As we mentioned yesterday, it’s Blogiversary Week, baby (still can’t believe that we have been at this for half a decade). So we had some fun recording an average day in the life from both of our perspectives, so you can see what each of us – and even Clara and Burger – may be doing at any given time. Woop, here it is:
6:00 am – 7:30 am
JOHN: The whole house is sleeping, so I duck out for a 5-mile run down by the river. I’m home by 7:30 and no one even knows I’m gone.
7:30 am – 8:00 am
SHERRY: I wake up around 7:45 and the house is too quiet so I know Clara is still sleeping but John’s not next to me so he probably went for a run. Burger stays in bed, but I drag my butt up and walk straight to the office and sit down in front of the computer where I see John sitting at his desk squeezing in a few minutes of work between his shower and Clara waking up.
SHERRY: I check blog comments and answer a few questions and then glance at my planner which always looks like this. I know it’s crazy, but it makes sense to me (I use it to write notes about post ideas, appointments/calls we have, book promo stuff that we have to do, deadlines for articles, etc). I check what’s going on for the day and notice that I owe a little blurb to a magazine by 2pm today (wish I could tell you which one!) for an article they’re writing, so I just dive in and get it done so I don’t forget or feel rushed later.
8:00 am – 9:00 am
JOHN: I hear Clara starting to stir, so I go say good morning, change her diaper, and sit her down for some breakfast. While she’s chowing down on some yogurt, I try to get organized for the day – which includes writing out a few things I have to do and grabbing the coupons that Sherry has cut out for a trip to the grocery store later.
SHERRY: I continue answering comments and Facebook questions and then play with Clara for a little bit (since once the post goes up around 10am I usually don’t get to spend much time with her for a while). She’s great at playing independently, but we like to connect with her a few times a day and really get in there and interact. Besides, I might like her play kitchen even more than she does…
SHERRY: Once I get Clara dressed for the day, John and I hop back on our computers while Clara plays on her own – taunting Burger with her snack.
9:00 am – 10:00 am
JOHN: I make some scrambled eggs for me and Sherry to wolf down before having to get Clara off to today’s activity: music class. It’s just one day a week for thirty minutes at a local church (the program is called Musikgarten), but she loves it.
SHERRY: I proof-read the post that’s going to go up at ten. Proofing usually involves previewing what we wrote to make sure photos are centered and reading it through at least two times (sometimes three times if it’s a detailed tutorial- just to make sure things make sense and are in order and I haven’t written “I love panting” instead of “I love painting”). I also add links to things that I reference. We still average about two typos a post so I can’t imagine how bad it would be if I didn’t read things through beforehand.
JOHN: Clara and I give mommy a kiss (Burger’s too hard to catch) and we hurry off in the car for music class.
SHERRY: Sadly I have to miss Clara’s music class since it runs from 10:00 to 10:30 (which is right when the post goes up and I usually have 100+ comments that I have to approve/respond to). I used to get to go when her class was later in the day, but after it got moved up I tried going to a 10am class and just letting comments build up and answering them after class but it was too crazy (lots of the same question and confusion over something that could have easily been explained if I had been “on”) so it just works better for one of us to work and for one of us to go to class with Clara – at least for now. Here’s hoping her next semester will be a later class again, so we can both sneak out to spend that hour a week singing songs with her and dancing in a circle (I promise it’s just as awkward and hilarious as it sounds).
10:00am – 11:00 am
SHERRY: I get the morning post up and squat comments for the next hour while John and Clara music class it up. I can’t wait for them to come home so I can hear what I missed from Clara, like “the little boy was dancing so nice – I think it was wonderful.” One of her favorite things to gaze at while she’s at the church for her music class is a little diorama of Noah’s Ark. She’s in love with it. So there’s always some time accounted to staring at that before and after class. Meanwhile, over two hundred comments roll in over the course of the hour, so I’m at home furiously trying to keep up with them and answer every last question that comes in.
