craftykitten
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,304
Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Feb 16, 2016 18:26:45 GMT
I rent a very small, 19th century cottage. It's a terrace (joined on to my neighbours both sides). We are separated from the main road by the pavement and people walk right past my front window. It's damp and we have mould. Downstairs is 2 small rooms knocked through to make one marginally larger room, and then the kitchen out the back. Upstairs is a tiny bedroom that only has room for the bed. The wardrobes live in what is supposedly the second bedroom, but you couldn't use it as such because you have to walk through it to get to the bathroom.
When I moved in here it was just me and the cat. Now, I have my OH and all his stuff (including 2 cages for rodents, who I love dearly). And now there is no room FOR ANYTHING. There are no built in cupboards or shelves, and we have filled every available space. I keep trying to get rid of things but I do want to have some stuff, you know? I don't even think we have a lot, it just looks worse because there is nowhere to put it all.
To make matters worse, my grandmother died 2.5 years ago and her (bigger) house has been sitting EMPTY since then. My mum has been unable to decide what to do with it, she didn't want me to live there because it would upset my sister? So we could only live there if my sister and I shared. But we are both adults and have partners and that would just never work. Oh, and we would have had to keep all gran's furniture and bits and pieces. And still pay rent. So, no. Then mum was going to sell gran's house and use some money to help us. But she couldn't make her mind up, so she didn't. And the house is still sitting there, empty and rotting.
Meanwhile, I took voluntary redundancy from work and OH and I are setting up our own business. Which is great, but means that our ability to get a mortgage is going to suffer for a while. So even if mum DID sell gran's house now and help us with a deposit, we wouldn't be able to get finance.
And setting up our own business means that I am at home most of the time. I have just been trying to clean up and it's so damn hard. I can't keep it clean because there is no room to tidy everything away. I hate that we have so much stuff but I can't see what else to get rid of. I can't have visitors because there is no space for them and I am so embarrassed by my house. Every time I clean I end up in tears because it is so frustrating and embarrassing and I just want a nice tidy house to come home to. It doesn't even have to be very big I just want to be able to put stuff away so that I can have people round. Not even a lot of people. Just one or two.
Sorry this is such a rambling, ranting post. I just can't see a way out, not in the short term anyway, and if I get upset with OH then he takes it personally because he can't just buy a bigger house for us. I don't even know what to say to my mum about it any more.
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mallie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,253
Jul 3, 2014 18:13:13 GMT
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Post by mallie on Feb 16, 2016 18:29:30 GMT
Is there some reason you can't move to another rental house?
Mold is a very serious health risk.
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
Jun 25, 2014 20:06:48 GMT
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Post by freebird on Feb 16, 2016 18:30:41 GMT
Are storage units a thing in the uk?
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craftykitten
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,304
Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Feb 16, 2016 18:34:20 GMT
We probably wouldn't get anywhere big enough that we can afford. This house is pretty cheap (for a reason!) and then there are all the costs of moving...whenever I mention it, OH says it's not worth moving until we can buy somewhere otherwise it's even more money wasted and I kind of agree with him really.
Because we are setting up our business I'm registered self-employed and don't have enough income to get a credit check for another property now. I don't really know what else to do :-\
The mould has got better now we are running dehumidifiers all day, every day.
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craftykitten
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,304
Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Feb 16, 2016 18:36:37 GMT
Are storage units a thing in the uk? That's a good idea. I think there are some here..I will look into it right now.
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Post by dreamer on Feb 16, 2016 18:37:16 GMT
You sound very frustrated and overwhelmed! I've been there! I always thought a cottage sounded so cosy! I'm sorry it isn't working for you. I agree that mold is very very dangerous! So be careful.
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Post by gailoh on Feb 16, 2016 18:50:43 GMT
Only store things that are in plastic bins to keep out critters and can take humidity...but the unit idea is a good one...
