We recently realized that storage baskets can both help and hinder our home organization efforts (yes, that hampering pun was intended). The duplex has also passed an important renovation milestone: the floors were refinished! We had a plan, but a last-minute curveball changed everything in the final hour. You’ll also hear a thoughtful counterpoint to one of our “must-have” home features (thanks to the feedback from last episode), plus simple tips for using decor to make your home feel calmer.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen with the embedded player above. Note: if you’re reading this in a feed reader, you may need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- The photo above shows how rough the duplex floors looked when we bought it last year: carpet padding glued to the hardwoods and several dark water-stained areas.
- We’ll share a full before & after gallery in a blog post later this week, but trust us — the space looks worlds better now.
- Another photo below shows the sticky tile that had been laid over the wood floors. In one bedroom it was peeled up and left a gooey film that would literally make your shoes stick to the floor.
- While you wait for our full before & after post, you can look at another dramatic transformation we documented: the pink beach house floor refinish, which really shows how much refinished wood can change a room’s mood.
- We also refinished the downstairs floors in our Richmond house during a kitchen renovation and shared what to expect if you plan to have your floors refinished.
Updates
- Most of this week’s updates come from Episode #122, so check that episode’s notes if you missed it.
- We shared an Instagram post that sparked a lively conversation: 250+ people commented on their “must-have” house features. We loved reading everyone’s priorities and the reasons behind them.
- As an example of an alternate layout solution, our old showhouse included a Jack-and-Jill bathroom where the toilet had its own locking door — a “private pooper” concept that addressed the locked-door complaints some people mentioned. You can spot the toilet’s door reflected in the mirror in the photo below; the tub sat inside that same enclosed space.
What’s Not
- If you want more ideas for calming your home, House Beautiful has a helpful feature with practical decorating tips specifically aimed at reducing anxiety in the home.
- They also published an article about common items and design choices that can secretly add stress to a space, which is useful to review when you’re editing a room.
- For light inspiration, there’s a piece about decorating with a Parisian, effortlessly chic vibe — fun to browse if you’re thinking about style rather than function.
Can We Just Talk About: Baskets
- The image above shows some large storage baskets we’ve relied on over the years. That photo is a little dated (the frame wall is gone), but the basket still holds Sherry’s weighted blanket.
- In contrast, many of our larger baskets have been retired because our kids graduated from oversized Duplo sets to standard Legos and smaller toys, which now live in smaller bins and drawers in their room — not in big floor baskets scattered around the house.
- Here’s a photo of Sherry’s wall of baskets in the attic. Many of the larger baskets contain smaller nested baskets inside them — a useful setup if you want flexible storage that can be adjusted as needs change.
We’re Digging
- I picked up an Apple Watch Series 3 with Cellular on Black Friday for a great price and I’ve been enjoying the basics — using the standard black sports band and exploring the built-in features.
- The watch’s Breathe app is a nice little tool for short guided breathing breaks; it uses a simple animation to help you focus for a minute or two.
- If you prefer longer guided sessions, there are phone apps like Headspace and 10% Happier that offer full meditation libraries and structured programs.
- On the entertainment side, we recently binged The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix and loved it — the series stuck with us for days afterward.
If you’re trying to remember which episode covered a specific product or topic we mentioned, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging. You can also find all the books we’ve recommended on our Book Club page.
Finally, thanks to Grove Collaborative for sponsoring this episode. They’re offering a free gift pack for new sign-ups right now that includes a trio of Mrs. Meyers cleaners, walnut scrubber sponges, and a special edition cleaning caddy — a nice welcome bundle for anyone stocking a cleaning cabinet.
Thanks for listening, everyone!
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