Update: We hoped to have a Thursday post for you guys but this week didn’t go as planned. So sorry!
Update #2: We’d love your thoughts on this thread that popped up on this post. What are your opinions about smaller posts when we can’t write something juicy? Skip them and just own that we can’t post that day with a little update like this one, or would you rather see something small instead of nothing (like a quick organizing update, a Reader Redesign, a dilemma we’re debating, etc)? Thanks for the feedback!
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Kate says
You guys are part of my morning routine! Coffee, breakfast sandwich, open my work e-mail – but before starting work, check in on John and Sherry. For my money, it feels friendlier and definitely happier for my morning routine when there’s a smaller post rather than nothing.
I’m a creature of habit, what can I say??
Love you guys!!
<3 Kate
Angie says
I have been reading your blog forever, it is my very first spot I check and my favorite blog by far. I never comment, infact i never even read the comments. My two cents….i fell in love with your blog because of number one..your family. Number two because you were REAL people doing Real projects that I could relate to. I was recently divorced and bought my own home, I was so excited to find your blog and projects that seemed realistic for someone like me. I have loved to see your growth since the first days. I am both proud of you and happy for you. But you have changed the dynamics of your blog and the reasons we (or atleast me) fell in love with you. I miss the small posts about Clara, i miss your humor, your wit, your personality. I miss everything because it seems to be gone. I hate the giveaways. ( I would probably like them better if I won :) They are almost always from somewhere way out of my league that I would never shop at. I cant afford $155 and up for a panel/curtains. So they are of literally no use to me and leave a bad taste for me. The technical posts are great. Infact, i just installed board and battan in my laundry room. Teddy has barely made any posts at all, i guess it leaves me wondering why? I guess i feel like you gave up the blog for bigger money. I guess Im saying Im happy for you but it leaves me sad for the loss of YHL.
Wendy says
Oh my gosh people, give them a break! Maybe the fresh stuff or the personal posts aren’t coming as fast and furiously as in the past, but they have a new baby! I can hardly fault you guys for seeing the laundry room reno through in such detail though — it’s your big house project right now. Honestly, I check back anxiously each morning at 10 just to see where that is, even if I skim most of the technical parts! Also, let’s remember it’s August. What hugely inspired creative little one-off projects really lend scream August, you know? Most of Europe is on vay-cay in August… I mean. Seriously! I’m just happy you guys make the time for this blog with everything else you have going on. I agree with what one of the other commenters said – blog for yourselves before you blog for us. That’s what made us all fall in love with this blog to begin with! :-)
Clare says
I’m also a bit down on the recent content. Some DIY stuff once in a while is interesting, but lately most of the posts have been on things I’d NEVER in a million years take on. I don’t mind the sponsored content stuff because I know you guys have to support yourselves, but it’s not my favorite. And I agree iwth others … some little content candy on slow days is better than nothing. Even guest posts once in a while, curated by you guys, would be great. Just a little something. I used to check in with you guys every day, but now find myself coming only about once week. :(
Cali says
I’m all for smaller posts! I love hearing about little tweaks you’ve made, famiy happenings and reader redesigns. I miss you guys!
Julie says
On the one hand, it seems completely unfair that you don’t get to take maternity/paternity leave!
On the other hand, you had a bunch of interesting posts lined up before you had Clara. We sort of grew to expect more, and a “So Sorry!” post seems . . . flip. I wish I could say that in my job, but I have to do my work, no matter what.
We love you and your blog, and you should decide how you spend your time. I think it was mostly the “So Sorry!” that rubbed me the wrong way. Does that make sense?
theresa says
You know, I kinda have to agree with the comments that the “So Sorry” post was taking our loyalty for granted. I have been following the blog since the first house. I miss things like your best friend Katy, and all the wonderful details and related content that kept us hooked. Someone said “You are a corporate brand now.” I think that is it. Your tone has changed maybe because your ambitions have been realized and you are yearning to get to the next level. So I guess really the feedback you want is permission to let go of the means that got you where you are today, and move on, loyalty and friendships be damned.
