As we mentioned yesterday, it’s Blogiversary Week, baby (still can’t believe it’s been four whole years). And since we shared a day in the life during our last annual celebration (and about a year before that too) it’s time for this year’s breakdown (similarities: no day is ever the same, differences: now we have a toddler running around and a 260+ page book we’re writing on the side). This year we had fun recording a full day 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:
7:30 am – 8:00 am
JOHN: Clara’s awake early enough (7:30) and the weather’s good enough (and I have enough energy) to take Clara on a run in the ol’ jogging stroller around the neighborhood. After changing her diaper, filling up her milk, and grabbing some goldfish for her to snack on we hit the road. I manage to squeeze in four miles and return home within about 40 minutes.
SHERRY: I wake up around 7:45 and the house is too quiet so I know John and Clara are on 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. I’m not ready to make major decisions like which t-shirt I’ll wear today or what I’ll have for breakfast, so I check blog comments and answer a few questions instead. I also 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 stuff that’s due, deadlines for our BabyCenter & Do It Yourself magazine columns, etc). I check what’s going on for the day and notice that I have a call with USA Today at 2pm for a furniture painting article they’re writing (they just want a quick quote) so I set my phone alarm to go off at 1:58 so I don’t forget.
8:00 am – 9:00 am
JOHN: After returning from my run around 8:30 I take a quick shower and make breakfast for everyone (yogurt for Clara, two scrambled eggs for Sherry, and a bowl of cereal for me).
SHERRY: I continue answering comments and Facebook questions until John gets home from his run with Clara and I get to smooch that face. Well, both faces actually. I play with Clara a little bit while John takes a shower and makes breakfast (we read books and do some highly coordinated dancing). Yes, this is a picture of me in my pjs answering comments. Gotta keep it real. I’m still not dressed.
9:00 am – 10:00 am
JOHN: I watch Clara while Sherry does blog stuff. We read books, play with a ball and a car, and she helps me put in a load of laundry. She loves laundry.
SHERRY: This whole hour feels like it’s a minute. I spend it proofing the morning’s post which usually goes up between 9:30 and 10:00. On this specific morning it goes up right at ten because I need the whole hour to proof read. 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 “somebody punch me” when I mean “somebody pinch me”). I also add links to things that I reference and additional info if I think something needs more explaining. 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.
10:00 am- 11:00 am
JOHN: I continue to hang out with Clara while Sherry does more blog stuff (we do more reading, play outside with a ball, and read even more books). Most mornings involve the me-with-Clara ritual since Sherry usually answers comment questions, which roll in furiously in the morning (she has better recall for the “where did you get X” and the “how much did that cost” queries). Although sometimes we switch. Every day really is different (so I might have more Clara time or more project time one day and Sherry may have more of it the next day).
SHERRY: I’m on comment duty the whole hour. Over two hundred of them roll in over the course of an hour, so I furiously try to keep up and answer every single question we get (and delete the occasional spam message that sneaks in there). Here’s a screen grab that I snapped when I got it down to 30 pending comments, which is usually when I can breathe again.
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
JOHN: I start measuring and planning for our next project, which is to add trim/molding to the bottom of our wall to wall desk to make it look more built-in. After taking measurements, pow-wowing with Sherry about ideas, and drawing a quick sketch to keep things straight, I head off to Lowe’s to grab the trim that I need. (NOTE: This is what happens after Sherry says I don’t look “dynamic enough” taking trim out of the car).
SHERRY: Eleven o’ clock means it’s time for Clara’s morning nap, so I take a break from the computer to change her diaper and “tuck her in” (which really just involves turning off the light, closing her blinds, turning on her sound machine, and saying “sweet dreams”). While John is measuring and running his errand I toss on real clothes (jeans and a black t-shirt) and hop back on comment duty since around 80 more have rolled in before noon.
I also glance at my email but it’s too overwhelming so I just skim the page and delete the junk mail so the number in my inbox gets slightly less intimidating…because seeing 76 new emails at 11am (!!!) when there were none the night before can make ya crazy. A lot of it is sponsor and giveaway stuff that we have to manage along with book stuff or column stuff for DIY mag/Babycenter. Mixed in there are sweet reader letters that we love. I star those and read them out loud to John a few evenings a week so he can share the warm fuzzies with me.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
JOHN: Clara’s still napping (she usually gives us about an hour to an hour and a half) so Sherry and I meet up to chat about what we think about a few trim options/methods for the base of our new desk and I go down to the basement to make some cuts to see how trim looks around one cabinet before cutting the rest of it. I also quickly check email and coordinate the next week’s giveaway and send a few sponsor renewal notices.
