It’s refreshing to see someone on RU-vid who has a more “normal” living space! It’s so true that society makes us feel bad for living in a small space with kids. I’m pretty much in the same boat as you and have spent a lot of time trying to maximize space in my small apartment so that it doesn’t look so cluttered!
This video made me appreciate my space a bit more! It’s tough to only see large and brand new spaces on most accounts, sometimes that makes me feel like what I have isn’t enough. Really appreciate your attitude about simply making a consistent and loving space for your kids ❤
I'm only renting (it's too expensive to buy, I'm in South Africa) Until my son was 11 months old we lived in a super small 1 bedroom place... Only had an shower which didn't work with my son and basically no space... Then last year July we moved into a bigger 2 bedroom place, which is probably small to some people, but it's huge to me! He has so much room to run around and play.. He's 19 months now and SO busy! So this is more than enough space for us.. I also store toys in the TV unit 😂 it definitely helps!
You can see how much happier you are with your space now, it's amazing what a difference it can make! Love the chart with the dino light shelf section. It's also amazing how much of a difference a well insulated place can make like you said - we moved from a 30s house to a 90s one and it's incredible, it's also so much more efficient than many mid century places our friends and family have
Love the changes Bryony! I adore interior design and finding practical solutions! One idea I had for your metal bookcase that is dividing the living room from the kitchen, is to maybe add a sheer light coloured curtain on one side. I think this would simplify the look a bit more whilst still allowing the light through and giving easy access by pulling the curtain to one side. Either way, it looks great! ❤
I was going to say something similar to this, as the open shelving looks quite busy. I imagined backing it with something on the kitchen side like a corkboard, or a board wrapped in a soothing fabric.
Excellent video and great practical changes made! You make very genuine videos, such a breath of fresh air. And I would just like to suggest that the little table itself could just turn into a play kitchen. Under the table, a cardboard box could be shoved in and turned on its side so that the flaps become the „oven door“. Draw or paste two circles on the table and it becomes a „stove“. Pots and pans could be the beach toys you already have. „Food ingredients“ would be legos and play doh, anything you might already have. We collected chestnuts and hazelnuts from the nearby trees and they serve as amazing loose parts for unlimited play possibilities. And when the play kitchen phase is over, you still have a useful little table, and no extra stuff you can’t reuse or throw away without guilt. Commercial play kitchens starts one on a neverending journey to purchase more and more „food ingredients“.
have you thought of trying vacuum packs for the cushions? could help if you gave a smaller storage area available. or even if you did keep them outside in a box it would stop the spiders having a field day on them!
As someone who lives in a house with only 1 working wardrobe (the other the pole fell down) and barely any other storage, I know the struggle. Finding furniture that serves 2 needs is so essential. We have 2 ottomans that are thick solid wood, I put a blanket on it and you can sit to put your shoes on and storage for winter or summer quilts and extra cushions etc. My next project is getting a dryer, in the summer it's fine but in the winter it's very humid and this take days to dry, we don't have radiators here and not having the clothes rack up 24/7 will really help.
I know you say about a dryer but have you considered a heated drying rack? It may just dry your clothes that little bit quicker and may be efficient enough for your needs/bills ❤
Heh, I've been watching for years and only just noticed you're ground floor 😂 you keep saying "children" plural, I'm curious if you'll have another. I'm a single mum of two (with less support than you) and my experience of having two has been quite challenging however I'm also older than you so didn't have as much spacing between them as maybe I could have done (3 years)
