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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Hi! I am from Puerto Rico, and I love to read your blog! I have three kids, and the oldest one (he is 3 years old) loves to see your blog with me because he thinks that you are Lauren from the Hi5 Australia program!! Love the mood boards also, thank for sharing all of this with us!
Our home just generally needs some decorating. We’ve been here 12 months but with a 2yo, 3yo and now twins on the way we haven’t been able to put our stamp on things yet. I can’t wait to have some time (ha!) to start painting and decorating!
Hi John and Sherry!
I am one of your overseas readers (Greece). In the question “My dream home makeover scenario is” I answered “other” which means that I have to elaborate a little here.
The most common house in Greece is a 850 to 1000 sq feet apartment. I just happen to own one with a great view to the sea. BUT! I would give anything to own a house of my own and not a fraction of an apartment block.
I love gardening and having only a relatively small balcony is very frustrating for me. The only problem is that a house with its own garden cost more than 700,000$!
I maintain a blog in Greek (please don’t use the translator again ;-)) in which I write about my efforts in raising my children and anything that comes to mind.
But enough about me already!
Wow – your blogiversary week has been explosive! Good luck as you search for a new place to call home. I hope the new owners will look after it as much as you have. Maybe you could do a little drive-by (viewing not shooting!) to see how they are keeping the place up? hehe
As for this blog reader, I’m still in the twenty something category, but next year I will be in the thirty something category. Formerly of Sydney, Australia but now living in a more affordable city with my wonderful husband and active toddler daughter. I have a penchant for red shoes, Ikea and writing long comments on your blog.
Keep up the good work. What I love most about YHL are your budget style and organising ideas and the professional way you run your blog business and interact with readers. Thanks and enjoy a piece of blogiversary cake!
YAY for surveys! But oh how it makes me realize how quickly I`m approaching that 30-something category! :P
Wanted to say hi to lovely couple (I actually might have already; I havta start keeping tract of this stuff!); I`m a new to the blogging world gal, and have been gaining inspiration from you and yours for some time now, so THANKS are in order! I too am a lover of my own and others’ abodes, so you’re right up my alley!
Congrats on your blog’s anniversary! Have a look way back at your beginnings for a nice nostalgic smile; this is something I can’t wait to be able to do!
xo,
Vikki
Looks like am the only reader from India? :) just got married and looking for an ideal home to set it up– I can’t do the ripping apart kind but looking forward to the shopping and putting them together. I showed your blog to my husband the other day and he loves it too :)
Love your blog and all your fabulous ideas! Thanks for sharing!
And I also read your blog because I think you guys are really nice people :) it just makes me feel better even when I have a bad day. Btw, I’m not 30 something…just turned 30 a month ago :p but had to click the 30 something button. I’m a PhD scholar, loves traveling and live in San Francisco for 3 months a year….if I ever come to Richmond I’ll invite myself into your house :p :p
Congratulations on your 3rd blogiversary! Seriously you guys are amazing, I love reading your blog xx louise
as i write this comment, i am one of your 49 readers from asia. i am absolutely in love with your blog, and eight years after my parents migrated to the united states and basically left me with the house i grew up in, i’ve taken steps to make it my own. i don’t think i would have done that had it not been for the constant inspiration you guys provide.
that said, i can’t wait till you guys get a new home and start decorating once more.
I found your blog while in search of my very first home. Your amazing ideas have helped me take the space from empty to charming in mere months. I still have SEVERAL rooms to go (living, dining, 2 bedrooms an office) and love the creative challenge.
I am not a handy person (nor is my husband)… So thanks for giving us the tools AND the encouragement to try ;)
Hey guys! LOVE your blog! We bought our first home last year and have been working on it ever since! Our most recent project was a complete overhaul (I mean down to the studs) of a bedroom which will be the baby’s nursery! We are expecting our first little one in about 8 weeks!! :) I should send some pics of the process… it was a 6 month process… but we couldn’t be happier with the end result! Thanks for all the great inspiration!!! :) Happy blogging!
Also glad to be a part of the 2% of male readers. And I don’t just come here for the awesome DIY hardware stuff. My girlfriend and I are huge fans. Keep up the good work.
I selected no children—but we have one on the way! Due in March and I’ve been reading and rereading your blogs on Clara as our goal is to be “simple”!
Your blog was a major inspiration to me when I bought my first home. I have a brick ranch like yours and it’s been so fun remodeling it, which as you know, painting the bricks for my laundry room was an idea I borrowed from you. :)
I would love to transform my yard into a beautiful outdoor living area. My next big project will to be turning my deck into a screened room. I don’t get to enjoy the outdoors year ’round like I did in Florida, but I’m looking into getting a vacation home farther south, which will give me more house projects to work on. Thanks for all of your inspiration.
