With more than 2,300 posts behind us, digging back through the archives has become a monumental task (several of you probably deserve an “I survived the YHL archives and all I got was this lousy bumper sticker” bumper sticker). For our fifth blogiversary, we thought we’d pull together some highlights from roughly 260 weeks of content. Relax and enjoy this nostalgic, sometimes strange walk down memory lane filled with firsts, favorites, and funny moments.
First Makeover Reveal: Even before the kitchen renovation that launched this site, our very first before-and-after was actually our laundry nook in November 2007. The kitchen was still under construction, and — as you can tell from the photo — we hadn’t quite mastered the art of “before” pictures yet, since that image is more of a mid-demo shot. Lesson learned: photograph before you pick up the sledgehammer.
Weirdest Wardrobe (human and canine): In a December 2007 post about how long our first kitchen’s cabinet installation took, we included a photo showing how surprisingly cabinet-sized Sherry looked — especially when she and a then-1-year-old Burger matched in coordinating Christmas pajamas.
Most Ridiculous Styling: It was 2007 and we were still finding our decorating voice. When we revealed pictures of our guest bedroom (which later became Clara’s nursery), we somehow included fuzzy leopard slippers in the scene. Not sure what kind of guests we were expecting.
The Most Never-Seen Video: After winning a blogging contest in 2007, part of our prize was a video interview on Ask The Decorator. We were overly prepared and probably nervous, and soon after the site went on hiatus for a few years. The footage never resurfaced — which, in hindsight, might have been for the best.
First Ikea Hack: As 2008 began, we tackled our first Ikea adaptation by creating the built-in closets around our bed using doorless wardrobes, curtains, and a wood header to make everything look custom.
First Burning Question: For a while we ran a weekly feature asking readers a decor or home-improvement question — light but engaging topics like favorite countertop surfaces or whether to paint switch plates. Our first Burning Question in May 2008 asked if you should keep your table perpetually set. It drew a whopping 18 responses.
First Mood Board: Around the same time we launched the Burning Questions, we started offering online mood boards to help readers with design dilemmas. Our first mood board was created to help Manisha with her living room.
First Press Mention: Our local paper, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, featured us in their “I Did It Myself” section on May 15, 2008. The project that earned the shout-out was a pedestal table we made from a thrift-store base and a stock round top. Our parents were thrilled.
Favorite Little Craft: We’ve shared many small projects over the years, but one of our favorites remains the vacation memory jars we made in the summer of 2008 — a simple, sentimental craft that still delights.
First House Crashing: Before inviting strangers into readers’ homes, we kept things in the family and photographed my sister’s newly built house in Richmond. That was 2008, and since then she’s made many changes — a re-House Crashing is on our to-do list.
First Reader Redesign: Also in 2008, we featured our first Reader Redesign. For reasons unknown, the post title included a Grey Poupon reference.
First Design Dilemma Solved: Over the years we created many mood boards but didn’t always see the finished results. One of the first times we did was for our friend Stacie, who sent after-photos of her bedroom based on a YHL mood board. That project eventually inspired multiple House Crashing features.
First Wedding Week: Our first Wedding Week — a series of posts celebrating our wedding and all things lovey-dovey — began on our first anniversary, July 7, 2008. Much of that early content still lives under the Wedding tab.
The Biggest Turning Point: The moment we decided to take blogging beyond a hobby came when we unexpectedly won a contest just two months into posting. That win gave us a confidence boost and helped us commit to keeping at it.
Hardest Post for Sherry to Write: Two posts stand out: Sherry’s account of Clara’s birth in 2010 and her tribute to Aunt Kay Kay. Both were deeply personal and difficult to put into words, yet writing them was also therapeutic.
Hardest Post for John to Write: Admitting to a failed deck inspection was tough for me. It hit my confidence hard and writing about it publicly took a lot of resolve.
Most Random: We often stray from decor topics — parenting, running, breastfeeding, haircuts — but perhaps our most random, much-discussed tangent was a January 2011 post about the alternative names our parents considered when we were born.
Most Embarrassing: Sherry’s revelation that she met Eminem in high school on MTV (and that there’s a video) was a blush-inducing moment. She even freestyles and uses ’90s slang on camera.
Least Wordy: One of our earliest posts, about preparing to widen a door, is likely our shortest at just under 125 words — a tiny, scroll-free post that proves short and sweet can still make an impact.