Amber says
I’ve seen many people post this, so I want to say… “Where do you people work that you can NEVER take a sick day or a random day off?”
I have to do my work, every day, no matter what… unless I have a sick kid. Or I’m sick. Or I want to go to the State Fair.
We have no idea what happened yesterday that led to no post, so let’s cut them some slack. Hopefully it was nothing too awful – but, quite frankly, it’s none of our business.
Taylor says
I have to agree with Luke. I have been disappointed in the content but would never have said anything unless you had asked. I have been reading your blog for about 4 years now and I would check in multiple times a day. Now two posts a day with two children is probably unrealistic but I definitely loved having this blog as a chance to take a break from work. I would love to see daily content, and not just a giveaway.
I will also say, if you guys are done with blogging and want to move on to other things you should totally do it. If this doesn’t have your heart anymore I understand and support whatever you do.
Kismet says
Good point
PG says
As someone who is buying their first home (and needs to know how to install two new doors and sheet rock!) I have found your technical posts really, REALLY helpful lately. However, I do agree with what the original poster said. I don’t even bother reading the giveaways, which seem more like, “oh no! We’re normal human beings and are so busy and have nothing to post today so put up this fluff” instead of just not posting one day. I do love the decorative posts, the little DIYs, reorganizing, etc. posts. I’d love to see how you add a little extra “something” to a family meal when friends are coming over, a cool new family friendly activity for the backyard, etc. Reader redesigns and home visits would be wonderful to see too, especially for me (and, isn’t it all about me? ;) ) because for the first time in my adult live, I’ll be living in a home over 800 sq. ft. and I’ve got a lot of decorating to do and love the inspiration!
What I do love is that you realized what’s best for you and your family and have cut back where necessary. I really respect that and find it refreshing in this world of quantity over quality bloggers.
beth says
The technical posts would be more impressive if not sloppy. For example, trim sticking out beyond window, the weird rough stop on the tiling behind the washer and dryer, etc. It looks very DIY, but I think readers want to see more care taken or more admissions of “good enough,” or something vs. pretending you are much better at DIY than the average 30 something homeowner. My DH is handy, we do a lot of projects, sometimes they don’t come out flawless, many times they do. But we don’t position ourselves as experts or give advice to others.
I don’t mind “technical” posts, but there just seems to be a lack of growth and stepping up the game. Learning better photography skills, learning to correctly use the sewing machine, taking a little more care with planning, scale, etc. in your designs would all have kept me reading longer. At this point, I just don’t find anything appealing. Your ideas are no longer all that budget friendly, I don’t find your posts impressive in terms of the technical parts of DIY (most of my 30 something year old friends and my DH and I manage to do about a similar or better level of DIY regularly, yes, with kids, and jobs). You don’t seem to be catering to very young 20 somethings much anymore, other than buying lots of ikea for your forever house. Yes, I have some ikea in my house, but for an office where you want to take professional meetings and so forth, it just doesn’t make sense for two 30ish year old bloggers. You aren’t going higher end, it doesn’t seem like your style is really maturing, I don’t seen an investment in better pieces. I don’t know. I’ve been with you from the old blog name, but the growth just hasn’t been there IMO. You seem to want to be, “awww shucks, who us? Famous? We’re just two DIY dorks on a budget,” but then simultaneously want to seem like you have some command of DIY and some great design and decorating skill, while lacking a sense of scale, function, etc. Doing both just doesn’t seem to be serving you well.
