Can we go a whole month without buying anything we don’t need? That’s the challenge we’ve given ourselves with a self-imposed month-long shopping ban. This week we share how Cait Flanders’ The Year of Less inspired us and how we’ve adapted her rules for our own lives. The duplex renovation is finally moving fast, and we answer some of your top questions about the project. Plus: what really happened while filming our April Fool’s video (yes, it was more embarrassing in person), and why a makeover show has Sherry convinced that small, compassionate changes can matter.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen to it below. Use this page to check any links, notes, or photos we referenced. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might have to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- In case you missed it on Instagram and Facebook, the skeleton of a house above is the duplex in its completely gutted state. No walls, no roof — it looks very different from when we first saw it. A lot of readers ask, “Why strip it back so far?” We go into the details of that decision and the demo process during this episode.
- After we recorded, the contractor reframed and covered the roof (we shared an update on Instagram). It was still surreal walking the property with just the sky overhead.
- We’re working on a post with more details about recent progress. In the meantime, you can see a closer look at the interior demo and our plans for revamping the floor plan on the project pages.
That’s Embarrassing
- If you missed our April Fool’s post and video earlier this month, we linked to it — and yes, the encounter with the delivery guy was as awkward as it looked. We haven’t seen him on our route since.
Our “No Shopping” Month
- If you want to hear our earlier discussion of Cait Flanders’ shopping ban and her book, The Year of Less, check out Episode #89.
- As promised, here are the rules we’re following for our month-long experiment.
Things We Are Allowed To Buy
- Food, groceries, and basic kitchen supplies (only when we run out)
- Toiletries and cleaning products (only when needed)
- Gifts for others for birthdays or holidays
- Home improvement project supplies for projects already started or planned
- Essential items for our children, such as school supplies
Things We Are Not Allowed To Buy
- Books and magazines (we’ll rely on the library and existing subscriptions)
- Clothes or shoes (unless something breaks and needs replacing)
- Cosmetics
- Household items like decor, candles, furniture, etc.
- Electronics and appliances
- Takeout coffee, specialty drinks, or impulse snacks from stores
Caveat: If necessary, we can use gift cards we already have, although we haven’t used them yet — the temptation to save them is real.
We’re Digging
- I probably should have waited until pollen season ended and the back porch was cleaned before digging our outdoor planters. You can still see the progress in the photo. A quick note: the three ferns we mentioned were purchased before the shopping ban started, so decorative plants aren’t part of our allowed buys.
- The large planter we used is no longer sold, so we rounded up similar options that are currently available. For reference, our planters are about 21″ tall and 18″ square at the top.
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- Finally, Sherry has been moved by the Queer Eye reboot on Netflix — laughing, crying, and clapping along. There’s a short clip in the trailer from the police officer episode she mentioned; if you want to watch that episode first it’s Episode 3, but we recommend watching the whole season for the full effect.
If you’re trying to find something we mentioned in a past episode but don’t remember which show notes to click, here’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past episodes.
Thanks to West Elm LOCAL Experiences for sponsoring this episode. You can enter to win a getaway to Charleston, SC through May 15th at their promotion page, and find more information about other LOCAL Experiences happening around the country. It’s a neat initiative for local makers and DIY lovers.
Thanks for listening, guys!
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