Update: Aaaand less than 12 hours later we’re back with an update on the bottom of the post for ya. Smooth, right?
Hey there! Long time no see.
The break has been great. Admittedly a little weird, but really reinvigorating. So we’re immensely thankful not only for your support and kind comments, but also for helping put words to some of the things that we had been feeling for some time. And while the last month hasn’t been enough time to fill in all of the blanks about our future (heck, when are life’s blanks ever clearly filled in?) it has made one thing pretty obvious to us: after seven awesome years of sharing our home and our life, it’s time for our next adventure.
This blog has been a staple in our lives for 80+ months, tagging along for all but three months of our marriage and our entire existence as parents. So we thought it would be nearly impossible to click off that urge to over-share this past month (we expected our blogging spark to come back with a vengeance). But maybe it’s us getting older, the kids getting bigger, or a general shift in life priorities – but it actually felt just right. So this break has given us the clarity (and the guts, I guess) to move on… and hopefully move the needle on that life balance we’ve been talking about for so long.
We won’t go as far as to declare this the end of Young House Love or our blogging days. Who knows, maybe somewhere down the line (when the kids are both in school?) we’ll get that burning in our bellies again – perhaps here or in a completely different capacity. We don’t know what the future holds, but we know that the most amazing things have happened to us when we’ve stretched waaay out of our comfort zone – as much as that sounds like advice you’d find on an inspirational kitten poster.
We plan to keep the blog archives available for as long as we can, and will be freezing comments soon, but we won’t be completely dropping off the planet. Some completed product designs with Liberty Hardware and Shades of Light may pop up, and our second book will come out on September 22nd, 2015. Those folks have all been amazingly supportive of our decision, for which we’re incredibly thankful.
Speaking of which – “Thank you” doesn’t come close to expressing how grateful we are for getting to share our weird little world with you guys for so long. We have nothing but love and gratitude for this whole experience – and for you. (*This is probably where we should fade up on that Dirty Dancing song*)
But let’s not say “goodbye” let’s just say “see you on another time.”
Peace, love, and ceramic animals,
John & Sherry
PS: We did randomly snap a few fresh photos for the House Tour page over the break (some of the rooms were pretty outdated). Feel free to give the dining room’s blue trim the side eye for us (yes, it’s still there!).
Update: The same few questions kept popping up in the comments (we just can’t quit you). As for the “what are your new jobs” thing, we’ve mentioned in a few previous posts that we left the door open in our past professions (advertising/copywriting/consulting), which we can do as freelancers from home a lot of the time, while switching off on the stay-at-home parent thing. We know things like the book and products we design are driven by this blog, so we can’t live off those or anything. Didn’t mean to be mysterious! As for the Facebook/Instagram questions, we’d love to pop up there from time to time to say hi. And we hope our blog archives will be up for a good long time (we use them to reference things like paint colors, so we’d never want to lose them!).
We’re also really sorry if this feels abrupt. We’ve made a few public attempts to wind down and gain balance over the years (like when we moved to this house and after Teddy’s birth) but they’ve always been at odds with our “all in” personalities, so it wasn’t until taking this break (yet another attempt to recalibrate) that we realized we felt closer to our goal. We debated lots of alternatives – drastically fewer posts / shorter posts / no comments – but nothing felt like the version of Young House Love we were excited to carry on with. And we tried to keep today’s post light and happy (the last one felt so heavy) since this truly is a moment of extreme gratitude, despite it being a difficult decision to make.
Flawless and graceful exit, eh? Right. So here we go. Ack, we suck at this! We will miss you!!
Azar says
My heart jumped for joy seeing a new post, and then sunk in sadness when I realized that this post was what I thought was probably coming when you guys said you were taking a break. I’ll selfishly wish you guys would keep blogging, but in reality I want you to do what’s best for you, because having read your blog for so long, you guys really feel like friends. <3 I hope I still see posts from you guys on instagram/fb, though I understand if you guys want to pull back from that stuff.
in short: i'll miss you guys tons! <3 <3 <3
Linley says
Hi Sherry and John, I’m just curious what you mean by ‘keep the archives as long as we can.’ I don’t know anything about how paying for a website works….but will the entries be available for 6 months, or 6 years? Or can you even know? My husband and I won’t be buying a house until maybe a year or two from now, and I would love to be able to reference some of your experience! Just curious.
Thanks for being so awesome. I’ll miss you for sure.