Sherry – I have a little meeting with John about the trim, answer more blog comments, get through a few emails and am just about to begin writing a post for the next day when Clara wakes up at 12:30. So I change her diaper and hang out with her while John finishes the rest of his trim project. The bean waits for no one.
1:00 – 2:00 pm
JOHN: Trim project is finished, so I turn my attention to lunch. Usually it’s sandwiches, but today we’ve got quiche leftover from last night’s dinner along with some other random leftovers (some spaghetti, corn, and beans). With everything reheated and Clara in her seat, we finally have a moment for all three of us to spend some time together (Burger is still sleeping). But about fifteen minutes later we’re done and I take Clara to go play and read some more. Note: ignore the crazy furniture placement in the kitchen- we are perpetually moving things around and it makes no sense.
SHERRY: I try to proofread as much of the afternoon post as I can (which usually goes up between 2 and 3:30) before lunch is ready, but I don’t make it all of the way through. I finish up after lunch by adding some links, catching some more typos, fixing a few unclear parts and it’s finally ready for posting at two.
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
JOHN: Clara and I hang out while Sherry tends the afternoon post. She “helps” me fold laundry and we play ball with Burger outside (who is finally out of bed- yes he moseys out of bed around 2pm).
SHERRY: I have a quick call with USA Today (they want that speedy quote for an article they’re writing about painting a chair). It takes fifteen minutes tops (maybe twelve if I’m being exact?). Then I answer comment questions for the rest of the hour.
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
JOHN: Time to trade with Sherry (she takes Clara, I head back to the computer). I do a bunch of emails involving more giveaway and sponsor stuff along with exchanging a few messages with some guys at our blog hosting place (they’re doing some back-up server work and we want to make sure the site doesn’t crash). I also catch up on Twitter messages that I need to reply to.
SHERRY: I hang out with the bean. We put things on our heads, sing songs, chase the dog, and Clara looks tired again around 3:45 so I change her diaper and put her down for an afternoon nap. Sometimes we get one and sometimes we don’t, but she actually falls asleep right away today. Sweet girl.
4:00 – 5:00 pm
JOHN: I edit and size photos that we’ve already taken and begin writing a post for tomorrow afternoon. I also set up the tripod and shoot the wall-to-wall desk trim project that I did this morning for a future post about that (the thing about sharing 8 in a 5 day period means you always have to be working on future ones while proofing/publishing/answering questions on the ones that are already written).
SHERRY: I had big plans to spray prime the office chairs (the first step in painting/reupholstering them) but it’s already four and I haven’t written the next morning’s post (a project that we already shot, but I still have to write it and edit the pics). So that takes priority. Those chairs and my can of primer might have to wait until tomorrow. By 4:30 Clara is awake, so I don’t get to finish my photo editing/post writing, but at least it’s a start.
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
JOHN: The bean is restless so we decide we should go for our evening walk now because it’s supposed to rain a little later. Burger’s psyched and ready to go.
SHERRY: We walk around the neighborhood for about an hour and brainstorm post ideas for the following week. We also briefly talk about the kitchen floor plan and toss out a few more potential layout ideas. Who the heck knows where we’ll end up with that- we just believe in talking things to death until we land on something we both can’t wait to do.
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
JOHN: I cook a recipe that I tore out of Everyday with Rachel Ray (chicken with apples, raisins, and olives). It takes about 25 minutes to make, so Clara plays on the floor of the kitchen while I cook and we chat whenever I’m not furiously trying to make sure nothing burns.
SHERRY: I’m back doing blog comments, finishing up that post I started for the next morning, and editing some photos. Dinner is on the table around 6:45. And it’s awesome. John even gave me extra olives. I’m a lucky lady.
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
JOHN: Time to clock some quality family time together before Clara’s conked out for the night. We three, er, four (Burger decides to join us) hang out, read more books, and generally try to tire Clara out.
SHERRY: Burger is full of energy, so he’s zooming around the room and Clara finds it hilarious. But 7:45 is here before we know it and its time to put that baby to bed. After brushing her teeth and saying goodnight to her grandparents (well, a photo of them) she’s out like a light.
