We get this question often: Are you doing this for yourselves or for the blog? It’s a question we’ve asked ourselves many times, and while the answer hasn’t always been obvious in the moment, it’s become clearer with hindsight. In this post we reflect on projects we might have done differently without an audience, share how we keep ourselves accountable now, and talk through how we decide which home tasks to tackle ourselves and which to hire out. Plus, Sherry finally gets to realize a makeover she’s been dreaming about for years.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify. If your feed reader doesn’t show the player, click through to the post to listen.
What’s New
- Below is the before-and-after from when we upgraded our mailbox and our neighbor’s mailbox, which we mentioned in this episode (we talk more about it in Episode #44).
- For reference, the post we installed is the metal mailbox post and the box is the black mailbox. It’s been over a year since the swap. My only minor gripe: a neighborhood hawk uses the decorative ball on top as a perch, which means it occasionally needs cleaning. If large birds frequent your area, consider a post with a less inviting top.
- Here’s a current shot of our yard — there really is grass under all those leaves! Can you believe how many leaves are still on the trees?
- And just look at our driveway after some clearing:
- This is the current version of the plug-in leaf blower I’ve relied on for years.
- For quick touch-ups, I use this battery-operated leaf blower. It’s perfect for clearing the driveway or patio without dragging an extension cord around.
Listener Question
- Our answer this week connects closely with Episode #14: What Quitting Our Blog Taught Us, if you want to explore the topic further.
- We referenced several past projects during the discussion, including the sunroom floor stenciling…
- …and the cork floor installation.
- The penny tile backsplash in our previous kitchen was a fun experiment and a nice contrast to our earlier subway tile project.
- We also mentioned Episode #117, where we talk about decorating one room at a time and how it’s easy to overthink small details — from lamp shades to kitchen rugs.
- If you’re curious about Sherry’s wardrobe “uniform,” that’s covered in depth in Episode #115, and the blog post on her minimal closet includes photos and a video.
- Sherry also mentioned how a reader’s suggestion changed the course of our laundry room makeover — thanks, Lesley! Below you can see how the space evolved after that input.
- See our post with original plans, the revision prompted by reader feedback, and the final reveal.
We’re Digging
- Sherry showed several peg-family “portraits” available from Etsy sellers, many with custom details like shadow boxes, swaddled babies, or pets. They’re a charming option for personalized family art. Examples we mentioned include a variety of seller pages and custom options (1 / 2 / 3 / 4).
- We also noted a friend who makes character sets (Ghostbusters, Harry Potter, Breaking Bad) — her shop is on temporary hiatus after a new baby, but she’ll be back.
- Below is the slim wallet I’ve been testing for about a month — it’s a compact, affordable option that comes in many colors; mine is “Alaska Brown.” I also highlighted a few Etsy wallets that include personalization at different price points.
- I talked about simplifying my keys and the leather key holder I bought (covered in Episode #113). It’s currently marked down and includes free personalization.
If you’re trying to find something we mentioned on past shows, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging, and you can see all the books we’ve recommended on our Book Club page.
Thanks to Agility Bed for sponsoring this episode. For Cyber Monday they offered a limited-time $200 discount on hybrid mattresses and a free sheet set with code BLACKOUT at AgilityBed.com. They ship for free and provide a 100-night return window.
Thanks for listening!
*This post contains affiliate links*