Do I have to much stuff to live in a new build house

[Littletreefrog]

We are currently looking to move house. I have been looking at new builds but where do people put their stuff? Or do I have an unusual amount of stuff?

We have a Christmas tree and some Christmas decorations, a couple of suitcases, some camping chairs and a tent. Which doesn't seem an unusually large amount of stuff to need to store but it literally wouldn't fit in any of the new builds we have looked at unless we maybe gave up wearing clothes and put them in the wardrobes instead.

And if anyone has a way of buying a 3 bedroom house where the 3rd bedroom isn't a box and you can actually store stuff and it doesnt cost a fortune please let me know.

Any scope for a shed or a boarded loft? Or even one of the nice waterproof outdoor storage benches for the garden?

That would just go in the loft, garage, shed or understairs.

You're describing a small amount of stuff that many people will have.

No loft as 3rd bedroom is in the loft space. Also no garage but I embarassingly actually didn't think about a storage shed in the garden perhaps because I have never had a garden before so everything has had to be stored in the house. Feel a bit silly now.

The ones we looked at had no loft garage or under stairs but yes storage in garden seems to be the answer.

I have a loft bedroom but it still has eaves where I keep suitcases and photos/kids childhood stuff, and a small attic which I don’t bother to use. Apart from that… I have an airing cupboard but with no boiler iyswim, under the stairs, and a garage. Quite a lot really for a new build.

You're not silly

Having lived in a VERY small house myself for some time, you do find solutions.

Loft, garage, shed, under stairs, spare room, or in extremus hire storage space.

My Christmas stuff and camping stuff are in my wardrobes. (I don't have a lot of clothes)

DD lived in a rented flat with no storage but the kitchen was massive with so many more cupboards than she had kitchen stuff for so she put stuff in smaller boxes and stored in the unneeded kitchen cupboards.

Under bed storage (either plastic boxes that roll under the bed, or built in) are very handy for things like out of season clothes, decorations, etc.

I lived in a new build it was awful no understairs because they opened it up for the living room no cupboards except the airing cupboard the rooms were too small for wardrobes we were told not to board the loft and store up there we did it anyway and turns out we nearly burned the house down because of the spotlights used got extremely hot our mop bucket and hoover ended up being stored in a toilet I would honestly never live in one like it again

Suitcases are under the bed.
Christmas stuff is in the eves storage in the loft room.
DS2 has a humongous wardrobe, so he uses about a third of it, and the rest is for spare towels & bedding and out of season duvets etc.

Yep - shed!

My shed is only a small one but it has plastic boxes stacked up inside and also all the chairs etc.

I rotate it. So Xmas I take all out and out summer stuff at back. Xmas stuff goes in and then roundabout March I take it all out to put summer stuff at the front!

Definitely get a decent garden shed and some of the large plastic storage boxes from IKEA. Then things can easily go in there.

Other than that, ottoman beds are useful for storage underneath them and all of our furniture is bought considering storage e.g our TV in the living room is on a big sideboard with two cupboards and six drawers rather than on a standard TV stand etc.

If you have a loft, don't you have eaves storage ?

The kind of storage beds you lift and put things inside hold a LOT of stuff I’ve found.

Buy beds with storage underneath. We have those ones which you lift up....we keep our Christmas tree and decorations there!

New builds are awful and one reason we didn't buy one.

We converted the loft but added storage space in the eaves. We also have a garage at the back of the garden but it's used 1/2 for storage of typical garden stuff and 1/2 for DH's model train and all space underneath the set up is further storage.

Ignore new builds and try to get a typical 1930 or so house.

This is my pet hate about new builds - I lived in one where all the obvious space for cupboards (including under stairs) had a flipping toilet/bathroom in it! Who needs 4 loos when there’s nowhere to put the ironing board, vacuum cleaner or your winter coats and boots?

Anyway, to answer the question: if you must live in a new build, yes minimalism works best but also think about clever storage like ottoman beds, or a coffee table that has a cupboard under it.

Ruthless decluttering is a core skill for 21st life.

Look at a different style house. I'm in A new build we have a full length single cupboard in one bedroom as well as usual wardrobe and bedroom furniture and the entirety of the under stairs is accessible and provides an enormous amount of storage. We also had work done so you lift up the bottom two steps to access the stairs from the hallway for putting shoes in. In addition to this we have boarded the loft out.

No under stairs storage or over stairs cupboard? We have both in our new build.

We moved from a four bedroom detached to a new build three bedroom semi after thirty years. After ruthless declutterring we gave up and hired a storage unit on a local site. It’s still full to the gunnels.

I would get a good quality shed that will last.

Don't put a tent in a shed though! Keep that one in the loft or under bed (mould risk)

Are you sure the whole loft was used for the 3rd bedroom ? Often the eaves are left as they are too small head height wise and there would be access left to them for storage ? I’d ask the seller to confirm there is no loft storage at all