Ever wondered how one of our posts gets made? Whether you care or not, here’s a look behind the scenes at our process. We take post-writing pretty seriously — it’s how the bills get paid — so this is simply how we do it, not a universal guide.
Most of our project posts move through the same basic phases: planning and prep, doing the work and documenting it, then writing, posting, and answering comments.
If you blog about home projects, your flow probably looks similar. Sometimes a project moves from start to publish in a day or two; sometimes it stretches out over weeks. We usually juggle several projects at once — often eight posts across five days — so different posts live at different stages. The idea is that we might be writing one post while planning, working on, or responding to comments on others.
We’ve already shared a typical day in the life, so here we’ll follow a single post’s path. Our example is the bathroom mirror project from earlier this month — a small project that turned into a minor saga.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 21st:
~8:30 am: Sherry decides we need a quick one-day project to post the next morning. I suggest framing the bathroom mirror — it’s been on the list since January and seems straightforward. After Sherry agrees, I check online tutorials for tips to avoid rookie mistakes.
~10:00 am: We head to Lowe’s for mirror adhesive and trim. Clara “drives” the cart while Burger rides in the back — family DIY trips are our thing. We like to pick materials together so neither of us has to make decisions alone.
~11:30 am: Back home, Clara naps and I take before pictures and remove the door. Sherry stays in the office writing another post.
~1:00 pm: I document the process as I glue and place the mirror. Then I read the adhesive directions: wait at least 72 hours before sealing the edges. That kills our one-day plan. Time for Plan B.
~1:15 pm: We pivot to a pallet compost bin — supplies are already on hand, so it’s a realistic quick project. Sherry feeds Clara while I build, photograph, and write about the compost bin, and the mirror sits curing in the sunroom.
MONDAY, AUGUST 22nd:
10:00 am: The pallet compost bin post goes live. Our mirror is still curing.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24th:
9:00 am: With my mom babysitting, I return to the mirror project even though the glue hasn’t fully cured. Sherry starts reworking a rocker. The adhesive suggests waiting a week to seal the edges, but we’re determined to have the mirror ready to share the following Monday.
~10:30 am: While retaking photos to match lighting, I realize the 3/4″ trim we bought looks too thin and cheap. Sherry agrees — it resembles a dollar-store mirror frame — so it’s back to Lowe’s.
~10:45 am: Quick trip for thicker trim.
~11:30 am: Back with the better trim, I measure, cut, and photograph the new process while Clara naps and my mom heads home. Sherry handles incoming comments.
~12:45 pm: I glue the new trim in place before Clara wakes, freeing Sherry to continue moderating comments. The trim glue sets overnight.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25th:
~11:30 am: Clara naps and Sherry moderates comments, so I clean up the sunroom and rehang the door — almost done. I take a quick shower and then hear a loud crash: the mirror has fallen.
Noon: Frustrated, I scrape the half-hardened glue off the mirror, door, and trim, then re-glue the mirror more securely. We accept that this one will need a full week to set, even if it means the sunroom hosts a half-finished door while guests are due over the weekend.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27:
Hurricane season intervenes and our weekend guests cancel travel plans. Disappointing, but at least our awkward setup won’t be on display — and power outages made it a nonissue.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31:
8:00 pm: With the one-week wait nearly up and Clara asleep, I test the repair: I prop the door nearly upright with a pillow as an overnight stability trial. If it holds, we’ll continue.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1:
8:00 am: The mirror survived the night, so I photograph the nail-secured system. Later in the morning, while Clara naps and Sherry moderates comments, I lay the door down and glue the trim again.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4:
We’re out of town for Labor Day, which forces the trim glue to cure a few extra days. I use the travel downtime to sort and size photos and to draft the post, leaving space for final after photos.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6:
Back home, I rehang the door but wait to shoot after photos until I’m confident it will hold through the night.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7:
8:00 am: Success. The mirror holds, so I take tripod photos in the overcast light. Clara admires herself in the mirror while I shoot.
9:00 am: After photos are uploaded, I size and place them in the post. Sherry proofreads while I entertain Clara until naptime.
10:00 am: The post goes live — about two and a half weeks later than planned, but complete. Sherry moderates comments while I start prepping the next post.
11:00 am: With comments being handled, I resize photos and write another post that’s waiting for final shots. Sharing multiple posts across a short span means some are finished, some are mid-process, and some are still in planning — it’s a juggling act, but it keeps things interesting.
THE END
This particular post took longer than many of our projects. Some posts happen quickly — a simple art project might go from start to publish in about twelve hours — while larger builds are best handled in stages and shared as progress unfolds. What surprised you about the behind-the-scenes work of blogging? What do you do that’s more involved than it looks?