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…
Maria says
You have a great following from people who are die hards and will still read your blog even if you only posted once a month! Family is the most important thing, and scaling back to spend more time with youre makes me love you guys even more! Love seeing the pics of the kids along with your projects! It’s a hard choice, but I think you guys are making the best one :D
Maria
Sarah says
I appreciate all you guys have shared with us. I actually started following your blog because of the cloth diaper posts. It’s how I decided (and persuaded my husband) to begin cloth diapering. I really like hearing honest and real solutions to problems that don’t end up costing a lot of money! You will always be one of my favorite blogs.
Lisa Sylvia says
Congratulations on your decision to slow down :) You have a wonderful family and that always should come first. If your readers are genuine then they will continue to follow no matter what. Clara is so sweet and Teddy is adorable.
Clare says
I am so relieved to read this. I have been hoping you would bring it down a notch. I suspect we will love you even more because you will be more relatable to the rest of us humans. I also love the fact that you are bringing your “life” back into the blog and not having a separate page. And for what it’s worth, some of my favorite posts are the short random ones that aren’t project-related. Like so many, I feel like I know you. My sister and I routinely refer to you all in regular conversation…(case in point: I’m pregnant and officially outgrew my bras. I only have one nursing bra and decided I’d try to make one work. I mean if Sherry can do that, why not? I can’t believe I know that about you; it’s exactly why we love you!)
Now if you could just get Burger to approve comments, you’d really be set.
Valerie says
As long as you continue conversations with Clara. Those are always hilarious!
Sally G says
It’s hard not to look at a tiny newborn and ponder life. Sounds like you guys are proceeding as awesomely as you always have. :)
Jen says
Truth. Good for you! Best wishes…
(And a quick shout out to you both for reading through these comments and answering them gracefully. I read a few and some seem kinda nosy and/or snarky.)
Adrienne says
So happy for you guys and you will not regret your decision. You have your priorities in order! Enjoy your young family..nothing more important.
Lucy says
Not going anywhere. It’s like the old friend you don’t talk to all the time, but when you do it’s always a happy moment. Congratulations on the new addition and on putting family first!
Jessica says
We did the same thing (in our way!) after our daughter was born (and now we have three kids!). Life is too short not to live it in exactly the way that makes you happy! I love your stories (family and house related), you guys make me smile and laugh. My friends and I at running group sometimes discuss the goings on with you guys as if you are another set of friends in our group (ha!). I promise I will keep reading!! :) And…it makes you feel any better, I really only have time to read 3-5 posts a week anyway! Enjoy your sweet family!
Sarah van der Burch says
Sherry and John – I too have never posted and never thought I would, however, I too want to add my thanks for your not only making this move but for telling all of us what and why you are doing this. This world we have created is not the only way to live and is not a way to live fully I suspect. It is a creation and one we can make choices to live differently -according to our values instead of some one else’s. It is time to create the more beautiful world we all know is possible.
Tracy says
Happy for you and your decision. It’s a good one..life goes by far too quickly. Enjoy your kids and know that as readers, we too are trying to juggle a million things, so posting 3 days a week works for me!
Amy says
Go for it!!!!! Children grow up wayyyyyy too fast!
Elizabeth says
So glad you’ve decided to scale back and take care of yourselves. Enjoying your lovely little family is so important, and if think you’ll find that close to 100% of your readers will feel the same way.
I’m happy to read whatever you post, at whatever pace works for you.
Congratulations on the birth of Teddy, he’s delightful! Enjoy this special time, your readers will be here when you’re ready.
Katy says
I thought about this for a day, and I see what you are saying, but not how.
You could have said, “Thanks dear readers for giving us enough financial freedom to have money in the bank, both stay at home with our children, and buy a big old house. However, we will be scaling back for a bit”. Instead of basically saying you never wanted this, don’t care if I read you anymore, and even though most of you work full time jobs with children it is not good enough for us…and BTW we never even wanted to be famous, we only ever wanted be on MTV and Amazing Race.
Bye buh, not that it matters to you.
Ana says
I think the VAST majority of folks understood exactly what you were saying and the tone in which it was intended. I, for one, would like you to know that I don’t believe we readers have “given” you anything. You have worked for your financial freedom, ability to stay at home and your big old house, and I hope that you have somehow learned how to avoid letting ugly comments like these get to you. How could you have imagined that you would wind up here? And who can really blame you for changing as needed in order to fit the vision you have of your life at the time. Roller coasters are fun, but eventually everybody needs/wants to scale back to the teacups or get off the rides entirely. I know that my vision and goals have changed as I have gotten older, gotten married, had children, found my passion at work, etc. Lastly, I know that you all work many more than 40 hours/week each…and I bet most others do as well. I would say that any negative comments you read are due in large part to jealousy and transference. Sure, I’m jealous that you all can stay in your pajamas to work some days, but above all I think most readers are happy that your hard work has paid off for your family. Congrats and keep on keepin’ on!