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craftykitten
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,304
Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Feb 16, 2016 18:58:16 GMT
See, now that I'm looking in to storage units, I think we definitely need to move. It's going to be at least £100 a month to store stuff, so maybe we would be better off putting that towards renting a bigger place, if i can pass the checks for somewhere? I don't know, I can't seem to think clearly.I feel like I should be getting rid of things, or buying more storage boxes...but maybe I am just putting it off because I don't like moving house.
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Post by creativegirl on Feb 16, 2016 19:01:43 GMT
That sounds so frustrating! When you work from home and you're in your house all day long, you can really start to notice all the things you don't like about your space (that's been true for me anyway).
For many years, my husband and I lived in a couple of places that were each about 600 sq feet. I focused on minimalism and organization that maximized the space. Those tiny living space displays they have at IKEA were always really inspiring to me! Lots of vertical storage helped us out a lot. And I subscribed to the "if I'm not using it regularly or really, really love it, it's gotta go" mentality. I bet a good place to start if you haven't already would be digitally storing photos, books, paperwork, DVD's, music, etc- that took up a lot of space in our old places and there's no need for it to nowadays.
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Post by lisacharlotte on Feb 16, 2016 19:02:03 GMT
If you are "storing" so much stuff, you're not using it. So why can't you get rid of it? You have decide if you afford to keep things if it's that big an issue.
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
Jun 25, 2014 20:06:48 GMT
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Post by freebird on Feb 16, 2016 19:02:00 GMT
If you can't really afford to move, and storage is really expensive, I would get honest and start doing a serious purge, not just your stuff either, everyone's. I would also get very creative with storage. (vertical space is great).
Look into Peter Walsh's book "it's all too much"
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Post by myshelly on Feb 16, 2016 19:03:06 GMT
Do you have an IKEA near you?
I have to agree with the above poster that their tiny living spaces all set up are very inspiring.
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BarbaraUK
Drama Llama
Surrounded by my yarn stash on the NE coast of England...............!! Refupea 1702
Posts: 5,961
Location: England UK
Jun 27, 2014 12:47:11 GMT
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Post by BarbaraUK on Feb 16, 2016 19:10:39 GMT
See, now that I'm looking in to storage units, I think we definitely need to move. It's going to be at least £100 a month to store stuff, so maybe we would be better off putting that towards renting a bigger place, if i can pass the checks for somewhere? I don't know, I can't seem to think clearly.I feel like I should be getting rid of things, or buying more storage boxes...but maybe I am just putting it off because I don't like moving house. We pay a lot less than that for a storage unit but maybe that's just our area of the U.K. Ours is less than half of that per month. Did you look at storage units rather than using a removal firm to store stuff in their units? I can well understand you thinking that the amount you are talking about could well be better saved towards a house though. Our unit is climate controlled as well so no problems with damp etc., though to be honest I don't think there is a real problem with that in the storage units in the UK anyway as we don't have the extremes of weather. It does make a huge difference not having to keep things around the house that we don't want to get rid off.
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Post by jennyap on Feb 16, 2016 19:20:12 GMT
Rather than paying for a storage unit, do you think your mum might consider letting you store some things at your gran's house?
Have you talked to your sister about the possibility of you living in the empty house, or do you think she really would get upset about it / feel that it's unfair? If you are close I'd talk to her first, then with your mum again - if your sister is ok with it that might help. Plus it would be better to have someone in the house maintaining it, and from a security POV.
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wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,769
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Feb 16, 2016 19:37:01 GMT
You sound so frustrated, I can completely understand.
Do you have a garden? can you install a shed to take some stuff? Have you visited a letting agency to get the good idea of what's available, cost, location etc etc. Knowledge is power as the saying goes.
Perhaps let all your friends know you are looking for a new place, you might get word of a place before it even makes the letting market.
Do you think you Mum would be open to the idea that an occupied house is safer than an empty house?