Why not spend a little more, mature your style, furnishings, take some classes, etc? If you want to cater to budget friendly, show a “look for less” mood board or something. But over the years, it seems like your style hasn’t changed, and in fact, reads less mature to me than house 1, where I think you were smart to strategically outsource and so forth.
beth says
Gah, I meant tile peeking out into the hallway from under the door, not the window. That might happen here if we weren’t really attentive, but this isn’t our profession and full time job.
lauren says
Hey guys! I’ve been reading since Clara was a baby which seems like forever ago and yesterday at the same time! I love the idea of smaller more frequent posts… At the end of the day it’s, of course, your blog, but it is so cool that you guys ask your readers… I guess in my opinion, a little something is better than nothing. You guys just have a way of bringing smiles to A LOT of faces when we see a new post up, long or short… Decor/family oriented…etc. I think readers just wanna hear from you! Thanks for asking for our feedback… Crossing my fingers everyone keeps it nice and respectful!
Julie says
One more thought: Have you thought about posting a photo of why you can’t do your planned post? A little reality might help your change of pace go down more easily.
Katie says
More shorter posts, please! I miss small redesigns/tips/projects and am not interested by overly technical posts on door installation or how to lay tile.
Thanks! Love your blog – it’s by far my favorite.
Andria says
In the spirit of helpful feedback, the site has interested me a lot less in recent months and I stop by here a lot less frequently. But I’m also not one to be interested in these heavy or technical DIY projects like the laundry room, doors, etc. I’m MUCH more interested in the house-crashing, reader-redesign, style board, decorating, kid-friendly/family posts you used to do . I guess what I’m saying is – I miss Sheri! Just my 2 cents.
Melissa G. says
I like a mixture between projects (like the laundry room) and fillers (like family and decorating). Though I’m not frequently doing renovations on our house, when I do, I ALWAYS check your site first on DIY steps, so I don’t want to lose that. However, the bulk of the time I like to browse this site at work for a break in the day and enjoy having pretty pictures to look at or light-hearted content to read. This is still one of my favorite blogs out there, but I haven’t been checking back as often as I used to because it’s been too technical too often.
Abby says
I love your blog and would love to see the smaller posts than no post at all. I enjoy the Reader Redesigns, posts about crafts you do or just the simple around the house decorating stuff. It gives me ideas for what I can do in my home! Whatever you decide, I will keep following your blog. I understand the challenge of finding a balance, keep up the good work!
Katie M says
I always prefer a small update to no update. Little quick updates are great! Posts don’t always have to be full of edited pictures and complex explanations.
Abby says
I have to agree with the majority here. I’ve been reading since Clara was a baby and YHL has always been my fave. It seems that lately it really has been more giveaways and blahh. I want to hear about Clara and school, Teddy and nursing, cloth diapers, how you’re juggling two kids now, etc! I miss the posts about your family the most. I don’t care much about reader redesigns, but I do enjoy the posts on your favorite drawer organization system, the things in your makeup bag, your go-to weeknight suppers, etc. I obviously love the DIY and decorating stuff too, but I know that can be very time consuming and I feel certain you’re not able to get things done in the same time frame as you used to with a new baby around. We love ya! We miss ya! Don’t give us up for shiny books and magazine features ;)
Gray says
I have to agree with a number of other commenters…I have been reading this blog since the first house and do miss some of the smaller, less technical posts -like the reader redesigns, posts of flower arrangements or rearranging a table, etc. I also think they can take some of the heaviness out of the super long, technical posts like the laundry room ones (which are still super helpful and I enjoy reading them even though I have no reason to do a similar project now!) by breaking that up with something light, fun, and simple!
Still love the blog! :)
Wendy- poohpoohpillows says
Thank you for asking for readers opinions.
I understand and appreciate your honesty when you post that life didn’t go as planned. Honesty, like your blog is very refreshing.
I do miss your postings when they are not according to schedule, but i feel that you love your readers as much as we love you.
