In this episode we talk about a small rental space at the duplex that’s got us brainstorming, and we want to hear what your family would rent if you were in our shoes. We also share how an unexpected Christmas request from our daughter sent us searching for the perfect house-related gift, which led to a discovery of an inexpensive 4-in-1 repair tool that’s now a must-have in our junk drawer. Along the way we ask the fun question: can your astrological sign actually guide your home décor choices?
You can download this podcast episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen to it using the player below. If you’re reading in a feed reader, you may need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- That’s the dollhouse we built back in 2012 for our daughter when she was two. If you’re curious about how we made it, see our dollhouse construction tutorial and the follow-up on finishing and decorating.
- For years it lived in our daughter’s closet until last year, when at age seven she asked for a desk instead and we swapped the dollhouse out for the workspace she wanted. You can see that room update in our girls’ room makeover post.
- We recently unearthed two intricate, vintage-style dollhouses from the attic that are being saved for a Christmas surprise. Sherry snuck a photo of the smaller one so you can see the arched windows, shingles, and the staircase — it’s definitely a fixer-upper, but was a great find at $20. Plans for it include repairing details, adding working lights, and a frosted pantry door.
- While we take a little time off, we mentioned a few past podcast episodes you might enjoy revisiting. Highlights include:
- Episode #12: Rapping with Flipping Out’s Jenni Pulos
- Episode #14: What Quitting Our Blog Taught Us
- Episode #36: Reflections on Rejection with Joy Cho of Oh Joy!
- Episode #39: House Cleaning Hacks From a Pro
- Episode #60: Organization Tips From The Home Edit
- Episode #87: Lessons From the Set of Hoarders
- We also discussed an interesting design angle: how astrology might influence home style. Check out Domino’s piece on How to Design Your Home Based on Your Astrological Sign, and tell us how accurate you think your sign’s recommendations are.
- Sherry also mentioned an older episode where she talks about her interest in rocks and crystals — you can listen to that conversation on Episode #84.
We’re Digging
- We tried a 4-in-1 Patch Plus Primer recently to fill nail holes in our living room wall. For small touch-ups it worked very well and was convenient since it combines patching and priming in one product.
- For larger or extensive wall repairs, we still recommend a traditional tub of spackle and a putty knife, but for quick fixes this tool was worth the small price tag.
- On a different front, I just finished a new mystery novel that I enjoyed and added to our Book Club page. It’s the follow-up from the author of The Girl on the Train, and I was pleasantly surprised by it.
- If you want a visual list of the books we’ve recommended over the years, check our Book Club page, which now shows all the titles we’ve been digging (mystery and otherwise).
If you’re trying to find something we mentioned in an older episode but can’t remember which show notes to open, we put together a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past episodes to make browsing easier.
Finally, a big thank-you to The Citizenry for sponsoring this episode. Their site offers beautifully crafted goods from artisans around the world — visit CitizenryPodcast.com/YHL and use the code YHL to get $50 toward your first purchase of $200 or more.
Thanks for listening — we appreciate you tuning in and sharing your thoughts. If you’ve got opinions on the duplex rental space, dollhouse restorations, the 4-in-1 patch tool, or designing by zodiac sign, drop us a note!
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