Blogiversary III: The Y-O-U In Y-H-L?
As much as blogiversary week is an exercise in narcissism for us, we still like to carve out some time to talk about you guys. More specifically to ask you guys to talk about yourselves.
At the end of Year #1 we surveryed you and summarized the 199 responses. Last year we did it again, though the 1000+ comments proved too overwhelming to sort and calculate. So this year we’re breaking out the polling plug-in that we use on our Burning Questions to not only ask the questions, but also let you guys see some real time data as others weight in. Because surely I’m not the only numbers dork out there. Right? Anyone?
We’re only asking the basics this year since I can’t figure out how to make the plug-in allow for open-ended responses (and we figured questions with a million multiple-choice selections was overkill). But once you’ve clicked the buttons below feel free to comment to elaborate on the subject of who you are, leave a link to your blog, or tell us anything else about yourselves that you’d love to share. We can’t wait to learn a little bit more about who the heck we’re writing to each day! Let the polling festivities commence.
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FYI, the question “I’ve got… check all that apply” won’t let you check more than one.
: )
jill
The I’ve got… is only allowing me to check one.
I’d love a new deck and a landscaping overhaul.
the third one, I’ve got…only lets you select one, although it says check all that apply! ;)
I live in a sh**hole, and love living vicariously through you two, filing ideas away in my brain for when I get back into a place I can terrorize with remodeling projects. Keep up the great work!!
The question marked “Check all that apply” would only let me submit one answer. Is it my computer not allowing that, or something on your end?
Thanks guys! Fixed!
xo,
s
to expand on the question of what i would like to do to my house….i would like to OWN one someday. my husband and i have been renting now for 10 years and i can not wait to buy a house that we can slowly over the years turn into OUR house. i am so excited for the day when we get to actually use some of your tutorials to change up our kitchen, or update a bathroom, or expand a smallish room into a huge storage closet! oh the possibilities! someday… right now we are living in south florida on a teachers salary…enough said right? hahaha but we are still hoping and staying positive. in the mean time i dream away by reading your site and i do little projects here and there to help make our rental feel more like a home. thanks for what you do. and fyi i would do the same thing you guys are if i ran out of projects… the idea of taking another drab to fab would be too much of a temptation! happy hunting!
We just bought our first house, moving in in 3 weeks. I think reading your blog has given me the guts to go from renting to buying. (Our rent is actually MORE than our mortgage payment each month). So now my husband is reading your blog too, so he can visualize what I mean when I say, “Babe, let’s spray paint that giraffe statue.” or “Greta’s room would look SICK with a painted ceiling, too!” Apparently painting a ceiling a color is new territory for him. So, we are happy to join to home-owners club and I am thrilled to have a new blank canvas!
Yay for being a numbers dork! I love surveys, especially when I get to see the results. And my dream home makeover scenario would include my backyard being transformed into an outdoor living room.
Yay, I’m the only Aussie reader (so far from your survey :)). Love your blog. Living through you until we build our next house :)
I currently rent my home, but we plan on buying in the next few years. Can’t wait for that!!!!
I loved this quiz I got to know more about your readers as well… I’m a 20 somthing, home owner, with a love for all things DYI, clean and simple lines… yeah pretty much in love with all things YHL :+)
I am hosting “Project Halloween” on my blog each day I am posting new projects and ideas stop by and check them out :+) http://www.mrs-adventure.com
Hugs,
Rach
… ah, I should have waited till it was fixed! As I had to choose only one, I went with the urge to dance. But I do have a husband and a plant, too. And Europe can be narrowed down to Germany in my case :)
You guys are so incredibly motivating to get this apartment we’re renting fixed up for a big transition that’s taking place today – gulp: My husband quit his job to join me in full-time freelance design work (it was his last day at work today) and this place needs a change to feel fresh and inspiring to us again. We are allowed to paint the walls, so that’s what we’ll do, as well as shifting some furniture, de-cluttering, finding homes for things that are currently just floating around and getting some art up on our walls. Let’s just say – reading your blog has led to some serious planning already, and next week we’ll start off with getting our kitchen outlets ready for a dishwasher and exhaust hood. Hooray! I hope to document some of our progress on my humble blog and might just kick it of with a hymn about this site of yours:
http://johannahoerrmann.tumblr.com
Have a great day!
