Claustrophobic in the house

[Letmesleepalready]

We've been away on holiday, in a nice big clean house. Came back home and really feeling like our whole place has shrunk, due to clutter (holiday / pre holiday and post holiday clutter) Obviously the house is smaller than the holiday house was, but it never felt like we have no space before!

I really need to clear it all today, but I am just surprised by how it's made me feel trapped. (DH is away this week, and the DCs make more mess than they tidy so the bulk of it is up to me)

You've been away op so you see your normal surroundings with a fresh pair of eyes. Embrace it whilst you're full of energy & donate as much as you can/sell stuff to help the planet etc! Good luck! Xx

Thanks! We're hoping to move soon too, so this might be the catalyst to get rid of more than we originally planned!

Read Marie Kondo's book then get decluttering!

I did, and did do some following her method, but obviously not rigorously enough! And I'm still learning to put things away as I use them. I don't know how long it'll take to become a natural habit because it really isn't at the moment!

I know just how you feel, bei stuck in the house on those rainy days we had recently drove me mad! I posted about storage ideas and got some really good advice, I'll bump it for you.

We have done some rearranging and decluttering, and a bit of decorating and shelving, and the house looks twice the size I swear. We've mounted the microwave in brackets to free up workspace and have added a shelf and a Fintorp hanging rail from Ikea, and now we have lots more room in the kitchen. And we thought a bit creatively about the living room and took a shelf out of our bookcase for the to etc to live on, and that meant we could ditch the fugly tv stand and gain floor space. Also, I spent a hour or so reorganising the airing cupboard so that all the pillowcase and duvet sets are together with a sheet etc inside a pillowcase, so now all we have to do is pull the pillowcase out and all the matching bits are there. And things do t fall on your head when you open the door. It all helps the house to feel calmer!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3000686-Storage-solutions-for-tiny-houses

Thanks for the tips! I like the idea of the TV in the bookcase! We have to cut up a shelf to do that, but might be worth it (will see what DH thinks) At the moment we're renting so can't put shelves up, but we're in the process of buying, so if that goes through, I'll definitely be looking at vertical storage!

Next door have a similar house layout, but they own the house and they've managed to build in so much storage, in a really smart way, like floor to ceiling shelving with doors on both sides of the chimney breast, new kitchen that uses half cabinets to add tons of room. Our kitchens are both alley ones (narrow strips, not an actual room, probably half the average kitchen) and it's amazing what a difference it makes to the feel of the house. That and I think they are way more minimalist than us pity I can't ask them to help me be ruthless!

We went on holidays to a mobile home and when we got back our house was like a palace!
Opening the hall door was like those renovation programmes, I ooooohhhhhed!!!
It took a while to get used to our normal sized house again. (But it really made me appreciate it)

In summary: I'd advise staying somewhere smaller / not as nice on holidays the next time!

This is ours. It's an IKEA Leksvik bookcase, I think it's discontinued now, but we bought this on eBay for £25. The bottom three shelves are deeper than the top ones so ideal for a tv etc. I also saw a good idea on Ikea hackers, where someone had tacked bright fabric to the back of the shelves - if you aren't allowed to paint, you could do that to brighten it up a bit.

Excuse the mess btw - DS has been busy

luckystars haha, we usually go camping so get the whole wow look at the space when we come home.

spudlet at the moment our TV is n a changing table, and our bookcases are all kallax so there's no back to put wall paper. I did see a lovely DIY coat hanger shoe storage once using wallpaper on the back of an doorless wardrobe.