This post was 3,000 words long. They all felt overly complicated and heavy and weird. I clicked delete. Then I just typed what we’re really feeling, complete with things we’ve never said out loud and even a few things we’ve never fully admitted to ourselves before.
The truth is that we love you guys. Like for real. Even for the tough love. We know you say it because you care (or hopefully you did at some point), and we want you to know we care right back. We want to do a good job. We want to do this with joy and excitement. We want to inspire you. We know this is an incredible way to have made a living and we are full of gratitude for the experience to have shared the last seven years of our lives with you guys online.
We would NEVER be here without you, and not a day goes by that we don’t know that. It’s why we asked for your feedback last week and read every last comment. We appreciate the honesty and the passion you guys have on the topic of making this blog great. And we agree with a lot of what was being said. We have been feeling off for a while – like we have lost our rhythm and we’re somehow missing the mark for ourselves and for you guys. We too miss the good old days when we did this for the love and were full of such obvious joy and spontaneity. This felt like a place we all hung out and it just doesn’t have that vibe anymore.
Over the years many amazing opportunities popped up for us. Things we never dreamed of doing in a million years, and things we’re incredibly grateful to have had the chance to experience. A book deal, curating paint picks with Benjamin Moore, a line sold at Target, a showhouse, etc. But in hindsight those things also made this feel a lot more like a business than a personal blog to many of you, and to us as well. We have actually ramped those down behind the scenes in an attempt to get back to our roots (we no longer do the BM color collection, the second book is mostly written, our products at Target have completed their run, and we finished the showhouse) but we never really made a big announcement about that – so it’s completely understandable that some of you might think we’ve moved on to those greener pastures and left the blog in the dust, so to speak. The reality is that our site propels the success of any outside project like a product or book, so we could never turn our backs on the blog and expect those items to continue to sell as well.
Not only have we felt this shift from “John and Sherry” to “Young House Love: The Brand”, but the blogosphere as a whole has become increasingly sponsored/corporate lately. We can see from the outside prospective as a reader, or even a fellow blogger, that it’s hard to read a blog post without suspecting some ulterior motive or money-making system behind it. Last week a few of you mentioned that we might need to keep giveaways around because they pay us well, which surprised us since they’re never something we accept payment for (we like to pass free things along to you as a thank you for reading).
Along with the whole business/brand thing that’s going on, and the side gigs that felt like they muddied the water for some of you, there are certainly other things we wish we had handled differently in hindsight. Just to name a few, there’s: being too defensive, over-explaining, letting things get in our heads and change our lighthearted approach, and the internal struggle between being transparent and oversharing personal details like a vacant new house without an alarm system (looking back we wish we’d handled our third house announcement differently). We know many of you felt insulted that we didn’t share more freely about that house, and we truly apologize.
Anyway, back to that whole “we’re sexy stumbling and you know it” thing. It’s endlessly frustrating to do a job that you love poorly, especially when it’s a blog baby that you’ve birthed yourself and nurtured for seven years. And especially when it’s such an amazing job that we once felt so inspired and joyful to wake up and do each day. What’s wrong with us? We know this is a dream job. We acknowledge it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. We know most people who have built something like this would be more inspired than ever. It’s not that we lost the gratitude, I think it’s that we feel like we’ve fallen out of our groove. We feel like we’re letting you guys down repeatedly. It got to the point that every time we pressed “publish” we braced ourselves.
So in an attempt to stop stumbling around and feeling like we just can’t get it back, we’re taking a break. We don’t know exactly how long we’ll be stepping away, but our guess would be at least a month. We will certainly be exploring other options for supporting our family (something we mentioned we were considering back in April). We had that fiery blog-spark back when we had day jobs and did this as a hobby, so we think it could be a good change. We’ll also be taking a break on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, but the blog will stay public so you guys can access the archives whenever you’d like.
Our internal struggle and the state of this blog is entirely of our making, and we completely own that. Please don’t get mad at anyone for being honest with their feedback last week or accuse them of sending us packing. We have been struggling with that “something is off” feeling for a while now, and after way too much denial and “we’ll turn it around” pep talks, we finally asked for your feedback because we truly wanted to hear what you were thinking. It was cathartic and helpful for us. It has allowed us to very clearly see that if we have any respect for this blog and our love of it, and for you guys and what you’d like to see, we need to take a break if we ever want any hope of getting back to that fun/real/spontaneous place it used to be when this was something we did for the love instead of the high stakes game of supporting a family.
