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.
Olivia says
Welp. I had a dream that you guys started posting again. What a sad moment it was when I woke up to check and i was wrong!! :( Ill check everyday until you return. Hope you are enjoying your sabbatical ;)
Becky says
LOL I had a dream last night that they posted too. They had some just finished some epic DIY project and had to tell us about it.
LJ says
Me too! Haha how funny. We should start a parallel blog.
Sam says
I’ve been checking everyday, too. Miss the updates – all the different types.
Angela says
Wow… I’m hurt that I won’t be seeing cute pics of your family and your home DIYs, but I’m not selfish. You guys deserve some down time to reflect on your lives.
I honestly didn’t think you guys lost your rhythm. You have a certain style that has evolved into your brand. You have terrific vision as demonstrated in your show home project. Don’t be hard on yourselves. Your followers love you too.
Angela says
P.S.
Maybe you guys should do a reality tv show or a home remodeling show? I would love to see you two on television.
Jennifer says
Now, this idea I LOVE!! I could watch your videos over and over and over…well you get the idea. Maybe a VLOG?? I dunno…I just know I miss y’all.
Linda says
Miss both of you, Clara, Teddy, and Burger ? Hope you are all well and enjoying the time away!
Katherine says
Just wanted to leave a quick note to say that I miss you guys. Hope you’re enjoying your break and I’m looking forward to when you’re back again, whatever that may look like. I’ve always loved your blog and it’s been a huge source of inspiration. All the best!
Wendy says
Still in the habit of checking every day. You guys are the best – please do what brings you and your family joy and don’t apologize for it! Also this is WORK – you should get PAID. love to you and your beautiful family!!
Meghan c says
Hall & Oates pretty much sums up how everyone is feeling :) and sorry for your break that you’re still dealing with all these comments..clearly major withdrawals are happening!
-Spending all my nights, all my money going out on the town
Doing anything just to get you off of my mind
But when the morning comes, I’m right back where I started again
Trying to forget you is just a waste of time
Baby come back, any kind of fool could see
There was something in everything about you
Baby come back, you can blame it all on me
I was wrong, and I just can’t live without you-
Robyn says
Lol, This is great. And so true!!
We miss you Sherry and John! I hope you enjoy your time off and come back soon feeling refreshed and renewed.
Elva says
This was exactly what i was thinking!
Cindy says
LOL! I nominate this Hall and Oates song as well. Can someone arrange a concert for us all to sing this while swaying side to side?
I’ll join in on the chorus: “Baby come back..”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVwFAyyU-4s
Any kind of fool could see there was something in everything about you!
Kristin says
You guys do what you need, however long you need. Everything is a choice and in the end, you guys get to make it. Not us. Best of luck and hoping your break is relaxing and eye-opening!
Courtney says
Just wanted to know that you guys are missed on a daily basis!! I still keep checking in out of habit. :)
Tara says
Still checking…. I hope you are enjoying your break and re-connecting with things you couldn’t while blogging. But also hope this is just a break!?!? :) You’re missed already!
mcgrimus says
I’m not a long-time follower, but I have admired your style and creativity for the past 2 years or so. You’ve accomplished some amazing things, and you’ve taught your readers so much. Hope the break re-energizes you both.
Yailen says
You are missed.
Alison says
Happy Friday to you :)
Shelly M. says
I hope you are enjoying your break and down time, but I must admit that I am horribly selfish, and I am missing your posts. I feel as though there has been some horrible rift in my family. :( Maybe that sounds “unhealthy”, but that is the connection you have created with your readers. You have drawn us into your home(s) and your lives. You are sorely missed. Blessings to you and your beautiful family.
Anne says
Miss you guys, I was just checking in to see how long its been. Only 10 days :( feels like longer. Hope you are enjoying the time off!
Kelly says
I was just thinking the same thing, longest 10 days ever! It feels so much longer.
