This week we get personal, sharing early setbacks and tough decisions that nearly sent our lives in a very different direction — no house, no blog, maybe even no marriage. We also talk about a few failed DIY attempts around the yard that led us to hire professionals, an easy drawer-organization trick, and a tool that makes most projects simpler.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen to it below. Use this page to find the links, notes, and photos we mention. 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
- These fall photos are the best we have right now; we’ll grab prettier shots once everything greens up in a month or two. Above you can see the ornamental trees — a ginkgo in front and a weeping cherry nearer the shed.
- Below is a “before” photo taken shortly after we moved in. The large tree that died last summer is to the right of the yellow birdbath. Losing it pushed parts of the yard back a bit, which opened up space and changed the feel. We loved that old tree.
- We mentioned getting a landscaping plan a couple years ago on podcast Episode #5. While we didn’t plant directly from that plan, it did spur us to install an irrigation system, add a shed, and pave the driveway.
- The current view shows the progress after several seasons of establishing grass, installing irrigation, and planting screening bushes and a few trees along the perimeter. We also added pea gravel under the table to map out a future patio, which helped us realize we want the patio a bit deeper than the outline felt.
- Another view highlights the plantings: screening shrubs, decorative grasses, and three ornamentals — a maple, a ginkgo, and a weeping cherry. We’re excited to watch everything green up and fill in over the next few years.
Quick Tip
- Our junk drawer is a great example of using small containers plus Velcro strips to compartmentalize items. Affixing boxes creates additional storage zones without needing more containers — for example, the tape, stapler, and flashlight have dedicated spots created by how the boxes are arranged.
- We’ve used simple wood boxes, wood dividers, and 3M Command strips to hold everything in place. This approach keeps frequently used small items visible and accessible while preventing clutter from shifting around.
- See more of how we organized our kitchen in a dedicated post that includes a video tour opening all the cabinets and drawers for a closer look.
Update
- If you missed our original conversation about the backward book trend, check out last week’s episode (Episode #85) for the full discussion.
Our Early Setbacks
- As promised, here are video tours of our first apartments from years before we had a blog. First is Sherry’s NYC studio from 2005 — filmed on a point-and-shoot camera to send to a friend. It’s a time capsule, and we particularly love what she had in the fridge.
- Next is the Upper West Side apartment I moved into with friends soon after Sherry and I started dating. That tour, also shot by Sherry, has moments that had us laughing out loud when we rewatched it — like the running commentary about bathroom color choices.
- Finally, here’s our first apartment together in Richmond, VA after moving from NYC in early 2006 — more than a year before we started blogging. I still remember the fax machine on the floor and how thrilled we were to have our own washer and dryer. By this point the fridge actually contains food.
- You can also find a relationship timeline post from 2009 that gives a compact overview of our early life together.
We’re Digging
- Our go-to battery drill/driver shows up in many posts (including a recent bunk bed build). If you don’t own a compatible battery, a kit from Home Depot bundles the drill, battery, and charger. If you already have a battery platform, the drill alone is a budget-friendly option.
- I also keep a compact 31-piece drill and drive bit set on hand — it’s inexpensive and covers most common needs.
- We wrote an older post listing five power tools that changed how we DIY; it’s still a helpful reference for building a basic toolkit.
- Sherry is currently devouring a five-book fiction series that she’s loved — she’s raced through multiple books since we recorded this episode.
If you’re trying to find something we mentioned in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to follow, we maintain a master list of topics we’ve covered across past episodes.
Finally, thanks to HANDy Paint Products for sponsoring this episode. For painting projects we like the HANDy Paint Cup (with a magnetic brush holder) and the HANDy Paint Tray — both make moving a roller around a room much easier. HANDy Paint Products are available wherever paint is sold.
Thanks for listening!
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