Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Survey Says…?

***UPDATE: We’re sending out a giant thank you to the 30,000+ respondents to our survey! We’ve selected a random winner of the $500 West Elm gift card using random.org and the lucky person is… Sarah M from Birmingham, AL! Congrats Sarah – check your inbox!***

It’s no secret that I’m a card-carrying infographic geek (in case you’re wondering, the card has a pie chart on it). Here on our blog we’ve captured one year of living in this house, our book tour, and of course your responses to our annual blogiversary survey all infograph-tacularly, so with some sweet talking to my wifey and gentle nudging to our publisher, I’ve convinced them to let me put a few infographics in our next book. #nerdvictory

Survey Nerds

But obviously I need some info before I can get all graphic on you (not that kind of graphic). That’s where you guys come in. Since Book Two is all about sharing how families really live (you can read more about it here) we thought it would be fun to share some stats on what “really live” means. We’re about halfway done shooting the book (and mostly done sorting through your AWESOME submissions) and it has been an great reminder that there’s a huge variety when it comes to families, design needs, and housing challenges. And since we can’t photograph them all, we’re hoping these infographics can represent a wider smorgasbord. Even if the questions are a little goofy sometimes…

Survey Hard Hitting

To thank you for taking our little book survey we lined up a $500 West Elm gift card for one lucky winner. We’ll select that person randomly from the respondents next Monday night (8/25) at 8pm EST. Please complete the survey just once per household. Oh and if you’re an international reader, you can win a Visa gift card instead, so it’s open to anyone in the world.

West Elm Gift Card

Taking the time to represent your little slice of home in the book could also end up earning you a shout out. We’ve got a few open-ended questions in there that will allow us to highlight some particularly unique / helpful / entertaining responses complete with your name and city (assuming you give us permission at the end of the survey, otherwise it’s 100% anonymous).

Survey Finest

You can click here to begin the survey (or on the graphic below). It’s not super-serious and by no means scientific, so we hope you guys have some fun with it. It’s hosted via Google Forms and there are some open-ended questions but they’re not required if you don’t feel like typing much. Thanks in advance for taking the time to represent how you live in your home!

Survey Get Started

Oh, and PS: Since this has a $500 prize attached to it we won’t be hosting our usual Fab Freebie tomorrow, but we’re currently assembling some cabinets in the hopes of being back with a laundry room update tomorrow or Thursday at the latest.

Comments

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So strange! We are getting responses so it seems to be working for some people. This is the same poll/software we used for the blogiversary poll last year without any issues. So sorry for the trouble! Maybe try a different browser? What does it say when you click the link?

      xo
      s

  3. Izzy says

    Hey guys! Happy to take the survey. One note so far. For this question, I need a “None of the above” option–

    Which of the following features do you ALREADY have in your kitchen? *

    my kitchen is super old and we haven’t gotten around to updating it yet, so sadly, I don’t have any of these features. I’m going to select hidden trash can, since that’s the closest to true :)

    Reply

    • Laura says

      Yes! Same here! I selected Hidden Trashcan since it forced me to pick something (it’s “hidden” as far as the kitchen is concerned, since we actually keep it in the adjoining laundry room.)

    • Johanna D says

      I had a similar feeling. Hidden trash cans all around! I think the “none of the above” button was there by the time I took the survey, but I did spend some time thinking: “These are real things that people have?!”

  5. Patti says

    I’m doing the survey. On the question:
    Which of the following features do you ALREADY have in your kitchen? *
    I have none. There’s no option to say none, and it’s a required answer. I’ll just check something to get beyond it, but you should update the survey with a “I have none” response.
    Same issue with: How often do you eat or entertain in your dining room? *
    I don’t have a dining room, but on that question there’s not an option to say that.

    Reply

  6. Linda says

    This was actually pretty fun! And made me realize how much I decorate to benefit my kitties – and that I’m happy with that. In my 20’s I was more about the ‘look’ and ‘trend’ – now I’m more comfy and warm for all my home’s resident, and it’s a plus if looking good is ‘homey’ as well.

    Reply

  7. Meredith says

    For the people having trouble, the server at work was blocking it for me as a prohibited website. I was able to take it on my phone without a problem. :)

    Reply

  8. Cathy says

    One of the survey questions regarding what is CURRENTLY in the kitchen does not have “none of the above” as an option. I WISH my current home had at least one of the options listed! Unfortunately it does not, but I had to select an answer anyway to complete the survey. Just FYI!

    Reply

  9. Jenn says

    “How often do you eat in your dining room?” should have an option for not having a dining room and the one about where your laundry area is should have the garage as an option because that’s very common in at least the Western states.

    Reply

  15. Lindsey d. says

    The question about frequency of use of the dining room needs an “I don’t have a dining room option.” I selected Never, since it’s impossible to use something I don’t have!

    Reply

  20. Katy S. says

    Survey: check!
    I’m very much looking forward to a laundry room update! I lurrrrve the tiles! I’m super jealous of this change. Can’t wait to see it all finished =)

    Reply

  22. carolyn says

    Great & funny survey–one note, here in CA the majority of people with 60s to 80s houses have the laundry in the garage, not an option here

    Reply

  23. Cate says

    Hi guys! I’m on my way to take the survey, but a quick question first…I was stoked to get an email response from y’all regarding Book 2! I replied to your email on Sunday, but haven’t heard back. I’m sure you’re super busy, and I’m happy to wait, but was wondering if there’s a better email address to use for you? I’m sure that address gets tons of emails. Thanks a million!
    Cate

    Reply

  24. Kara says

    Found this interesting!

