Living in a small house has its challenges, but lately, the constant noise has been pushing me to my limit. My husband loves watching YouTube videos and reels on his phone at full volume. Often, he’ll do this while also playing a record or watching a movie, both turned up fairly loud. Our house is only 1,000 square feet, and no matter where I go even with a closed door I can hear everything.
One of my biggest pet peeves is overlapping sounds. The chaos of multiple noises playing at once makes me feel like I’m trapped in a sensory nightmare. I can’t understand how anyone could enjoy watching TV while their phone blares another video. For me, it’s unbearable, like my brain is being overloaded.
When I ask him to turn it down, he usually does, but not without frustration. He says I’m “always on him” and gets upset about it. But if I don’t say anything, the noise takes over the entire house, leaving me no escape.
Recently, I’ve started retreating to the farthest room and wearing earplugs just to find some peace. This has upset him even more. He feels like I’m giving him the silent treatment or being intentionally distant. In reality, I’m just trying to preserve my sanity.
I’ve told him that if he wants to spend time with me, all I ask is that he focus on one thing at a time turn off the overlapping sounds. But no matter how I approach it, it feels like a lose-lose situation.
Am I wrong for trying to set boundaries about noise, or am I just asking for something reasonable in a shared living space?