We’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what our lives will look like in a few weeks, a few months, and even a few years with the impending arrival of the littlest Petersik. And a big part of that process included wondering about how we’d keep up with this blog once there was a tiny (yet huuuuge) responsibility around here to be cared for and coddled. So we put our heads together and concocted a few new strategies for making time for everything: each other, our baby, this blog, and of course our main man Burger.
We’re still as dedicated as ever to keeping this home improvement adventure going since we’ve had the fortune of taking this hobby/passion of ours and turning into a full-time job for Sherry. And at the risk of not saying this before I forget: THANK YOU for encouraging, supporting and humoring us on a daily basis so that could happen (read how Sherry went from hobbyist to full time blogger here).
But with a newborn on the way, we’re not delusional. We know how much time and effort that will take. Caring for Baby P alone could be a full time job for Sherry so we knew that maintaining our two-post-a-day habit and coordinating weekly giveaways, all while taking on consistent DIY projects would be a stretch. So we came to a major decision (not without a ton of careful consideration and number crunching of course). The verdict? We’re charging forward with Young House Love full force- and in order to keep things going we’ll be bringing on a second full-time employee (to help with both baby and blog duties). Any guesses as to who it could be?
I know, some of you are probably crossing your fingers that it’s Burger – he is quite a hard worker…
But it’s actually… me! That’s right, once Baby P comes along I’ll be saying a sad goodbye to my time as an 8-to-6 advertising geek and hello to full time fatherhood & bloggerdom. And for that, I feel incredibly blessed. So again: THANK YOU. It’s not like I don’t already work about 20+ hours a week on top of my full time job when it comes to keeping this blog going, but with all the time that we’ll gain with me being at home during the day we’re certain that we can better juggle the blog, the baby, and the rest of our lives. In fact we have big plans for YHL when I come on full time, so stay tuned for even more action around here in the coming months…
And what does my new role as a full time father/blogger really mean? Of course the obvious: I’ll be around to tag team both the care for our beanette and the blog with Sherry, seven days a week. So we can nurture each of them as one big (hopefully very happy) family. But it also means that we’ve got another major room makeover on our to-do list. That’s right, Casa Petersik is getting a bona fide two-person home office!
For now, all of my night and weekend work on our blog has been done at the dining room table, while Sherry remains parked at her nook in the den. But if I’m going to be around all day, we know we’ll need a more permanent space so we can reclaim the dining table and keep the room-to-room shouting to a minimum. Plus there really is something to be said for a designated work space to help delineate work and play zones, which we know will be very important when it comes to maintaining that fragile and oh-so-important work/life balance.
So if you haven’t already figured it out by process of elimination, the new office will be taking over our current guest bedroom. And with the nursery having given our other guest bedroom the boot already, we have to keep this office 100% guest friendly as well (yup, that means it must sleep at least two people as it always has). But it also has to accommodate two working bloggers, their wee one, and their playful nine pound pooch. Not to mention store all sorts of paperwork without looking too corporate for our guests when they come to stay. Oh yes, we’ll be walking quite a delicate line in there (all while trying to squeeze every last ounce of function out of the tiny 10′ x 10.5′ space).
Oh and did we mention that we’d also like to see it multitask as a playroom of sorts for Baby P since she’ll obviously be hanging out in there as we do our blogging thang? We didn’t? Well add that to the list. So stay tuned for the play by play as we attempt to fully reconfigure this soon-to-be triple duty room into a space for work, play, and overnight guests. It’s sure to be a doozie, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
And we’d love to hear any tips that you guys have when it comes to designing a home office, working from home without losing your mind, or just generally creating a room that has two or three separate functions. Share and share alike.
Jessica says
Why didn’t I realize you guys always think everything through!?? Great job. Carry on. :)
Jessica
Tiffany S. says
This announcement made me tear up. I am so excited for you guys! It is an incredible blessing that you have the means and the opportunity to do this (not to mention the talent because you both have that in spades).
