hanging out and being kids.

*get the toddler safety bars for the bottom for your youngest, or just get a toddler bed for your youngest now, and get the second bunk bed when your youngest grows out of the toddler bed.

Wow I'm so excited! Thank you!!! I think I'm really going to go with those PAX wardrobes in girls' bedroom and then the study in my closet.

DDs don't like folding and putting away their laundry. I was thinking about teaching them to hang their clothes. To me, it's much easier to put a tshirt on a hanger, than to fold it nicely and to be honest, I hang all of my clothes (some even in sets - a skirt plus a matching shirt plus a jumper on one hanger). I like it how PAX system allows to have drawers in one half of the wardrobe and clothes rail in the other!

I have to measure exactly to find out if I'm going to need to convince DH to move the light switch closer to the doorway (we don't have doors yet)... Hope he agrees!

As to study, it's a BRILLIANT idea to make it in my closet, not the hall closet. If I turned the master closet to a study, I wouldn't need to make the door there and ventilation wouldn't be an issue. I can't make a window there (DH would never agree as it requires a lot of paper work and mess) but it's fine with me. I don't think DH would agree to moving a wall either! We have brick walls... There are two big windows in the master bedroom so there is plenty of light in the closet. Actually I cannot work on my laptop sitting in bed, as there's too much light.

This is what you see when you enter the master bedroom:

On the right wall there's the closet:

I'm moving the baby out! She's going to have her crib in DDs' bedroom. She can sleep very well at night and I'm so glad you helped me make the decision to stop nursing her at night! I slept for 9 hrs last night!!!!

Thank you for ideas for the study. The closet is small so I have to give it a lot of thought. First I have to find out what my needs really are - I'm sure I need a desk and a drawer for pens and pencils, another for paper, maybe a small shelf for books... I'm afraid my recliner wouldn't fit in the closet, without moving the wall! I like the idea of ikea kitchen cabinets but maybe as hanging cabinets (or Besta) - above ther desk?

I like this desk: besta burs. A corner desk could be fun too!

I'm looking at the floor plan again and you know what?... Maybe I should switch the kids' bedroom with the homeschool room, as Denita suggested? The PAX wardrobe would fit on the right wall and wouldn't make the space feel cramped. The downside is that the new homeschool room wouldn't get so much light, as it's window is facing west. And it would be a bit smaller than the current one... I wanted our homeschool room to be at the same time our family room with a sofa and the tv (we don't watch movies, but children play sometimes on ps4 or wii) and we do exercises together. Hmm any tips on that?

Edit: The funny thing is, that at the veeery beginning, when we were moving in, the kids' bedroom and our homeschool room were planned the way Denita suggested. In the homeschool room I imagined a long table top from wall to wall under the window, so everyone would have a lot of space. I'm not sure about making one table top anymore, as I belive that desk's height should be adjusted to kid's height. My eldest daughter has this table top with adjustable legs and I was planning on getting the same set for my middle daughter and setting those tables together in a 59" square in the middle of the room, so all four of us (me + 3 DDs) could sit there comfortably. But again - the height adjusted for the middle daughter would be too low for the eldest one! Or maybe I shouldn't care and get the lower one a foot stool?

If you and your hubby are going to be in the big room, I think I'd prefer the bigger room for the Home School/Family room....but that's just me. Also, I'd leave the one place in your house (master bedroom/closet) your private space (aka, no kids), so I'd wouldn't put the kids in your master closet.

For the study closet, I still like the one long table idea wrapped around the room because it would be really practical and allow for lots of storage underneath (if you use base cabinetry, etc), and plenty of room to spread out their stuff. Google 'IKEA hacks', there are so many!

I wouldn't worry about the size/height difference of the girls, you can just get office chairs that can be adjusted with the pump of a handle (like in every office in the nation). IKEA, Office Depot, Staples and every office store has them... Get comfy, padded, ergonomically correct chairs, since they will be sitting a lot.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/workspaces/20652/

Here's the new setup with switched rooms:

Thank you for all the info on bunk beds but I'm still not sure about them. If children have separate beds, it would be easier for me to move them to separate rooms sometime in the future, shell we have such a need....

^I like that new plan :)

That looks like it could work. I recommend doing a mock-up (could be boxes, chairs, etc.) with only .44 m between them and see if that spacing really works for you or not.

In the US, some beds are made to function as bunks when stacked, or individually when separated. I don’t know if Ikea beds do that or not.

Congrats on 9 hours of solid sleep! So glad your dd has figured out things so quickly. : )

I like your new plan, esp if it gives you a little more room for the girls beds and big wardrobes. Tape off the floor with painters tape or similar and see how it all feels....

Why not use multi-tier bunk beds?