Most Wordy: Last year’s blogiversary post about how we make money and spend our time ran close to 4,000 words and might be our longest. It could also claim the crown for most pie charts.
Weirdest: A post titled “Purloined” captured a particularly odd mood — a short, quirky riff about pillows that generated a hilarious string of comments centered on the phrase “No Ham, No Fowl.” Trust us, it makes more sense if you read it.
Most Unusual Format: Early on we experimented with format — one post was written entirely as a dialogue between the two of us. It was fun to revisit, and we hope more spontaneous conversations like that make their way into the blog.
Biggest Dud: Our Top Design betting pool in 2008 didn’t catch on — only five people played along, and one didn’t even get the channel. Womp womp.
Biggest Reveal: Announcing we were moving in 2010 was a major moment, but we’re giving the top spot to the news of Clara’s birth. She arrived early and we managed to keep posting on schedule with some pre-written content, so the public announcement felt like a surprising reveal even though many readers already knew she was coming.
Most Commented: Tied to Clara’s arrival, Sherry’s labor and emergency C-section story earned the most comments on a non-giveaway post — a flood of support, comfort, and congratulations from readers.
Least Commented: Several posts share the dubious honor of zero comments, from a windstorm that damaged my sister’s rental to a poorly titled post about a local sale. Plenty of opportunities remain for someone to be the first to comment on those.
Most Active Comments Over Time: A few posts keep attracting fresh comments years after publishing, including practical topics like curtain-hanging basics, choosing the perfect paint color, and how to paint furniture. They still see new input every week or two.
Whiniest: We try to stay upbeat, but we do have our moments. One notable example is our dramatically titled 2008 post “You Know What Sucks?” which vented about painting a grimy ceiling in the den.
Biggest Budget Breakdown: Our most expensive project to date was the first kitchen remodel that launched this blog, totaling about $17,500. That renovation, mostly hired out, cost more than ten grand more than our second kitchen redo.
Worst Photos: Early uploads reveal our humble photography beginnings with tiny point-and-shoot images. One post showing open shelves filled with items from a demolished kitchen stands out as particularly ugly. We apologize for the visual offense.
Favorite Punny Post Titles: Our cheesy puns are a guilty pleasure. Favorites include “Oh My Gourd,” “What’s The Commode-tion?,” “Hosta La Vista,” “There’s A New Chair-riff In Town,” and “What Up, Succa.”
Favorite Hip-Hop Title: Lyrics sometimes sneak into our titles. The top spot goes to “Wanna Be A Baller, Shot Caller, Drywaller…” about installing drywall, with runner-up “I Like Big Globes And I Cannot Lie” for pendant lighting.
Most Over-Used Post Title: “Light My Fire” appears twice within weeks of each other back in October 2007. Two uses might not sound excessive, but it was early enough in blogging that repeating the pun felt notable.
Sexiest Video: In a fit of pride after finishing a living room console, we made a playful, sultry video showcasing it. Forgive the theatrics if it makes you blush.
Favorite Video: Not strictly decor-related, but we love the 17-minute road-trip video from our 41-hour drive to Texas in 2009. It always makes us smile and reminds us how much we miss taking long drives without a restless toddler in the backseat.
John’s All-Time Favorite Project: My pick is the hallway frame wall we completed in 2011. It struck the perfect balance between challenging and achievable and still brings personality to the house. The only thing missing is a ceramic dog — my bad.
Sherry’s All-Time Favorite Project: Sherry’s favorite was painting the back of our built-ins a dark teal shortly after we moved in. It took an evening and a quart of paint, and it dramatically changed the room.
John’s All-Time Favorite Post: A sentimental choice: our write-up from the first day in our current house. It captured the excitement, the plans, and the beginning of a long journey — and it’s humbling to look back and see how much has changed since then.
Sherry’s All-Time Favorite Post: Sherry’s pick is the reveal of Clara’s nursery in our old house. Beyond the room transformation, the post symbolizes a major life change and the naiveté and hopefulness we felt at the time.
Now that we’ve shared our favorites, firsts, and a fair bit of blogging weirdness, how about you? Do you have a favorite entry in your own blog or diary? A particularly wacky moment you look back on — or one that still makes you cringe?
Psst — speaking of posts about everything and anything, we’re chatting over here about color theory (who knew certain colors are said to affect mood, cognition, and even digestion?).