Nicole says
You will be greatly missed but it’s understandable to me. Life changes and so do priorities… And some things just wear themselves out and it’s ok. I wish you guys all the best in the world. Thank you for inviting us into your home(s) and lives for all this time. :)
Anna says
Thank you so much for providing inspiration throughout the years! Best of luck on your next adventures :)
Kelly says
Best wishes to the Petersik family, but I have to admit I’m feeling strangely heartbroken over the decision. I refer to your projects so frequently it’s not even funny…. sooooo, now what…?
christymarch says
I’m a long time reader, first (and undoubtedly last) time poster and I have to say I’m sorry to see you go. I feel like I’m losing some really great friends. Saying that makes feel crazy since I’ve never met you guys and you have no clue who I am. Anyhow, good luck with your next adventure. I’m sure anything you guys decide to do will be successful!! Thank you for everything you’ve done.
[email protected] says
well, that sucks
Susan says
I was hoping you would come back rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. I was not prepared for the “final curtain”. With that being said, I wish you all the best in whatever you do You have inspired me and others, to do things I never dreamed I could do. God bless you!
Jeanette says
I love YHL. Thanks for everything you have shared with us. While I understand new adventures – and hope you have the best ones! – I feel kind of frustrated that this came on so suddenly and seemed to stem from some users’ comments and negative feedback. I wish – for readers’ sake, but also for yours – that it was something that you decided to wind down on your own and could embrace and celebrate the good years – transitioning into something new. It’s like there’s no retirement party and instead just a pink slip. :( This isn’t negative to you in anyway and I’m sorry you have felt so frustrated when you’ve given so much of yourselves. It’s just regret that so many people on here made you feel that way. Even if what they said resonated with you, I just feel like it could have ended on a more positive celebratory note – because what you guys built deserves to be celebrated. <3
Debbie says
Please keep posting pics of the kids as they grow!
June White says
Well, I’m sad to hear this, but at the same time I’m happy for you all. That you’re grounded enough to not get caught up in celebrity or feeling like you owe the many people who follow the blog. That you have the integrity to decide what’s best for you and your family and do that. Thank you for all the inspiration over the past few years–for demonstrating that it’s possible to dramatically change one’s everyday environment, for showing how anyone can learn by doing, for being honest with the fails, for inspiring me to get up and try new projects. Seriously, how many people have said to themselves, “if John and Sherry can do this, I can do it.” I’ll miss the blog. Blessings on your precious family and your future endeavors.
June
Robin W says
I agree with everything June wrote!
Joi Svezia says
Oh, man, guys! I totally didn’t expect to get all emotional but I definitely had to fight back tears reading this! It’s almost like watching the series finale to my favorite TV show. It’s been such a fun ride and I am so happy you shared so much along the way! I wish your sweet family so much happiness! I hope to still see you on Instagram and can’t wait to see where you all pop up! This is definitely the end of an era, but the start of an age… as Ms. Taylor Swift so wonderfully sang! :-) Much love!
Brittany says
My first thought was “YAY!! They’re back!” – you guys have been a total inspiration in the DIYing of my own first house, and I initially found you guys 3 years ago while Googling how to paint a fireplace (which got the whitewash treatment after yours :)). I’ve been an avid follower ever since. Good luck with everything, and thanks for inviting us in!!
Katie Sooy says
So sad for me, but so very happy for you! You will be missed! xoxo
Kristin says
So sad for us, the readers, but hope it’s a great decision for you. Good luck, good health & peace!
Cindy says
Smooches to you. Looking great. xo
Katy Widrick says
Best of luck and thanks for all you’ve given the blogging world!
Leslie says
Noooooooooooooooo! I was afraid this was coming ????. I have read your blog for many years and this is my first comment. I am sooo sad to see you guys go. I read the blog everyday. It was hard for the month u guys took off and now permanent. I wish you guys best of luck with everything. I understand u gotta do what is best for family. I just secretly wished u picked to keep on blogging.
Erin D says
Totally understand your reasoning, but as I was looking through your house tour photos, all I could think was, “Man I miss reading this blog.” Best of luck and your house looks beautiful. Very inspiring.
Anna says
Good luck with your new adventures, I’m sure you will find something awesome to get excited about! You are both very talented and hardworking, and no doubt will find a good way to put those talents to use.
Am not going to lie, am going to miss seeing how Clara is growing…she reminds me so much of my own daughter, I enjoy seeing another sweet little girl’s room and toys etc. and was looking forward to seeing her react to her little bro getting older :)
Arati says
So missed you guys! Really sad to hear the blog won’t be continuing as it has done. Glad you are keeping the archives accessible, as I dip into them a lot! All the best to you all!