11:00 am- 12:00 am
JOHN: Since we’re already out and about, Clara and I head out to the grocery store to reload on some essentials.
SHERRY: I take a break from comments and glance at my email but it’s crazy so I just skim the page and delete the junk mail so the number in my inbox goes down a smidge. Because seeing 84 new emails at 11am when there were none the night before can make your head spin. A lot of it is sponsor & giveaway stuff along with book stuff (tour scheduling, press blurbs or fact checking things they need, etc). Mixed in there are sweet reader letters that we love. I save those and read them out loud to John a few evenings a week so we can permasmile at my laptop together.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
JOHN: I get home with Clara and spend some time unloading groceries while Clara runs off to play with her trains. Then Sherry and I chat a little about a new project we want to tackle next week and start planning what we’ll need to do first, what we might need to pick up at the store, etc. I also send out a few sponsor emails and coordinate next week’s giveaway along with making sure I have the right image for the one that will go up this week.
SHERRY – After John and I chat about that new project together for a while, I answer more blog comments, get through a few emails, and I’m just about to begin writing a post for the next day when Clara comes in and asks for lunch. She had been playing at her desk with her crayons and messing around with her dollhouse, but it’s officially lunch time, so momma needs to get on that.
SHERRY: We all take a break and meet at the dining table for some grub. We usually just eat some soup, homemade deli sandwiches, or hummus and flatbread but John actually picked up sushi for us while he was at the grocery store, so we chow down on that while Clara has some tomatoes, grapes, hummus, and crackers (and takes a nibble of california roll).
1:00 – 2:00 pm
JOHN: Lunch is done, so it’s back to the computer to finish up my emails. Meanwhile Clara’s running in and out of the room playing with some books and small plastic animals. Occasionally she calls us for some help, but most of the time she’s psyched to do her own thing. Speaking of doing their own thing, I let Burger out to do some early afternoon acorn hunting. He takes his job very seriously.
SHERRY: I proof-read as much of the afternoon post as I can (it usually goes up between 2 and 2:30) and then I finish up by adding some links, catching some more typos, fixing a few unclear parts, and it’s finally ready for me to publish it right before two o clock rolls around. Then since I have five minutes left in the hour I squeeze in some train-board time with Clara, and Burger ambles over to see what’s going on.
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
SHERRY: Two o’ clock means it’s time for Clara’s nap (she just takes one a day, usually from around 2-4) so I change her diaper and tuck her in. Our routine is super fast (sound machine on, curtains closed, lights off, kiss, door closed) and then it’s back to answering comment questions for the rest of the hour.
JOHN: We’re sharing a video in a few days (our annual Q&A one), so since we already recorded the footage yesterday, I get to work on editing the video. I have to find music, edit the clips down since a bunch of them are super long, and just generally clean it up and add transitions and type so it all makes sense. It usually takes me about three hours each year since it’s our longest video and it has tons of questions and answers (and I’m married to a talker!), so by the end of the hour, I’ve made a small dent in the assignment.
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
JOHN: I’m itching to keep plugging away on the video since I’m in the zone and Clara’s sleeping, but we have a book call at three to talk about the still-not-finalized tour schedule (we’ll share all the dates with you guys as soon as they’re pinned down!), hammer out what we’ll be speaking about at each location, and do some other book-launch planning stuff. It’s funny how we thought that once we sent in the manuscript it would be nice and quiet, but planning all of those events, scheduling things, and doing little press interviews just picked up where writing and shooting left off. It’s exciting though, so we’re not complaining. At this point the book is like our third kid (behind Clara and Burger of course).
SHERRY: Our call lasts the whole hour but we’ve hammered out a lot of stuff so it feels good. I hop back on comments with big plans to write a post as soon as I’m done with a few quick comment answers.
4:00 – 5:00 pm
JOHN: I get back into video editing and then take about 15 minutes at the end of the hour to edit and size photos for a post that we’ve already written for tomorrow afternoon (the thing about sharing 8 posts in a 5 day period is that we’re always working on finishing some that are already written, writing new ones, and answering questions for the ones that are already up). Thank goodness Sherry is a list-maker or we’d never stay organized.