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
JOHN: Now that Clara’s in bed for the night we can do most of our work. It’s normal for us to both have laptops going until midnight or later, but we try to sit in front of the television and occasionally chat so it feels more casual. Some nights we do major DIY stuff together instead of sofa-computer stuff (since during the day it’s hard to get anything other than very small projects done with a one year old around), but not tonight.
SHERRY: We sit in front of the TV (Project Runway’s on) and I finally finish the post for the next day that I’ve been writing on and off. It’s normal for a post to take us around 2-3 hours to write since we have to edit/size/upload photos along with writing detailed steps (that doesn’t include the time it actually 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).
9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
JOHN: Then I realize that we need to record our Q & A video since that will take me a few days to edit so I’d like the weekend to work on it. I set up the tripod & Flip cam in the office and quickly organize the 80-ish questions that people submitted on Facebook (removing any duplicates so we can just read the rest off as we go on camera).
SHERRY: I get ready for the video, including a very important outfit change from a t-shirt to a sweater (I’m a wild woman, what can I say). It’s finally time to sit down, turn on the camera, and answer things in a one-shot-only-no-do-overs way (we hate feeling scripted, so having the one-take rule is nice because it keeps it real). Hopefully we can knock it out in about 30 minutes.
10:00 pm – 11:00 pm
JOHN: General weirdness and chattiness ensues as we film our answers to a variety of questions. Gosh we’re dorks. And boy is this taking longer than we thought.
SHERRY: What he said. The thirty minute goal of completion is shot, but we’re having fun talking to no one (aka: the Flip cam).
11:00 pm – 12:00 am
JOHN: We’re finally done with the video and I get the uploading process started while I respond to a few more tweets and emails. Then I turn my attention to Google Sketch-Up, which I’m teaching myself to use so we can render a few kitchen layout ideas in 3D. There’s a bit of a learning curve here, but not the kind that prevents me from eating some ice cream (with whipped cream) in the process.
SHERRY: I begin writing another post, but realize I haven’t updated our House Tour page with new photos since sharing some bedroom and office updates, so I add the “progress” label to those pics and update those. Five minutes later I realize that I need to update them in the Paint Colors and Where We Got It pages too, so I do that. Then it’s back to comments and emails.
12:00 am – 1:00 am
John – We talk about going to bed, but I pull a “give me ten more minutes” so I can try to finish my Google Sketch-Up rendering. But it’s nearly a half hour ’til it’s done (we like it, but not enough to make any decisions or anything – we’ll keep ya posted whenever we decide to stop flip-flopping). I go around the house and turn off lights, turn the alarm to our “night” setting, and do one last check on Clara, our sweet little sleeper.
Sherry – While waiting “ten more minutes” for John I start writing a BabyCenter post. Don’t quite finish it though. Still need to add pics. But for now I just want to get my contacts out and myself into bed. Can’t believe it’s nearly 1 am already.
1:00 am – 1:30ish?
JOHN & SHERRY: All three of us are finally snuggled in bed (the third “person” being Burger). We recap some of the highlights / issues of the day and do a quick run-through of any important plans for tomorrow (gotta write ten book intro chapters, spray prime those chairs, proof and publish the two almost-finished posts from yesterday, try to get our inboxes back down, etc). It doesn’t take long for our conversation to turn into sleep. But not before making an out-loud wish that Clara miraculously sleeps until at least 8am. (Spoiler alert: she made it to about 7:45).
Vicki says
Wowsa – I almost didn’t want to comment, since you are already spending so much time with the old comments…but thanks for oversharing so much and HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY! You’ve totally inspired me to start taking home some projects around the house (photo wall up the stairway, redoing the floor of our front porch…).
It would be funny to do screenshots or something of the blog like you’ve done with photos for Clara – blog at 1 month, 6 months, 1 years, etc. :)
YoungHouseLove says
LOL, that would be funny. I think there’s a site somewhere that does that. I remember seeing old screenshots of Google and Yahoo that were pretty funny (Google’s was nearly unchaged!).
-John
Hilary says
Oh my gosh that email inbox! My cousin shared this with me a few days ago. It’s a free Gmail plugin that helps you organize/prioritize/set goals for your email. I think you could definitely put it to good use :) http://www.activeinboxhq.com/
YoungHouseLove says
Oooh, thanks for the tip!
