"Triple Bunks", or "How to Sleep More than 2.4 Children in a Standard Home"

Because I have wondered about beds for big families too, I thought you might get a kick out our new bunks.  Our home now is a generously built three bedroom and it's working fine, but extra space in bedrooms doesn't just happen automatically.  Previously we've had bunks with a trundle bed or bunks with a single bed, but the poor guy on the trundle never seems to have a place for all his stuffed animals and gear, and the poor guy on the single always has brothers using it for a trampoline and no floor space to boot.  Kind Daddy has been thinking about a set like these for a long time now and with little Christian nearing real-bed age he drew up plans and put them together this month.  Not too bad, eh?  Just one set for now, but they're such a hit that another set is planned to be in the works in a year or two.


Yes, they are a little shorter than your average bunk - about 22" from a mattress to the next bunk and we worried about not having enough headroom, but the boys are small enough that all but Dan can sit up on their beds.  Bonus being that none of them have enough space for jumping on the mattresses anymore either. It's actually roomier feeling than you'd think, even for adults.  There has been talk of glow in the dark stars up there on the underside of each bed.  We'll see.  For loot storage, Dad plans to add shelving at the headboard end, but he needed to get back to studying for now.  Besides, it will be a better project for when the temperature goes down below a hundred at night anyways, don't you think? 

Considering the occupants, we went for strength - the beds are built to hopefully withstand all the Alterton boy, which is saying something.  And also withstand earthquakes, as worrier-Noah pointed out two minutes after climbing on for the first time and noticing that the bunks are too tall to tip over and too solid to shake apart.  Seriously.  Next tremor, I'm heading to their room.  But the three oldest are thrilled with their new beds, and the three still in regular bunks are doing a lot of sneaking in to play up there till caught and booted out.  So everything is in place, beds are staked out, the rooms are again working comfortably, and Aunt Charity's spare bed is even empty and ready for her visit next week.  Now to get the three to quit being so excited that they can't settle down at night ... !