SHERRY: Before starting that post that I planned to write, I click back over to my email and see a few urgent things I have to respond to for our publisher and our accountant (he’s running some numbers for our next quarterly tax payment, so he has a few quick questions). I finally get to start that post, but about ten minutes into it Clara wakes up, so I go get her and hang out in her room for a little while with her at her request. I’ll admit that for some of the time I’m anxious to finish that post hanging over my head, but it’s nice to just chill with Clara in her room for a little while (John and I attached to our laptops all night long, so little slivers of time away from it during the day keep us sane).
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
SHERRY: I’m back in the office trying to write a little more of that post while Clara plays with a box of spare ribbon on the floor behind me (she has loved doing that since before she even turned one – it’s pretty cute).
JOHN: About half-way through the hour, the ribbon-playing has lost its magic and the bean is restless and ready to get out of the house, but I have one last phone call to take care of. We’re coordinating a really complicated giveaway so it takes a little bit of planning with that vendor. Stay tuned for it in a couple of weeks!
JOHN: My call takes around twenty minutes and then we’re ready to pile into the car. We’re off to Home Depot (one of Clara’s favorite places, believe it or not – she even recognizes the logo and squeals “Yay! Home Depot!” when she hears a commercial for it on the radio). We need to grab some materials for a little bathroom project that we’re planning, so after I make a sketch of what we need and Sherry and I tape things off to be sure we like where it’s headed, we all pile into the car (Burger included).
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
SHERRY: At Home Depot we pick up what we need while Burger and Clara get their kicks in the car-shaped cart.
SHERRY: Then since we’re out we decide to stop to grab dinner at Chipotle, which is at a walking mall near our house. That way after we eat we can all walk around for a while and soak up the fresh air and the nice fall evening. We usually eat out sparingly (and try to choose places like Chipotle or Jason’s Deli so the food is nice and fresh) and otherwise we’ll eat at home, where the average meal can be anything from spaghetti or perogies to veggie chilli, bean burritos, rotisserie chicken, or veggie burgers.
JOHN: Walking around this particular mall after getting to eat there is especially nice because Clara loves it and it’s even dog friendly (so Burger’s allowed into the stores with us too).
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
JOHN: We’re back at home and have unloaded our Home Depot materials from the car, so this is sort of family hour in our house before Clara goes off to bed at eight. We do our best to log some good reading-time with her and also end up scribbling with crayons, and talking about our day.
SHERRY: Burger is usually full of energy around this time of the day, so he’s bounding around the sofa and Clara’s laughing and chasing after him. But 8 o’ clock is here before we know it and it’s time to put that baby to bed. After brushing her teeth and slipping her into some pjs, we just do the same nap routine for nighttime (sound machine on, curtains closed, lights off, kiss, door closed) and she’s snuggled up under the quilt I made her and pretty close to drifting off by the time I shut the door.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
JOHN: Once Clara’s in bed, we usually get most of our work done. Tonight it’s more video editing for me along with some other post writing and picture sizing.
SHERRY: I’m finishing up some other posts, trying to get a head start by proof-reading the post for the morning, answering some emails, and looking at a bunch of Reader Redesign submissions (all of which get me so inspired that I want to hop off the sofa and paint/upholster/rearrange something, haha).
10:00 pm – 12:00 pm
JOHN: It’s pretty normal for us to have both of our laptops fired up until around midnight, but we try to get cozy and sit on Karl with the TV on in the background so it feels more casual. Some nights we do major DIY stuff together between 8-12 (like building/painting/demo/etc) instead of sofa-computer stuff since during the day it’s hard to get anything other than very small projects done with the bulk of our comments rolling in and a toddler running around, but not tonight.