My opinion? Do whatcha gotta do. It’s all good.
karin says
I’m a long time reader and honestly I’ve been worried about Sherry the past few months. I hope you are not suffering from postpartum depression and if you are I hope that you are getting help for it. Honestly that is the tone of the blog for me as of late. It seems kind of depressed. I had postpartum depression after my second and it completely took me by surprise and took me a while to ask for help. I was happy to hear you were slowing down a bit after the birth of bay #2 but this seems like more than a bit. Especially when you talk about all the secret projects you are doing in the background. I keep clicking on it each day hoping to find something that grabs my interest. Lately I just scroll through the posts and photos and don’t really read anymore. The more detailed posts are good to go back to when you have a similar project in mind but when your laundry room is already built and you don’t have construction projects on the horizon they don’t give the reader something to latch on to now. Love your blog and miss you guys!
erin says
I don’t know if this will show up under the right thread, but I want to give some feedback since you asked. I have really enjoyed your blog and I will continue to check every day. Since you set the expectation of being fast to respond to comments (kudos, I could never keep up!), post one- two times a day, it’s difficult for readers to accept that you aren’t superhuman. I LOVED the mood boards and I wish you would bring those back, as well as simple art project ideas and house crashes. Even if you can’t get to the houses personally, it’d be nice if you highlight some of the projects over on your forum. It’s easier for you and would keep your readers entertained. I appreciate the giveaways (even though I never win!) and I appreciate that you don’t accept free stuff. That says a lot about your character. I’ve actually quit reading blogs (one is a very good friend of yours) because of the amount of sponsored posts. Thanks again for being open to feedback!
Katie says
Also – I’ve already seen others say this, but want to agree with them… I don’t like the fab freebies, even though I live in the US and could potentially win. You have such a huge readership that it’s so unlikely that I’ll win, so I don’t even throw my name in the hat. So when I open your website and see a fab freebie, I just close it out and wait for another post with content.
Cory says
I am a long-time reader and long-time emulator with my own family/home improvement blog that has a readership of very nearly 30 people. I tend to post less frequently when we’re doing a big project because I need to gather photos, outline it, and I don’t totally know what’s going to happen. Now and then, when in the middle of one of those gaps, I’ll throw together a one-pager on something random like “getting by with one car” or “how we organize finances” or “owning a pug.” Those relatively unplanned short ones that don’t take much time are, naturally, the ones our friends and family reference most.
Y’all have done similar ones and I’ll still read those from years ago now and then. People like the small stuff. When you’ve graduated to framing and drywall, it might seem silly to post about “how do you deal with mildew in your bathroom?” or “6 years of dusting: lessons learned” or “Hemming curtains is all well and good but how do I replace this button on my shirt?” – but I think your regular readers like those kinds of things most. The bigger posts are rather a huge draw from searches and might create new regulars.
Ramblin thoughts. Y’all are an inspiration. Our coffee table has four books: two photo albums, a book on historic Fairfax, and your first book.
Alex says
Hey! My vote is for the fun filler posts like OBH gave ideas for. I really like those, and while the longer, more technical posts are great to have available, I like the fillers more on a day-to-day basis. The longer technical ones are great to have available more so I can refer to them in detail when I am doing a similar project.
Still love you guys! Good luck with figuring it all out :)
Lynne says
I also love the smaller, quick update idea type posts. The uniqueness of your blog has been the mix of the types of things you post about, from the huge DIY project to the arranging of a bunch of grocery store flowers in a kitchen glass. My two cents is to mix it up a bit more, like you used to!
Anne Phillips says
I love the fact that you can admit “things didn’t go as planned this week” to your readers. For goodness sakes, you’ve got an infant! and a home business based on construction projects! of course things can go in the crapper now and then. It helps the rest of us mere mortals feel a little better when our projects take 6 months instead of 6 days.
and since you asked… I love reader house tours, and would love to see more of them. And when you tackle a huge project like the laundry room, a couple more of the smaller design-y or shop-y posts ones sprinkled throughout would probably keep a larger percentage of your readership interested. In fact, you could post two or three of those smaller posts per day while at the same time completing huge projects and processing photos while breastfeeding an infant, entertaining guests and mowing the lawn. …oh, wait…
Megan says
This is my favourite blog! With that said, I agree that the smaller “fun” posts are actually the reason I read this it. I get lost in the technical stuff. I love the family posts (like Teddy’s birth story) and shopping/reader re-design/organization/flowers etc. posts. Stock piling posts for busy weeks sounds like a great idea. I have a small blog and I get more views when I post about random crafts I did with my students or yesterdays was about throwing out my drying rack in my kitchen and getting a drying mat. LOL
Megan says
Oh and I love when Sherry teams up with Katie and 2 other bloggers to do the Pinterest challenges. So fun! And motivates us little bloggers to do something new.
