Is your home like a show home? If so, where is all your stuff?

[WorkerBee123]

So I would say I’m pretty tidy-I like it when there are no dishes on the side and the laundry is done, for example. But I live in a decent sized Victorian house with loads of books, plants and art etc (don’t mean to sound wanky). Recently went to someone’s house which was of the ‘executive home’ style-huge and virtually empty except for huge gorgeous sofas, massive island and a giant plant. I loved it! The bedroom was equipped with brand new empty drawers and bedside tables. My spare room is lovely, but there’s a full linen cupboard, drawers full of my stuff and camping gear under the bed. Even their garden was open and clear. Loved it-not my style but loved. Than I recently saw an ig post where the poster said she liked her house to look like no one lives there and that’s pretty much exactly the vibe this one had. Like I said, no judgement. I loved it. Could never achieve it in a million years. If you do, particularly if you live in an old house, how do you do it??

We live in a largeish 3 story house, the downstairs was always immaculate, as I wanted it to be clean and tidy for guests.

Our third floor has our office, playroom and storage area, it looks like a bomb has gone off in all the rooms (understatement). I guess we just prioristied where we store things. DH wont throw anything away either. Our garage is also full of junk 😅.

Although DD is coming up 8 months old now and alot of her toys are migrating downstairs and it isnt what it once was!

I live in a small two bed, two adults, one child. We don't have 'stuff'. People talk about bursting cupboards and overflowing linen etc. And how much of it is actually needed and used. Two sets of bedding for each bed, couple of towels over person for example. I don't need millions of serving dishes or crockery.

I think that’s half the battle.

We only have one set of duvet covers for each bed! Off in the morning, wash, in the drier it’s back on within a few hours.

I have a friend with multiple duvet covers for all seasons (Christmas, Easter, Halloween, summer themed), I can’t be doing with all that!

Ditto!

what about when the house has a sickness bug? I can remember when we had my sister and nephew to stay one christmas and she brought a sickness bug I was the only one who didnt catch it - DH, Sis and 4 young children being sick over everything (1 year olds don't always get to the bowls!) meant I was very grateful for multiple changes of bed cloths and plenty of towels and blankets to cover everything!!

It is hard to be minimalistic when you have kids - we have 3 so there are 5 of us in our house. Just things like walking boots - everyone has a pair (DH has several for different seasons/terrain etc) plus then there are always a couple of pairs knocking about that are too small for one but too big for the next.
Doesnt help that we are scout leaders so always stuff hanging around that we have picked up for that or activities we are preparing or stuff people have given us for the second hand cupboard or stock of food for camp etc etc.

Good storage is key but unfortunately that is expensive and not all houses have spare rooms/basements/giant closets to put everything out of sight. I also think wealth comes into it - if you can afford to buy whatever you want when you need it you will find it easier to let go of stuff - if you do not have a lot of spare cash then you will feel like you need to hang on to stuff in case you need it as you wont be able to go out and buy a new one.

I have lots of stuff and have lived in my house for almost 30 years. I like light and airy rooms with only a small amount of clutter out, I manage this in my lounge, kitchen and main bedroom. My study is a work room, the shelves are overflowing, we have 2 desks that are used every day, it will never be tidy.

The 2nd bedroom is used by DH mainly and has stuff everywhere, the guest bedroom is currently full of my vinted sales and DC belongings that are not with them.

I have loads of clothes, shoes and other belongings and whilst I do declutter I like my stuff. I also believe in buying well and keeping things. My furniture is 30 years old, the sofa 10 years and still looks great but used.

The dining room has piles on the table, and doubles as our gym and laundry.

We did recently have a new kitchen and I went through the cupboards and git rid of the duplicates and things that we never use, but I certainly have more than a couple of pans and 4 plates. I can easily host Christmas for 12.

My sister has the show home, always has, not only are the surfaces always clear and the house immaculate, furniture, carpets, curtains and walls are replaced regularly. I can't imagine how much she has spent over the last 20 years.

Our property a nothing like a show home. It’s an old 1930’s building, with a very rambling garden. DP likes “ stuff “ but thankfully that is confined to a “ room”. I’m more minimalist and could quite happily live with just the basics.