SHERRY: We sit in front of the TV (The Voice is on, and then it’s Parks & Rec time) and I finally finish the post that I’ve been writing on and off all day. It’s normal for a post to take us around 2-3 hours total (usually not all at once) since we have to edit/size/upload photos along with writing things up (that doesn’t include the time it takes to buy materials and do the project). Unless it’s fast like a giveaway – those only take around 30 minutes to write, but probably take an hour or two to coordinate via email beforehand. Around midnight we finally decide it’s time to put the laptops away and get ready for bed. We’re zonked.
12:30
SHERRY: Burger, John, and I climb into bed and we lay there recapping some of the highlights & challenges of the day and then do a quick run-through of any important tasks that we have to knock out tomorrow (gotta finish building/painting something, write two posts, proof two posts, and hop on two more calls). Before we know it, we’re out cold, with Burger and Bearger beside us. Zzzzzz.
Psst- You can check out how things have changed over the years by peeping this rundown from last year, this one from the year before, and this one from the year before that.
Update – Some of the most frequent requests that we get are for info about professionally blogging (how we made our site, how we grew our following, how we make money, etc) so we shared all of the details about how we started a blog, grew our traffic, and turned it into a full time job.
Sarah says
You guys are such a good team! I know you work really, really hard (4 day break from blogging is the longest you’ve had?! Wow), but as I was reading this I was thinking, “What a great life they have made for themselves!” Cheers, you two, your success is so well deserved!
snosie says
Now I feel like I should never comment so you aren’t as busy dealing with them all! And it must drive you nuts to re-answer the SAME questions (yes, I’ve been known to ask something you’ve already answered, but 5 pages of comments is so many after your 1800 word per post!)
And I can totally see how no/less give-aways would make your life simpler. I’m in Australia (which is a bonus, cause sometimes I get two posts in my morning, cause now you let me know you do a morning and an arvo (afternoon) one). And I’m not a ‘stuff’ person, so the giveaways don’t hype me up as much (and so few come to Australia – this is NOT a criticism, see point before!)
Koliti says
A very informative (and BUSY!) behind-the-scenes look at ALL the magic that happens at YHL.
I would like Clara’s schedule – Please!
While, Clara’s music class is awesome “Daddy & Daughter” time, if you feel like you’re “missing out”, Sherry, then PLEASE GO once or twice a month. Instead of posting “on time” a time or two every month, I would whole-heartedly love to see you just post a quick disclaimer of “Music class with Clara today – see ya in an hour with a full post”.
And it all comes back to what a GREAT TEAM you and John are!
You both balance each other’s strengths and knowledge and talents. Certainly one person couldn’t do what you two accomplish EVERY DAY with hard work and LOVE!! Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Koliti! You’re always so sweet.
xo
s
Caroline says
You guys are amazing. End of story.
And BOOK TOUR YESSSSS!!! Come to Phoenix, plzkthx? :) It’s nice here the time of year your book is coming out!
Sara says
Parks and Rec! Yes.
Meagan {Green Motherhood} says
Another year gone by already?!?! Again, I am totally impressed with all y’all get done in one day. I’m lucky if I can workout, do laundry, make dinner and blog all in one day. Y’all are the masters of balancing it all.
I definitely think that y’all working together as a team is the true secret to all of your success! It’s so great to see.
Emily :D says
Haha, loving the iPad on the floor of the office. (:
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, that’s basically Clara’s. She likes to play spelling videos and this Caillou game with stickers. Haha.
xo
s
Lindsey says
I love this look at self-employment! I work for myself too and so many people think I sit around eating bon bons and watching reruns of House. Sure, I can take my pup to the park for half an hour mid-morning when “normal” people are working and by 5 or 6 PM I might not be in my office, but I’m probably sitting on the sofa with my laptop until bedtime. I’m so grateful to be able to work for myself and have a flexible schedule, but I love knowing other people work odd hours too! Crazy loves company I guess! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, amen!
xo
s
Catherine says
Thanks for all your work on the blog. I find it so entertaining and I’ve learned so much!