Jamie says
First, love you, love your blog! I still check in every day. Your blog is the ONLY blog I follow on a daily basis. It’s brave to even open up the can of worms of asking for feedback. I fully support your decision to take more time for family and scale back the posts a bit. I think you had us all spoiled with the flurry of posts before. If it comes down to it, I’d always be in favor of a smaller post vs. no post, but I’m not going to stop following! You guys are always so easy to relate to and I’ve come to think of you as friends even though we’ve never met (the key to your success obviously!). Change is always difficult. I’m sure you’ll find your new stride. Hope whatever happened this week wasn’t super serious and everyone is well!!
Franny says
#1 It’s your blog, your hard work and your family, so do it the way that makes you happy.
#2 I love your blog and look for it every day.
#3 I love the technical posts that show me how to do the project too.
#4 I miss your blog on Fridays and would love a small post, even if it has been gathering dust :)
#5 Reader Redesigns are interesting.
#6 Perhaps people could send you house crashings of their own home and then you don’t have to travel. Or a “bragblog” where you can feature a small project a reader did that they are particularly proud of.
Jaime says
I kind of agree that I’d love to see some smaller posts on days when I stop by and expect to see something. YHL is my mid-morning coffee break blog, and lately I have been feeling a disconnect.
And while I do know that the title of this blog is Young HOUSE Love, as an apartment-dweller, I wouldn’t mind if you did some apartment crashing, or tips for small spaces (especially living in a small space with kids).
Debi says
Well I have read over some of the other comments and I guess I don’t agree with alot of them. I totally get that you needed to pull away with the arrival of the new little man in the house. Family is the most important thing and they really just grow up way too fast. My baby turned 13 yesterday. For me I look forward to every post. I was sad when you didn’t post everyday I so look forward to them. So my vote is if you can get a small post out I will be reading it. I don’t think that the content has suffered at all. I just think that with the new house there are building project to do and not just decorating. So after this long rant YES, please I want some more!!! (I hear a Pink floyd song somewhere in my head.) LOL
Megan says
I would love a small little post on the days you can’t get out a big one!! I’m always bummed on the days I don’t get to hear from you! But I also understand that even the small posts take time and I so admire your dedication to your family. So either way I’ll keep stopping by! Ya’ll are great!
Rebecca Pitt says
I enjoy whatever you post. Thank you so much for sharing your life with your readers. You remain the best blog on the Internet.
Debi says
Forgot to add this to my first comment but there are some of us out here 10 years later STILL using hem tape on our curtains. If it ain’t broke!!! LOL
Amber says
This is an example of why we need a “like” button. LOL
Hill says
I think that it is so great that you made the choice to highlight this debate rather than just letting it sit in the comments. There are so many of us readers that never comment and never read through the comments.
As for my opinion- I love the tiny posts. I love to see what’s really inside someone’s life, like how you organize your pantry and I remember loving when Sherry shared her tiny makeup collection. And reader room dilemmas and redesigns are great fun and a good way to discover smaller blogs.
I personally find the DIY posts very boring, and I don’t read them and that’s fine with me. I will say that when I own a home and need to do some DIY this is the first place I will come!
Just please don’t start “Friday Finds” like so many other blogs I used to love. Many bloggers just hawk products as a replacement for content now.
-Goodluck! Hill
Randi says
Thought I would give feedback since you asked!