-John
Cali says
did we get a sneak at the bottoms of the desks in that trip pod office shot?!
Love this and learning how you guys get through each day–Fantastic!!
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe… :)
-John
Malissa says
Happy Blogiversary! I’m sure I wasn’t the only person to suggest SketchUp to you, but I’m so excited you’re trying it! Did you watch the videos? I found them really helpful! Also, i am totally impressed with your comment turn-around and responses, you all are literally the best at it. Maybe in a few years Clara can take a shift :) Haha
YoungHouseLove says
I did watch a couple of the videos but then got impatient and just dove it. Probably wouldn’t hurt to watch them a bit further though…
-John
Andrea says
I never comment….but where is that cute headband from? I need one!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s from the Missoni line at Target. Our Targets don’t have much of that stuff left so fingers crossed you can track one down somewhere!
xo,
s
Rachel says
Holy smokes. And, I agree with some others who said you guys deserve everything good that comes your way. Hope it’s big and quickly coming. : )
Alison says
agreed, very well put.
Rina says
Wow – that was exhausting to read! I knew you guys really work hard but I can’t believe how much you can achieve in a day! It does make me worried that you may burn out sometime. I grew up with my parents working from home… it was fine in the begining but as thier business grew so did the hours. I remember days where my mum would be working till 3/4am each morning then up to get us ready for school the next day. She actually had a bit of a breakdown after 10 years of working 7 days a week… please make sure to take care of yourselves and get some help when you need it as your blog / book deals continue to grow!
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah, we’re completely aware that we can’t keep up this pace for ten years! I think in some ways we’re saying “let’s do it while we’re young-ish and just have one kid and hopefully we’ll figure out how to slow down over time…” – not sure if it works that way though. Haha. But we definitely have an eye out for signs of burnout so we don’t just have a total breakdown and toss up an overly dramatic post that says “see ya!” down the line. Blogging is totally our happy place, so we try to protect it. We need it in our lives. Haha.
xo,
s
Kim says
I too was feeling guilty for posting a comment :) But just have to say WOW, what a day! And thanks so so SO much for all your wonderful posts. I have 2 kids of my own and babysit 3 other kids and I sooo look forward to reading your posts (and Katie Bowers :)) each day. It is crazy how we fans start to feel like we really know you guys and crave all the info about what your day is like, etc. I sometimes really feel like a stalker – haha! But mainly I just wonder how you manage to do it all – kudos to you guys! And keep up those witty, wonderful, wacky and super fun posts!
Laura says
congratulations on the new news of 10k is capacity of comments! :) a first on the day one of blogiversary!
i feel like we should have a song on the first day of blogging, yhl readers gave to JSC…. an overloaded post! lol
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we can’t believe that. It was like the twilight zone, the comments were coming in so fast!
xo,
s
Kayla says
First of all, this post is awesome and I loved it. I almost don’t want to comment now, knowing how much time you spend approving them and answering questions, but I know you guys like hearing from readers so I’ll keep commenting :) I do want to say that I think it’s incredibly awesome that you try to answer every question, and it makes a big difference. Especially when something gets so big and popular, it’s a really special thing to still feel like we (as readers) can connect to you, knowing that you read every comment, and for you guys to be accessible. One of many reasons that I love love love you two and your blog. Also, I think it’s hilarious that the West Elm giveaway post got maxed out with comments. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, how crazy is that? We were just talked about what we’d do if a few days in it got too overloaded, then it happened that very night!
xo,
s
ashlee says
wow. i can’t imagine working all day and late into the night like that with few breaks and not having an hourly wage to watch the clock by! lol. i’m a registered nurse so i work 12 hour shifts, and that’s enough for me.
one of my favorite parts of your blog has always been house crashing. i’d LOVE to see more of that.
YoungHouseLove says
We love those too – and pack those in as much as we can! Whenever we get submissions, even when they necessitate driving a few hours, we’re there!
xo,
s
Erin J says
Hi Guys – Cheers to your hard work. I have to say that I love reading your blog – and sadly I especially loved this post where you talked about the reality of not seeing your eyelids till well after midnight. I started my own civil engineering consulting firm after my son was born 19 months ago – and although I sometimes get some time to work during the day (i.e. unpredictable nap time) – I usually end up burning the midnight oil. Just nice to know I share such good company!