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Post by Really Red on Feb 16, 2016 19:41:28 GMT
Ugh. Even with a storage unit, it sounds like you don't have too much stuff. You have a really small space. It's obvious you cannot move. So I'd start by doing a few things. First, I'd talk to my sister and tell her your predicament. Tell her you're going to ask your mom if you could pay rent on your grandmom's place that is equivalent to the rent you're paying now and ask her if she'll have a problem with that. Hopefully the answer is no. If it's not, figure out what the problem your sister has is and see if you can resolve that. Then approach your mom with your offer and your sister's agreement. I hope that your sister is reasonable. Then you take out your mom's objections.
If all that doesn't work, then I'd go on Pinterest and look up small spaces. I'd devote three hours to doing that. Figure out what works for you and what doesn't. I know in a rental, you can't always put in shelving and that sort, but maybe your landlord would be amenable if it made the place more rentable to the next person. Find the biggest source of your angst and attack that first. Is it the bedroom, the kitchen, the living room? Figure out how to make that a breathable spot for you, then do it. If you have one room in your house that is in good shape, it does make you feel better.
Make your lists and get started. You can do it!!! I hope that sister of yours is a good one, because then most of your problems will be solved! good luck!!!
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Post by anniefb on Feb 16, 2016 19:44:26 GMT
Ugh sounds really frustrating. And your house sounds just like the place my brother and sister-in-law rent in Watford. It's a tiny mid-terrace. I agree about trying to find some off-site storage.
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Nanner
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,969
Jun 25, 2014 23:13:23 GMT
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Post by Nanner on Feb 16, 2016 20:06:30 GMT
Rather than paying for a storage unit, do you think your mum might consider letting you store some things at your gran's house? Have you talked to your sister about the possibility of you living in the empty house, or do you think she really would get upset about it / feel that it's unfair? If you are close I'd talk to her first, then with your mum again - if your sister is ok with it that might help. Plus it would be better to have someone in the house maintaining it, and from a security POV. I agree with JennyAP about talking to your sister about living in the empty house.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 16, 2016 20:21:04 GMT
Really Red gave some excellent advice. I feel your pain, though, we were up until this summer 7 people in about 1000 sq ft. It was very, very tight and I felt like my house was always a mess. There was just no where to put things. It was awful. After 4 years, finally we were able to buy our own house this year. I don't like the increased costs associated with it, but I do enjoy having more space.
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uksue
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,500
Location: London
Jun 25, 2014 22:33:20 GMT
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Post by uksue on Feb 16, 2016 20:21:48 GMT
Crafty I have similar problems- the damp I have here means I can't use any of my cupboards or wardrobes on the ground floor (where my bedroom is.) I've also been running a dehumidifier since before Christmas and have ended up with a massive gas/electricity bill, so just be aware they are very juicy things to run!
Do you have any recourse with the landlord regarding the damp I wonder?
ETA where I live there is about 6 different storage unit companies and the prices are kept low- when I used one a couple of years ago, the first three months were half price. Have a look around- it might even be worth renting a vehicle to take a van load to a storage unit a little further away for a better monthly rent.
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craftykitten
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,304
Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Feb 16, 2016 21:01:11 GMT
Thank you all for your advice...I think it helped just to type it all out, and I have a bit of a plan now. Pinterest here I come... I don't think I have an unreasonable amount of stuff, but it could definitely be less. So I'm going to work on that. IKEA is a bit of a trek from here, but they deliver - so I am going to do some serious measuring up and see what we can get to sort things out. uksue, I am trying not to think about my electricity bill! Hopefully the weather might dry out at some point so I don't have to keep running the dehumidifiers. BarbaraUK we only have limited storage unit options, but they are definitely storage not just removal companies. I will keep looking for something cheaper but that seems to be the going rate round here. Unfortunately we are on an island so we are limited to some extent. Thanks all
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Post by compwalla on Feb 16, 2016 21:19:43 GMT
Definitely think about going up when it comes to storage. I've lived in a series of tiny places thanks to the military and it always helps to use every nook and cranny for storage when you're in tight quarters. We had rolling storage containers that fit under the beds, stackable shelves in every cupboard, hooks on the inside of doors for hanging things, and shelving that mounted to the wall so we could go up. I still have a four shelf unit in my office that is filled with pretty storage boxes. The boxes have office things I use and need to access a lot but don't want out and that I don't have room for in my desk. One of them, for example, has all the extra notebooks I bought on sale one year during a back to school sale. When school starts and my kids need notebooks, we shop from the storage box. I also keep my notecards, postage, and blank cards in one box.