DD in particular, is a collector of things. Luckily she is at uni, so we do regular clear outs when she’s home.

My two house rabbits also occupy a room and their stuff is kept in there.

Tiny kitchen, so that’s always tidy.

Plenty of storage space, so lots of stuff is hidden away. Every so often, I venture into the attic and clear out stuff.

I'm a dog walker and cat sitter so see inside lots of houses.

The show home type ones always have cleaners, house keepers, gardeners, nannies, a separate laundry/ utility room and usually no children.

Your house sounds lovely and homely. Why would you prefer it to look sterile and soulless?

I once interviewed someone in a home that had no possessions around at all. I was stunned at how tidy and empty it looked. Then during the interview the landline phone rang in a muffled sort of way and he got up and opened a cupboard and there his phone was!

My mum was a librarian and I concur 😂They have so many bookshelves filled with books, I dread having to deal with them when the inevitable happens (they're late 70s). My uncle was also a librarian and is single and a bit of a hoarder, and his house is literally filled with books. The stacks of books act as tables.

I have one very large set of bookshelves and can't currently cram anything else in - I really need a clear out so I can access the books.

What I find tricky about 'storage' is that I would never use anything if I put it away. If I put a new shampoo in the cupboard I will forget I own it. So I have maybe three shampoos and two conditioners, plus a hair mask, out in the bathroom, because if they're not visible I will forget I need them before I get in the shower, won't want to get out to get them, and will end up washing my hair in my kid's bubble bath.

The same applies to make up. And clothes in drawers. And shoes. I need things visible!

To answer your specific question around bugs, we just put towels down and keep on top of washing. Our child is not that sicky tbh so not an issue personally.

My parents are slightly younger than yours. They did have a massive clear out of the books earlier of this year. Most of the recipe books, DM hasn't used in years, bar 1-2 recipes. She scanned those recipes, printed and placed in a folder. Then recipe books went to the charity shops.

It's the local history books of where we live and where she used to live. Seeing a Kellys Directory from the 1920s where she lived, for a few quid - she was in her element.

I have these but still there is tut everywhere.

Where do you put your bills and post, things to action? Charging cables? Etc etc.

I refuse to get rid of my DVDs as most of the contents are not on any streaming service or one of the tv series, its on a platform which I don't subscribe to. Streaming services do and can drop content without warning. Plus edited. Now with some streaming services, to drop the adverts, you pay more.

Last year, I had two days with no internet, along with half the town and DVDs came out.

I was about to write about chargers and cables. As you have phones, smart watches, wireless headphones/earbuds, eReaders. Plus more things are wireless - fans, desk lamps, scales (bathroom, kitchen).

Wouldn't it be great if everything used the same charger!

Love to know where you got your natural phone/laptop 😂😸

Chargers and cables go in a drawer

….says she eying the trailing laptop cable

I know our house is too cluttered but minimalist homes really stress me out. No physical books in particular, no art... it just feels like the soul is missing amd you're in a crime show tv set or something.

No and everywhere.

Books, CDs, DVDs, craft materials, hobby stuff. Pictures, objects and ornaments. Cooking equipment, clothes…

I own stuff. It lives around me, not in a box.

I concede that I swap my wardrobe over for spring/summer and autumn/winter. But that’s a space matter rather than not wanting to have it available or visible.

I was going to say lots of storage. My house is usually very tidy because we planned and built loads of storage spaces.

But then you lost me at empty drawers! All our storage is needed for stuff … otherwise I wouldn’t have it, would rather have the space!

I live in a very minimalistic house, it’s a Victorian house and a fair size (but not huge…and doesn’t have loads of rooms, which I think helps when trying to keep clutter down!) When my FIL died, after clearing his house, I vowed never to keep stuff that didn’t need to be kept, he was a hoarder and most of what he kept was absolute rubbish! I regularly have cupboard clear outs and when guests come round it does look like a show home. In saying that I do have art on the walls and framed pictures, I couldn’t live in a house without nice family/friend pictures! Otherwise I love minimalism.

My house used to be minimalist and tidy all the time. Now look after 2.5 year old dgs 2 days and 1 night a week. House now looks like a bombs hit it! I know which I prefer!😀