#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades

We have likely all got dual purpose rooms like a mudroom-slash-laundry room, a breakfast-nook-slash-homework-spot, or the ol’ guest-room-slash-office. So today we are sharing the key to making one space in fact work in multiple ways – instead of feeling like it does one thing waaay better than the other. We also chat about a recent attic clutter revelation, and John shares a negotiation technique so covert you might not even know you are doing it. He also gets a tool he has daydreamed about for years and Sherry’s enjoy of all things woo-woo leads her to try some unusual accessories that claim to assist with sleep, allergies, and even happiness.

You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio – or listen to it below! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos we referenced. Note: If you are reading in a feed reader, you might have to click through to the post to see the player.

What is New

If you missed our big news last week, you can catch up on last week’s episode (#64) here and check out this “before tour” of our new duplex.
You can also hear about our failed yard sale from a couple of years ago on Episode #56 and see this year’s “yard sale promo photo” that we took the day before the sale above.
We have not installed our new Nest thermostats in the beach house yet (perhaps tomorrow!) but we got the Nest Thermostat E. We enjoy the new look (white will blend in so much more covertly), and I think the only major lost functionality is the “learning” aspect of the regular Nest Thermostat (we plan to program ours and simply change it on the fly via our phones if we need to).
You can also read more about why we enjoy our Nest and how straightforward they are to install. We have had the 1st generation one for the last four years and have zero complaints. It saves us plenty of money.

What is Not

Here is a good rundown of the cast of the Trading Spaces reboot, including a brief bio on the new-to-the-show designers and carpenters.
And here is how to catch some of our old podcast episodes that feature some of the folks we mentioned (and so shamelessly plugged, ha!):
- Sabrina Soto: Episode #2
- Vern Yip: Episode #15
- Genevieve Gorder: Episode #9
- Brian Patrick Flynn: Episode #26
- Jenni Pulos: Episode #12
And it turns out Joanie Sprague, the former America’s Next Top Model runner-up, has been the host of Run My Renovation on the Hands-on Network. Guess we need to keep up better with the models-turned-carpenters of the world!

Listener Question

Above is a photo of the craft table we created along one wall of our guest room to add a second function to the room (so it does not sit empty and unused for all those days when nobody is staying in there). The drawers are two Ikea bases (one from the as-is section – with a matching one that we later found on craigslist) and a tiered plywood top that we brought in ourselves.
Below is the guest “side” of the room. These photos are a little old (they are from our second book) because when I went to take a current picture I realized it is full of stuff for the beach house. Oops! But the desk typically only has the sewing machine on it (the other stuff was brought in to cute it up for the book shot).

Here is where you can read about the multi-functional guest room / office / playroom in our first house…
…including the hardworking closet that Sherry described with the bonus shelf for all the bedding (awww, young Burger!)

Also from the first house, here is the craft storage we put on the back of our hall closet (warning: crappy 2010-era photos ahead!)
And as promised, here is a link to the plastic back-of-door shoe storage thing that Sherry suggested for craft supplies (they also make this mesh one which looks good too). Simply picture it packed with craft supplies like washi tape and tubes of acrylic paint and glue sticks – kind of like this.

We are Digging

That is me and my dreamboat cordless leaf blower above. It is a Kobalt 40-Volt Medium-Duty Blower (I purchased one without the battery though, since I already owned a couple).
My corded blower, if anyone’s wondering, is made by TORO and it is still going strong – no repairs needed 11 years later! Here is their most similar current model.
And if you are looking to jump on the salt lamp train, here is the set of 2 large lamps Sherry picked up (one for our living room and one for the office – seen below).
But if you’d rather go the smaller route we picked up these salt lamp nightlights for each of the bedrooms and our kitchen.

If you are looking for something we have dug in a past episode, but do not remember which show notes to click into, here is a master list of everything we have been digging from all of our past episodes.

Lastly, a big thank you to Grove Collaborative for sponsoring this episode. You can head over to grove.co/YHL to automatically get $20 off your first order of $40 or more AND to get our go-to natural cleaner, Mrs. Meyer’s All-Purpose Spray, thrown in for free!