If you have a 3 bed semi, 2 kids, how did you finally get your house sorted?

[millionaireshortie]

I am struggling. The house is massively getting me down. At what point do you admit defeat and accept you don't have enough space for a family? Problem areas everywhere, clutter everywhere, in spite of constantly 'tidying'. We've installed fitted wardrobes, regularly cull kids toys and clothes, have a donate box permanently available in my landing cupboard, regularly visit the tip/charity shop and don't feel we buy excessively AT ALL. What amazing storage furniture am I missing? Any tips on how to manage a house of this size with a family of 4?

We have turned our third bedroom into a playroom and they share a bedroom for sleeping. It works well as all the toys are in one place. They play nicely together in the room. And they only use their actual bedroom for sleeping.

How old are the kids, OP?

Is it just the kids stuff? Or do you feel you have to much stuff all over the house, in every category?

Can you floor & line the attic? If kids are old enough make it a kids den? Not an official conversion.

We were similar, we moved. It was the kitchen that I really struggled with - not enough room to sit in let alone store all the stuff that comes with modern life.

My policy when we moved is that we have the space - if it needs to be stashed away and isn’t seasonal it goes out.

@ArtemisBean

How old are the kids, OP?

5 & 9

@ChampagneCommunist

Is it just the kids stuff? Or do you feel you have to much stuff all over the house, in every category?

I actually don't think we have too much stuff. For example, the kids have 1 raincoat, 1 warm coat and so do I. They only have a couple pairs of shoes (school, weekend) on the go at any one time. Husband has more. But that still adds up to 8+ coats, some bulky, hanging in a small porchway. I just feel like a standard 3 bed semi is too small for the average family of 4. Wondering if anyone has managed to make it work.

@Lazt

Can you floor & line the attic? If kids are old enough make it a kids den? Not an official conversion.

We were similar, we moved. It was the kitchen that I really struggled with - not enough room to sit in let alone store all the stuff that comes with modern life.

My policy when we moved is that we have the space - if it needs to be stashed away and isn’t seasonal it goes out.

WE have an attic which we use for storage. I struggle with the kitchen too!

We got an IKEA corner sofa with storage underneath and a foot stall with storage too. I hate clutter.

You seriously need to continuously declutter. We moved from a 3 bed with a garage, dining room turned into playroom and attic to a new 4 bed with minimal storage. We have no playroom. Serious decluttering. Both kids aged 7 and 5 insist on sharing a room, third room is DH to wfh and 4th room is currently empty.
We replaced our huge oak 6 seater dining for a small 6 seater only using 4 chairs, replaced living room sofa with slim line sofa, got smart storage under the stairs. We're 2 years in the house and still decluttering. I like minimalist living so apart from growing flowers indoors I don't have paraphernalia hanging around so it makes the place look airy. Ask them to pick what they need and box the others away. We also have a shed which is where I am decluttering at the moment.

How on earth is a 3 bed semi too small for 2 adults and 2 children?

@mishmased Smart storage under the stairs? Tell me more! My understairs really needs looking at. Thinking of placing several cardboard boxes in the hall next week marked bin, sell, donate, fix and find storage for, and see where that takes me.

@CokeEnStock

How on earth is a 3 bed semi too small for 2 adults and 2 children?

I fully accept I may be going wrong somewhere! Hence the reason I'm asking for help. I don't feel we have excess 'stuff' as detailed further up thread. But the place looks over run. Do you have a 3 bed with a family of 4? I gave the example earlier of 8 coats hung in the porchway - it looks messy and cluttered but is only 1 raincoat and 1 warm coat per person. I can't declutter that further.

I’ve started to watch YouTube videos for storage/decluttering tips. Some of them are incredibly annoying, but I’ve picked up some useful tips!

We hang coats in the under stairs cupboard. Also have shoe storage, board games and lots else in there. Make sure you maximise storage spaces in kids rooms and declutter constantly. Small 3 bed house here and we are fairly clutter free.

@Millie2013

I’ve started to watch YouTube videos for storage/decluttering tips. Some of them are incredibly annoying, but I’ve picked up some useful tips!

Oh good idea. I'll look at that. I did watch The Home Edit on Netflix, but they all have pretty big houses and lots of space to begin with!

I think the only answer is to regularly declutter for every member of the family. I have 3 options

Keep out to use/display
Keep but put away/into storage
Charity shop it

It means we can sort through stuff fairly rapidly, but I do feel your pain as it gddmp an never ending task.

Also Ikea Kallax units for kids toys and general paraphernalia are fantastic. They hold so much and it's hidden away!

Seems a never ending task!

Any tips on how to manage a house of this size with a family of 4?

A 3 bed semi is pretty good in terms of space for a family of 4. It’s really not small. If you’re struggling for space in that with just 4 of you then you’ve too much stuff.

We have a big hallway so brought a set of units which has shoe storage and a wardrobe. Everything gets tucked away in that apart from the lighter coats which hang on the coat rail bit. It’s the thick padded coats and the wellies that got on my nerves!

Regarding the coats, we only have one coat per person at the backdoor, any other costs hung in wardrobes. Kids have a little basket each for shoes, less shoes on the floor this way!

What storage cupboard space do you have? Some houses I find have virtually nothing which makes things feel cluttered quickly.

What sort of things are laying around your livingroom? Do they have dedicated space and just are not being tidied or is it stuff that has no real place?

We basically "IKEA'd" our house to within an inch of its life.
Toys stay in the toy room-we have a conservatory.
Shoes in a shoe cabinet, Sumer winter shoes get rotated between there and wardrobes.
Kitchen- brought it down to bare minimum, if you haven't used it for more than a year then it goes.
Everything has a home and that's where it stays if it's not being used.
We also have a rule, no toys in living room.
Storage cabinets/sideboards/ kallax units are key and also you say you get rid of things and I thought I did but it wasn't until I moved that I really truely cleared out. Maybe think if you were moving what would you take/ get rid of? That might help reduce some?

What rooms do you have OP? Do you have a downstairs hallway wide enough to build storage all along one wall (basically a long built in cupboard with doors).

Imo things need to be behind a (non see through) door.

Also have nothing on kitchen worktops - put toaster everything away - makes a massive difference.

It can’t be just coats in the porch that’s the problem though Op. what other stuff do you have around the house that’s making you feel cramped?

We're in a 3 bed terrace, Kids are 6 & 3.
We do have an extra room downstairs we use as a playroom. We've been having this chat today, it's the shoes, boots and coats pushing me over the edge! We don't have a porch, and our front and back doors have a radiator by them so can't put shoe storage there! What do people do with their shoes?!

My suggestions are, kallax units as someone said up thread. So useful! We've somehow got 3 long ones and 2 cube ones, in different rooms and with different styles.

Cabin beds in kids rooms with storage underneath. This is definitely my plan! Then most toys can be in bedrooms.