Summer says
So happy for you and excited for the change this will bring in your personal lives. Like you, I often feel that I focus way way too much on work and am struggling for balance. Your move has inspired some reprioritizing in my own life.
Much love and respect to you and your beautiful family.
Summer
Emily says
I’m not entirely sure why, but I got all teary eyed by the end of this post. All I can say is: Good for you and mazel tov. You have clearly worked so hard to build the site and it is beautiful, fun, useful and down-to-earth. You deserve to kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labor for a while. I’m genuinely proud of you and hope you are too.
Elizabeth T. says
Very well said, I tried to do it with my post but THIS.
Eva says
What a wonderful decision you have made to put your family first and slow down. You have been given two amazing gifts with those beautiful children of yours, so enjoy each and every second now that they are small. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for ten years and after two miscarriages, having spent a small fortune on fertility treatments and having no living children of our own yet, I appreciate the true miracle and blessing of having your own children. I fill my spare time doing house projects, but that’s mostly to get my mind off the fact that I’m in my mid-40s and will probably never have children of my own. It makes me so happy to see you appreciate what you have and being willing to have less financially so you can have more of what truly matters.
XXOO
Melanie says
I agree totally with all of this. I will be a faithful reader regardless of any changes. God bless you.
Ortisse says
Of course I like to read your blog, and I probably would love to read 1,2 or 3 posts a day BUT I think you took the right decision. Family is the most important thing in the world, the time you spend with your kids is too precious to waste it.
I wish the best to your lovely family and I’ll be there everytime you post something here!
BTW the pictures of this post are stunning!
Susan says
I’ll always be happy to read whatever you post and whenever you post! You are a positive force in the world and however that works is perfect.
Becky says
Loooog time reader here – I’ve literally read every one of your posts – I started early enough that I was able to back read and catch up during breaks at the job I had in 2008/9!!! I’ll never stop being a reader and fan. Enjoyed so much watching your family grow as mine has too :) Enjoy your time with baby Teddy! My baby is all of a sudden 8mths (goes by so much faster with number two somehow) and those impossibly small diapers… how could they have ever fit? It’s just not possible! xoxox
Elizabeth says
I am so happy for you guys! Y’all deserve some time off! We all love and support you!!
Diana says
I’m happy to read this post. I don’t want to ruffle feathers, but as a long time reader,I thought your site and blog was better when you first started out and when you incorporated quirky posts with DIY posts and family posts altogether. Your style was unique, free and interesting. I kind of tuned out in the past year and look forward to the refreshed approach.
Congrats on baby boy! I have three under five myself and time just flies, flies, flies. Enjoy it.
Jackie Toye says
Good for you. It should be natural anyway. I still love looking back at the first house and the evolution ofnyour taste … do you
And enjoy that Baby, I mean, dem Babies ;)
ginger says
I have been there with cutting back on work and money for family. It’s never an 100% simple choice, because sacrifice is inevitable. But who would choose to sacrifice their family rather than money? That’s what it boils down to. We made do on a lot less after The Decision. It meant we had to buy fewer clothes and name brand foods and couldn’t take as nice of a vacation. But you know what? I couldn’t ever enjoy fancy vacations when we could take them because I was always stressed out about work. No regrets here. CONGRATS on the decision :-)
Sarah says
Good for you guys. Your kiddos are lucky to have you as their parents. All the best.
Elizabeth T. says
I just wanted to add to the thousands of comments and say that the pace you were going at was burnout before Teddy was born. I certainly couldn’t get all that finished in my house in the past 2 years we’ve owned our house. You have worked very hard and have earned the right to slow down to the same pace as most people that work out of the home. Good luck to you all and congratulations on your expanded family and your future changes. We will be here. :)
Jill says
Wonderful decision. Your readers will adjust. I’m feeling teary reading all the comments! My oldest is getting ready to graduate high school and is already enrolled for college next year. The time flies incredibly fast. I have two daughters and my boy name was always Theodore, after my dad! We would have called him Teddy!
Sharon says
Best decision you could make! Babies grow up too fast and you need to enjoy every moment with them as a family. Mine are all grown up and moved away and I am sure it was just last night that they were all tucked safely upstairs in bed. Didn’t I just read that story for the 1000th time? I would love to be reading it again tonight.
Jen_nifer says
Congratulations on knowing what you want and going for it. I’ve been reading since before you had Clara and didn’t know how you were doing it all for this long. I can’t imagine simply how overwhelming the comment moderation work is for the site.
I look forward to seeing your ch ages progress.
yoreney says
you couldn’t have made a wiser decision. the best way to get the readers engaged is actually to keep them “wanting”, and i’ve thought that previously you made too many posts per week that i, as a reader, gets a bit bored. enjoy your time with the kids. don’t worry, God will provide.