I was recently laid off (well, um, fired) and my blogging and my blog friends have really kept me emotionally afloat. I’m so thrilled that YHL has taken off for you. A true success story!
Awesome!
Gloria Ruff says
Oh yay! I was wondering how you two were going to juggle it all. And, I have a room that needs to double as home office and guest room as well, so will really be looking forward to how you all handle that challenge.
Jenn says
I can’t wait to see the guest room/office project. We, too, are going to be undertaking the same project as our little one will be taking over the guest room and my office needs to play dual roles.
Katie Daniel says
Congratulations! That is a big change. Working at home with you significant other can be great, but it can also be a BIG challenge! One thing that really helped my husband and I was that we each found something outside of the house that we liked to do on our own. In our case, he joined a very MANLY gym and I joined the local swim club. This way we each had time to be alone (or at least not with the other person) planned into our schedule.
YoungHouseLove says
Katie- That’s definitely great advice! John and I have already started talking about how fun it would be for him to get out and run/bike/play racquetball with his guy friends (either during lunch or after work) while I’d love to start a mommy walking group with a ton of my stroller pushing pals. We definitely believe that maintaining individual activities will keep us sane so that’s the plan!
Kathryn- Yup, there’s a closet on the wall with the door on it (which is actually where Burger’s crate lives, you can see it in this post). Stay tuned to see what we’re planning in there…
xo,
s
Kathryn says
Wow, congrats! Big changes all around! I am curious though is there a closet in the guest bedroom? There have been some amazing closet transforming into an office. Best part you can close it off by the end of the day!
Jess says
Wow! Congrats, guys! That is such an exciting development for you, and how lucky your little one will be to have both Mom and Dad at home with her full-time! I have to be honest, I was terrified at the beginning of reading your post about how many responsibilities you will have soon that it was leading to… “and so we’ve decided to stop the blog!” Phew! :)
b says
Can you say “Murphy bed”? Advice – high shelving and child proof cabinets and a big bin to make stowing toys easy. Perhaps cork flooring or even a detached office pod!
Jess says
I have no helpful advice – sorry! But I do have a 10×10 room that is currently an office/craft room and I’d like to make it office/craft room/guest room too – so I look forward to your transformation!
Heather says
I’m adding my congratulations on your big new move. You two are such an inspiring mix of creativity, practicality, vision, and sense. I am glad you have been smart (and blessed) enough during the past years to be able to jump on this new opportunity. I, too, worked with my husband before we had kids and loved it. It was so great for our marriage. People would ask if we got sick of each other and I could honestly say no! We had a great time! The arrival of the first child is truly one of life’s most unbelievable experiences; I am so excited for you. Best wishes for the delivery and arrival of little Baby P!
Cindy @ The Flipping Couple says
Oh you guys, I’m so, so glad you’re doing this. I actually wondered if this might be the solution and I’m so glad it’s working out so that you can both be full-time bloggers/parents. Congrats!!
Tricia says
I am so so very HAPPY for you both:)
Laura says
John and Sherry, I’m so excited for you! You will both love it! I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
My husband and I have our own (online) business and we both work from home full-time. We bought our first home last September and one of the most important things for us was finding a home that had the right layout so that we could both work from home. We are fortunate to have an entire mini wing of the house devoted to the business. The space is off the front door and consists of two bedrooms separated by an open second living room and bathroom. (It is really meant for two kids with a shared bathroom and playroom.)
After college, we lived in super close quarters (many years in teeny tiny apartments in New York and abroad) but now that we are working together full-time we find we need to separate our own work space–thus the two offices.
Our plan for the future is to turn my office into the nursery and the second living room will function as my office and play room for future baby since there is already a built in desk and storage in this room.
