As we work through our biggest and most wallet-draining project to date, this week’s episode shares our system for planning and managing costs during any large-scale renovation or upgrade. We also offer a few practical money-saving tips. Plus: how a few simple house updates brought a great return for a friend, why it’s rude to touch someone else’s toilet paper, and a quick lesson on pronouncing “hygge.” Also: marigolds!
You can download this episode from iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio or listen to it below. Use this page to check any links, notes, or photos we mentioned. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader you may need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- Updated shots from the beach house show the framing nearly complete—about 98% finished. Next phases: plumbing, HVAC, electrical, insulation, and drywall. We recently removed the plywood covering the front door so you can see the view from the porch in the photo above.
- The upstairs framing is coming together as well. It’s hard to see details now, but once the walls go back up the layout will become much clearer and more exciting.
- Compared to the last photo we shared, the upstairs is now far more secure and free of termite rot—huge relief.
- One notable addition: we now have a hallway. This view shows it from the back/master bedroom. We modeled the width after our current house’s hallway (about 43″) so it feels comfortable without taking too much space from the surrounding rooms.
- Tracks for double pocket doors are installed above the back staircase leading into the master bedroom. Imagine two colorful doors with frosted glass on the upper halves to let light pass through.
- Downstairs, progress looks similar overall, though we’ve begun marking the island and cabinet locations to plan the lighting layout.
- If you missed them in last week’s show notes, we included before-and-after photos of a neighbor’s house we helped stage to sell. It was a fun project, and we’re thrilled it sold quickly.
Updates
- Here’s the previous episode (#39) where we discussed hygge and the book The Little Book of Hygge that sparked our interest.
- Episode #36 covers our attempt to nominate marigolds as the national flower and what happened afterward.
- If you want to practice hygge pronunciation, watch the video we played this week below:
What’s Not
- Apartment Therapy’s “Hands Off” list highlights 10 things you should never touch in someone else’s home.
Listener Question: Budgeting
- This episode explains how we’re budgeting for the beach house renovation. Below are some of our favorite money-saving posts from over the years that cover practical ways to cut costs:
- What We Splurge On Vs. What We Save On In A Home
- 21 Ways We Cut Costs In Everyday Life
- Simplifying In General — you’d be surprised how much you can save
- 11 Ways To Save Money On Clothes
- Saving Money On Kid Clothes
- 14 Tips For Saving On Baby Stuff
- We have many other posts about savings in our Money Saving category if you want more ideas.
We’re Digging
- Sherry picked up new large-scale lamps for the dining room along with coordinating shades. The scale will help anchor the space and add a bold, sculptural presence.
- Below is a round-up of other large lamps she’s considering—each at least two feet tall—perfect for rooms that need a big focal point.
- Also of interest: NPR’s #TryPod initiative encouraging listeners to share podcasts with friends. If you want to help someone get started with podcasts, check our Getting Started With Podcasts guide.
- We’re excited to listen to the S-Town podcast and continue following Planet Money for thoughtful, accessible looks at economics and real-life money stories.
- Some memorable Planet Money episodes include the story about a kid selling $20,000 of truffles out of his car trunk, an episode on combating burnout, and the piece on the Wells Fargo scandal.
Looking for something we mentioned in an older episode but can’t remember where? Here’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past shows.
To learn more about smart furniture features and enter to win up to $5000 in nursery furniture, visit the sponsor mentioned in the episode.