    My dad worked for the Census Bureau for 35 years designing surveys for the Census. I distinctly remember him telling me how much thought went into what is listed in the example responses under a question. (i.e., your question: What is your style? [example: Casual, Cozy, Eclectic]) He told me that every year the example responses would get far more votes, because those are right in front of you. I realized I was doing this when I looked at the question and initially thought “Hmm…I’d say cozy, or casual…wait, those were both suggestions!”

    So I wouldn’t be surprised to see those terms pop up again and again!

    Reply

    • anna says

      I LOVE that coffee table an absurd amount…

      It was quite a thorough survey – but a few of the questions I wanted to explain what my “other” answer was. And a few of my answers are not quite right – just because Aussie houses (particularly bathrooms!) tend to be a little bit different (it’s been quite unusual until the last few years to have a toilet in the bathroom – they are usually separate).

      @Kara – I thought for a full minute to try and think of a word other than eclectic, but it’s suck a useful word!

    • Nichole says

      Guilty! I’d always read the example first and realized I was giving the same answer or something close to the example – of course my response was true to how I felt but I probably would have come up with something different if the suggestions weren’t there BUT they were super helpful if I really was stuck!

  25. Amy E. says

    argh, blocked by the work firewalls. hope i remember to take it this evening; it sounds fun from all the comments and screen shots!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Added those in! I lived in the tiniest studio ever in NYC (and John lived in a living room with 3 roomies there), so I don’t know how we missed those options!

      xo
      s

  28. Shellie says

    On the question ‘where is your laundry housed’, there is no option for in the garage! I choose basement since it seemed closest but that’s a pretty common option (at least in my area!)

    Reply

  30. Ashley says

    I must be a huge nerd, too because I was picturing how John would use the date in the book the whole time. Also, it was oddly fun. May need a support group for data junkies…

    Reply

  31. Gilly says

    Having these infographics in the next book makes me even more excited! I LOVE the nerdy stuff John makes. Smooches to you all.
    -Gilly

    Reply

  33. Melissa R says

    Another item to add is a Laundry Room in the garage. I just chose a Laundry nook/closet since it is in a nook in the garage.

    Reply

  35. Carla B. says

    Survey done! Would love to see all the results, especially on the long-answer type questions! I’m sure your readers have great ideas! #presentcompanyincluded ;-)

    Reply

  37. Victoria says

    Fun survey, completed! The link has worked without problem for me, but I’m home so that may be the reason ;-)

    Just one thing: for us European living in flats, some questions/answers don’t fit, fit… Is possible to answer all truthfully, but they make you stop and think, and that’s when you notice how similar we’re in some tastes/needs, and how different in others. And this is why has been so much fun!

    xoxo

    Victoria

    Reply

  38. Jessica says

    I am unreasonably excited that there might be another post tomorrow instead of the giveaway. I always hate Wednesdays because I don’t get to hear from you guys! Also, loved the survey! I use chrome and it worked just great!

    Reply

    • Vickie says

      Oh, good! It’s not just me that would rather have a post on Wednesdays rather than a giveaway.

  39. Nicole says

    Oooh, I do love a good survey!

    One thing, though, for the question:

    Where are your washer & dryer housed?

    would it be possible to add an option for either “none of the above” or “in the bathroom”? I live in Germany and washer’s are often in the bathroom here (I’ve been here for so long that seems normal… ;).

    Thanks! Can’t WAIT for the book!

    Reply

  41. Ashley B.K. says

    I don’t have a home/office space but the survey wouldn’t let me skip questions about it- I just selected “other” but that might skew some of your results in the survey. Just an FYI :)

    Reply

  43. Tina says

    Survey link worked fine for me. Just wanted to let you know that I selected other for the who do you live with question because my twin sister and I are co-owners of our house. We aren’t really roomates, but we don’t fit the other catagories either.

    Reply

  45. Sheila says

    Maybe I missed it, but laundry in the garage should be an option for that question as it’s pretty common for older homes in this area.

    Reply

  46. Claire says

    Yay, survey! Some of the questions could do with a non-US translation. No idea what a “full” size mattress is, or a half-bath… I have done some googling and guessing!

    Reply

  47. Isabel says

    Thank you for the fun survey, it made me realize how much work has gone into our house this past 2 years and how much I love it. My brother in law visited recently and commented on how pretty the house looked now and it really made me happy. Now if I can just bottle up those feelings so I’m not feeling like a slacker and focusing on what I still want to do 95% of the time!! :)

    Reply

  48. Alison F. says

    So happy to help! Loved taking the survey because it was a great reminder of everything I LOVE about our recently renovated 110-year-old house! Sometimes after a move or during the renovation it feels like we’ll never be done, but the survey gave me a minute to pause, look around and say, “this is great.” So, thanks for the unexpected shot of gratitude today!

    Reply

  49. Ana says

    Yay!! Done.
    It was so much fun!
    I think it would be very interesting to present some aspects of housing in Europe! (hint, hint!)

    :)

    Love from Portugal

    Reply

    • Tanja says

      Yes! Like this classic I just stumbled upon in thesurvey – i.a. I do have a front loader washing machine but no dryer. :-)

    • Victoria says

      Same for me, a dryer is a commodity that very few people have over here (Spain), and many think of it as “silly”. I’ve been able to select washer side by side with dryer because… the door to the balcony with my clothesline is by the side of the washer!

      Victoria

    • Terhi says

      Agreed! I have a front loader washing machine but I don’t actually know anyone who has a dryer. This survey was fun, but I needed to do a bit of googling (square meters to square feet and mattress sizes, here our mattresses are just certain centimeters wide, but I like your system better :D)

  50. nina says

    My laundry is in the garage. I chose laundry closet or nook but you might want to add “other”. Maybe someone already said this. I didn’t read all the comments.

    Reply

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