Heather says
Ok so I stumbled upon this video on the HGTV website and I think it’s a terrific idea for maximizing your space! They turned their bed into a daybed just by turing it sideways and adding lots of pillows!! Check it out!!!
http://www.hgtv.com/design-on-a-dime/show/index.html
It’s the colorful guestroom office video!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Heather,
Yup, that definitely is a great idea! We played around with a lot of ideas in there, so stay tuned to see what stuck!
xo,
s
dpowell says
We have a seven-month-old baby and my husband, for one year, is a stay-at-home dad. Best family decision we ever made. Broke? Sure. So we rely on DIY/idea blogs like yours to allow us to have nice life on a budget.
Best of luck. Parenthood is the best.
Jen says
This is GREAT news!! Wow, what a change for you all and a challenge. Can not wait to see how you make 3 rooms into 1! I would also like to have a office/guest room eventually so I will be staying tuned and taking notes :).
Congrats to you all.
Amy says
I must admit I skipped to the end because I was afraid at first you were going to shut down the blog. Glad to see that’s not happening! Congrats on being able to both be at home. I can’t wait to see what’s in store!
Melody says
John and Sherry,
I think it’s so awesome that John is joining YHL full time! Your daughter is so fortunate to have two stay-at-home parents! My parents both worked out of the home when I lived with them, and it was the best!
Julia says
Oh my goodness! Congratulations to you both. What a fabulous opportunity. John, Sherry will be so glad to have you there – and as the proud parents of a tiny one week old (today!)I tell you there is no other joy as amazing. Congratulations, God Bless, and I can’t wait to see ya’ll grow and prosper in this new venture!
Jacquelin Seybert says
Awesome news! Can’t wait to see the new office/guest bedroom!
Elle Sees says
Whew! I was nervous when I first started reading this post. When baby P was initially announced, and y’all said you’d have posts lined up, etc, I figured that you’d try that a few days and then stop the blog. Now, I’m super excited that all is well in the YHL front and EVERYONE WINS!!!
Holly says
I admire you guys so much. You are so lucky to have each other and to be doing what you love! Congrats!
Melly says
Congratulations! Wishing you the best of luck with this new venture.
Karrie says
That’s so awesome! Congratulations on making the big leap! Baby P is going to be one lucky girl for sure. I’m looking forward to seeing the new changes around your casa (and maybe looking to swipe a few ideas for our office as well).
Making it Lovely says
Congratulations! That’s such a huge lifestyle change – it will be fantastic. I’m so happy for you both!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Nicole! We’re really excited to see what this next chapter holds for us. And of course we plan to take all of your help-the-baby-sleep-through-the-night advice from that ever-valuable post of yore!
xo,
s
Robin @ Chris and Robin's Nest says
Wow – congrats on the big decision. How amazing for you to both be able to share equally in Baby P’s childhood AND keep up your passion for blogging! Good luck with the transition!
Candy @ SoBella Creations says
My husband and I have two girls. And I’m a stay at home Mom. I have enjoyed every second of my time spent with my girls. My husband rearranged his work schedule and works 16 hour shifts so he can have more time at home with our girls. There are some days you will want to pull your hair out. But, you will LOVE every second of every day. And these will be times that you can never get back.
Miranda says
Sounds like your space calls for a hide-a-bed. I always loved those ones that fold down. Just never have had a space to use it. Think it would be very cool though.
Congratulations on your many blessings. It’ll be nice to have John home and you’ll each get to enjoy the babe full-time! How wonderful!
Holly says
Okay, I’m totally selfish… I got so excited to see that you guys are not cutting back on the blog!! I love getting inspiration from you guys and can’t wait to see what you come up with next! Congrats on this next big step.
calliope says
Great news -albeit a bit scary in this economy- I’m sure you’ll thrive!
As for the new home office, for a moment I thought that this room would be the second living room in your home. Having 2 of these and all….The guest room came as a surprise! I’m sure it will turn great and I can’t wait for the inspiration.