Like Gina M., I’m experiencing the world of home-ownership through you guys’ blog. My husband and I currently live in a little apartment, which we love, but it doesn’t allow for much freedom when it comes to DIY overhauls. But it’s fun trying out new decor and dreaming about the day we’ll have a house of our own. Until then, thanks for letting us (virtually) enjoy and learn through your experiences!
I started reading a few months ago, seriously the week I found out we would be moving out of our condo and into our new house! I love having all the space but the house is so outdated and in need to TLC. Reading and referring to your projects has helped make things a little easier to accomplish. One project at a time! Thanks for all the time you spend on these posts! I use your advice and inspiration constantly.
After answering each question, I realized that I fit into the total norm of each question. Way to make me feel average!
:)
I would love to rip up the carpet in the bedrooms (the only carpeted part of the house) and replace it with bamboo flooring. I’d like to better insulate the attic and replace the windows, and I’d my backyard to be landscaped and then visited frequently by gardening gnomes who would maintain it for me. Oooh, and a patio makeover!
After seeing your painted cabinets, I bravely painted mine. I have fixed room after room at my house, one at a time and am currently in the process of replacing some furniture (see you later old, saggy couch). My dream makeover scenario is to tie up the loose ends – paint a couple of rooms, hang a few pieces of art, then put my feet up and enjoy. No need for big overhauls or renovations – just a little paint and a few accessories.
Now if you want to talk about the yard? That’s a whole other ballgame… :P
I don’t have a dream makeover, i have a dream build. We are saving money to build a self sustaining home ;). Plan on not going into debt to build it too!
Other: We just need a bigger space to accommodate our *hopefully soon* growing family, and maybe a few new pieces of furniture & decor that did not survive our pooches unscathed. :)
FYI, I am writing from Munich-here´s the proof; ö (an o with an umlaut).
Here is my explanation with regard to the last question:
We are about to embark on a big renovation for our 1800 sq ft condo. First, all the wood windows will be replaced with high end aluminum low E glass windows. Love the wood windows but we live three blocks from the ocean and those babies are chewed up by wood rot and termites. And since we currently have single pane glass that sucks in the sunlight, this is a great change for our electric bills and the environment as well.
Second, the kitchen and master bath will be almost totally re-done with new flooring, new appliances, refaced cabinets, etc. We’re also opening a wall between our dining room and kitchen.
Third, new solid hardwood floors and new carpeting in the bedrooms.
All of these changes were a long time coming, and though I’m definitely not looking forward to the time it will take to finish them, I cannot wait until they’re done!
My husband and I have just our tiny little condo… and we are bursting at the seams! Unfortunately the market in my area is horrible so we aren’t even considering moving until that goes up at least a little! In the mean time, I daydream about all the things I WOULD do if I owned a home… and then I come here to live vicariously through you! I blog about my own home improvements… but mine all seem so small and insignificant compared the things I see you do! Someday though… someday I’ll have a big house and then I’ll REALLY have some fun!
I’m engaged to a numbers dork! I bought him a T-shirt (which he proudly wears) that says “Chicks dig nerds”. My dream makeover scenario would somehow make big closets out of tiny closets, and spacious bathrooms instead of the cramped “honey goldenrod” colored 70′s bathroom that I currently have. But this is the downside of owning an older home. Otherwise, I love my house & you guys inspire me daily @YHL.