And we did do a huge purge of possessions several years ago. It was really freeing to get rid of so much. When we were sorting things, if I had a moment's question of whether to keep it, out it went. In the years since we did it, I regret letting go of absolutely zero items that I let go of during the purge.
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Post by myboysnme on Feb 16, 2016 21:42:50 GMT
Are storage units a thing in the uk? I LOVE when I hear "Is that a thing?" Always makes me laugh. John Oliver had a little segment on his show called "Why is this still a thing?"
Anyway, there are many options but not sure what I would do would be on OP's radar. I would not start a business in my home if my home did not meet my needs. The house doesn't not even meet living needs much less working needs.
I would binge watch Tiny house hunting and Tiny House Nation and then go around and get rid of 50% of my stuff. That is, if I had no intention of moving. If you own the house you have to get rid of the mold, then sell it, otherwise, get the landlord to let you out of your lease and give you back your deposit.
Forget Grandma's house. If your family can't see that you need to live there then act as though it does not exist because you probably can't afford the upkeep on it anyway.
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
Jun 27, 2014 18:02:10 GMT
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Post by georgiapea on Feb 16, 2016 21:46:42 GMT
Can you stack anything to create more floor space? My 3 compartment laundry hamper sits on top of our pupkins crate. Could the rodents, and please tell us what kind they are, be stacked on top of something else? We have 2 filing cabinets and I stacked a small cabinet on top of them. Hmmm, I'm tall so stacked things are still in reach. If you are short that might put stuff out of your reach and all you'd feel is frustration and that things are looming over you.
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Feb 16, 2016 22:51:35 GMT
Is it possible to removed EVERYTHING in a room and scrub it down and only put into it what you love? I left a TON behind in our move a few years ago and I could not even tell you now what us gone!
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mallie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,253
Jul 3, 2014 18:13:13 GMT
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Post by mallie on Feb 16, 2016 23:08:23 GMT
We probably wouldn't get anywhere big enough that we can afford. This house is pretty cheap (for a reason!) and then there are all the costs of moving...whenever I mention it, OH says it's not worth moving until we can buy somewhere otherwise it's even more money wasted and I kind of agree with him really. Because we are setting up our business I'm registered self-employed and don't have enough income to get a credit check for another property now. I don't really know what else to do :-\ The mould has got better now we are running dehumidifiers all day, every day. Dehumidifiers do not remove the mold embedded in and growing in the structure of the house. The costs to your health due to mold can be immense. I truly hope you will move.
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Trixie Bender
Pearl Clutcher
It's all fun and games until someone doesn't pick up on the sarcasm
Posts: 3,691
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Jun 26, 2014 11:31:57 GMT
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Post by Trixie Bender on Feb 16, 2016 23:25:50 GMT
From your description, I can understand why you hate your house. ugh! I'm sorry!
I hope you're able to find some sort of solution soon. Good luck on your business venture!
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Post by SweetieBugs on Feb 16, 2016 23:44:46 GMT
What is an OH?
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Post by mlynn on Feb 17, 2016 2:05:02 GMT
Would Mom consider selling you Grandma's house and carrying the mortgage?
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Nicole in TX
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,951
Jun 26, 2014 2:00:21 GMT
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Post by Nicole in TX on Feb 17, 2016 3:47:56 GMT
Would your mom sign your grandma's house over to you and then you could pay your sister for half of the house in affordable monthly payments?
You could could agree on a price for the house, split it, and then draw up the paper work and make it all legal.
I agree- mold can literally kill you. It is not good to live with it like that.
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