April was in CT now CA says
Because y’all don’t have enough comments to approve I’m commenting twice in one post…
I’m sure someone already said this, but Sherry has a Burger Butt in the pic where she’s lounging on the couch with her laptop!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks for the warning!
xo,
s
Libby @ SweetCasa says
wow, you guys are amazing. You managing to fit so much into 1 day, and we can see how much you love what you do.
xx
Ali says
Great post! Your days are certainly full! :)
I saw your comment above that you like to do the editing and everything yourselves, which I totally get.
However….
…If you ever need/want help in that arena, I’m a local-to-you SAHM (to the 3 cutest little boys in the universe) who works as a copy editor on the side. Right now, I’m working for a few medical journals, so I’m used to detail. My turnaround time is lightning-quick and I do a great job. I can also fold my tongue into a W shape and frequently do the egg roll, a gymnastics move I learned in 1st grade, at parties and other public gatherings. You know, the usual copy editing skills. I have no clue what I’d charge because the work is different from what I’m usually doing, but I promise (Girl Scout honor) it’d be reasonable.
I know it’s weird to propose a job in a blog comment, but I’m totally serious. Besides, I have no clue how else to get in contact with you. :)
I’d be honored.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Ali. You’re hilarious! We’re definitely stubbornly set on keeping this whole thing grassroots and in the family, but we have learned never to say never… so you never know! Haha.
xo,
s
Engineering Consultants says
Wow – congratulations on your four-year blogiversary! (And that chicken looks amazing.)
nk says
Great post. Love the inside info on how you fill the days. Looking forward to the rest of the weeks entry. Blogiversary week has me all excited!!
Anna says
Wow. You actually wear jeans and hairband and earrings and make up at home? I am a part time working mom and on those days when i am not working, I am in my PJ/ no make up/ hair tied up in scrunchy the whole day.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, when John worked out of the house I definitely didn’t. But now that he’s around (and Clara too) I figure it’s the least I can do. I used to wear blazers and high heels and walk ten blocks to work in Manhattan, so I figure it’s not that bad to toss on some earrings and a headband after I eventually get out of my pajamas. Haha.
xo,
s
Sarah Hawes says
I have not been following your blog but for about 3 months and I have to tell you two that this is the BEST one out there. You have so many links and such good information and you really live out what you guys are sharing with all of us. It sounds like a great life and really the best family gig ever! It is all centered around each other and I love that! Keep up the fantastic work!!!
Cassie says
Just wanted to say, I appreciate the time it takes for you to undertake this wonderful blog. Its so fantastic to see so much family time, Clara is one very lucky girl!!
Laura says
Happy 4 years! I discovered your blog less than a year ago, and fell in love with it an you guys instantly. It’s an amazing thing you’ve got going :-)
Thank you so much for all the work you do!
cindy says
I dont know how you do it…I would be tired by 8pm…I go to bed around 10PM and I am still tired…Its awesome that you love what you do…waking up and loving your job makes it enjoyable and plus you get to be with your daughter all day :)
Jalana says
When do you take time out for sex? Seems like a pretty busy day.
YoungHouseLove says
Woah now, we don’t get that personal. Haha. We plead the fifth on that (my mom’s reading!).
xo,
s
Jill says
Oh my word! I can’t believe my eyes!!
Jalana says
That was just to troll and get your attention. Can’t believe you published that. You guys are awesome :)
Sorry
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, no worries! It gave us a good laugh.
xo,
s
Alison says
Sherry, you’ve got class. Your responses show it.
Thao says
Just saw you guys on apartment therapy!
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/inspiration/daybeds-in-sunrooms-156426
Congrats!
YoungHouseLove says
No way! Thanks for the heads up!
xo,
s
Erin says
Total organized craziness! Thanks for sharing your day with us. Here we thought you two were occasionally posting fun projects and then eating bon-bons the rest of the day. JK! As a new mommy of one, I can’t imagine where you would find time to fit in another baby. But I do recall that being mentioned in a previous post. And how I would look forward to more baby blogs and tips. So go on – have another baby – for my sake. :) Best of luck to you four!!
Kind regards,
Erin
Jill says
That Bean is some kind of adorable… I don’t know how you get all of that done with her cuteness around all of the time! :) Happy Blogiversary! xo
Stephanie says
How was the Rachel Ray recipe on a scale of 1-10?