Hi Youngsters! I’m married with a 1yr old and a new home. Next month I’ll be in the 30-something catagory…and I hear those are the best days of life :) Found you by googling ‘window treatments’ (we have a 21′ wide picture window and didn’t want to break the bank on hardware and treatments) and have been following ever since!
We are DIY’n all over the house from pouring our own concrete countertops with bullnose edging on my new cabinets (eek!) to building furniture after you introduced us to Ana White…big thanks! (and blogging about it at http://www.diy-my-home.com)
Can’t wait to follow you on your new home adventure.
My friend introduced me to your site back in March, which was great timing because my husband and I had just bought our first home–a foreclosure we got for a steal, but needs a TON of TLC. You guys have been such an encouragement for me, especially during the days(and sometimes weeks) that we feel like our labors are going nowhere and that light will never even begin to appear at the end of the tunnel. It’s good to have somewhere to turn to for advice and inspiration, especially since we don’t have many friends around us who can relate in the DIY world.
Also, a HUGE thank-you is in order for your tip about the Premium XL 2″ Tight Spots trim brush. That little guy has become my best friend, and I can’t imagine life without him now ;)
In response to the home reno question, I chose other because while I don’t want the ENTIRE house redone (we have all new hardwood floors and a remodeled kitchen), I WOULD love an addition. This 1400 sq foot house didn’t seem so small when it was just my husband and me. Now we have a 15 month old and another on the way. And two cats. EEEE!! And addition (and a fenced in backyard. and a new, horseshoe driveway) would be so so so fabulous. :)
For the redo question…I actually love my house however, the basement needs help!
In addition to the home reno question, I would also like to add a bedroom makeover. My husband and I just moved into a 110 year old house which has been completely redone and restored. The upstairs attic was converted into a master suite and has a ton of space, great bathroom and high ceilings with lots of angles. And we have NO IDEA what to do with all that bedroom space. The walls kind of flow into the ceiling’s angles and there’s an open(ish)stairway going down to the rest of the house. There are a total of three nooks with windows that we have no idea what to do with, two great closets, and nothing except a bed, dresser and clothes hanging in our closets! Its all the standard contractor “neutral” paint scheme, white baseboards and doors with a tan-greyish paint color. We’re wanting drama, of course! Just no idea how to get there.
Hello from Spain! I love reading your blog, it is so inspiring, you have great ideas to decor a house, and also I can practise my english! I live in a flat in Madrid, but I dream with an old house in the countryside with a big garden, so I could grow all the plants I love… Someday!
Is the poll closed today or have I missed something obvious that will enable me to respond? Love the blog; visit almost every day. Thanks!
Hey Rebecca,
So sorry you’re having an issue! If someone else on your IP address (if you’re in an office building or a library for example) has taken the poll it would keep you from taking it (the polling software only allows one vote per IP addy to keep someone from voting a ton of times in a row). So maybe that’s it? Someone also recommended clicking into the actual post (like you do to comment) and trying to vote on that page. Hope it works for ya!
xo,
s
I LOVE your blog! Kisses from Rio de Janeiro,Brazil!
I have been reading your blog for about a year now. I love it!! You both inspire me to take on projects in my home. I actually just renovated my half bath and based the colors of my new bath on your full bathroom. It came out beautiful!!! And thank you very much for the inspiration!! I wish I could incorporatethe white couches and furniture. But I have three little boys and white scares me with them!!! Lol!!!
first time commenting… i found you guys through a magazine a couple months ago (readymade? real simple?), and i fell in love with young house love. a little over a year ago, i moved into an apartment with my man, and have been slowly changing bits and pieces to suit us. finding young house love has definitely made me want to start working on more projects!
ps- my blog is about my knitting primarily.
I’ve been reading your site for about a year now and I love it! I am not yet a homeowner, but aspire to be someday and am taking great (digital) notes of all the things that are possible. You guys do great work!
My dream make-over scenario is…to be DONE making over! We’re in the middle of a whole house do-it-yourself reno situation and haven’t had a house to live in for three months. The YHL blog inspires us and keeps us positive about everything we’ve undertaken. :)
Stumbled across your blog looking for kitchen ideas and fell in love! I’m one of your Canadian fans, with a baby on the way. Love everything you did in the nursery! You saved me research in finding a good crib. Love Clara’s weekly photoshoot. So glad I found this while still preggers!
