Life has been busier than ever for us – and there’s nothing like having a baby to confirm your true priorities. We’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately: what exactly are our goals? What are we working towards? Hoping to gain? The answer, we realized, was definitely not more blog hits or traffic or approval. Honestly we both feel unsettled by the idea of our blog growing any larger, and we look fondly back on the earlier days when we worked less, slept more, and spent more quality time with our family and friends. This little website of ours has already surpassed every expectation we ever could have had for it. So what are we chasing?
When Clara was born we were both blogging full time, but we had about a third of the traffic that we have now and we usually shared around one project a week amidst other home-related chitchat, family happenings, polls, reader makeovers, etc. It was one of the best times of our lives. We did less and had less, and we were completely comfortable. So in light of everything on our plates, this new baby boy, and a girl who’s growing up entirely too fast (cue the Armageddon music), we’ve decided to paddle back towards that.
We know this choice may directly correlate to fewer hits and therefore less income – and we’re ok with that. Sure, it’s a little scary not knowing where we’ll be in a few months or years (but we’ve never known that as professional bloggers anyway). We’ve made “risky” career choices before in the name of life quality – like leaving the NYC rat race and giving up steady salaries for blogging – but they’ve also been some of our best decisions.
Just like we did when we made those leaps, we’ve saved enough to help us sleep at night. We’ve also both left the door open in our previous professions, so even if this choice means we’ll eventually be taking on freelance advertising work again (which I did to make a living before we started this blog, and which John has dabbled with over the last few years) it’s a risk we’re willing to take in the name of bringing some balance back into our lives.
The good news is that our love of home improvement and blogging is burned deep into our hearts, and our to-do list is still a mile long. We have no plans to stop blogging anytime soon. We’ll still be posting our projects, planning, shopping, and other usual fare here regularly. But things will be noticeably different as we recalibrate our priorities (we think we’ll end up in the 3-5 posts per week range).
We’ll also be going back to sharing all of our family posts on Young House Love (sorry Young House Life). We’ve always had family stuff here – in fact some of our favorite (and most popular) posts are the personal ones about things like breastfeeding, Clara’s birth story, her photo project, this ridiculousness, and random facts about me and John. Between those types of posts always existing on our main site, and Instagram taking the place of the smaller family updates, Young House Life has felt less necessary lately, so we won’t be posting over there anymore.
We know some people will be relieved by this change of pace (many of you have encouraged us to slow down) or excited about the new looser style of posting, while others might decide to tune out – and we’re ok with that too.
We feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to make this choice. It’s not a decision that we’ve made lightly, and we realized that if we don’t seize it now, we may never have the chance to again. Teddy is our last baby and Clara is just a year away from kindergarten (how did that happen?!), so we want to enjoy this time with them instead of working our nights, weekends, and vacations away chasing some business goal we don’t even want.
We have no idea what the future holds, but even if the internet exploded tomorrow, we’re already so grateful for this amazing and completely unexpected journey of ours. This blog has surprised us in the most major of ways, and has led to some unbelievable experiences and opportunities, many of which we can’t quite wrap our minds around.
We still have big dreams for this house of ours and can’t wait to share how it evolves with you guys. But if you’ll excuse us, I have an almost impossibly tiny diaper to change and John’s off to buy some lumber again…
Laura M says
What a great brave post. I personally don’t need all the fancy stuff…books, products, etc. Don’t get me wrong I love the book which I own an autographed copy and I just spent a ton of money at Target on your products. All great stuff, but your best posts are about the family and real home improvement projects. Real life struggles and issues we can all relate to. Bravo!
Diane says
I’m so happy for all of you. I’ve been feeling breathless with your schedules lately I can’t imagine what you’ve been feeling!
Take time with your family you’ll never regret it. As I always say it was a luxury for me to be a stay at home mom and I know my kids enjoyed having me there for them. seize the chance and know you have many loyal friends out here.Have fun!!
Catherine @ Happily Ever Crafter says
You know that whatever you guys decide, your fans are behind you 100%. We know you’ll only be doing what’s best for your family! We may be a little bummed to not see as many posts but your family is more important. Know you’re loved!