Hey Renee,
John has a shirt that says “talk nerdy to me.” Haha.
xo,
s
I just can’t wait to see where you move next!!! And what you then do…Janell
I’m loving your blog! I’m pretty new to reading, but I’m checking you out daily (ok really, multiple times per day when I catch a break at work) to read what’s current and backtrack through your older posts. I wish I had your skills! I have no good vision for my house, and since my husband and I are po’ church workin’ folks, we have the smallest of budgets to do updates. But… we persevere. We’re half way through a bathroom remodel currently but my biggest goal right now is new living room furniture. I WILL find a way. My husband is eeked out at the idea of anything from craigslist, so I’m limited w/what direction I can go with this goal, but your blog definitely gets my brain going and I’m sure I’ll come up w/a solution. Thanks for your blog. Thanks for being awesome.
My dream scenario is to have Extreme Home Makeover come in with a bulldozer and change my home from 1810 to 2010! Oh the possibilities are endless when you are starting from the ground!
We just moved into a brand new (just built) home – so we are blessed with nothing outdated. But it is EMPTY and void of any personalization. we’ve been renting for 6 years so tried to keep or “stuff” to a minimum.
So i would like a furniture/accessories,/organizational overhaul. We have several boxes of stuff that we feel we need to keep, but no where to put it. I need a professional organizer or something – mainly for my office/craft/guest room.
You guys are helping me not feel so overwhelmed and i”m slowly getting to guts to start tackling this crazy mess. :)
Thanks!
My husband and I own a townhouse a mile from the beach in San Diego and other than a few DYI projects (like refinishing all the cabinets in the entire house and painting every single wall), we’re at a standstill…until your blog. He’s going back to school to get his master’s so I’m taking this opportunity to fill my evenings and weekends with home projects to keep busy! Thanks for the constant inspiration.
http://thelonelywifeproject.wordpress.com/
My hubby and I have been living in our home for almost 2 years. I never documented the changes we been making (and there is alot!) until I found your blog. Now I am working on my own blog (form2form.wordpress.com) to keep up with all the changes we make. Its fun to look back and see how things have evolved. Congrats on Three Years.
I live in a home that “we” built three years ago in River Falls, Wisconsin with my husband of eight years, my two-year old son Gavin, a golden retriever named Drake, and a cat named Moses. I love my home, but I would like my basement finally finished and I’d love some new living room furniture and a different dining room table. What I would REALLY love is a deck and a big stone patio!
My dream home makeover would be to change my answer from “rent” to “own”! One day … :)
I can’t wait to see the results on these ones!
Wow, you’re up to 13 male readers! John has some company finally ;)
Ooooh, I love being able to see where all of your readers are from. Very cool!
I currently own two homes; my first one, a one bedroom, one bathroom, 512sq. foot ADORABLE cabin, and a 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage, brand new ranch style with NO character to be found anywhere! With our powers combined, I believe I can max out their potential. So glad I stumbled upon you!!
THANK YOU!!!
I love that a majority of your readers are 20 somes!!
Love you guys!! And polls :)
Though I was sad to see you were moving, I’m excited to see what new projects you guys tackle in 2011 with a new house! I am finishing my last year of nursing school and when I start working, my husband and I would love to buy some land and build a house. I’ve had a house plan saved in my favorites for about a year and a half, just waiting patiently for us to order it! I’m definitely interested in seeing how you get your house ready to sale.
Allow me to explain…. we moved into a house owned by my parents last October and we remodeled the whole thing, brand new kitchen and bathroom down to the studs, new paint, all new flooring. We did it all for a little over $10,000.00. Talk about sweat equity!!!! SO for now I feel content, but I would like to add on to the “master bedroom” if you can even call it that, and add on another bathroom. After that I would say it was our forever home. But you guys know all to well that can change!
Wow. Never have I ever felt more typical. For every single question, I had the most common answer! ;)
But I suppose that just means I’m in excellent company.