In summary: we love you, we thank you, and we hope you understand.
Deann says
Hi! I just wanted to say that I have always enjoyed your blog! I am a conservative Mennonite from Pennsylvania (just to let you know all the different people that stalk your blog) :) While I actually do look at your blog for inspiration when I decorate my home I guess I never got emotionally involved with the blog. Well, not true I had to fight feelings of jealousy when you moved. I live in a 1700 sq ft house and pregnant w/ my 6th kiddo. But less is more so I think it’s awesome you can take a step back and reevaluate your life.
Katie says
I have never posted until today. I am so sad to read this last post. Taking a break is a great idea and you have to do what is best for your family. I will tell you that I have been following for a year now and I love this site. I didn’t feel any of the ‘slacking’ off from your post. I always look forward to your posts because of the knowledge and humor you bring to the project. Cause lets face it–sometimes it doesn’t go to plan. Enjoy your time off and I will be here when you get back. (as long as we don’t get kicked of the email subscription!?) Thank you for the inspiration and tips along the way. God Bless.
Chris says
Everybody needs a break. Good luck and best wishes! I hope to see you and the blog refreshed in a month or two ; )
Ellyn says
I have never commented on here before, but I have been following you guys for about 5 years. No matter how long or short, or how few or often you post, I will always follow your blog. Although you job is very inspirational and creative, it will not be the end of the world if you decide to go in a different direction. You are doing us all a favor by sharing this intimate part of your life with us and the people who are mad at you or demanding more will soon get over it and move on to bullying someone else online. So forget them!! You two are not only amazing at your JOB, but you seem like wonderful parents with the kindest hearts. I wish you nothing but the best and I hope you find the right path for your family.
Becky says
The same day I read your post, I also read this quote:
“You should not have to rip yourself into pieces to keep others whole.” – Emma Bleker
Made me think of you guys. Hope the break is just what the doctor ordered.
Keeley says
I completely agree and understand. Thank you for leaving the archives here for us (because I refer to your blog often).
Do what works for you. You have seven years worth of posts, two books and a bunch of other products of your hard work. You’re living the dream (or at least it looks that way to those of us who are at home/in an office/stuck in a cubicle working for other people/unemployed all day).
Enjoy your family, take a vacation… enjoy!
Christine says
Thank you YHL. I’ve been a daily reader for 6+ years and you’ve seriously made my daily coffee more enjoyable. I’ll miss reading but I want you to know I have lots of admiration and gratitude for you both. TAKE TIME and we’ll be fine…..wishing you luck with the next chapter (whatever it is)!!
Amie says
Smart to not let things get dull, for your own creativity and peace of mind. Thanks for sharing all you have done so far! I will miss this space.
It must be SO DIFFICULT for ya’ll not to be responding to these comments! I will miss accidentally refering to you guys as my friend, “Oh, my friends did a project like that…oh wait, that was a blog I read.” :)
Sarah says
Makes sense to take a break! Hope you come back, but in the end do whatever’s best for your family.
LOVE!
-Sarah
Danette S says
Best wishes for you and your family! Good Luck and thanks for all of the helpful tips.
Ashley says
I definitely did a little gasp. I used to be an avid reader, and then life took over and I only visited now and again and because it came up in my news feed, but regardless, I still loved everything I read. You are fantastic bloggers and I really hope once you transition into a different situation for your family that you’ll return to us.
I still highly intend on purchasing Book Numbah 2 to add to my collection, but it’s just not the same as reading blog posts. I wish you all the very best of luck! We will miss you, the kids, and Burger (even if your hiatus does only last a month!)
Emily says
Thanks for sharing — that takes guts! Please don’t be so hard on yourselves — you do amazing work, and I can’t imagine how hard it is to intertwine your personal and work lives so much.
Sabbaticals are great and usually essential. I hope you’re able to take the time to figure out what works for you.