Also, I had the same AngelSounds (?) baby monitor for my daughter when she was little… (6 years ago, so my memory is fading).. it was awesome! Doesn’t it come with a pad that goes under the crib, so if she stops breathing an alarm goes off?
YoungHouseLove says
Mmm, I would say it was a 9. It was really good. Especially the olives! As for the monitor, it’s called AngelCare I think. And yes it has the breathing monitor feature, which totally helped me sleep for the first few months that she came home (I think I would have hovered over her crib without it, haha). I love it.
xo,
s
Annie says
I had a sneaking suspicion that you two were robots. Now I know it to be true: not ONE mention of taking time to use the facilities. That also explains how you manage to keep your powder rooms so clean.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, you nailed it. Guilty as charged.
xo,
s
Kath says
Loved reading this!! Sounds very familiar :)
Kristi Bruce says
Thank you for sharing this! You both are such hard workers and I look forward to the posts. I have to say I’m impressed at how much John helps with Clara, laundry, cooking, etc. You are a very blessed family!
YoungHouseLove says
I couldn’t do it without him!!! He’s my MVP!
xo,
s
Alison says
What a house husband.
YoungHouseLove says
Amen. Gotta love a house husband!
xo,
s
chrissa says
Wow. I was exhausted after just reading this.
I still wish I could blog full time, but it’s not the cake walk anyone tries to imagine it to be.
PS-You guys are awesome, I am sure you know this (at least you should, S) but I love ya. Bunches.
Reese says
I really enjoyed this post, I wish my husband could stay home and blog with me.
One question, what is the white thing around Clara’s crib right above the mattress? Some kind of mesh bumper?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, it’s a breathable bumper from Babies R Us. We got that around 8-9 months in when Clara’s little arms and legs were sticking out. Haha. It helps to wrangle the appendages since she’s a mover and a shaker at night!
xo,
s
Whitney says
wow…I had no idea you guys were so busy. and I thought I had a hard time finding the time to do projects around the house…it sounds like ya’ll hardly ever have any down time! thanks for sharing your ‘average day’. also, sherry, I hope you realize how lucky you are to have a husband that cooks so often (and what looks like so deliciously!). I love your blog…keep up the good work!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh yes. I’m beyond lucky. Couldn’t do it without J!!
xo,
s
Karina says
Honestly, I love that you reply to comments – but you really shouldn’t!!! Your page keeps growing, you need to focus more on writing and diy posts! What about a less direct answer system – a link to a follower up answer page, where you answer the most commonly asked questions? Please don’t feel like you have to answer this post ;)!
YoungHouseLove says
We have thought about it but chatting with you guys keeps us going and is probably a huge part of why we are where we are today. Seriously we think it’s just as important as DIY and writing posts!
xo,
s
Jane says
I am obsessed with your blog SO much like you wont believe it.Your blog is a gold mine of information that sometimes I feel I shouldn’t be telling everybody about it and then they’ll start getting awesome tips and ideas from your blog..hahaha..Kinda feel like a school girl.
But seriously , I juts introduced my close friend to your blog and she is obsessed too!
Lisa says
I love, love, love that you guys both spend time with Clara. She’s a lucky girl to have you both at home! Loved the post… super interesting. :)
Elizabeth S says
So, I’m an interior designer and I absolutely love reading about your lives and seeing all your inspiring decorating nuggets / DIY projects. I am curious about your mood boards. I had overlooked this part of your site before until you mentioned it in this post.
I have recently moved to a new state and I’m trying to set up my design business here, despite the economy. I am thinking about offering a commissioned mood board service online as a way to start up my business. Other designers are offering them too (for way more than $250, BTW!) and I was wondering if you have any tips. Also, what caused you to give up the service? Did you find it was more lucrative to focus on the blog? Too time consuming? How much time would you say each one took?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, our tips would probably be just to offer them for free or very cheap in the beginning like we did to build up experience and interested customers. The reason we had to give them up was because it was about a 5 hour job from start to finish and there just weren’t enough hours in the day with the baby and the blog (which was always our first love, so we didn’t want to ditch it for mood boards).
xo,
s
Ellen says
Long time lurker first time poster here.