Oh the house. The house, the house, the house. My house is a test of patience, talent and budgeting. We bought it 3 years ago with 4 ft high grass, a fallen in above ground pool (which was ingeniously [sarcasm] placed into a 3 ft hole). Add in tires, an old satellite dish – placed in a 6 ft hold of concrete, and a whole lot of work. Thankfully my incredible boyfriend (now fiance) is an absolutely ridiculously talented guy. He works in construction for a living, does finished carpentry, can fix anything and has a work ethic like no other. After three years I can tout a beautiful yard (more landscaping is still coming), a three foot deep pool wide bonfire pit (okay, we are filling that in), a gorgeous garden, a couple tractors (they’ve been invaluable) and an absolutely stunning hand dipped shingled garage that was dipped and built by the only and only Fiance. The house however is still…charming. Is that the word? Our garage is about 500x nicer than the house, by far, but it’s been worth it. Next year after the wedding comes the big house renovation. Tearing down walls and adding an addition on – and finally getting my breakfast nook with big windows to over look our gorgeous hay field. Someday I’ll have my cherry and douglas fir kitchen, but for now – I’d take a real floor in my living room. :)
My dream home makeover would be moving somewhere bigger. As we live in a townhouse, we can’t really knock down walls and expand rooms. We’ve lived there longer than I ever anticipated living and I dream of a house with a yard and a basement!
I am a bit of a numbers dork as well (comes with being an engineer.
For our house “My dream home makeover scenario is” a combo of new furniture and decor. Our house has great bones, but there is a lot of space and it is taking time (as I am sure you know) to fill it up with things we love. The kitchen is pretty new, just not our style so it just needs a mini-makeover to take it out of Christmas country.
Hey Youngsters!
Thanks for creating such a fabulous resource! I’m a single gal in my 20s and just bought my first home! It has definitely been a lot of trial & error, DIY then re-DIY. Knowing that I have your site as a resource has given me a lot more confidence to tackle more projects around the house to create the desired functional and comfy place I want to call home. Keep up the great work and good luck with the house search!
-Christina
http://www.chachcasa.blogspot.com
Way back when, about 2 years ago, I started reading your blog and it helped me realize the potential in renovating a home that has loads of “charm” but also needed lots of tlc.
About 10 months ago we bought a house and now I spend almost all my free time renovating, thinking about renovating, and documenting the renovating!
Today is a day off of work and as I type this I have primer all over my hands. So happy for you guys taking on a new house. Looking forward to seeing all the new projects that await :)
Ditto on wanting to OWN a house and then overhaul it!
I was shocked to see you didn’t have a question asking your readers how many times a day they creep on your site. Hello, my name is Brooke and I’m a YHL-aholic. ;) And proud of it…hehe.
My dream home makeover would be to finish our basement! We hope to do some of the work ourselves to save money but we first need to have the money to pay the professionals to get started.
Happy 3 Years! I’ve been around the YHL blog for at least a year now and I just want to say thank you for providing so much inspiration each week.
I’m thrilled to see you tackle a new home. My heart broke a tiny bit when I saw your for sale sign, but immediately got excited to see what your future projects will be. Thank you for sharing your lives with us!
- Emily (Drexel Hill, PA, USA)
Owner + Designer at Timeless Paper
A kitchen makeover is what I crave most, but re-landscaping the whole front yard and back yard is a very close second!
I am expanding upon the makeover scenario question. I am constantly looking for more ways to personalize our home and its contents, something I think you guys do a great job with.
I’m anxious to see how your house hunting goes! I am constantly fantasizing about our future homes and was always skeptical whenever you wrote “forever house”. Not that I didn’t believe you but, I figured you guys would eventually outgrow your adorable place. I often spend hours looking at homes for sale on realtor.com in cities that I love or have never even been to but want to visit. Richmond is always on my list since my parents bought their first home there. Enjoy and I will enjoy living vicariously.
I’m OCD and wanted to make sure you had the facts for this little poll dealy. I said I have a significant other and no spouse but I’m engaged! EEEK! Getting married in march! We used your save the date idea and everyone just DIED over it :) Love! Thanks so much! I also put home owner, but I don’t get billed with mortgage payments (thank god since I”m a full time student!) my fiance does. Figured those two were close enough :p