TanjaK says
Good for you! You really must have been working hard for a long time now, it was obvious. I also thought you would take at least a week off after the little one arrived. There would be no harm in that. Maybe host several guest posts instead? You are entitled to maternity/paternity leave after all. I think you can still do that, just remember to lock the office door for a week or two. And leave the computers in there :)
oneida says
i am so glad that you guys wrote this! i know that you are trying to not care about what people think, even though it may be hard, but i wanted to write on here and encourage you like others did, instead of saying silent. what a great thing to choose and i, too, will be reading your blog like crazy. i love to read it and i love the integrity, thoughtfulness, and care that you put into all of your decisions. it is not just your design decisions that give us ideas and direction, it’s the way that you make decisions in your life! i keep telling my husband updates about my ‘blog family’ (that’s you guys ha ha) and what is happening. when i heard teddy’s name, i was almost sad because that’s the name we picked out in the case we have a boy and i was ‘sad’ because i couldn’t name my kid the same thing as my ‘friends’ kid! and my husband laughed at me because i don’t really know you at all. ha ha. anyway, i hope that wasn’t creepy, but i just wanted to tell you that this is beautiful and i am excited for the parts that we won’t see – you guys spending time together, growing together and having those moments together. have fun!!!
Sabrina says
This is awesome for you guys. I have never heard of anyone regretting having more family time. All those little moments really are the big moments!
Alyssa says
Good for you, guys! Enjoy those kiddos and one another.
Lesli DeVito says
…there is a time and a season for everything.
At the other end of the spectrum, I recently made the decision to dial back on my blogging…and my blog get one millionth the traffic yours does…Tate leaves for college in a year…life goes too fast..
you will NEVER regret this decision..
Anita says
Awesome decision and one that I’m sure you’ll never regret. It’s so funny, so many times I’ve looked at my own life with my baby girl, with both my husband and I working, and I think about how much busier you guys are, and wonder how you’re managing it all. You both work so hard, but I think what’s important is that you giving the most attention to what gives you the most joy – your children. God bless and I look forward to continue to follow your less frequent posts.
Erin D says
Have you ever considered giving up responding to comments altogether? I bet most people post not thinking you will actually respond (but knowing you will read them). Not commenting on something I post would never deter me from coming to your site (but that’s just me I suppose ;-))
YoungHouseLove says
I think it’s nice to answer commonly asked questions and it only takes a minute (maybe just once instead of over and over?) so people can do projects without missing info. We hope to scale back on a lot of repetition though, so we’ll have to see how that works out :)
xo
s
Helen says
Congrats! Please know as a long time blog reader I am happy to hear about your new direction. Congrats on your beautiful family and wishing you the very best!
Monica says
Excellent decision. You will not regret it.
Lindsey says
Cheers to you for cutting back! I have a snoring 8 week old daughter laying on me right now, and I’ve just spent my maternity break staring at her, and you should get the same opportunity to love on Teddy while he’s still little. Thank you for making us all feel like we are a little part of your family!
Joy says
I think you guys are making a wise decision! You won’t regret spending more time with your family. Congrats on Teddy, what a cutie!!
Angie Lee says
Good for you! I’ve been a follower since 2010. For never having met you, I couldn’t love you guys any more. I’m happy that you’re doing what you need to do to stay sane and enjoy your littles before they become bigs! I’ll continue to follow your blog and enjoy every new thing you post. Thanks for keeping it real.
Jennifer says
Congrats on the arrival of Teddy and for making such a great decision for your family. I recently made the decision to stay home with my Littles and I don’t regret it (most days, lol). I’ll still be checking in, and love that you are putting your family first! Enjoy your beautiful family!
Heather H says
Good for you guys! Love Clara’s look of pure joy in that last picture.
Lori M. says
THIS openness and honesty is exactly why we love you guys and can never seem to get enough! You are a breath of fresh air. So glad to see you taking care of your family first and not consumed by the blog craziness. Blessings to you all! :)
Tiffany says
Bravo! You guys are so inspirational on many levels, and this just adds to the list.
Kay says
Good for ya’ll! We’ll still be here, just even more excited when there’s new posts! Just one request…please still post Clara conversations? Those are by far my favorite thing ever from Young House Life. I giggle every time.
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear from so many folks who love those! They’re one of our favorites too, so they’ll definitely stay in the mix.
xo
s
Kristin says
While I can’t say I won’t miss checking in with you guys over my lunch at my desk every day, I promise you haven’t lost a fan/reader/lover of YHL with this news. You deserve to do what’s best for your family, and we’ll all be here to support you!
