One income family of four - can we get ahead even after pay cuts?

MagicCat

Oh and meant to say the desk sounds amazing, v impressed that Red can do something like that, we can barely build a flat pack here   

Spendless

Haha love that Red objected to the white not wood desk.  Longer term do you have your own garden, I know you've said you have a flat? If you do and it's permitted, here's a consideration especially given how handy Red is, a purpose built summer house/office. This is what we have had since the kids were small and was built by my FIL. It has always been useful for DH's WFH days even back then. Initially it also doubled up as a playhouse. Much more useful than the playhouses you can buy because kids don't grow too tall for it. Later it became my son's 'den' in the teenage years when he played online a lot. Since the pandemic struck it has been an absolute Godsend, DH 'goes to work' at the bottom of the garden in the summerhouse, which has electricity and wifi connection. We too have an open living/kitchen/dining area (we can shut off with doors) but this means it's very easy to separate work. 

Bluegreen143

@Spendless we’re not in a flat - it’s a house and we are really lucky to have a fairly big garden as it’s the end of the terrace 🙂 we’ve got an outhouse which came with the house and Red uses it as his man cave (workshop and also has a pool table, dart board etc). We’ve also got a two storey playhouse which Red built himself, the kids are very lucky! Not sure if we could fit a summerhouse in too but it’s something to ponder (also have a greenhouse and large roofed chicken run and a trampoline 🙈). I mean it would fit, we have the lawn space but I think it would be difficult to add another structure without it looking a bit odd/crowded. Two friends have suggested I steal the man cave which would be more sensible but tbh it’s very cold in there! All good ideas to think over and in the short term I think the bedroom will work out ok. Sounds like the summerhouse has been ideal for you! Red would easily be able to make one if we did go down that route, he did a fantastic garden seating pod thing for my mum this year which was fully enclosed and remarked that a summerhouse would have been easier.

Bluegreen143

Had a very productive day. Must admit we let the kids watch about 2.5 hours of TV - I’m normally quite strict with 1hr maximum on weekdays (and they don’t yet have access to other screens like tablets). But we stuck a movie on and both got stuck into decluttering and organising and the house looks great 🙌🏼 We have put bags for the charity shop in the man cave for now, got some bits to give a local friend with a younger baby, and Red will do a tip run tomorrow with the stuff to be binned. Have decided to get rid of big baby stuff like the highchair and pram (keeping a small umbrella pushchair for Bambi though we don’t use it lots). It’s looking very unlikely we’ll have a third child as Red doesn’t want one/think we’d have to move & get a bigger car etc. And he says if we do he wants to wait til both kids are in school so it’s pointless having stuff cluttering the loft for years, probably going mouldy. Still got the bedside/cosleeper crib in the loft as can’t bring myself to get rid of that yet 🙈 I’m a real minimalist when it comes to baby stuff and also happy to buy second hand so for most things it wouldn’t cost too much to start again if we did have a third but that crib was bought for me by my late grandmother so I’d like to keep it for now.

Big wins were doing the kids’ art & games cupboard, which I do tidy a lot, but I chucked a whole bin bag of games/puzzles with missing bits, dried out or broken art supplies etc so it’ll definitely be easier to keep tidy now.

missymoo81

Hey @Bluegreen143 I’m so sorry I haven’t been on here for such a long time. I’ve just caught up with your wonderful diary and wow what changes! Hugest congratulations on your new job! I’m so excited for you and so glad you’ve taken it. You’ll make it work and it sounds like good timing with Red on Furlough. Also well done on the weight loss and your new desk sounds lovely. Just possibly for future. My 2 children share a room out of choice and they keep eachother amused in the morning, obv mine are older so might be something to think about for future. 

Sorry again for being MIA on your diary for so long. Much love x

Spendless

@Bluegreen143 - No idea why I thought you lived in a flat. Must have been muddling threads I read. Thought you had a garden though. My Nan used to have a flat that had it's own front door and a garden so knew it was  possible. Yes it does sound as though it would be crowded to add a summer house, I'd keep an eye on Red's man cave though if you can sort out insulation and heating if the job continues beyond the initial 12 months depending on ow you get on with juggling kids and WFH. 

Bluegreen143

@missymoo81 thanks so much! I’m quite keen for them to share but Red is just concerned Bambi is a little young (just turned 2) and usually sleeps through but does occasionally wake crying etc so he thinks maybe in 6 months or so would be better just to avoid them disturbing one another. I think it’s cos they were both awful sleepers as a baby and Bambi was particularly bad (still waking around four times a night for breastfeeding at 15 months old so I ended up stopping feeding and sleep training, which made me feel guilty but did work) so now they both sleep he will do anything to avoid messing with that! I think they would amuse themselves first thing though like you’re saying tbh.

@Spendless good point and I will keep it in mind!

Busy few days as I’ve been tackling a lot of decluttering and organisation projects round the house. Even Red has been commenting on how nice and tidy it is and how it’s easier to tidy up with less stuff! Spent £25 on four fabric storage boxes for the toy kallax in the living which looks much better - we used clear plastic boxes before which meant it always looked messy. I also halved the toys out in the living room and put books in the top four cubbies which limits how much toy mess they can make at once 😆 tbh they are playing much better again with the toys decluttered (I had done in it November but then it was birthdays & Christmas). They’ve gotten out puzzles and craft kits on their own now they know where everything is and it’s nice to see things being enjoyed. And I’ve noticed whenever we pare the toys back Monkey will play out in the garden much more and they both reach for books more too. Also, instead of playing with toys 90% of their games are making forts with the sofa cushions anyway so they actually don’t need any toys 😂

Spent most of my £50 Amazon voucher I had on a new plate set (6x plates, side plates & bowls). We’ve been using a mismatch of second hand plates so it’s lovely to have a matching set. I decluttered the old stuff and also decided on the milestone of decluttering the plastic plates & bowls we use for the kids and now they just eat off the side plates and the normal bowls. I did keep four of the plastic tumblers though and one sippy cup for Bambi’s afternoon milk (only cos she doesn’t have it at the table so it’s to limit milk spillage - she always drinks water from an open cup). But the cupboard looks much nicer without that plastic everywhere.

I don’t know if anyone else finds when they declutter it gets hard to stop 😂 I keep looking round for more things for the charity bag or bin!

stymied

Sounds like you’ve done an amazing job!

Don’t declutter too far! What will you eat your picnics off in the garden when the spring finally gets here?

Sarahwithlove

It is a good feeling decluttering the only thing I'm finding now is the pile of stuff for charity shop or to sell on is getting bigger and not going anywhere at the moment 🙈🤣

Spendless

You've done a better job of decluttering the plastic dinnerware than me. I still own 2 SpongeBob trays and my son is 20 -lol