Mum clears out messy toy cupboard to make peaceful ‘mum cave’ to escape the kids for just £17
A YOUNG mum who needed some time to herself converted a messy cupboard into a peaceful “mum cave” for under £20.
Jessica Pool, 25, has three children, and after her newest arrival she started to suffer from postnatal depression.
She noticed her children would take themselves away when they needed some quiet time, and everyone had their own space - except for her.
The children had their bedrooms and her civil engineer partner Matthew had the shed, so Jessica set about converting the under stairs cupboard into her own space.
She cleared out the coats, toys and cleaning kit and for just £17 transformed it into a phone-free mum zone complete with reading nook, calming candles and mood lighting.
Jessica from Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, said: "I decided to make it because it was just a dumping ground and I got fed up with sorting it out all the time.
"I thought it would be somewhere for the children to go but then I thought no - they have their bedrooms.
"Sometimes us mums need somewhere we can escape to and still be near the children to look after them.
"Sometimes I'll go take myself away for five minutes to give myself some space.
"You hear about man caves and toy rooms, but I'd never heard of a mum cave.
"I suffer from postnatal depression and I felt like I needed somewhere I could take myself without inflicting my mood on the children and then I can come out and be mummy again."
Jessica said she managed to create the space in just two hours by taking the rubbish to the tip.
She said she now enjoys the tranquil room to herself as kids Madison, five, Charlie, three, and nine-week-old Oliver have no source of entertainment inside.
She added: "I took all rubbish to the tip, spent two hours painting, and spent about £17 on it - on paint and shelves - the rest of the stuff is from around the house.
"It's improved my quality of life drastically, today if I've felt a bit annoyed I'll go in there.
"I've explained to my children that it's my space. I've told them they can go in there, but it's more for me than them.
"They are pretty understanding, there's nothing in there for them to do.
"It's a non-electronic cupboard so I don't take my phone in there, I go in there for headspace and to recharge."
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