This 4-Room Flat Is So Cluttered With Stuff, The Homeowners Forgot They Had Full-Length Windows At Home

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this was a storage facility rather than a home to a family of five. In fact, the four-room flat is cluttered with so much stuff it covers most of the windows in the living room — and the homeowners have even forgotten that the windows were actually full-length.

This was revealed in an episode of House Everything?, where Chen Hanwei and Jernelle Oh, together with decluttering experts and interior designers, help transform homes in Singapore that are in dire need of massive spring cleaning and a complete makeover.  

The sophomore season of the season premieres with the four-room flat where Sherlene and her one-year-old daughter, Valerina, live with Sherlene’s parents and brother.

The living room is so cluttered with the family’s belongings stashed in every nook and cranny, there’s hardly even a clear path in sight, or enough space for the baby to move around or play — the only free space is the baby cot that’s in the eye of the storm.

“[The house] became messier after the baby’s stuff started piling up,” Sherlene explains to Hanwei, as she unearths boxes and boxes of clothes, diapers, books, balloons, and toys.

Still, there’s loads of items that are not baby-related, Hanwei points out.

The living room is also packed with items that Sherlene has amassed over the years, such as free gifts from online buys, souvenirs from her travels, and even expired medication and beauty products. Stashed away and almost forgotten are Sherlene's dad's collection of vintage cameras, clocks and other items, all of which have great sentimental value.

Little wonder that, due to stuff piled up almost all the way to the ceiling, most of the windows have been blocked off. In fact, they have to use a stick to reach the windows to close them.

After assessing the magnitude of the chaos here, a home organisation expert steps in to help. Together with Hanwei, Jernelle and the family, they get knee-deep and start organising things to be kept, thrown away or donated.

As the living room gradually gets cleared out, it dawns on Hanwei that the windows can finally be seen. “I didn’t know the windows were full-length!” he exclaims.

“Me too,” Sherlene chimes in sheepishly, much to Hanwei’s horror.

It takes the family several more days of packing before the space finally is ready for the second part of its facelift: interior design.

How did the interior designer manage to completely overhaul the flat, come up with enough storage for the family, and incorporate Sherlene’s dad’s vintage collectibles into the new home design?

Watch the full episode below:

Catch House Everything? Season 2 on demand for free on meWATCH, and every Thursday, 8pm on Ch 8.