I’m a 20 something who’s been loving your blog for over a year now. I tell people about it all the time so they can fall in love with you guys too! I’m currently renting my home so unfortunately I can’t make any renos to it, so I live vicariously through you! I hope to one day turn an outdated house into a awesome home like you guys did. I actually got into reading blogs because of YHL and I even started my own (although it’s not anywhere near as interesting). I especially like it when you guys feature Clara and Burger. They are so sweet! Happy Blogiversary!
I am planning to send you an email about the decoration details that I copied from your house :P Or just inspried. I hope I’ll have the time.
Congrats on writing such a witty, enjoyable, useful blog. Its apparent from the number of readers you two have.
Homemakeover:tricky because I would love a kitchen upgrade, knockout and build a new wall in the laundry room, and could use a few new furniture items. Guess we all have our wishlists and stars we are wishing on. Perhaps with some elbow grease, tips from your site and building from ana-white.com we can make it happen.
Happy blogiversary! I am a 20-something single female homeowner in the Los Angeles area. I’m also the owner of two adorable chihuahuas, so naturally a huge fan of YHL. My dream makeover scenario would be a an exterior paint job and new garage door (sigh). I’ve pretty much been able to diy everything inside my house (with help from dad) so far.
Hey Sherry and John! I stumbled upon your blog a few weeks ago and I have been eating it up every since! I have never considered myself a great “decorator” but with a little help from my very chic friend and blogs like yours, I am learning to get creative and not be afraid to try DIY projects. My husband and I just bought our first home, in Lynchburg, VA (not too far from you all) and its a little brick ranch (sorta likes yours!). We have been working hard to turn it into our “dream” home. Perhaps I’ll send you some photos of our kitchen and living room redo!
I’m too late for the poll!!! I could have added one person from Central America to your totals. Happy Anniversary (blogiversary?) and keep up the good work.
Hey Linda,
We didn’t turn the poll off or anything (people are still weighing in) so we’re sad it’s not working for you! Maybe try clicking on that actual post and then taking the poll instead of trying to take it when you’re scrolling through all the other posts. You know, by clicking on the title or the comment bubble. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I’m a 20-something living with my fiance, our roommate, and one crazy fur-kid in a rental house in Oklahoma. The location of our rental couldn’t be better, but the house itself is far from perfect and our landlord’s price tag is a bit beyond our budget (she’s been trying to sell to us since we moved in 2 years ago). So I cannot wait to find our first fixer-upper and finally have a place to call our own. I’m so looking forward to diving in and not having any restrictions about what we can and can’t change. I also can’t wait to get married next summer, lose our roommate (good friend, but he snores on the couch!), and maybe adopt another puppy or two. I’m excited to see your new digs, and follow along with you starting from scratch! I’ll definitely be checking your blog often for tips and inspiration when we finally find our first place.
I seriously LOVE your blog! Every morning, and many evenings, I have to stop by your page to check for updates :-) You guys are awesome, and an inspiration! I’m a 20-something who is married to a Navy Seabee, so I live in military housing, and I’m always looking for ways to make our house feel more home-y! Your blog has definitely helped with that! :-)
Hi Sherry and John. I’m a young 30-something from NYC now living in Laurel, MD. I’m married, have two kids and no pets (we had a fish named Gary who died a few years ago). I found your blog when we bought our house a little over a year ago and it inspired me to do some DIY-ing of my own. I’ve even started a little blog of my own called Crazy Creative – you guys just seem to be having so much fun doing it so I thought I’d give it a whirl! Thanks for the inspiration, the tips, valueable information and of course the entertainment of your everyday lives. ;) ~Jazz
I wouldn’t so much change anything about the house itself. We love the setup (that’s why we bought it) – but I would make it cleaner (oh for a little free time) and more organized/put together. It’s always nice when I get a few moments to do that!
Hi John, Sherry, Clara, and Burger too!!
I’m 26-years-old, I live in NC and I have lived alone for over 3 years now in a home built back in 1926 that sits on 2 acres – complete with barns and HUGE trees in the yard! My house was completely re-modeled by the previous owners about 15 years ago and I have slowly made it my own. I love my adorable little white house so much that I’m getting married in the backyard tomorrow at {i have a big grin on my face right now in antcipation of this event}!!!!! I discovered your blog a little over a year ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. I look forward to the end of the day when I can sit down and browse all my favorite blogs and fill myself with inspirition – and a new project or two! You guys keep up the fantastic work – now I’ve got to go pack my bags for the honeymoon!!! :)
How interesting! We’ve done over most of our house, but I’d love some new (or new to us) furniture…
Hey guys!! Since I’m a huge dork, I like to keep track of all the things I have in common with you (as if we’re best friends, right??)