I think I just dated myself since I remember people saying that on radio call in shows when requesting songs when people still listened to radio!
Oh well. Just a request that might not be something that interest you but I thought I would put it out there. I want more BURGER!!! Now I love the Bean but being a single girl who LOVES her dog I miss the years when there was a little more BURGER. Now that being said I know based on the day int he life he does lots of sleeping but still would love some where he is sleeping on the projects.
Thanks for taking the time to read the suggestion and thanks for all you do. I love the site!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha – we’ll have to work him in more! Didja catch him seeping on my legs in yesterday’s day in the life post? Cute boy.
xo,
s
Alyssa says
Wow, what a busy day. I love that John did all the cooking for the day!
Tara S says
Love this post. I applaud you for doing what you love. I love that you are guys are so humble and very “real”. The fact that so many of us can relate to you is why we love you so much. The one thing that I am hands down jealous of is that you have no commute to your dream job. Lucky!
Tanja says
Thanks so much for sharing this, great perspective. I always assumed you spent most of your day on DIY projects and had no concept of the amount of time needed to manage the blog.
Jen says
My two year old daughter wants me to read her the book Sherry is reading to Clara, but I don’t know what it is! Could you help me out?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s The Tooth Book! It’s always a favorite.
xo,
s
Kara says
This blog breakdown/day in the life is fascinating stuff. I’m exhausted for you just reading it! Do you allow yourself blogging breaks for vacation or do you blog right through vacations also? This morning I got this quote in my inbox: “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” — Friedrich Nietzsche It reminded me of you guys brainstorming posts on evening walks; perfect idea.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s really true! The best ideas that we have come when we’re on a road trip in the car, walking, or (oddly enough) when one of us is in the shower. I think it’s hard to have good ideas in front of the laptop when you’re on task. You have to be a little further away and think more globally I think…
As for blogging breaks on vacation, we try to stockpile posts so we can go away without missing a post for you guys, so that helps us take some time away while we’re with family at the beach for a long weekend or something without letting the blog go stagnant. We do still answer every comment during those times that we’re posting pre-written posts (and proof the posts as they go up) so we probably work 4 hours a day or so on vacation… but that’s actually a huge break compared to our normal schedule. Haha. I guess it’s all relative!
xo,
s
Megan Elizabeth says
I’ve never commented before, but I’ve been reading your blog for almost 2 years now. I knew that up-keeping a blog like yours must be hard work, but I never knew just how demanding it was. Thank you so much for sharing so much with us!
Amy @ this DIY life says
Have to say I’m in total shock right now. Why? Simply for the fact that I always pictured John sitting on the left side of the desk rather than Sherry. I just don’t know what to say.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, he used to! We just switched when we finished the wall to wall desk. Don’t even remember why we switched other than because I get up and get water from the kitchen all the time. Haha.
xo,
s
Sarah @ Just The Bee's Knees says
You two are very lucky to share the same passion and both be able to work at home, together, and spend the day with Clara:) I’m a beginner blogger who stays at home with my 2 boys ages 2&3 and I am finding it VERY difficult to accomplish tasks un-interrupted!! Time-management is also not my forte, but you guys seem to have it down pat! Loving your blog:)
Danna says
WOWOW. With 600 previous comments on this post alone I hesitated to leave one so I didn’t cause even more work for you guys. Just wanted to let you know how much I love your blog. I’ve been a loyal reader for more than two years now and check in almost daily. YoungHouseLove is one of the best parts of my day. Keep up the great work, and happy four years John and Sherry! Thanks for all you do!
Kristen says
Love to see that I’m not the only one that gets her money’s worth out of her PJs :) How’s the making the bed thing going?
YoungHouseLove says
John still does it every single day! Amazing. Of course Burger hops all over it and unmakes it a little each day too. It’s a vicious cycle. Haha.
xo,
s
Wrenaria says
Thanks for sharing so many awesome details about your lives. <3
Lauren Kaczmarski says
So, my husband and I are interested in purchasing a sectional (so that we can actually both fit on the sofa and snuggle) but don’t want to spend a fortune. Are you happy with your Karlstad sofa from Ikea? Is it wearing well with Clara and Burger? We have a 7-month-old little girl and a cat so the sofa definitely gets its share of spit up and scratches…
YoungHouseLove says
No complaints at all! We love Karl! Still looks new with a dog and a baby!
xo,
s