As much as I’d love you to come back quickly, since you’ve been an inspiration since I started reading YHL from early on, please do what’s right for you and your family.
Tisha Allen says
NOOOOOOO!!!!
You guys are THE BEST! I have learned so much from your blog and have found courage to do things I might not have tried on my own before I found you!
I am guilty of not reading all of the comments on your posts…and of not commenting myself. But I did glance at the “feed-back” that you received last week and couldn’t believe what I was reading….
You are fun!
You are real!
You are inspiring!
You are loved!
Come back to us when you’ve gotten your rest. Play with those babies…take some time for yourselves…but keep the camera handy just in case ;)
THIS IS NOT GOODBYE! IT’S SEE YA LATER!
i’m not sure I can live without the occasional goofy rap video :'(
Suzy B says
J&S
I have been reading your blog for 4 yrs & I was not surprised about this post. I actually stopped reading other blogs because they are forced & full of product posts. The fun blog world is a changing and feels more like a commercial ad. That is why I stuck with you guys. Even though your recent posts don’t apply to me right now, i know a new homeowner will love the laundry room redo. You are still the best at explaining the process & keeping it real showing cost per project.
I hope you enjoy the timeoff and come to an agreement that suits your family. We will be here for you whatever the decision. I am finding the tech world is getting a little out of hand with too many haters. It is very scary with a teen a home. I love you guys so much!!????
Amanda says
Well, John and Sherry, thank you for your many years of inviting us all into your home and your lives. I blog very infrequently, and putting yourself out there in that way is exhausting even when no one reads it. Having your private lives dissected day in and day out would exhaust anyone. Thank you for doing it for so long.
As you go into your time away, don’t feel like you owe it to anyone to continue with something that doesn’t make you happy. It’s your life and you have to live it for you. If you need to stop blogging, if you need to scale down, if blogging becomes a hobby again, if you decide to make it more of a business and farm out some of the writing, it’s your choice. I hope whatever you choose makes you happy, but also know that nothing in this life is permanent. You can decide one thing now and another thing later. What works for you now might not work in the future, just as what worked for you in past might not work now.
In closing, I’d like to say that I saw the comments the other day and refrained from joining in on them as they struck me as much proof that you can’t please all the people all of the time. I will say that something has felt off about the blog, but I think it would be nearly impossible for the blog not to have changed with the recent addition of another child and the move into a house you anticipate staying in for the duration. You two have changed, your family has changed, and your blog inevitably changed. I can’t imagine doing all that you two are doing with a newborn in the mix, and I hope you two let yourselves off the hook a bit for that. (I also hope that you take some of the time away to get some much needed sleep.)
Thank you again for all your posts. Good luck — whatever you choose to do!
Erin says
Hi John and Sherry! I just settled in with my lunch and was looking forward to catching up and saw this post. I haven’t visited for a couple of weeks so I missed the feedback post, but I am both sad and understanding to read this. I do hope you’ll come back, but you all deserve a true break for as long as you need one. I’ve never understood how you have the energy you do so I’m a bit relieved to see you step back. I’ve tuned in since your first house and, at that time, I read lots of blogs, but yours is one of the only ones I still follow. I thank you for being my lunch friends for the past 6 years or so. One thing that’s been harder for me to watch is the amount of HUGE projects that you take on all the time. Not that I don’t enjoy them, but I think I miss some of the smaller decor projects and crafts with the occasional big project where it feels like it has been the opposite over the past couple of years. Maybe I should’ve saved that for the feedback post, but since I’m already writing… Anyway, I hope you get what you need and I sincerely hope you’ll be back even if it’s only once a month for a newly updated corner or something. You are a wonderful team, wonderful inspiration, wonderful teachers, and a wonderful family. xoxo
bruni says
Bbbut, i just found you guys (sniffle, sniffle). But, seriously, “do you!” You’ve only got one life, so create peace of mind, body and soul. Tons of thanks for all you’ve shared with so many. Blessings on your journey as you navigate through life.
Tracie says
I will miss you so much!! Can’t wait for you to come back and do what you do. I am so glad to hear that you will take a break if you need to though. I sincerely hope that you will come back refreshed and giving us more of the same. LOVE your blog!!!
