On this week’s podcast, we hear what it’s really like to downsize thanks to Dana and Steve Miller from the blog House*Tweaking, who moved to a smaller home – while their family was getting bigger, no less! – and opened up about how it helped them achieve their financial and family goals (but isn’t always all roses). We also share a very strange morning we spent together, along with debating when you should buy a tool versus renting one. Plus Sherry shares her favorite quick trick for dents & scratches in wood furniture.
You can download this episode from iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio – or listen to it below! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos that we referenced. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might have to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- Here are some of the projects where we’ve relied on rented tools:
- Renting a demolition hammer to remove a tile floor
- Renting an auger – twice! – to dig holes for deck footings
- Renting a pressure washer to clean our home’s exterior
- Renting a floor nailer to install hardwoods in our bonus room
- Also, here’s the wet saw we own and love (and plan to use for at least five more bathroom renovations)
- If you wanna learn more about “floating,” here’s a Wikipedia entry on it, or you can read the benefits page of the place we visited. But I know you’re really here for the pictures…
Creepy selfie alert in 3…2…1… (yes, we got to wear purple ear plugs)
What’s Not
- Here’s the infographic Sherry referenced for the top value-adding exterior upgrades, but first – here are some of our favorite curb appeal projects that we’ve tackled ourselves:
Dana Miller
- You can follow Dana (and her husband Steve) over at House*Tweaking and feast your eyes on her pretty Instagram feed.
- Here’s more of her story and thoughts on downsizing & reaching financial goals (and you can learn more about their flip house).
- If you want to peruse some of their AirBnb-ing…
We’re Digging
- Here are the Golden Oak and Ebony stain markers that we’ve used for floor & furniture scratches for years (they come in plenty of other colors)
- And in case you haven’t thought about Groupon for years (like me), you might just be surprised by some of their experience-based discounts
Psst- Looking for something we’ve dug in a past episode, but don’t remember which show notes to click into? Well, here’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from all past episodes.
Visit DIYZ.com/YHL to learn more or download it today in the Apple App Store or Google Play, and search YHL in the app for some videos featuring a few 5-step projects that we tackled.
*This post contains affiliate links*