Kloie says
I have been reading your blog off and on, since your first house and have always enjoyed it. I almost have an intuitive sense about you! I hadn’t tuned in for a while and wondered if you’d given the idea of a second baby a go. Lo and behold, I read you had announced the second pregnancy just weeks before! Now there is this hiatus. Not to say I saw it coming, but I did wonder how you could keep up the momentum you have managed to sustain through the years and changes in your lives without burnout. I wish you all well. Your blog is outstanding, as is your family! I have enjoyed every read so far!
jeannette says
just checked in on a famous blogger who is making an empire off her blog to see what she’s writing about.
dental hygiene visits.
you don’t have to go that way.
Audrey says
Here is the thing, as much as I love that you love us readers, you need to do what is best for your family. From my viewpoint it seems like you guys got so ‘big’ that the expectations grew and grew, and got out of control for two parents blogging. I like the idea that you are looking for other work and maybe one of you writes blogs here and there like the old days. But in the end, you need to make money and be happy, so go do whatever fits that description for you!
Iposty says
Family First. Enjoy your time with your children, the first years are crucial and greatly missed when they are grown. Thank you for your beautiful and truly inspiring blog. May God continue to bless your family.
Deanna says
I keep checking to see if you changed your mind yet, but honestly am really hoping that you guys are enjoying your break and will come back with a huge stockpile of projects to share :) Miss you guys and hope you are all doing so good. Happy Friday!
Paula W says
Here goes comment # 2940 or thereabouts….good for you! But we do love just seeing the house evolve, hope you are still taking photos and maybe will just throw some up on the page occasionally. Like when the blue trim is gone from the DR or whichever room it is still seen in. It is a lovely house and so motivating. That’s all. No pressure here. :)
Kelly D says
I have been following you guys since your first home. I literally look every single day. It wont be the same without you guys but I truly hope you get some much needed R&R! I will be counting the days until you return! God Bless!
Jessica says
I think it’s great that you’re taking a step back to re-evaluate your goals and find your spark again (wherever that may lead you). I hope that you don’t spend too much time worrying about the wants and needs of the masses. There will always be people who think that everything is motivated by business, and there will always be people who want you to over-share when privacy is really in the best interest of your family. Don’t listen to them. If you worry too much about living up to every reader’s expectations, you’re bound to stop enjoying the blog. Plus, for every one of them there are hundreds and thousands of readers who recognize how genuine you are and are perfectly okay with you sharing only what you want to share.
Enjoy your much deserved break! In the meantime, those of us in withdrawal will scour the archives. I think it’s time to break out some bright spray paint and transform an animal figurine! You can never have too many brightly colored animal figurines, right?
Lisa E says
Your first paragraph is spot on!!!
Marlayna says
I was just thinking, I need a new ceramic animal and something with a pop of color! Missing the Petersiks colorful, joyful, silliness. :)
Cathy M. says
Just a note to say that I hope you guys are having a wonderful break (or whatever it turns out to be)! Missing the blog so much, but I totally understand. You gotta love what you do and do what you love! Also, I hope that even though you still have to moderate these comments it brings a smile to your faces to see how many people are wishing you the best for your family!
Patty S says
I just wanted to chime in to that I also check (multiple times) daily to see if you’ve come back. Miss you guys and your posts. Seems to me that most of the commenters also love & miss you. Glad you guys are taking time for yourselves to recenter, especially since you normally post through vacations and major life events. No wonder you are feeling a little burned out! I hope you decide to come back when you are ready. I’ll be so sad to not share in your lives anymore. :( And I hope this break forces all the grumpy gusses to take their hate-mongering elsewhere. XOXO
Alana says
Not back yet huh? Alright. I’ll try again next week. :)
Karina says
I have been around BC (Before Clara). I love you guys! Which is a strange thing to say, because I have never met you. I think this is what changed in the last year or so… things got very professional and less personal. I understand that you don’t want to share so much of your life anymore (with so many people reading it), but that’s what drew me to your blog in the first place. Watching Clara’s nursery come together. Watching her grow up. I am gonna sound like a stalker, but really I just loved reading about another’s family happiness. It’s like the best part of a movie (the happily ever after) in blog posts! Have I ever tried some of your tutorials and tips? YES! I especially like the small ones. But really, I am here for the in between posts. The diaper posts and all the family stuff.
