Young mum who needed time to herself converted stair cupboard into peaceful 'mum cave'

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 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.

The children had their bedrooms and her partner, Matthew, had the shed so Jessica, set about converting the under stairs cupboard into her own space.

"Sometimes I'll go take myself away for five minutes to give myself some space.

"Children take themselves away when they need a break and this is somewhere I can go.

"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 the space, which she has dubbed the Mum Cave, is a phone-free area with no distractions - just a place where she can sit and think.

She managed to create the space in just two hours by taking the rubbish to the tip.

It cost £17, which was spent on paint - but she said the value far surpasses the cost.

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."

Jessica lives with her partner, Matthew, a civil engineer, and their three children Madison, five, Charlie, three, and Oliver - nine weeks.