Terri T says
I know you said you had a window and doors on the wall but this Murphy bed system goes horizontally and is only $275 to build. I seriously considered this in our office until I realized we only have guests around 6 times a year and a blow up mattress if 100% okay for those 6 times (obviously my husband and I give up our bed). Check it out here http://www.moddidaypeople.com/murphy_bed_wall_bed/murphy_bed.html
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Terri,
Thanks for the link! Very cool indeed. We actually solved the sleeping problem already so stay tuned to see where we ended up…
xo,
s
Jennifer H. says
A big decision but one I’m sure you’ll never regret. (After long corporate careers, my husband and I now work from home and LOVE our situation.) Congratulations!!
RE: your office re-do — what about the lovely “office” you’ve already created in the basement?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jennifer H,
Alas, our basement isn’t heated or cooled, and it’s a separate entry space (we need to walk outside and down some stairs to get to it) so it’s not the most convenient thing in the world- especially if we have a sleeping baby that we need to check on. Plus the concrete floors aren’t exactly Baby P friendly, but we’re so glad we have that space for added storage (especially since babies = tons of stuff!).
xo,
s
Jeanine says
Congratulations!! I’m so happy for the two of you. I just wanted to wish you both the best of luck as you begin this new chapter of your lives; parents and bloggers.
Jessi E says
Congrats on your decision! I know any change in life is an adventure, and this sounds like one that you guys are going to have a blast on. And please, please, please-get a Murphy Bed!!!
YoungHouseLove says
So sorry to sadden all the murphy bed suggesters, but we actually have windows and doorways in the guest bedroom that make it impossible to accommodate a fold up bed in there (unless we want to block the small amount of natural light that the space gets). But we did come up with another solution, so stay tuned to see what that is…
xo,
s
Jenn R. says
Congratulations on the huge decision! I’m sure it’s going to be an absolutely perfect arrangement for everyone (especially your readers). It’ll be so amazing to both raise your baby and do what you love full time and together!
Denise says
Congratulations to you both! I don’t have any advice for you, but I wanted to wish you luck! Enjoy every second together. :)
Amy says
Sooo happy for you guys. Your blog has been a huge inspiration in my life the past year or so as we took the plunge to buy a house and also start our own little blog.
Congrats on the beanette, and also on saying goodbye to your 9-5 (or 6). It’s really something to aspire to, and so glad for you guys that you could do it!
@sweetbabboo says
That is fantastic! You will NOT regret it. My husband works from home full time (I’m a SAHM) and he wouldn’t trade it for anything. He loves being able to eat lunch with us and he loves being in charge of naptime. He can’t imagine it any other way. You are so blessed to have this ability and you will LOVE it.
-Abby
Stephanie says
Congratulations you guys!!!!! How awesome that you guys will get to be together with your baby girl all the time! What a HUGE blessing! Baby girl’s are so fun! I have a two year old. I am a devoted reader of your blog and am so curious as to how does a blog earn you enough money to live? I am so curious! Congratulaions again and I can’t wait to see how everything unfold for you and your beautiful baby!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Stephanie,
It’s really a huge combination of things. We run our shop, offer custom mood boards, and have ad networks (like Google Ad Sense) and private sponsors on our sidebar who help keep food on the table. The blog has also afforded us the opportunity to write a column for Do It Yourself magazine, which is another great help when it comes to making ends meet. It’s definitely a multi-channeled sort of effort (which keeps us super busy), but we wouldn’t have it any other way!
xo,
s
Lilli says
Yay! Congrats! I can’t wait to see where this takes YHL! Maybe a guest post or two from beanette?!
Kristin says
Ok now I’m envious, inspired and absolutely thrilled at the same time. Absolutely great, I’m so happy for you!
We are going to get married next month (with some YHL-inspired wedding decor of course) but are a couple since 1999 and living together since 2003. So, since we started to study in 2002 and moved in together a few months later we are used to studying, learning and working together in our home office. We actually have two giant desks my grandpa made for us (about 12′, they exactly fill the right wall of our office if that makes sense) because I just love to spread all my stuff, my teapot and cups and still have some empty space.