MC says
Good for you. I love reading your blog but am glad you’re carving out time for yourselves, your family, and your career exploration.
dina says
I was that super-excited nurse that met you when you worked on our family waiting area at the Children’s Hospital. You were simply sweet and amazing and so incredibly kind. I have since moved to Qatar and love keeping up with your blog from the other side of the world. Wishing you all the best. I will continue to check back at old posts, if only to see the green grass of Richmond!
Courtney says
I’ve always been inspired by this blog and your work. You have never disappointed me or let me down. I’ve learned a lot from you, and appreciate how I’ve felt empowered to tackle big projects in our DIY home. Thank you for sharing your lives and skills to teach others. Enjoy your break, and hope that it brings clarity and direction. Best wishes!
Deborah says
Good for you. Take some naps. Get your mojo back (or not–you never know what’s next).
When you started, you didn’t know where it would go. All you can ever do is the next right thing. Love that the two of you are modeling a lot more than how to DIY your house each time you enter the online world.
Have fun, enjoy the time off, tell us about it later or don’t. It’s all cool, homies.
Michele says
Oh my – please do come back when you find your rhythm again. I will miss this blog, and so will many, many others.
Browne says
You guys have been a part of my life (and my morning routine) for so long now, it’s going to be hard for me to face the silence. That being said, I echo everyone’s comments here that I’m so glad you guys are doing what is best for you. Of course, I would absolutely love it if you guys do decided to start blogging again, but I completely understand the need to take a break and reevaluate things. I wish you the best, Petersiks!
Sarah says
I am glad that you are doing what is right for you and your family! I think that you are very brave to put everything on the table for us. We will support you and will be here when you get back!! Good luck :)
Sarah S says
I’m a college student who absolutely loves your blog. I live out my dreams of decorating through you! As a college student, I’ve been interning at a bunch of different places and although I usually end up doing small day to day tasks, I’ve realized how much it helps my coworkers. I think you guys should get an assistant! Someone who could deal with all the little, time consuming tasks so you could continue to do the things you really enjoy. Random thought, but I’ve been thinking of it since you both became full time bloggers. Have a great break!
Maggie says
Hi guys, I have been reading your blog for years but have never commented. I was soooooo sad to hear that you guys are second-guessing yourselves. The fact is that you are maturing and don’t need to keep the same excitement and high energy that you have always had. You are evolving and this is normal. As a 25 year teacher, I do not have the same energy level and enthusiasm that I had in my first years of teaching. But that high energy level has been replaced with a deeper and more mature love and understanding of my students. What I’m trying to say is that growth is normal but listening to anyone but yourselves is not going to help you grow. Your instincts, creativity, honesty, incredible talents and infectious personalities are what got you to where you are! Trust YOUR instincts and keep on bringing us what YOU feel is right. The biggest testament to your amazing blog is that my daughter and her boyfriend just purchased their 1st house and the first thing I did on their closing day was send them your blog to provide inspiration and direction for their fixer-upper! And BAM…new readers! They love it and have gotten so many ideas! Please come back soooooon!
Cassie B says
I only read a few of the 3,000+ comments but I’m sure I’m echoing their emotions..
I’ve been following you since Clara was just a bean. You’re my favorite blog BY FAR, no comparison, really. Your honesty, your humor, your parenting, your genuineness, among much more are what keeps me here.
I hope you know how much you inspire and encourage others, and not just in DIY’ing, either. To just go out into the world and conquer it. To know when to call in the big leagues. To know when to follow your heart.
I hope you know that you have some diehard followers (who no doubt like myself consider you a BFF, even if it’s completely one sided ;) ) that wish nothing but the best for you, even if it means (gasp) taking a break. We will miss you something awful, but we understand. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t put your family needs first.
I will for sure be here when you are ready to return!!
Jessica says
I’ve been reading you for-ev-er! You got married shortly before I did, and you had your baby girl shortly before mine was born. I beat you to the baby boy landmark, though. ;-) I feel like we’ve come a long way together, even though I know it is a one-sided affair. I could never, EVER share so much of myself online. I will miss you, for sure! But I would not want to watch you slowly become less happy… for the record, I never thought the blog was “off.” I’ve enjoyed all of it!