Jan says
I’m exhausted just reading this post, I don’t know how you do it everyday. Do you work on weekends too or give yourselves some time off?
YoungHouseLove says
Some weekends we completely zone out and spend time relaxing and with the family, while others are when we get our big projects done (since the blog is quieter). We try to take breaks over the weekends whenever we’re feeling tired or flustered though- don’t want to burn out :)
xo
s
Brittany says
Thank you so much for posting this. I look forward to reading your blog everyday when I get home from work. I loved seeing Burger in your cart because my husband and I bring our dog to Home Depot too. You guys are awesome!
Neen says
I read daily from a regional city in Victoria, Australia. You guys are amazing, I have ‘borrowed’ lots of decorating ideas. Love your blog, best wishes, Neen :)
Melissa says
These are my favorite posts!!! I really hope you guys come to Boston! I think I would pass out!!
Amy says
I was actually really curious about what your days were like (feels creepy to say that) so thanks for this and congratulations on the blog success!!
Ashley B says
What a wonderful post! You guys are such hard workers and great parents. I had a baby five months ago and started reading your blog during my maternity leave…now I’m hooked!
Question (although, I like everyone else feel guilty even asking now) – any idea what Clara thinks you do all day? I ask because I was on maternity leave all summer and my husband is a teacher so he was home as well and we would joke that our baby thought we were a bunch of bums! She may not be old enough to understand the “job” concept yet, but just wondering what she thinks about the whole set up?!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that’s a good question. I think she thinks it’s normal for everyone to be in the house all day, working and painting things and typing and taking phone calls. Sometimes when she wakes up from a nap and we haven’t done a little project she even asks “what’s different?” as if she expects us to have done something while she slept. Haha!
xo
s
Sherri says
You both put your heart and soul into your blog, and you are high achievers also. It’s the way you live your lives.It’s how you are wired.You put that effort into all you do & that’s why you are so successful. Who else would come up with those crazy blog stats but you guys? You complement each other so well and have done an amazing job with your bright shining star Clara. You feel the love in your family and home. “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Sherri!
xo
s
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Happy Blogiversary! You guys are such bloggas (said like “ballas”). I save my corniest lines for my most favorite people. You’re welcome.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, hilarious.
xo
s
Tracy K says
A book tour??? Yay! I hope to see you both around here!
Jessica says
Hey YHL-
This is the first time I’ve commented, after reading your blog for the last 3+ years, but I felt I had to share my concern about your work/life balance. Many readers are writing in, “I don’t know how you do it,” but I know all too well from working in an organization where my colleagues and I frequently work from home how working from home can consume your life.
Although you like doing reno projects as a hobby, it’s not good for your health and wellness to skip vacations, work all evening, etc. Many of my colleagues combat this imbalance by scheduling specific blocks of time for deliverables and making the work (and we have heavy loads) fit strictly into those blocks. Otherwise, the work quickly expands to fill all the time you have (every evening, in your case).
You should feel free to spend less time commenting (or ask readers whether they care) and feel free to skip posting days. I know there is a business strategy behind posting at certain times, etc, but I think your readers would be happy for you to take care of yourselves and be positioned to continue the blog for the longer-term.
All the best,
Jessica
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jessica! We definitely struggle with balance but I promise it’s on our mind and we consciously try to make choices that will keep us from burning out! Someday we’ll figure it out ;)
xo
s
Sarah says
Thanks for posting a day in your life! Your blog is my favorite. And it is so fun to see how your house is evolving. I am looking forward to your book! (and Clara is so so so cute- I have a little guy about her age.)
Anne says
I absolutely loved reading this! Thank you for sharing!!! Like so many others, I continually feel awed and inspired by the amount of work and passion you two put into your lives.
I was wondering- what do you think is the biggest difference between “A Day in the Life” during this blogiversary, as opposed to a day in the life at this time last year? Is it pretty similar? Or not? I read the “Day in the Life” post from last year, but I was wondering what your thoughts were.