Bean says
Congrats, best wishes, love and luck!
Stacey says
I think you all are making an awesome decision. Sometimes I do feel that there are a ton of new postings, and even I can’t keep up with reading all of it, so I can only imagine the behind-the-scenes work required for all of that. I look forward to continuing to read about your little family and DIY tales ;-)
Kim says
I LOVE that you guys are really going to make family your priority. Us knowing about every little step in your life is soooo secondary (and honestly a little creepy, if you think about it!). I know I’ll miss the multitude of posts but I’m really glad you guys will be taking it a little slower.
Enjoy that sweet family of yours! Teddy is ADORABLE and it’s crazy to see how big Clara is! Love you guys and wish the absolute best for you!
SUPER cute pics, by the way!
Corinne says
Work Smarter not harder!! I am sad to hear not as many posts but am happy to hear more family stuff. I have always loved hearing about Clara as she is the same age as my Logan.
Lynn's says
Very smart! You can’t get back family time. And we will all be fine.
Ally says
This is only my second comment on your blog, which I’ve been following for quite some time. I was simply amazed at your pace as you were approaching Teddy’s birth. With each post, I couldn’t help but say ‘really? they’re posting?”. So needless to say, I whole heartedly appreciate this post and will continue to read and support you two. Like so many others, I feel as though I know you and your family personally, and will continue to read and look forward to your posts.
Gayla says
You’ve got a “follower” for life here :) 3 posts a week or 7- I will be tuning in! Take care of those two little blessings, put it in Gods hands and let him do the rest!
Congratulations on your new bundle!
Danielle Rogers says
Good for you guys! These years with your babies will go by so fast! I think its great you’re scaling down to have more family time. ENJOY your newborn and his big sister :) I’ll still be tuning in :)
Renee says
Congrats to you both! Your blog offers great ideas, diy tips, but what I love most is that you both are excellent writers! I love your style of writing, it’s easy to read, it’s often educational and sometimes funny and quirky. I’m hooked, you won’t lose me!
Mia says
best decision ever. family first. always. enjoy those baby’s. you have been given life’s one true blessing. it’s wise to savor every tiny morsel.
Kate says
Way to go. :)
Two years ago, I left my teaching position to be a stay at home mom. I NEVER would have predicted that for my life. But after my little boy was born (after two girls), I realized life was cruising by faster than I could keep up! Stepping down was the best choice I ever made. (I realize you’re not stepping down, but choosing simplicity…!) I can’t believe the various other opportunities and things we’ve been able to experience because of it too….
Best wishes as you step back a bit! Like so many will say, you will NEVER regret making a choice that benefits your family….
Naomi W. says
You are making the right choice (not necessarily the easy one). I like the mix of DIY, family, etc. I rarely ever remembered to look at your other blog. Some will criticize you but – oh well. It is your life, not theirs! I will enjoy all that you post. Enjoy the early years with Clara and Teddy. Life will change for you 10 years down the road.
Sara says
Good for you guys!! Enjoy your family and your time together. And I love your personal posts, every one of them. Keep them coming – at a more leisurely pace that is ;-)
Ash says
You guys haven’t just grown your biological family over the years – you have built a blogging family, too. And we, your online family/loyal devotees/weekend warriors/extreme fangirls will always be here, ready and excited to read WHATEVER you are posting about, whenever you post it. Like “Friends,” we’ll be there for yoooooou :) So happy you are doing what is best for you, and no project will ever be better than the family you’ve put together.
And (in another song lyric), as a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, so do many a sweet Teddy picture make the announcement much easier to bear! Very smart!
Cindy says
Wow — look at all the comments already! Here’s all I have to say: GOOD FOR YOU. And I think you’ll be juuuust fine. xoxo
Abbey says
I’ll miss your daily post but totally respect and admire your decision. I love your blog and was worried you guys would burn out with how fast you’ve been pounding out projects. Enjoy the time with your babies, much love!!
Diana says
I’m so happy for your lovely family and your decision to slow down a bit and enjoy family more. Children grow up so quickly and before you know it they are grown.