Jesse May says
I’m afraid I don’t comment much, but I want to tell you that I have been LOVING Young House Love for the last couple years. I completely support your decision to take a break and hope it is thoroughly refreshing for you. Hope to see you back in a month with renewed vigor! Love you guys!
Monique says
I’ll add my 2 cents too…love you guys! Check on you daily – have been a reader since 2010. This is YOUR life! Live it! I love your writing styles – both of you – you crack me up! I only moved in my house into my first house in 2011 but you guys have given me courage and simply enjoyment reading your thoughts daily…BUT…it’s YOUR life, you are not obligated to us just as we are not obligated to read! Whichever way you choose to go, may you have peace and happiness!
Sally says
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and struggles. I have always enjoyed your blog and don’t feel you have ever let me down as a reader. Good luck with your decision-making and resting process.
Theresa Sea says
As a long time lurker, I need to say thank you for your time and for sharing your experiences. You have helped me through our own diy projects, as well as new ideas I’ve picked up (new photo book every year to recap). I appreciate how much you’ve shared of yourselves in this blog baby of yours. ????
Jennifer says
I can understand why you need a break. You have been through a lot in the last year, and that’s just the stuff we know about. Put the most important things first, your family. I hope you can leave all the negative comments people have posted behind and enjoy this time to restore yourselves.
Maggie says
I’ve really enjoyed your blog, but you guys should absolutely do whatever is right for your family! Best wishes!
Nycole says
Sherry & John,
You do what you have to do for yourselves and your family. When/if you come back, your followers will embrace you as we always have.
Godspeed.
Jkp says
First time commenter (although, maybe second, because I feel like I’ve typed that before!), and long time reader–I think about 5 years consistently but I’ve read all your archives :)
I’m not a superfan or an internet troll, just a normal 27 year old mom of 1.5 who likes having a pretty home! That being said, I thoroughly enjoy your blog. It’s the only one I read and I don’t miss a post. My husband and I are big DIYers and we’ve gutted and renovated our entire house. I am constantly sending him links to show him how you guys have tackled a project we’ve discussed–in fact, I sent him the door installation tutorial just last week!
I have alwaya felt bad for the over explaining you’ve had to do. I don’t really understand the commenters who are so hypercritical of your decisions. I don’t love everything you’ve ever done, but that would make pretty boring reading if I did. I just enjoy your wit, your ideas, and seeing what you’re going to try next. I’m sorry you’ve been driven away by people acting ugly on the internet–even if they’re well meaning, it just doesn’t make sense to me to criticize a blog. You don’t have to read it if it’s not your thing!!
For every super fan, internet troll, constant commenter, etc, I think there are many more of people like me–who just enjoy reading and you’ll probably never hear from. All that said, I hope you both come back and keep doing your thing! I’m about to have another baby to nurse, and I don’t know what will fill all that time if I don’t have YHL!
erin says
Love your blog and I’m sad to hear that you feel like it hasn’t been fulfilling for you lately. Hopefully you will take a little break and come back refreshed! I’ll miss your posts in the meantime. Xo
Susan says
Hey John and Sherry, I have followed your blog faithfully ever since Clara was born and yet I have commented so very few times, for which I am sorry. I love what you two have done over the years on this blog. I’ve never actually met you, yet I know without a doubt you two are some of the nicest, most genuine, classy people out there. The grace with which you handle the lemons thrown your way always astounds me.
I am so sorry that the criticism and meanness of others has contributed to taking the joy out of blogging. If or when you do come back, I hope you come back with a renewed sense of blogging for the joy in it, not to please the masses.
Until then, thank you for the tutorials, the laughs, the inspiration, and bringing us along for the ride. With much love and all the best, no matter where you go from here.
Pam the Goatherd says
There is a reason that sabbaticals are supposed to happen every seven years. People need a break in the work routine. As a writer I can relate to the need to step away for a while to re-evaluate whether or not you want to continue doing this and if so, what changes do you want to make. I wrote a newspaper column for many years, then moved to a weekly radio program for 10 years. After all those years of writing about the outdoors I felt like I was just going through the motions. What started out as a year-long sabbatical turned into a complete break from that aspect of writing. It took me more than a year to finally feel like writing anything again! Now I’m working on writing some fiction and a book about our family farm. I finally enjoy writing again.