YoungHouseLove says
The funny thing is that we feel like we still have the same work flow (both of us at our computers, taking short breaks, doing an activity or two with Clara, and then ending up on the computer in the evening (or DIYing something if it’s one of those nights). I think some of the things we’re working on have changed over time (ex: we no longer have a print shop, we no longer write a column for BabyCenter) but things like book responsibilities and other side gigs (ex: speaking at Haven) have picked up where other things have left off. It’s so funny to try to guess where we’ll end up!
xo
s
Susan says
I just read every word and admire you four even more. Thank you for your dedication, your professionalism, and your sense of humor… But most of all, thank you for modeling true love and commitment to each other and to Clara. You’ll never know how many lives you touch with that, over and above all of the eye candy! Much (middle-aged house) love right backatcha!
Susan
Greenville, SC
Michele says
You guys are amazing! Been reading your blog for a couple of years now and I’m always entertained and educated. Can you say, ORB!?
Your energy and stamina for your daily routine just proves that you’re ‘in the zone’ and following your correct path.
Can you guys please come to Philly on the new book tour?
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, you’re so sweet Michele! We’d love to!
xo
s
Ariane says
Wow ! That’s a full+++ time job !! Does it make a big difference in your schedule now that Clara is at school some mornings ? Take care !
YoungHouseLove says
Since it’s only a few hours of school, it sort of feels like by the time we drop her off and drive home we blink our eyes and it’s time to go get her, so we can’t tackle any major projects, but it’s helpful with some of the book responsibilities that we have to do (ex: we might take a call with our publishers between dropping her off and picking her up). Otherwise it’s just business as usual while she’s at school (we’ll both just be on the computer sizing pics, writing posts, and answering comments).
xo
s
Stacey says
Wow! You two are amazing. My favourite part of your whole setup is that Clara is with you the whole day – even while you are working. I’m sure when she is older she will appreciate all your time together. I hope to do the same when I have children one day.
Kathy says
Really impressed with your time management skills. I love diy and have a list of projects but I’m curious as to when you get housework done? It seems to me like either im working on a project (like i jst finished planking the fireplace wall of our great room) while letting things like laundry & cleaning pile up ( not to mention the mess my project creates) or my house is really clean but i have no time for projects. I have 3 school age kids and find that by the time i clean house, workout & shower, its almost time for the kids to come home. The evenings are spent supervising homework & taking them to their activities, the weekends are spent at soccer games/family time. I dont know how i would fit in blogging — and im a SAHM so i should have time for everything right? I think i need to spend less time reading blogs to get more stuff done;). You guys are A-MAZING!
Kahley @ Ambiance says
I second this, I am in completely the same position! I don’t know how they do it all, I am amazed at what they do!! :)
Jordan says
Do you feel like you are at your max with blog work? Just curious, what are your thoughts about adding the work of writing book 2 in your proposal and the potential of growing your family? Does it seem feasible? I love this blog, yet wonder how you can keep up all your overachiever-blogger-amazingness…..
YoungHouseLove says
We are very comforted knowing that we’re just two people, so we can only do so much. If our family grows and we’re writing the second book, we will just evolve our daily life to fit those things in. It might mean shorter posts, or one less post a week, or a new feature about other people’s homes and their projects, but we’re confident we can make it work. After all, this blog has evolved a lot over the years (after Clara was born we closed our print shop, we used to post just once a day, then went to twice a day, and are now back to twice a day some days and once a day on other days) so we love that it’s a flexible blog-universe. Haha!
xo
s
Lisa E says
Wow, I had no idea you have to spend that much time on the computer. I get antsy after two hours. Thanx for all of your efforts.