As I am doing my PhD I now am in the lab and office full-time. Although the view from my window is great, my desk is not even 1/3 of the size at home and the whole university is a big ugly concrete jungle. So – congratulations for the decision to work from home and enjoy to be able to work at a space you love and can redesign whenever you want or need!
Travis says
Congratulations! and Thanks!
Thanks for thinking of us readers who so selfishly ask of your time and dedication to this blog! I envy you for being able to stay at home with your beautiful wife and daughter. So fun!
P.S. I’ve seen a couple of comments about the Murphy Bed, and I’m sure you guys are already aware, but Knock-Off-Wood has plans for a Murphy Bed in case you’re seriously thinking about it. Can’t wait to see the makeover!
Carrie Anne says
Congratulations on this next big step! Your lives are about to change dramatically forever — in a wonderful way.
My husband and I both do a lot of work from home and we have an active one-year-old daughter who loves nothing more than crawling up on our laps and banging on the computer keyboard.
Especially as your little one grows and becomes more mobile you will need a space where you can block off access to work. Our desk is in our library/den and we have to shut the double doors and lock ourselves in to keep Isobel out. If you can find a home office area that can be blocked off using a door or a baby gate you’ll thank yourself a million times over in the years to come.
Good luck!
julia says
Congrats! This is really great news! When I first started reading this post, I was really nervous. I was worried you might have decided to give up the blog! I was so relieved and thrilled that its just the opposite! I’m so happy that you’ve been able to make this work. It will be so wonderful for you guys to share in raising the beanette and do work that you love. Awesome!
Joyce C says
Congratulations! I can’t wait to see the office/guest bedroom transformation. My husband and I welcomed our little one in March and, while it is a lot of work, it is also a lot of fun. John, I think you will LOVE being home all the time.
Theresa says
Blessed is hopefully how you feel. We have a multi-use room in our condo. Initially we had open shelves on our wall of storage but it was hard to visually put away work at the end of the day so we added doors to almost all of it. Somehow not seeing work “stuff” allows us to use the room for fun/recreational activities so much more now. Guests seem to like having a shelf behind a door to stash their stuff. Can’t wait to see what you do!
@sweetbabboo says
Oh, and I was so excited for you I failed to offer tips or advice. We eventually finished out our attic space into a functional office, family room, and guest room. Our two bedroom/one bath was just too small. We used IKEA for most everything (sleeper sofa, storage solutions, etc) Eventually, we want to make Daddy’s desk zone into an armoire or Murphy desk (Have you seen them on Overstock?) but for now, we make sure most of our day is spent downstairs (esp when he’s on conference calls) but Linus has learned through routine and repetition when Daddy is “working” and when he’s not.
Anyway, I don’t know what more to add. You just have to feel it out based on Baby P’s personality and your ability to work in a distracting kind of environment.
Can’t wait to hear all about the struggles, joys, and general life of this new adventure.
-Abby
gina says
Congratulations! Is it wrong that although I am super excited that Baby P is coming, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get my YHL fix everyday? :o) I am so happy for all three of you!
Will the Beanette start a blog as well? I hope so!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Gina,
We’re pretty sure that we’ll have our hands full when the wee one arrives, so her own blog might not be something we can swing. But we do have a crazy love of blogging so who knows what the future holds. Only time will tell!
xo,
s
Alicia M says
This is SO exciting!!! I too was a bit nervous that you were going away, but was super excited and relieved to hear about John’s new job. :)
I have total and complete faith in you guys. It seems like the ideal situation for everyone! I look forward to seeing the room transformation!!!
Amanda says
Look at (I think they’re called Murphy beds?) a built in bed that folds down when you have guests. They’re great space savers and would free up floor space for baby P. I bet you could design and build a built in unit like that yourselves- you’re so talented. Good luck with everything!