I haven’t read through all of the above comments, but I did look over a few, and I think I agree with most readers that smaller posts would be great. Some of my favorite posts are the ones about your family and life – those are the ones I re-read probably too much! Haha. That being said, there are plenty of people who probably just read your blog for the DIY tutorials so you won’t make everyone happy 100% of the time. But you guys already know that!!
I think it would be great to give a heads up a week in advance if the following week will be crazy and set clear expectations about what the blogging schedule and content will be. For example, you could share that you won’t be providing specific, picture heavy, DIY tutorials the following week. Instead, you are going to take the opportunity to share 5 short family/life posts. (You could pre-write these ahead of time) Sort of like when you have a theme to your Blogsiversary posts for an entire week. Know what I mean? That way, if the DIY fans don’t want to tune in that week, they can’t complain because they knew what to expect! I’m all about expectations :)
I’m sure none of us are saying anything that you guys haven’t thought about and talked about already! Ultimately, you aren’t going to lose me as a reader, and I promise I will never complain about content you are posting! Part of what keeps me coming back is your writing style – so any content actually still gives me the YHL fix :)
You guys are great and all of your success is not due to luck – we love you!!! So ultimately, however you guys decide to move forward will be great!! Have a great Friday and weekend!
Laura B. says
Long time reader. You know I love you both–seriously, this blog has meant a lot to me. It’s strange to form an attachment to a blog, but I think you both created a brand based on being personal with your readers. I actually just emailed you (Sherry) an article about the public self vs. the private self. It seems like you’re wanting to be more private at this time in your lives which I get, respect, and completely understand. At the same time, being less present here is starting to shift the very foundation of your blog; it sounds like you both know about this crossroads.
I’m not going to tell you what you should do–you don’t tell me how to write poems or parent or teach (but if you do have suggestions for getting college freshmen to do their homework, by all means, send it my way, haha). I just wanted to express that I wish for the best for your family and hope you do whatever is right for you! If that means creating filler posts, that’s awesome. If that means less content to have room for your kids/freelance gigs/etc., that’s great too. All the best!
Laura says
Please enjoy every second of your new baby, and know that we will all be here reading and enjoying your wonderful blog. If you can’t get something posted, please extend yourselves a little grace. You have always said this is just as much a chronicle of your lives as a blog for us.
Carrie says
I think you guys are too hard on yourselves when you don’t post! Having a newborn, a blog, a home to renovate, and another child is a TON to take on. Not to mention all the other things you have going on in the background.
I’m fairly new to your blog, but ADORE it. Doesn’t bother me one tiny bit when you don’t post. It just means you’re working on something juicy…or spending time with your fam. I think you do what makes you happy and don’t worry about anyone else! You make so many of us happy with your insightful, funny, helpful, creative posts!
Jaime says
And to clarify my last post, I get that I could go find a blog specifically about apartments, but I’d love to see your take on small spaces and such, as I like your aesthetic so much.
Holly says
I am so happy you are taking time to focus on the family and not blogging 24/7, but I do miss the more regular posts. The biggest difference I see is John is doing most of the posting and he is a much more detailed/technical poster. I miss Sherry’s posts of cleaning out a closet, making a handmade gift with Clara for Grandma or moving around the knick knacks on the bookshelf. I also enjoy reader redesign, shopping trip recaps and family stuff you used to post on Young House Love. Either way, love you guys, your family and your home!!!
Melissa F. says
John and Sherry-
I personally LOVE the “dull” posts where you breakdown in detail your serious DIY projects. As a more serious, or aspiring to be more serious DIYer myself, I have gotten so much great info from your posts and they are my go-to when I’m working on a project. Most other bloggers don’t give the same level of detail and therefore aren’t the best sources of information when I’m researching for a project. Many seem to just want to show off what they’ve done to their homes. I’m not into crafty stuff either, so I guess that’s why I devour your posts on drywall, tiling and door jambs!! This is just my personal opinion, but keep those coming! Also, it is YOUR blog, and I understand wanting to please your readership, but ultimately it will naturally reflect what’s going on in your lives and home at that given time.