Danielle Ferretti says
Oh no ! I am very selfishly sad. Heartbroken ! But – I am happy for you guys ! On to new adventures !
I just really wanted to say a great big THANK YOU PETERSIKS for all these years of sharing your life, experiences, family, souls with us. It was way more than generous, and words cannot express my gratefulness.
Here’s to wishing you all the best – and hoping we will be able to see some of you in the future again !
xoxo
D
Julie says
Was just thinking about you all the other day ! Will miss seeing your adorable kiddos and sweet pup , but wish you all the best in whatever your future holds! Best wishes!
Oh no, I just realized this means the end of your rap videos! No more Sher-dawg!
Heather says
Totally unexpected, I thought ya’ll were coming back. I missed reading your blogs this month. Will miss them in future.
Theresa W says
Although I’m bummed for myself ;) I’m also excited for you guys and I totally get it. I have 3 kids, and after each new child, I found myself needing to make huge changes to find that ever-elusive family/work/life balance.
I wish you nothing but the best! That adorable photo of you 4 says it all = you look so very happy and relaxed, so this is obviously the right choice for you at this time. Hope our paths will cross again one day!!! XO
Jakki says
I am going to miss you guys/blog so much! I have been missing it already- and missing the instagram photos etc. I wish you all the best and I hope you come back sooner rather than later.
Michelle Kersey says
I feel like I’m saying “see you on another time” to a good friend that’s moving away :(
But, as much as I hate to see you go, I’m so PROUD of you all for going bravely into a new adventure and realizing what you need to do to achieve a better balance. It takes a lot of courage to make such big changes, but you guys have never been shy on that!
Thanks so much for the updated family pic! Teddy is just soooooo stinking adorable.
Keep in touch! ;) (please, please, please keep posting your daily wonderfulness instagram!!! I miss seeing you all pop in my feed!)
Norma says
I will miss being a part of your darling family and looking at your creativity. But, do what you need to do and hopefully we will see you all again in the future. Blessings!
Allison K says
I will dearly miss you, which feels strange to say to someone I’ve never met! Your family has been more than just DIY inspirations to so many–you’ve been genuine, kind, hilarious, helpful, optimistic, and encouraging. I know that you have had a great impact on my own family. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d use cloth diapers until your very first post about Clara’s diapers and my house has become so much more of a home because of your “anyone can do this” attitude and encouragement. Thank you for sharing your lives with us. The very best wishes, thoughts, and prayers for you as you move on to the next adventure. :)
Misty says
I just yelled “nooooooooo” and my boss came in and said “what!?” and I said “my fav blog ever is not going to be anymore” Insert saddest face ever.
Oh, I am really going to miss you guys.
This being said, good for you. I wish only the best! take care! Big XO’s
Kevin M says
Thank you so much for all of the years, letting us into your home. You inspired me in so many ways! I’m inspired now more than ever by your honesty and courage to do what is best for you! I think so few people are capable of doing that these days. Thank you for setting such an amazing example of doing what is most important. I would eagerly await 9am every day (even checking every day over this past break) and will miss that, but more than anything I am happy for you all and your success!
Lisa B says
I was so excited to see a new post. I’ll be so sad to not see you regularly blogging but it sounds like a good decision for your family. Do you think you’ll finish projects like the closet/bathroom floor and dining room in the book?
Sarah L says
We have been loving your blog for years, and you will be missed!! Your current house is eerily similar to the home we moved into last June, and we have been following your updates regularly. They have given us MUCH inspiration for our home, and we have appreciated the inspiration (everything from our front door color to lighting fixtures and the soon-to-be-laid tile in our entryway is YHL inspired!). Thank you for your great vision that has translated to helping us update our home! I would love to share pictures of my YHL inspired home if you’re interested!! Thank you and good luck in your future ventures!
Jennifer says
Honestly, I’ll miss seeing the cuteness of your family more than anything when I think about it. We got to see so much of Clara growing up (Convos with Clara were always some of my favorite posts). I’m sad that we won’t get to see that with Teddy and I know it’s TOTALLY selfish of me. I’m a mom with two kids – I get how crazy life can be and I know I need to respect your decision. Will you still be active on social media at all, like Instagram? A photo here and there might be a nice compromise because I know I’m really going to miss your family and this blog! That sounds so weird – I don’t even know you personally! Take care Petersiks and I look forward to hopefully seeing what your next big adventure will be.
