I feel your pain..we were using an ex pen that was working perfectly until she learned how to jump out of at at only 12 weeks old.
..So now we are using the crate..and yes it sucks..lol but I have no choice, I tried confining her to just one room. but she is a big time chewer, and I have a lot of electronic and she loves cords, she already destroyed one lap top cord. so needless to say, if I cant watch her every move when she is out, then she has to go in to the crate until im done being busy. and she most defiantly has to sleep in it, or lord knows what she would find to get into.,,but I just keep reminding myself that it is for her own safety..so I know exactly what you are going through...hang in there.