We’re making steady progress on the kitchen (we wish we could share updates every day, but this is happening in real time). Our latest decision: the new countertops. We debated options for weeks — there are so many materials, each with its own pros and cons — and different people would choose different paths depending … Read more

Holy bananas — we just put the For Sale sign in front of our house (the sign in that post was photoshopped, in case you couldn’t tell). It’s a big day: our house is officially on the market. We’re busy prepping the house to attract buyers, tackling both curb appeal and interior touch-ups. We’ll share … Read more

Many readers asked to see the individual pieces from the photo collage up close, so here they are. First, a charming portrait of my husband as a little boy—such a sweet, candid expression: Next is another open-mouthed snapshot—this time it caught me mid-expression. I love the spontaneity of these moments: Here’s a close-up of a … Read more

I want to get rid of at least 100 items before moving day by donating, selling, or giving them away through platforms like Craigslist, eBay, Freecycle, and similar services. The number sounds large, but I’m confident there are at least 100 things in our house we don’t use, don’t need, or shouldn’t bother moving. I … Read more

John’s dad, nicknamed “El Cheapo,” is one of our best examples of thoughtful money management. That nickname doesn’t mean he lives without comforts or wears shoes with holes; rather, he chooses to save for the things that matter most to him—like a family-sized vehicle and a vacation home where the family can gather—while passing on … Read more

The soft spot we have for stencil projects has only grown since our office project, and this one by Amy at The Casablanca Transformation might convince even the most skeptical. Her painted leather barstools are stylish, practical, and surprisingly achievable in a short time. Here’s her story: No matter how many decorating projects I do … Read more

With more than 2,300 posts behind us, digging back through the archives has become a monumental task (several of you probably deserve an “I survived the YHL archives and all I got was this lousy bumper sticker” bumper sticker). For our fifth blogiversary, we thought we’d pull together some highlights from roughly 260 weeks of … Read more

Merry Countermas to us! They’re here, and they’re spectacular. Just as a reminder, the room looked like this when we moved in last December: Back to our brand-new Corian countertops: I didn’t expect them to feel so dense and stone-like. They have a solid, substantial weight and a soft matte finish that reads like honed … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see who won below!*** Wow — you all had strong opinions about the periodic table. Random.org selected the winner of this giveaway as… Andi W. (who confessed a soft spot for Sodium because of salty snacks, but admitted “My inner nerd wants to vote adamantium.”) Congrats, Andi! … Read more

When one of our favorite paint prodigies sent photos of her recent transformation, we couldn’t wait to share them. Here’s her note: Hi everyone! I wanted to share a recent project because the colors and style reminded me of “Young House Love.” I designed the pattern myself and made a custom stencil to achieve it. … Read more