Sarah says
I’ve been a reader for 3 or 4 years now and you guys have been a staple of my daily routine. I’ve so enjoyed seeing the transformations in your homes, the tutorials, and the inspiration! While I’ll miss you terribly, I’ll always think of y’all with fondness from the witty posts to taking the time to answer emails I’ve sent over the years (Nate Show sightings and ceramic animals et al). Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you! All the best in your next moves.
Vivian says
Sad for me….but I wish you all the very best and hope to see you all somewhere down the line. You’ve been a great inspiration to me and I have learned a lot! Gods richest blessings to you all…..
Meghan L. says
First of all, I completely understand, and I am SO happy you guys are happy. I (along with tons of others I’m sure) have had the pleasure of sharing in your lives for many years. You guys have been there when I had no one to talk to, and even though we did not personally speak, it was like you were somehow always consistently there. I feared you would pull the plug after taking a break, but I am beyond happy for you guys. I just wish I could continue to be part of your virtual family :-) Love you guys!
Mallory says
I feel like I’m losing a friend! Good for you guys, knowing your needs. I wish nothing but the absolute best for your sweet family, and I’m really hoping to see a few peeks inside your world on Instagram?? (I just can’t believe I’ll never see anything new in your home!) Anyway, so much love your way. We’ll all miss you so much!
Kaija says
Wow, this wasn’t what I was hoping for :(
Thank you for the house updates! I really wanted to see how that hallway/storage area door turned out. Looks great!
Sarah Taylor says
I’m so (selfishly) sad about this! You guys have been such an inspiration in more ways than you know. Not only have I thoroughly enjoyed learning design/DIY tips and tricks from you, but your positive outlook on life, can-do attitude, and strong family values (to name a few!) have had such a positive impact on me. I felt like I have gotten to know you both and watched your family change and grow over the years, so like others have said, it kind of feels like losing a friend! However, friends are supportive of each other’s decisions, and I’m so glad you found what you needed during your break! (But that doesn’t mean I won’t miss you like crazy!)
I wish you the best of luck with wherever life takes you and I hope you find the balance you have been searching for! You will be dearly missed!
Thank you for everything! xoxox
Anne says
I wish you the best of luck on your new adventure! I will miss y’all like crazy, but totally understand you needing to do what is best for you. Thank you for all of your inspiration over the years.
Sarah says
So happy for you if this just feels right, but dang it, I’ve missed you guys! I’ll try to find a way to deal. :)
caroline says
This feels like the end of an era… not just for you, but for a lot of the blogging community. Things are changing and I am not liking this change one bit. But I do wish you happiness and I think you are headed in the right direction. Awww, I’m really gonna miss you! xxx
Carrie says
Aw, not the answer I was hoping for but hopefully your next adventure is as much fun and as rewarding as this one. Best of luck to you. I hope you will update from time to time so we can see what you’ve done to the blue-trimmed dining room :)
jessica says
You will be missed. When I saw the post I thought yes they are back! Please keep us updated on other projects. xo
Christine says
I will definitely miss your posts but I wish your family all the best! Good luck!
amgeyer says
So thankful for all the time I got to enjoy your blog & learn from you guys!! Feel free to post any updates like once you redo the dinning room… Hahah best of luck!
sweinst says
It is a strange thing to spend so long getting such a large group of people intimately involved in part of your life and then to completely cut it off. I guess I expected more from this post, at least an indication of where you are going next. I assume this really is just a reflection of how done you were with blogging. Best of luck.
SusanM says
I feel the same way. I respect your decision to quit, but after keeping everyone hanging for a month, it would have been such a great send-off to write a detailed blog of where you are in the house now, what projects are next on the horizon, maybe a nice little story about the kids. Here’s an analogy: when your very favorite TV show–that you never missed watching for seven seasons–gets cancelled without the benefit of a “final” goodbye episode. You could have gone out with a bang, but instead it feels empty. Anyway…Thank you for a great blog! No others come close. I wish your family the best.
Dave K says
feels like I just lost some close friends…. it was nice getting to you know you all, and best of luck! Keep inspiring no matter what your future brings!
Natasha says
Thank you for sharing so much over the years and for so many great ideas! Enjoy this time with your little ones! You will for sure be missed in this house! Wishing you all the best in your new adventures!! Oh and love that family pic!!