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.
Jenny says
Wow, how exciting is that! Can’t wait to see you transform that room!
Beatriz says
Congratulations!! This is not only awesome for you, but awesome for us readers!
Andrea says
I am under the impression they are very expensive.. but will you investigate a murphy bed at all.
Congratulations on EVERYTHING!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Andrea,
We actually have windows and doorways in the guest bedroom that make it impossible to accommodate a fold up Murphy 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
Cara says
Congratulations John!!
Can’t wait to see what you all have in store :)
Jamie Lee says
Congratulations! It’s so exciting that you have this opportunity!!
Mrs Soup says
Congratulations! That is so amazingly awesome!
I’m so jealous…currently my husband is the stay-at-home dad and I would love to be home with my daughter and him too!
Can’t wait to see how you guys morph and change into even more awesomeness!
Sara says
Yay, congrats! You two are an inspiration. I am so happy to hear that you’ll be sharing the workload (and the fun).
Kacy Paide says
Congratulations on working from home! It’s a blessing and a curse, but is ultimately such a luxury. I know a thing or two about organizing offices. I just came across this upholstered file storage ottoman from Ballard Designs and am dying for someone to buy it:
http://bit.ly/dq1seZ
It’s practical, doubles as seating, inconspicuous, and even baby safe. Best of luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kacy,
So pretty! Thanks for the link.
xo,
s
DJ says
What an amazing opportunity you both have! I’m so happy for you both… go easy on yourselves at first, you’ll be incredibly exhausted for a few months. : )
Michele says
Congratulations! You have such a terrific plan for creating the life you want to live and I applaud you for it. I realize this is down the road, but will you ever consider adding onto your house if your family expands? I love that you are committed to your home being your forever home and wonder if you have plans to make it larger or if you are commited to living in a smaller space even with a larger family?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Michele,
We do entertain that idea, but we also like the concept of working with our existing footprint and making the house evolve to meet our needs without major construction (remember we both lived in Manhattan for years where people with four people lived in 800 square foot studios). Only time will tell where we end up. But an addition certainly would make for some fun blog content!
xo,
s
Amie says
What’s the closet situation like there? I’ve always loved when people turn their closets into mini-home offices, with shelving to the ceilings and organized boxes and things for paperwork. You could remove the doors and use curtains instead, and then when it’s not in use (if it’s pretty narrow) put the chair in the corner for guests to use. Aside from that, you would only need a small desk for your second computer (one would already be in the closet)and it would be out of site when guests are there.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amie,
We do have a closet in there (on the same wall as the door) but it’s currently Burger’s “room” (it’s where we tuck his crate) so we’ll have to seriously consider where that would go if we moved it. Stay tuned to see how it all shakes out…
xo,
s
JoDi says
Wow, that is great news! It’s so nice to hear that your blogging has grown to where it can support your family so you can both do something you love together! I hope this is wildly successful beyond your dreams!
Can’t wait to see how you tackle the new space. Your ideas are always so inventive and beautiful but practical too!
Tara B. says
sherry and john, love the blog and i am so happy for you that you’ve made such a difficult decision… ultimately, i think you’ll find it very rewarding to be at home with the baby. i love being a stay-at-home mom, i never miss the sweet moments and the constant developmental changes of my two wild little boys. its a hard job, but yay for having both of you to do it together, while providing for your family! congratulations!
Emily says
YEAH! Wow I was holding my breathe reading this post thinking you guys were going to stop the blog all together! I’m so happy you’re being added on to fulltime with the blog it’s so awesome. I read everyday! Congrats!
Kristen says
Congrats to the both of you…you have some amazing changes around the corner! Looking forward to hearing about the new baby and everything to come!
Amanda says
Congrats!! That’s wonderful for your family!
Just as an FYI, I know you’re crazy about the Benjamin Moore Natura paint…I received an email from Pottery Barn about upcoming paint seminars that they are offering at various locations (including the Pottery Barn at Short Pump!) throughout the month of May. Every participant will walk away with a coupon for a free gallon of the Benjamin Moore Natura paint (in addition to all that glorious paint knowledge!). I thought you guys might be interested (you just need to call your local store to find out if they are participating and to register).