No matter what you decide, I wish your family the happily ever after you deserve. You will be missed!
Donna says
I think you guys should pitch HGTV for a show! You’re both hilarious. I’d watch. In the meantime, go kick it in the Caribbean.
Saskia says
After reading this post I immediately looked at the calendar wishing it was April 1 – I totally understand why you are taking this step but I will surely miss you and your blog as it is the only one I kept reading for nearly 6 years.
Brittany says
Going. Through. Withdrawals. :)
Pam the Goatherd says
Still checking every day – more than once a day – to see if you guys have had enough “away” time yet.
My hubby and I are gathering the supplies and making plans to pull up the 30 year old carpeting and vinyl from our kitchen and living room, then paint and poly the OSB underlayment as a temporary fix until we can agree on what kind of flooring to put down for a more permanent solution in this tin can we call home. Your adventures with resurfacing the countertops in your current house and also the refreshing of the wood deck have given me the courage to tackle this huge job. It’s selfish of me, I know, but I wish you were here to hold my hand through this project!
Elaine in Ark says
Pam, are you blogging that?
If you are, I’ll read it!
Stephanie G says
John & Sherry-
I became a daily reader in 2008 and inspired by you I completed many projects on our first home. Now 30, with two kids (our oldest was born shortly before Clara), and also several homes later, I only check your blog monthly. I feel like you were spot on about sponsored posts, etc. I don’t know what happened last week yet, but I was actually reminiscing fondly about you guys with my girlfriend who started reading with me in the early days — the biggest difference in my readership: at 30 I’m a lot more willing to pay for what I want, and what I want done, than I was as a young 20-something. Time with family is so precious -I used to want picture-perfect, but now I just want clean, happy and functional. I dream of beautiful rooms, but don’t obsess over them like I used to! That said, I still love looking at your rooms and reading your posts, etc! It’s just -craigslist/ target/ discount finds aren’t as exciting as they used to be before all these priorities!
I can only imagine how challenging it is to grow your dream baby careers together, through your twenties and want the same thing in your thirties! Many blessings to whatever is next and I hope there is some way to follow as you really do feel like old friends!
<3 S
Krista says
I thought this was a timely post that relates to your situation:
http://andreadekker.com/if-my-passion-becomes-a-paycheck/
Mary S. says
I MISS YOU GUYS!!! You were my little break at work each day. Enjoy the time off but some back SOON!
Lisa says
You guys are a breath of fresh air. Always have been. Its always been so obvious that you do not benefit from the giveaways. any dedicated reader would already know that. you’ve stated that early on and I’ve always been reminded, when you do giveaways, at how giving you both are with those. you give things away for free! can’t get much more giving than that. again, any true dedicated reader that has followed you from the start would never question that. I’ve read lots of DIY blogs out there and you can tell which ones are the ones that are in it solely for the profit because the ads are in your face constantly. you both have been so honest and up front about NOT having ad’s scream at your readers. there is no shame in taking a break. I certainly miss the daily blog posts though! but going at that pace for too long will cause burn out. enjoy the break and hope to see you all back energized and happy and bursting with inspiration soon!!
Nicola Blake says
I will miss you guys terribly. I will mark it off has a seven year itch.I enjoy every single post even the sponsored ones. You have to make a living and support your family, even if its doing what you love, come back to us soon!!!!
Erin says
I check every day to see if you are back…I miss you guys!! I totally agree and understand you need this time but I miss you guys:) I hope to see you soon:)
Sara says
hiiiiiiii…has it been a month yet? :)
Chrisse says
I am sure others have said what I will say- there are over 4,000 comments at the time I am writing this. And I’m sure you won’t have the chance to read this, and that’s OK. I’ve visited this site many times over the past couple years and been very envious of the life you have created- doing something you clearly love and being able to also make it your source of income. I love your positivity, your creativity, the fact that you have a silly daughter named Clara (like me)….but more than all of that, I love that you all follow your heart and do what feels right.
