After over a year and a half of renovation, the duplex officially hosted its first overnight guests!!! And it was an exciting, emotional, and eye-opening test of all the work that we've put into it. So we're sharing what we learned and what we're changing before it plays host again. We're also talking about how a house that we considered buying last fall as a long-term rental popped back onto our radar with some surprising news. Plus, how we solved some household frustrations for under $25 - and Sherry rants about a certain paper product while John finds unusual joy in another one.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-143 for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

So it turns out there are some weird spots in the kitchen where germs go to party - so we're learning more about that (and what you can do about it), as well as talking about why we gave up on those meal delivery kits and found a better solution for our family. We're also talking about how shopping for your home can be fun, but it can also be frustrating and time-consuming. So we're sharing our tips for how to streamline your hunt and pick things with confidence. Plus, you'll hear how our backyard is finally winning the war against our hungry deer, and what new face thing Sherry is obsessed with now.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-142 for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

Our recent Chicago meet-up with fellow bloggers Chris Loves Julia, Yellow Brick Home, and Making It Lovely left us with lots of feels (and very full stomachs). But it was seeing one of their homes in person that completely changed our minds about a "design rule" we had proclaimed for our own home (on this very podcast, no less). We're also sharing what surprised us most about the final phase of getting our duplex ready to rent. Plus the results of Sherry's latest staging assignment and a dynamic decor alternative to just hanging another picture frame.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-141/ for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

Home improvement can be stressful, and we're no strangers to that tension leading to some pretty memorable arguments. So today we're looking at some data about what do-it-yourself projects cause the most issues between couples to see if we agree (and we share a recent fight we had in the name of data). We also reveal some takeaways from a recent house staging project that we took on together, including the big secret to getting your home ready to sell and how you may have to unlearn everything you know about decorating. Plus, John falls for another lighting product, Sherry ups her face game, and we see if people really do hate textured walls after all.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-140/ for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

Painting our brick house white was just the tip of our home's exterior update iceberg, so this week we're sharing more of our plans - including one that's turning out to be much more complex than we expected. We've also got an exciting announcement about a color collaboration we've been working on and we're sharing more of everyone's favorite thing: design norms from around the world, including bomb shelters, frost lines, and… special windows that keep witches out of your house?! Plus we try a strange but awesome subscription box that makes us feel like we're on Law & Order.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-139/ for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

Installing Ikea cabinets in all three of our beach house kitchens invites the question: why didn't we use them in our home's kitchen in Richmond?! So this week we're diving into the answer, including what gave us pause about using Ikea back then, how it could've changed our final result, and what we'd choose if we had to select kitchen cabinets for our home today. Plus, we share how a simple outdoor project turned into a major plumbing issue at the duplex (yes, another one - the water curse lives on!) and why there was also an emergency call to an electrician one evening, you know, for balance.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-138/ for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

We've got a really exciting announcement this week about a new home project we're taking on, including how it came to be, what has us most excited, and why it's gonna challenge us in big new ways (did we mention it's out-of-state?). Also, we're sharing how last week's Spring Break trip reinforced our mission to minimize our belongings, even if John did bring home something very strange from the vacation. Plus, a new solution we've found for wrangling our digital photos, a new DIY tool that's brilliantly simple, and… well… nutmeat?

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-137/ for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

This week we're talking to Joyful author and expert Ingrid Fetell Lee about some simple ways to inject joy into your home without breaking the bank. She also explains why joy is easier to achieve than happiness - and how seeking it at home can actually help you unlock your decor style. Plus Sherry marked her recent birthday by getting a long-awaited tattoo (actually, two of them!) so she's explaining the meaning behind them, how much it hurt, and what finally convinced her to go for it. We also share our latest escape room attempt, how we're battling car clutter, and a BIG change to the podcast that you won't want to miss.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-136/ for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

If you think our podcast has tackled this question already, JUST YOU WAIT! The universe recently tested Sherry's dollhouse fixation and whether she passed or failed it, well, may depend on who you ask. We also share what item Ikea was mysteriously selling in bulk - but only in America (we laughed out loud at the big reveal) and we hear from some listeners about how space makeovers can affect behavior in a fascinating way. Plus some interesting lessons someone learned when they challenged themselves to dress in only one color. And we talk about the always emotional topic of textured walls. Buckle your seatbelts.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-135/ for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

Today we're sharing how to find the right balance when you're choosing between artwork or family photos for certain walls - and we're revealing where we've subconsciously gravitated towards putting personal photos in our own home (and why we think that is!). We also have tips for how to personalize your walls beyond the usual smiling-at-the-camera snapshot. And we've officially gone shed crazy (like really, really shed crazy), and the silver lining that we discovered after a yearlong delay at the beach house that's saving us money and getting us excited for the summer. Plus John's finally jumping on the crystal train.

Be sure to check out younghouselove.com/podcast-134/ for notes, links, and photos from this episode.