It’s difficult when something you started out loving to do turns into a chore. I selfishly hope that you will find a way to continue with the blog in a new evolution that fits in with what works best for your family. But if you decide to go in a different direction I, for one, will understand and wish you well.
JustAng says
Kiddo to school…Check.
Baby down for nap…Check.
Poured my coffee…Check.
Started to log onto younghouselove…
And then I remembered.
(Sigh)
This is gonna take some getting used to.
You do what’s best for you. Finding a balance is so hard for anyone, especially with life constantly changing the circumstances around you, both good and bad. You already made the big decision here. That was the hardest part. Whatever comes next will just be your new normal. And it will have its own successes and challenges too. Many thanks for letting all of us strangers follow your journey so far. Your graciousness, work ethic and humor were so very appreciated. Honestly, I’m not *that* young anymore. I don’t even own a house. But I sure did love your site. Best of luck to you all!
Ms. Weatherbee says
Relax and enjoy your break!! Don’t be so hard on yourselves. You just had 2 babies, and it’s a very busy time in your life. I thought the laundry room reveal was great, and I still enjoy reading your blog. People need to chill! This is interior design – not brain surgery – it should be fun, not stressful. Of course it’s important to be professional and accountable, but don’t take yourselves too seriously. Post as often or as little as your heart desires – it’s all fine with me. I follow other successful bloggers who are making it work while posting less. I think you guys are putting too much pressure on yourselves to be PERFECT. Life is messy, and it’s ok to keep it real. I highly recommend Brene Brown’s book “Daring Greatly” – I think it will be super helpful for you to embrace vulnerability. Best of luck!
Heather C says
I really love your blog and will miss you while you are gone. Enjoy the time off to rejuvenate with your family! I hope that you are able to figure out a new direction that will continue to keep you inspired and happy as well as inspire the rest of us too!! :)
Jenny J says
Soooo…if this were a concert, would all these comments be enouch to get you back on stage for an encore? Love you guys so much, please don’t make this break permanent. Best of luck to you!
Jaime says
Another “love” note coming through. I have read your blog for about five years, and as some others have said, did not respond to the previous post because I have always appreciated your content, personality, and willingness to share the good, bad, and ugly. You guys keep it real and lighthearted. I hope you are able to find balance and a renewed joy for blogging. Just remember that while this is incredibly personal to you, you cannot please everyone. Do what is right for your family. I hope we see you back, and if people don’t like the blog, then they can shop around and find one that is right for them. Don’t change what is natural.
Gail says
I have never posted a comment before, but did not want to miss this chance to say how much I enjoy your blog. I have gotten such great ideas and learned quite a bit about home improvement through your posts. For nearly 4 years I have enjoyed your comfortable and inviting style (both in your writing and decor). Thank you for your work and the enjoyment you have provided. Your blog will be missed. I hope you return.
Best of luck to your family
Kelly says
I’m behind whatever you guys feel is best for you. Have loved you all and the blog for what seems like all of eternity and you are a great presence to have around and interact with about loving our homes. A break is always good to recharge, step back and assess. Change is a part of life. Enjoy, big hug and hope to see you again very soon! :-)
Jill says
you deserve to do what you want to do! everyone feels overwhelmed with life at some point and yours is so public…thanks for sharing and best wishes to you!
Jessica says
I just want to say that I love your blog because you guys are real and honest with your readers. So I appreciate you sharing your feelings and applaud you for doing what’s best for you and your family. I will eagerly await new posts but pray that you will find the correct direction of your blog and business during your break. God bless!
Tamara H. says
I just wanted to say I love you guys! Nothing seemed “Off” to me–this is your space and I think it’s great that you share whatever you’re in the middle of. That’s real life!
That said, since this IS your space and you’ve been feeling discouraged, I think it’s great that you’re taking some time off to decide what you want to do with it. I hope you can find a way to do it so it’s fulfilling and enjoyable to you.
I’ll be back to read more no matter what direction you decide on. Be encouraged! You are funny (seriously–so funny. The puns kill me), helpful, encouraging, creative, and well-spoken. Your blog is a joy to read and I’m hoping for more!