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the heads up Amanda! We’re excited to check it out!
xo,
s
Veronica says
Congratulations on taking the plunge! I can’t wait to see what you wind up doing with the space – we have a 2 year old and we are looking to do something similar with our guest bedroom. (Make it a multi-functional space).
Amy says
Congratulations! I think it’s wonderful that you’re able to do this!
danyelle says
You are all going to love being home together!! Can’t wait to see your guest room/ office make over. Where were you when I needed you a few months ago!:) I found my alve corner workstation at ikea but still working out where to put filing cabinets.
Good Luck
Dani McFarland says
Just elated for the two of you and this big decision! Great to see a young couple put family first. As a sahm of two, I would definitely recommend allowing each other time away to re-fuel. Take best care.
Silvia says
hey John & Sherry
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your blog!
Right now I work a lot at home (writing papers and assignments for college), and i think it’s important to plan breaks.
Another thing that helped me is that I said I’m done by 6 and I normally don’t work on weekends (that propably doesn’t apply for you :) ), so I knew I had to be done with everything at 6 o’clock. It helped me work more efficiently. But I suppose you have your own strategies to cope with your work! :)
keep the thing going, you’re doing fantastic!
greeting from Switzerland
Silvia
Jil says
Congratulations! You are making one of the best decisions of your life by staying home with your family. I recently also just made that decision and I have never regretted it for one second. I cannot wait to see you playroom/office! I absolutely love your website and am so happy that you will be continuing your blog! Congratulations again!
Sara says
Wooooo hooo! I wondered if this day would ever come! I’m so happy for you two! That means lots of love for Baby P and more love for the blog! We all win! It is my dream to one day work for home so whenever someone else accomplishes that goal I get excited to know that it can happen!
vicki says
Daybed/trundle bed!!! will be perfect!! Can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve!! I too need to do a re-do of my guest room so I will patiently wait!
natasha says
If anyone can handle all the changes with grace and tenacity it’s you two! You never fail to amaze! It’s such an inspiration to see people committed to what’s important to them and making dreams come true! Your passion is such a motivation for me to keep pushing forward towards my own dreams and goals!
Elaine K says
This sounds like a great plan–for all 3 of you and for all of your readers, too!
Jill says
Congrats! So happy for you guys. I stay at home 95% of the time with my one year old all while running a boutique (we’re only open 5 days a month). It is so rewarding to be able to have a career and care for the little people (& pooches) your life. Making the room a play room also is wonderful so you can keep one eye on her and one on the computer. I would do a desk (maybe square)so that you can face eachother while you work/brainstorm. I think Ana had a design for a neat one on her site. Good Luck – you’ll love it!!
Christine says
This is fabulous! As a stay-at-home mom, I can only salute you guys for your decision. You’ll rock at it.
chacha says
Wow! That’s great that you have the means to do this. Testament to the creativity of both of you that you parlayed the original blog into a viable career/source of income. :o)
Briony says
Congrats you two!
stylefyles says
I can’t wait to see how the guest room to office turns out! You have a lot of requirements, but I’m sure you’ll make it work. How lucky are the two of you to both be able to work from home and stay with your baby….all the best and looking forward to some great changes!
Molly says
Congrats to you, John! :) Woo-hoo! Seriously, you two AMAZE me. You are beyond mature, and you really are a positive influence on your readers. Thank you!!!
Lauren @ chezerbey says
Great news! This seems to be the trend these days, at least in the design/media world (or maybe it’s becoming a generational thing?). Many of my friends are doing their own thing from home (either because they were laid off or it’s more financially feasible to work from home than work full time *and* pay for childcare). In any case, everyone I know is loving the work-life balance that if affords. Glad to hear that there are affordable health care options too…I think this is what keeps a lot of people from taking the plunge.
Emily says
I am so happy for you guys! You are both awesome, little girl of yours is going to be so lucky to have both of her parents home with her. I can’t wait to see how the blog evolves. I read YHL every day :)
P.S. I am sure Burger is going to love having you both home everyday, too!