Lindsay J says
Comment RE: Update #2: I really enjoy the little updates just as much, if not more, than the long updates. Just a quick note about something you’re leaning towards doing, or something little you did around the house. It’s fun to get inside your head. :) I know posts take a lot of time to put together, especially when you are explaining something, so anything you write is much appreciated!! Love you guys!
Janine says
I am a long time reader and I too have become a bit disappointed with the content. I would enjoy more of a variety of content (DIY, crafts, reader redesigns, thorough analysis of a project, etc.)
As a parent, when I saw a lot of your content about the kids, it did give me pause. The internet is the Wild West and you really never know who’s reading your blog and what nefarious motives they can have in reading. While I’m sure the vast majority of your readers have good intentions, the few who might not are not worth the risk. I applaud that you seem to be posting about them less. I’m sure their safety and privacy is your first priority.
I think you should seriously consider getting a babysitter. I work from home as well and I have two school aged children. I still hire a babysitter when I know I have to work and my kids are home. I find that neither my work nor my children get the best I have to offer when I try to do both at the same time. With the sitter, I can fully focus on work, therefore doing a better job. And my children get to enjoy someone who is fully paying attention to them, not someone who is half present. I don’t know how you currently manage your time for writing posts and doing projects, but perhaps if you had a dedicated time a few days a week where you could both only focus on the blog content and know your children are being properly cared for with someone else, you would find the blog would benefit.
I hope you guys find a way to navigate this. You truly are trailblazers in this blog world and I hope you will find the key to longevity. Best of luck!
Heather MacPherson says
I agree with others. The content of the blog has changed. I loved the posts so much more when the blog was your focus, both small and large projects. It seems like your focus has moved to other projects like your book and the showhouse (neither of which I find/found interesting).
Though I love that you’ve scaled back on some of your work to focus on your family!! You two def have your priorities figured out and set such a great example for so many other working parents!!
Jillian says
I have to say, I miss the cheerful quick decorating posts! I would love to see one on decorating the porch for fall, or something like that – the little improvements! I don’t dislike the technical posts, because I can see how helpful they are to anyone working on that project (for example, the step-by-step how to paint a table was amazing for me when I re-painted mine!), but at the same time, I don’t own a house, so door jambs are really irrelevant to me. Weirdly, this year is the first time I noticed that having an apartment versus a house made me ‘miss out’ on enjoying YHL content – I feel like so many of the other projects were either apartment-adaptable, or so interesting that I didn’t care!
In terms of posting less, you do what you gotta do! I love that you want to spend more time with your kids, and I see this blog as a bonus – not a daily entitlement. I would also be happy seeing more ‘lifestyle’ content from you, in case that’s easier to post quickly – like updates on clara and teddy, recipes, fun stuff you get up to – I like it!
Random idea: tell us a little about your favourite tools! I just got a makita impact driver and the regular makita drill (the black and white ones), and they are AH-MAZING. Super lightweight and they have a little LED light on the front.:)
Shannon says
I think you guys should have guest posts stock piled…and perhaps a few Design Dilemna posts where you post a pic that a reader has mailed in and let everyone else chime in on what they would do to fix the room. It would be minimal work on your part and still keep the readers engaged. Then you could follow up the Design Dilemna with a photoshop fix of the most common suggestions or just what you guys would do. I for one, have a living room that is a HUGE challenge for me. I would love to send in a pic and let everyone throw out opinions and ideas. Plus those kind of posts are not time sensitive, so you could keep a file of them.
An Afternoon Walk says
Hi John and Sherry–
It’s hard to say no to the opportunities that have arisen for you both from your successful blogging–the books, the showhouse, the charitable projects, the lighting and products design, etc….I wonder if you guys say, after this big thing is over, our blog will return to normal, and then another big thing happens and you feel like you can’t say no! so your blog suffers. It’s hard to say no to Oprah, Target, a children’s hospital, a big publishing company, and on and on. The bottom line is everybody wants a piece of you and now there’s no piece left to do what you originally loved, sharing your personal journey of love and diy with all of us.