Andrea says
WOW!!!!!! had no idea that much work was involved in the blog. Congrats on 5 years! You guys rock!!!!!!!!! :-)
Julianne says
Great post, guys….always inspirational and informative! May us Canucks request some Canadian stops on your book tour??? ;O)
YoungHouseLove says
Request officially logged! Now if only we were in control of the schedule… :)
-John
Kahley @ Ambiance says
Reading this post really made me realize what you DO FOR US readers!! Honestly – I think I’d go crazy spending that much time infront of a computer! Thank you for being so committed to all of us:)
2 odd questions for you!
-When do you clean your home? Do you have hired help?
-When does Clara have a bath! heheh. I KNOW you bath her (so please don’t think I am accusing you of not haha! You just didnt mention it, so I am curious as to if its in the AM or PM)
thanks:):)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we’re DIYers to the end, so there’s no hired help to clean our house. We just pick up after ourselves as we go (after we eat lunch we put things right into the dishwasher, before bed we wipe down the kitchen counters, after I put Clara down for her nap or for the night we’ll both dump toys back into their baskets, and then we just vacuum once a week or so). As for Clara’s bath, it’s not every day actually. She has sensitive dry skin, so it’s more like every other day since the doc recommended that (especially when the weather starts to get colder). It’s usually sometime in the afternoon (not right before bed or anything, more like after we get home from the playground if she’s all sandy we’ll plop her straight into the bath). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Elizabeth says
Does Clara watch any tv shows? My little girl is 3 months older and she will not go into the playroom by herself and will hardly play independently for more than a few minutes not matter how hard I try to set things up for her or get her started.
YoungHouseLove says
She seems to not have much of an attention span for TV, so sometimes she’ll watch The Lion King movie for 15 or 20 minutes but then she’s over in another room playing with something else so we walk in and turn off the TV. It’s kind of nice since we don’t want her parked in front of the TV for hours, but it’s also a really nice 15 minutes when she’s sitting on the sofa watching Simba. Haha!
xo
s
Angela says
Thank you for sharing this “day in your life.” Most of us have no idea what it’s like in the blog world. You have an incredible site. Can’t wait for the book!
Anne Weber-Falk says
Whew, what a post! I’m new to your site and I must tell you how much I’m enjoying your work. Thank you both. I never realized how much goes into this type of work. You’ve inspired me to get moving on our home projects. No more putting them off. Hmmm…now what to do first…the couches or the painting? Maybe the bathroom downstairs. No, wait! The kitchen!!
Carli says
Amazing. The amount of work and time management that goes into what you both do here on this blog is staggering and humbling. I can stand to make better use of my days, that’s for sure :) And a big thank you, once again, for waking up each day and making the effort. I certainly benefit from it all. You’ve got a loyal follower and future Young House Love book owner right here :)
Shannon {aka}|design says
I do hope I didn’t miss this answer somewhere…I noticed your agenda/day planner on your desk. Do you use anything else (like your iPhone), or just that for lists and scheduling? I’m thinking phone calls, blog posts, project lists, project shopping lists, etc.
Thanks!
xo,
Shannon
YoungHouseLove says
I also use the list app (maybe it’s called Reminders?) on my phone for longer lists, but for day to day stuff it’s all about the planner!
xo
s
Meagan says
When on earth do you have time to clean and do laundry?
YoungHouseLove says
Usually at night! We’ll toss toys into baskets, wipe down the counter, and toss a load of laundry in the wash.
xo
s
Erin@VintageKC says
I recently started a local magazine about vintage things in Kansas City and work from home on top of that. Few people realize that work is almost constant when you own your own business and work from home, and it’s hard to take breaks (I have a two-year-old with me all day, too) :) and balance and breathe. You guys are doing a great job and it inspires me every day! It’s also nice to see that your desk sometimes gets messy. ;) Keep up the great work!
vicki says
love your blog ^__^ … the 4th picture from the top, with clara in front of the kitchen… what fabric did you use for those curtains?? love!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s from a local fabric outlet a few years back but it’s by Waverly if it helps. Wish we knew the name or had a link for ya!
xo
s
Katie says
I read a few blogs and yours is the largest by far, and yet you communicate with us (your comments) more than the rest! It shows your dedication and your love for what you do!