We are different because I work at a desk job 50+ hours a week. Because I want to make a good living and support my family, I miss time with my kids and my husband and my silly dog. I am envious of people that are brave enough to take the leap and do something different and still provide for their family.
So in short, keep doing your thing! Hopefully there will be an opportunity to inspire others because its your god-given gift, but if not, you’ve left an impression on me and so many others, and for that, I am very thankful!
Sara says
XOXOXO! I have one 5-month old and am a stay at home mom and I feel like I’m struggling! I can’t imagine having two little ones and a full-time job. Family comes first but like everyone else you’ll be missed. And we just moved to Virginia so I was hoping to run into you guys! I don’t care if you come back once a month a year from now, I’ll still check in. I’m too busy to be checking every day anyway! ;) Matter of a fact I’m sure a lot of your readers feel the same way. Most of your audience is pretty awesome like you, so we understand. I hope the smiles get put back on your face and your shoulders relax. Much love.
Lindsay401 says
Nooooo! I am a quiet but avid reader and already miss you guys. As a novice DIYer I look to you two for the best advice! You taught me how to paint a table, pick a perfect paint color, find my home style but also you taught me to slow down and enjoy my 3 daughters :) I understand taking time off and I do hope you make your way back here! There is so much of your 3rd house to finish that we will never get to see??!! Alas it is understandable needing to do something different or change things up!
Hana says
I miss you guys so much!
I really love your DIY work and your taste.
Enjoy your time off with your family! Please come back after your break! I really hope so.
Ash B says
I’m hoping this isn’t a really long break, I can’t say how much I enjoy reading abut your adventures (both DIY and commercial) from down here in Australia! A few thoughts from me:
Number one: having the design skills and unique voice that has enabled you do the commercial work is something to be celebrated, not frowned upon. Let’s celebrate your success, not say “you’ve changed!”… life changes, people change, I for one am just happy to be part of your adventure via my laptop screen.
Number two: you guys deserve a break!!! No-one can create and write and stay inspired non-stop for seven years. I say take a break, you’ll come back feeling fresh. Or don’t take the break and risk ending up totally over it and never wanting to blog again. You always know when it’s to stop, recharge and get some perspective. Trust your instincts.
Number three: THANK YOU for all your posts over the years! I can’t wait for the next YHL installment!
xx
Courtney says
I have been reading along for many years. I can’t even remember how long it’s been, but this is the only blog that I still read today back when blogs started to become a “thing” and I found yours. I hope your break brings much clarity and maybe a rekindled love for all things DIY and over sharing! ;-) The reason I have stuck with you guys all these years is because you are SO REAL! I get the feeling if I ran into you guys out and about you would be exactly the kind of awesome and nice you present yourselves as here. Sending positive vibes your way.
Jennifer says
Stop the insanity! Please come back soon, I miss you in my daily blog reading experience.
Laura says
Y’all are missed! Hope you are enjoying your time away from the computer but I am looking forward to you coming back!
xoxoxo,
Sad in San Antonio
Jaclyn says
Auuugggghhhh… has it been a month yet? Going through serious YHL withdrawals! My whole work day centered around a new YHL post to break up the monotony. It was my favorite part of the day :(
Molly says
I understand – but, I miss you.
Kristen says
I miss you guys so much ! I’ve been so inspired by your blog! I’ve book marked and tried things that I never would have because of you guys. I love the design of your blog and how everything is easy to find and how you are honest and don’t do all sponsored posts. Some of my favorite posts have been big projects ( because you do step by step stuff) readers redesigns, heck I love table scapes and holiday decorating . I hope that you have a wonderful break and that you come back with the love you had before for your blog. You have inspired people to change their homes and live a better life because of it! Please, take all the time you need but come back! Don’t be so hard on yourselves or let the negative people decide how you live. Thank you so much for all your hard work and the past 7 years!