The post where you said you needed to scale back for your family’s sake, honestly, you both have TOO MUCH on your plates and I don’t blame you for scaling back until you’ve finished some of these big things like this 2nd book. It is clear that you both are hard workers and are self starters so I don’t agree with the criticism that you both are just resting on your laurels while everybody else is grinding out a 9-5. I can feel the stress you guys are going through. It’s a dilemma. With the success you have to ask yourselves how many directions are you able to go before it makes daily life a struggle instead of uplifting? How many books do you want to do? How many showhouses, interviews, product designs are you going to do? Your own show? It could go on and on. I guess my advice is to look at successful people you admire who have balance in their lives. Those people make a conscious decision to not spread themselves too thin. What you choose not to do is as important as what you choose to do. Pare down to what is meaningful even if it means not calling Oprah back.
We all miss your daily, personal posts. The giveaways are not why we read you guys. We come to your website for your daily, personal slice of life with inspiring, simple, well-thought-out, well-researched, family goings-on. You guys stand out from the other blogs. The books, the showhouses, the house crashing….really, we are just inspired by your own unique, kind, contributing -onstuctive-good-to-the-world attitude voices, your experience, your (Sherry’s) lovely posts about stitching Teddy’s quilt while watching tv and painting his door a bright cheerful green, John’s precise technical breakdown of renovation that is so much more helpful and personal than the usual tutorial, the thorough research into washers and dryers (that helped me make my own decision, thank you!); wallpapering Clara’s closet (my husband even enjoyed that post!), all the things that made you the target of companies that wanted to get in on your successful blog, which is simply making sweet order out of the chaos that our world often is, that’s why we go to your website at 10 every morning. We all miss that personal touch, some of us more grumpy than others, you were their little break in the mornings!!! haha, I admit I am a little grumpy too when I type in younghouselove.com and I see a freebie or the same post from before!! Wishing you the best, and enjoy your little ones, and good luck in finding the best way forward! We’re with you regardless.
Tish says
I like small posts because I don’t have the attention span for John’s detailed posts. :) (I would love his posts if I were working on one of those projects.) I get really excited just seeing photos, so I would be ga-ga over more Reader Redesigns. But you know, don’t worry about us, y’all take care of yourselves!
Emily P says
I have been reading since my husband and I bought our first house about two years ago, and I love all your content. I don’t really understand the fuss because it seems like once something is built, you guys move on to decorating and this is a HUGE build! I like both sides and find the DIY step by step very helpful! I say keep up the good work and putting your family first! Things will even out on their own and you guys will get back into your groove. Your short posts with a quick before and after are great too, keep the blog yours and drink in those babies, cuz they are only babies for a moment!
Laura says
I’ve been reading since Clara was a newborn, and while this has prompted me to think about it and I (maybe? barely?) see what Luke is saying, I hadn’t even noticed a difference until he brought it up, and am surprised to see that so many people have opinions about it! I love the small misc posts and would never mind seeing more of them! But I haven’t noticed anything lacking. My first thought with this conversation is Sheesh, it’s not like you’re here for our entertainment, you already still post more frequently than any other blog I subscribe to, and the content simply reflects what is going on in your lives, which is the point of a blog like this! But then I also think, Well, it IS your livelihood, so perhaps you ARE here for our entertainment? (Uncomfortable thought…) I have children close in age to yours, and I have always been AMAZED at everything you manage to fit into your lives, much less actually blog about it too! When my children were as young as Teddy, I felt like I was hanging by a thread pretty much every day for at least a year!! Post as you can, when you want to, about what you want to – seems to me that has always been the secret to your success. While the long technical posts are not my favorite, I love knowing they are here, as if I ever do a similar project, I know I can come here and find wonderful info to help me, which I assume is the point. So keep ’em coming!