Sarah R says
First, little baby Teddy in a bunny hat!!=way too adorable!!
Second, take every moment you can to stop and smell the roses with those babies of yours!….my oldest goes into high school next year and I swear she was just in preschool a week ago!
Third, I will still be checking daily for new posts just to make sure I don’t miss something :)
Jennifer says
Congratulations on your decision. I have a first grader…not sure how that happened! They grow up so fast. Enjoy your time with the babies because you will never get it back. I will enjoy reading all about them, you and of course the house!
Angela Kintner says
Congrats to you on the this new chapter in your lives! You can’t ever ‘get back’ time gone by ;)
Donita says
Well written post! Loved it! The pictures are priceless! I don’t know how you two have done it all these years! You have worked very hard. I love your blog and all of your DIY posts. I look forward to each one. Now I will just get even more excited when you do post. Enjoy your little family. They really do grow up so fast. My son will be 38 and my daughter 34. It seems like yesterday that they were Clara and Teddys ages. God bless your little famiily. I know God willdirect your path. You will do fine! Have a blessed weekend!! Thank you for sharing your babies with us!
Jen says
You guys are great and I completely understand wanting to spend the most time with the ones you love the most. I think posts about your day to day life with your adorable kiddos are awesome and would welcome those posts just as much as house stuff.
Teresa says
I must admit I often wondered when you guys ever slept! Seriously, you will never be able to re-live this time over again and I think your decision to scale back with the arrival of baby #2 was a great one. I think you will be surprised by not how many readers you lose but how many you still have.
AshaM says
Just another vote of 100% support for your plan. As I get older, I appreciate how quickly life is going. I’ll still be visiting, and I’ll be grateful for every inspiration you provide.
Stephanie says
GOOD FOR YOU !!!
We love you, but your family loves you so much more!
You both are wise beyond your years.
Clara & Teddy are 2 blessed kids.
xo
Andy says
I have been following your blog since you guys were in your first house, but I don’t think I’ve actually commented before, but I just wanted to say that you guys have a great attitude. While with the others I will be a little sad that there will be less of you guys in my week I am glad for you that you are taking your time back. Congratulations on your little fella.
Annette says
Good for you!
As the mom of four little ones, I totally understand and I’ll still be here reading whenever ya’ll do post. :)
Seaweed & Raine says
Good for you! It takes courage sometimes to walk a lesser known path, but it will have its rewards. My final baby arrived in 2012, and already it has gone WAY more quickly than I would have liked. And make some awesome memories with Clara before school goes and complicates life. Enjoy this beautiful, challenging and rewarding time. Those of us who love your posts will still be here – and we may even have the time to keep up with all your posts now! ;)
Sheree x0x
Bob says
Your kids are adorable! Mine are all grown up and moved out. I miss the days of listening to the kids laugh…don’t miss the crying days though. Lol.
This is the time to enjoy your kids. I don’t remember anyone saying that they regretted slowing down and spending more time with their family.
Best of luck.
Candess M says
I’m so happy for you guys!! You are just quality people through and through and I know you will succeed in whatever turn you decide to take — and the turn for family is one that no one ever regrets!! I also think 3-5 posts a week is still awesome!! xoxo
belle says
LOVE this! I’m a stay at home mum to 3 young daughters, they grow up so quickly and love that you guys are so down to earth and tell us how it is!
I most definitely will still be checking in on your page and congratulations again! Enjoy your beautiful children! :)
CJ Rae says
Congratulations, both on your baby and feeling comfortable enough to scale back on the posting schedule. I agree with a lot of other commenters that it felt like you guys were heading toward burnout at the pace you were going. I remember when I found your blog about two years ago – I was coming from doing searches on minimalism and was linked here as an example of doing more with less. Three to five posts a week is still a generous posting schedule and while you will no doubt lose some readers, you may very well gain others, depending on the types of projects you do, how many people start using that handy little “pin this” button you’ve added to all of your images. I wish you all the best.
Janine says
Just opened your blog and read the post (different timezone). Ofcourse it would be nice for us, readers, to have a new post every…ehm…hour?! Haha. But you are absolutely right. Being maried and a mom myself, I’ve also learned what my priorities are in this last year. Your family is the most important thing in the whole wide world! I will be enjoying every single post, even if it is just once a week! Love you guys! x for Teddy ;-)
Janine says
o…and I loooove the pictures in this post….It’s young family love… <3
Krista says
This makes me sad :( but ya gotta do what’s best for the you and the fam jam!
I’ll still be reading as always…. Just need to find something else for my daily mid morning work break :p
Didn’t you guys have a section of “blogs were digging”? Or soemthing like that? I can’t find it anymore…. Maybe Something on there could entertain me on the days I can’t get my YHL fix!!!