This week my husband was suddenly hospitalized; thankfully things turned out well, but it has given us pause and allowed us to reevaluated our lives and what is important to us. Besides, we just learned we are going to be grandparents for the first time and that is something we are going to cherish!
I’ll still be checking in with your blog; after all, you are almost like family.
diana says
whoops…”reevaluate”
Erica M says
Congratulations to your growing family’s beautiful new addition. I have been reading your blog for years and I personally am happy for your family that you have the opportunity to realign your ‘work-life balance’… literally before reading this post, I was thinking, geesh, there must be some way to tell this girl to take some maternity leave from us, we understand!! :)
Katharine says
This is why we all love you guys: You keep it real!
Katie says
Congratulations on making the positive choice for self (and family!) care! Your blog will continue to be as amazing as ever, and hopefully the extra sanity that accompanies a more relaxed schedule will benefit everyone. Keep us caught up on sweet Clara and Teddy pictures, though!
Trischa says
This news is inspiring, awesome and so refreshing. Cheers to following your hearts. I look forward to following you for as long as the internets allow :)
Shaneka says
I normally do not comment and only enter for awesome prizes, however, you guys have been “friends in my head” for a long time. I can remember stumbling onto your site looking for home improvement ideas back when you had your “old name” or should I say “young house” name! LOL! I have and will always be a fan of your blog and will continue reading. Take care of yourselves and your family.
PS –
The funny and “small world” element to all of this is that I started at Lowe New York a year after you guys left and needless to say, I wish I would have come in earlier, since I would definitely have counted you guys as friends.
Cheers!
Sue says
I don’t post often, but I teared up while reading this. I have been a faithful follower for over four years, and I have seen your journey on the road to awesome!
A life of simplicity resonates with me, and my husband and I are constantly trying to simplify for the sake of our littles. God’s blessings to you on your journey.. no matter where that may be. :)
Michelle says
Really, really happy for you guys. All the very best with your new plans for the blog.
Christina says
I’ll admit there is a part of me that is a tiny bit sad simply because I LOVE reading your posts but that is entirely selfish of me, haha. I 100% understand and respect your decision. You can bet this will in no way keep me from reading!
I also understand the feeling that it’d be weird if your blog got any bigger. Much bigger and you’d seriously be approaching legit celebrity status. Ack! I wouldn’t want to deal with that either.
Have fun loving on your kiddos. :)
Emily says
Good for you! I have to admit, I haven’t been reading as much lately. As your projects have gotten more complex and your budgets have gotten higher, I’ve had a hard time relating. Glad to hear you’re getting back to your roots and the YHL so many of us fell in love with. I had no idea how you were going to keep up that pace with two little ones!
Bluenoser says
I adore your blog and will never stop reading. My house looks the way it does (funky, modern and truly reflecting my family’s personality) because of your inspiration. Congratulations on your new addition and thank you for sharing so much with all of us on the other end of the interwebs.
Crystal says
I am so happy that you are making changes that will work for your family. I sincerely hope that all your success (like that awesome line at Target) means good things for the back account and future financial freedom. This is a good reminder that just because you can make ever more money doesn’t mean you will be realizing your goals. In my own life, I see how we haven’t felt more fulfilled by larger pay checks and it takes discipline to live within your means no matter what your pay bracket you fall into. Make More Love! Congrats.
Quick question– Have your feelings about having an assistant or other staff changed over the years?
YoungHouseLove says
We still think that hiring someone to do personal things (like comments, email, post writing, projects, etc) just doesn’t feel right for us, so we’re happy to truly simplify instead of expanding our “staff” and having someone else to manage and yet another hat to wear :)
xo
s
Jen says
Doesn’t everyone want to be their assistant??? :D
Emily Jo says
Congratulations!!!! Teddy is beautiful. Also, congrats on your life-evaluation, & thinning-decision. Hopefully, you will be pleased with less choas/stress, and able to not miss a bit of your life’s magic (outside of crazy-super-energizer-bunny-blogging.) I was stunned with the counter-sealing so soon post Teddy’s homecoming! Many blessings & wishes of joy to your four.
Btw, I shamelessly hauled our gigantic baby swing upstairs into our bedroom (day 8 of Josey’s non-sleeping newborn days), and ….. Wow! It worked! She simply didn’t like to be flat in her cradle…. Also, fleece Halo Sleep sac was a game changer… Good luck!
Best,
Emily Jo