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Series 6: 5. Sorting Out a Gadget Dad

Stacey and the team travel to Twickenham to help the Allans overhaul their bursting-at-the-seams family home. Parents Sharon and Brian have dedicated their lives to caring for their family, having taken on Brian’s sister’s three children after she passed and raising their own two daughters alongside them. With daughters Eloise and Holly both heading off to university, Sharon and Brian dream of getting the house back in order for a long-overdue fresh start. \n\nMum Sharon, who has ADHD, thrives when things have a place – but juggling life’s chaos means systems have slipped and the house has never had a proper clear-out. Daughter Holly, who is autistic, finds comfort in routine and familiar objects and feels overwhelmed by the house in its clutter-filled state. The whole family need help to get the house cleared and sorted. But before that can happen, the Allans must pack every one of their possessions into boxes, emptying their home entirely and revealing what lies beneath the chaos.\n\nAs the team snoop around the house, they uncover dad Brian’s secret gadget habit. What began as an occasional treat has spiralled over the years – and the team soon discover that Brian’s love of gadgets may be rooted in growing up with very little, making owning new things feel like a kind of security he never had. \n\nIn the warehouse, their belongings are unpacked to create a striking installation of their lives. The team discover mountains of possessions that have been stored away in the loft, including plenty of unopened gadgets in Brian’s section. Among them, Brian comes across something he never expected to find: a letter from his mum. After losing her at a young age, this discovery hits hard – a deeply cherished reminder of his past, tucked away and long forgotten.\n\nEmotional moments unfold as Sharon opens up about navigating ADHD while raising two daughters with very different needs, and Brian confronts both the scale of his gadget purchases and the emotional reasons behind them – as well as the impact it’s all had on the family’s space and finances.\n\nBack at the house, Rob sets to work creating a calm, organised home that supports both Sharon’s need for structure and Holly’s need for predictability. He builds a multifunctional office-craft space for Sharon and transforms the girls’ rooms so they can return home from university to spaces that actually work.\n\nAfter two long days at the warehouse, the Allans make tough decisions about what stays and what goes. With only the essentials and their most cherished items chosen – including Brian’s treasured letter – Stacey and the team race to finish the transformation before the family’s return. Will the Allans finally achieve the fresh start they have been dreaming of? And will Brian be ready to part with at least some of his gadgets?

Source: BBC 2