1) We both have new baby girls (mine is 21 weeks – as seen in my ruthlessly stolen Photoshopped onesies pics – such a great idea!) Lilah also has a 2-year-old big brother, but he’s not an eight-pound chihuahua… although he sometimes sounds like one.
2) Clara was my top baby name pick, but got shot down by my mom (at least I got Claire as her middle name!)
3) Clara was born on my due date (can I tell you about the dork dance I did when I discovered that? It’s just a due date, people.)
4) I was a band nerd in high school (well, in college too) and was student director. So excited to hear John played french horn! I actually took 6 months of horn lessons. It’s a freakin’ hard instrument!
5) I have a slipcovered tan couch identical to the one in your den, plus those tan/brown circle pillows from Target (before you got the cute Dwell ones.) Oh yeah, and those seen-everywhere botanical Ikea prints. Love those. When I saw them on Bower Power too, I did another dork dance.
6) I now have a shadowbox of old keys (thanks – I actually have the key of the practice room where my husband and I first kissed in college!!) Oh yeah, not to mention a quotes calendar (thanks again! Although, since I wanted mine bigger, I had to redesign it from scratch – which was seriously gratifying!) And since I’ve blogged about those projects, my friends are making them too. It’s the circle of life.
7) I don’t have a graphic arts degree, but I have designed my own blog (and others!) So kudos to John for designing YHL. You guys are seriously talented!
8) Glee rocks!
9) Ok, I’ll stop now. : )
10) Sorry, it kind of bothered me to stop with just 9.
Heather in WA
Wow, it’s like we’re sisters from another mister. I love that you couldn’t stop at nine.
xo,
s
Hey-O!
I found it fun I was in the 1% group of your living-in-Asia readers! My hubby and I are living in South Korea right now in a teeny tiny little rented apartment (288 sq feet to be exact!) Come December, we’re making the big move to Italy! Hooray! Anyways I just wanted to say thank you for 1) giving me some truly inspiring ideas for our home and 2) reminding me that even small and tiny spaces can still look neat and organized. While it’s very difficult to do much with our Korean home, I fantasize about all sorts of YHL designs for our Italy house. And thanks for also including ideas for all of us renters out there! While I would definitely like to tear out about every piece of built in cabinet space we have, your ideas have really helped me convert our tiny space into a real home.
And know that if you ever make it over to Europe, you can come house crash our place anytime! Haha!
Congratulations on your blogiversary, and I wish you the best in selling your home and searching for a new one!
~Corrie
Okay, I need to change one of my answers…..we bought our first house yesterday!!! (OMG!)Still in shock :)
That’s so exciting!!! All the best with your new casa!
xo,
s
Well, I voted “Other” on the dream home makeover question, and the reason for that is cuz my hubby and I are still apartment dwellers after two years of marriage.. :) So, my dream makeover would have to involve having a house first! But we work long, long days (well, actually we work nights) and are doing our best to get some things paid off before buying a house. Besides that, we really don’t like the high desert-area (read: Reno, NV) and we’re afraid of getting stuck here. So we’ve been shying away from the housing market..for now :)
My dream home makeover scenario is:
A family room addition (behind the also made-over garage, on top of which would be extra space for our second floor) And a front porch!
A bit ambitious yes, but still a dream!
We already completely gutted our main floor and refinished (incl. bathroom + kitchen) and made the low ceilings of our half storey, a spacious 3/4 storey, converting a former small and dark two bedrooms into an airy 3 bedrooms + 1/2 bath. And then added a deck off our main floor dining area.
WOO RENOS!
Hi,
Well my dream home makeover scenario is to first have a ‘dream home’. My hubby and I have been married 1 1/2 years but were both volunteers for 3 years before we got married so we started off with no money.We live in his country which is French speaking so it is really hard for me especially with finding work,but things in general in this country are not easy. We currently rent and it is unfortunately not an option to buy.
But I dream…everyday…and I’m always checking out house blogs and sites so one day (yes,I have hope) I will have the ideas to decorate my own home :)
Hello, been reading for a while but not really commented before. I live in the UK with my gf and pointer-puppy. We bought the house we were renting earlier this year and now we’re in the process of drawing up plans to knock half of it down and put in a fab kitchen/diner, master suite and living room as well as doing up the rest of the place. It’s scary and exciting all in one! I love reading your blog, and I definitely need to recommend you to friends who are so like you guys it’s untrue – little kids, build their own stuff etc though they are more engineering than creative like you are.
Anyway, great blog, and good luck with the new place.
Wow. I’m amazed that the gender balance is 98-2.
You make me want a little house of my own so badly… really anything to give a little stability and which will let me paint the walls and rip up the carpets. This is my last year of college, during which time I will have lived in 3 cities and 2 continents.