Christine Schwalm Design says
Congrats! If any couple can thrive with this arrangement, I think it’s you 2. And John’s advertising background will be very helpful in growing your site even more. Best of luck!
laura says
So how do you get an income? and how is it reliable?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura,
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! And thanks to squirreling away a year’s worth of expenses leading up to this big business decision we have a nice little cushion to fall back on should anything crazy happen to take away from our blog income. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Dusa says
Congratulations! I admit, I was selfishly wondering what would happen to my happy-start-the-workday reading of YHL when La Beanette arrives: would there be a new post waiting for me or would I have to wait…and wait…
Question answered and all is right with the world.
Krystol says
That’s great! Can’t wait to see all of the big changes ahead.
lauren says
I just came across your blog the other day and could NOT stop reading! I instantly fell in love with your house, your story and of course, your dog. What exciting news that my new favorite blog is only getting better and better. I am so excited to find inspiration from the two of you, and squeeze it into my studio in nyc!
Katherine says
So excited for you! That’s so great that you can both stay home and blog and watch your little girl grow up and do what you love! I know blogging is a ton of work and really appreciate all the effort and research you put into it. Best wishes to both of you.
I’m looking forward to watching the transformation. Our basement needs to perform all 3 functions as well so I’ll be watching closely. :)
Jessica says
I’m so thrilled for you both. Reading this post brought tears to my eyes because it’s such a fantastic thing to be able to do what you love AND be there for your children. I’m sure you’ll face the inevitable challenges of both being at home, but the rewards are SO worth it. I’ve been loving your blog for a little while now, and I can’t wait to see how parenthood factors in to all this Young House Love. Not to mention a fun new room redo! Thanks for all you do.
Jen says
Congrats to you two! I’d love to be able to say goodbye to my boring job and do the same thing. I hope it works out for you all (I’m sure it will) and maybe someday I can do something like this too!
And I love your blog by the way–I just found it a few weeks ago and told a friend, who told more friends, etc., so hopefully you got some more faithful readers. Congrats again!!
lindsey b. says
congrats! you guys will LOVE being home together. soak up every minute with your tiny one you can, and don’t feel guilty for a minute. they grow so insanely fast. and don’t feel bad either if you take turns blogging in peace instead of watching elmo for the eleventy billionth time. i would love to work out the full-time blogger thing one day {i have a crafty/diy blog]… you guys are an inspiration!
Jeanettec says
Congrats on the new job, John! You guys are SO lucky and BLESSED! I envy you. Enjoy it!
olivea says
What an awesome opportunity for your family/blog! Congratulations!
Karin says
Good luck with all the coming changes. Working at home with a small baby isn’t terrible, but it is hard to focus. A good baby swing and later a good play area can help buy you some time, but admittedly,it took me quite a while to get back to working “productively” at home. I found that showering a dressing in the morning kept me a little more on task and feeling more like a put-together-work-at-home -new-parent. And one of the best things I found to help was another new parent to “swap” hours with. The other new mom would come to my home with her nursling and stay downstairs in the house with my new baby, in order to let me have a few hours of time to work, and then I would go to her house and do the same for her. If you can find someone (good places to look are at library story time, through other friends, daddy and me classes) that could be a great way to get a little focused time without adding another expense or shipping the baby off to someone else’s place.
Ali says
Congratulations! and how wonderful to be able to at home with Baby P :)
Kristi says
Congratulations! I stumbled upon your blog a few weeks ago and I’m so glad I did. I’m in the process of purchasing my second home for my daughter and me. As a single parent, I need great, budget-friendly decorating and house-reno ideas and your blog has definitely given me some things to think about.
I will also have an office/guest bedroom in the new house. I’m a part-time freelance writer and a court reporting student so I need my own space. Can’t wait to see your new room. Best of luck to both of you.
Katie says
Congratulations!!! What a dream come true!!!
Lesley H says
So so happy for all of you. What a testiment to your success too that you can both be at home. Huge congrats.