You guys are awesome–looking forward to another five years ;)
Jessalyn says
Why is it so gratifying to read how people structure their day? Maybe it’s akin to that exciting moment when you’re in grade school and you get your schedule for the year? Anyway, love reading these “day in the life” posts each year. Thanks for sharing! And congrats on 5 years!
Claire @ Claire K Creations says
Thanks for sharing guys! Can I just say.. you have the coolest shopping carts over there! I bet kids would enjoy shopping being able to ‘drive’ the cart!
Jaz says
Congratulations on FIVE years, John & Sherry! You two are such an inspiration in so many ways. Nobody does it better. Thank you for everything you share & CONGRATULATIONS!
Amanda K says
I love this post! It actually inspired me to get my butt in gear today. Anyway, this is not a DIY question at all… I have a toddler about Clara’s age. He’s recently become super picky about what he eats. Just wondering what your go to meals are for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
She loves yogurt for breakfast, and little globs of hummus or peanut butter with crackers or flatbread for lunch (she’s also a hot dog fan, but we make sure they’re nitrate free, haha). For dinner sometimes it’s a baked potato with a piece of chicken or some other steamed veggies with chicken nuggets or something with a little protein and some vegetables and fruit like a sliced apple. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Amy Albertson says
Hi Sherry…please tell me about your planner book. Does it have daily/weekly/month at a glance? I can’t seem to find the “right” one!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, it has a monthly at a glance and then each spread is a week. It’s from Target. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amy Albertson says
Thank you! I HOPE my local Tar-jay has it! I’ve been looking for a few months now.
Erica says
I love your blog, but sometimes I don’t read through all of the posts thoroughly simply because a lot of the DIY projects aren’t quite relevant to my situation, yet! (I rent and our living situation is temporary so we can’t mangle things in our apartment.)
With that said- this is one of my FAVORITE posts! I think it is so on-point for the online community that is growing exponentially every day. For those who think they might like to blog full-time, you are an excellent resource, in addition to being one of the best DIY resource blogs. Respect like whoa.
Thank you so much for giving so much of yourselves. You are an inspiration. Keep up the good work, and you deserve everything good that comes to you!
Grete says
Ha ha – that pic (of Sherry at the computer) with Clara in the background, trying to look out the window is SO cute!
Kate K says
So being the crazy dog lover that I am, can we talk about how you can take Burger to Home Depot? Love.
Oh, and I totally have your couch, too. Couch twins.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, so happy they let Burgsie in there! And three cheers for couch twins!
xo
s
mp says
I love Jason’s Deli! I give it to myself as a treat whenever I come to Richmond. Like y’all, I rarely eat out, but a nearly two-hour drive deserves a reward!
AnnieM says
Just got back from a 2 week trip to Italy, so I am catching up on all the posts I missed! This one is awesome..I do an occasional post on my blog, and it can take hours! I totally understand why you need to spend so much time (and I only get a few comments!..haha)
I noticed quite a few people are amazed that Clara plays independently for a lot of her day, and I have a few theories if you want to hear them! (no expert, just a mom of 3 older kids who also played very independently too)
1. You have limited TV right from the beginning. Too much television stifles imagination and creativity to the point that kids CAN’T play by themselves even when given opportunity. They become addicted, essentially, to the television providing entertainment.
2. You provide very creative, open ended play materials that allow her to use her imagination (train, doll house, etc) but not too many things. Too many toys can cause children to be overwhelmed and play alone less often.
3. You and John being home all of the time since she has been born has given Clara a deep feeling of security. She doesn’t NEED you to play every minute with her as she knows your presence in the house is enough. Knowing that she can run to you anytime she wants gives her that fantastic independent personality (some of it is nature vs nuture, though too!)
Kudos to both of you. Not only are you awesome bloggers, you are awesome parents too :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, that’s so interesting! Thanks Annie!
xo
s