Do you know how much forward planning and maths goes into figuring out how to build a corner box? Neither did I. But when one wall has full-height Ikea Billy units, and the other has half-height Ikea Billy units, they have to meet somewhere, without blocking you from accessing either. This means a lot of careful planning and measuring.

Plus, we intended to install the units working out from that corner. So, everything had to be correct. And, it had to be strong. What you see doesn’t accurately express how many screws and cross-bracing pieces there are to ensure the box wouldn’t buckle as we began to build outwards.

Once inside the house, and carefully tipped upright (don’t want to damage the newly repaired ceiling) it was screwed onto – you guessed it – the wall batons.

There is now a void in the corner of my lounge room. An empty space which cannot be used for anything or even accessed. I could have put a small shelf in there, or possibly even a tiny cupboard. But unless that secret door will take me to another realm, I wanted a solid wall which would not detract from the bookshelf or its contents.

I also had to make up some extra units on this day as we would be able to start installing the next morning. Before dad left, he helped me carry the flat-pack boxes from my shed into the house. Bring on the pictorial instructions.