Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

  • Shop Our Houses
    • Our Current House
    • Our Richmond House
    • Our Beach House
    • Our Duplex
  • Before & Afters
    • Our Current House
    • Our Previous House
    • Our Beach House
    • Our Duplex
    • Our First House
    • Our Second House
    • Our Showhouse
  • DIY & Decorating Tips
    • Most Popular
    • Home Improvement
    • Painting
    • Cleaning & Organizing
    • Crafting & Art
    • More . . .
  • Painting Projects
  • Plants Guides
  • Shop
    • Our Fav Home Finds
    • Our Lighting Line
    • Our Books
    • Book Club Picks
    • Black-Owned Businesses

Young House Love » Blogging » 2013 Resolutions…

| By Sherry Petersik | January 3, 2013 | 332 Comments

2013 Resolutions…

Psst- Thanks SO MUCH for the love with our little announcement this morning guys. You rock our socks. For reals.

Well, we aren’t going to make 2,013 resolutions, but here are five of them. You guys know that every year we like to broadcast them to the world to light a fire under our arse in the hopes of accomplishing them (you can check out last year’s here, 2011’s here, and 2010’s here). So let’s get cracking…

Res1

#1. Hold On. Let’s just say that for anyone who worries we’ll run out of things to do or rooms to makeover or projects to tackle… this is going to be our busiest year yet. Chock fulla new DIY undertakings. We can’t reveal everything yet (there are some pretty big cats in some pretty big bags) but we can’t wait to free the kitties! So beyond having a ton of untouched spaces to tend to here (like Clara’s big girl room, the front porch, the carport, the guest bathroom, etc) let’s just say we’re not going to stop there. We have some other MAJOR things, and we can’t wait to over-share every detail with you guys. And no Mom, I’m not pregnant.

Res2

#2. Chat Things Up. Without a doubt, you guys put the “you” in Young House Love, and we’ve mentioned that we’d like to work more of “you” into our little DIY diary. We’ve actually heard from a lot of you who’d love to see forums over here as a friendly and helpful way to share photos, advice, ideas, inspiration, and all that good stuff. So we’ve been researching how to get those going without crashing our site or spending hours each day maintaining them. We’d really love to give it a try, so our goal is to focus even more on making that happen in the spring (after we’re done with book tour craziness). Cross your fingers and whisper “no crashies, no crashies, no crashies” (that’s our equivalent to “no whammies”).

Res3

#3. Be Realistic. As much as we like to avoid blog stage fright by pretending that we’re just talking to 10 readers, the truth is that there are a lot more people dropping in. And most sites with over 5 million hits a month tend to be coded, written, and run by a team of people. Meanwhile, we’re just a guy and a gal with a toddler running around who are juggling DIY projects, post writing, an in-progress book tour, site coding, and a bunch of secret-project balls (wait, that sounds wrong). So this resolution is just about reminding ourselves that we’re only two people. Two highly dedicated folks who love what we do, but two people who can’t do the work of ten people, no matter how hard we try. And this year we’re gonna stop beating ourselves up about it.

Since we like our grass roots approach (we have no desire to hire people to answer comments, write posts, or program the site) that means that we need to be as efficient and realistic as possible and stop pressuring ourselves. We’re not HGTV or BHG, we’re John and Sherry from the block blog. And amazingly, you guys tell us that’s a big reason that you like YHL, so it’s about time we embraced it.

Res4

#4. Reclaim Our Lives. This sort of connects to resolution #3, but we’ve publicly struggled with finding balance for a few years now (here, here, here, and here) and answered “how do you do it all?” questions with “we just don’t sleep – maybe we’ll sleep next year.” Well, it’s officially next year, so it would be nice not to be up until 1am finishing projects and writing posts and juggling book stuff along with keeping up with normal things like laundry and cleaning and grocery shopping. We never aspired to be people who work on nights, weekends, and even on vacation (in fact we moved from NYC to Virginia back in 2005 to escape that lifestyle) so the irony isn’t lost on us.

Resolution 4 5 5 Couch

But although many of you chimed in during our blogiversary to say that you’d be happy with one post a day, we aren’t quite ready to scale things back that much, so we’ve decided to go from 8 posts a week down to 7 posts a week (along with 2 more over on Young House Life as usual of course). At the end of the month whenever we glance back at our monthly roundups we’re always surprised at how much we’ve done, and this change shouldn’t affect that very much at all. It mostly means we’ll space out posts like Window Shoppings, House Crashings, Budget Blooms, or Reader Redesigns a bit more so there’s one less of those posts to write, photograph, edit, proofread, and answer questions about each week.

Resolution 4 5 Flowers

Hopefully you won’t notice the shift very much (we think we’ll post twice on Monday, once on Tuesday, twice on Wednesday, once on Thursday, and once on Friday along with two more posts each week over on Young House Life). And that pace will allow us to spend more time brainstorming ideas, actually doing projects, and recharging with the family – three things that add up to happier bloggers, which will hopefully lead to even more thought-out projects and creative ideas. It also means we’re less likely to throw in the blogging towel. We definitely want to play the long game and not burn out since we truly love this strange little career we’ve built, especially when we’re balanced and smart about how we run this little two person ship of ours.

Res5

#5. Be Free. You guys never fail to surprise us by responding to the most random of posts (like this one I wrote about breast feeding and this one John wrote about running). They both got hundreds of comments more than any other DIY related post around it, and they remind us that sharing more than just painting and sawing and gluing and sanding is as fun for you guys as it is for us. Heck, even a random Friday post like this one about five weird things about me elicited over 1,000 comments – and they’re without a doubt the funniest comments on our entire site. Seriously, take ten minutes to scroll through a page or two and I guarantee you’ll be giggling. This blog is our happy place and these spontaneous posts keep it light and fun. And we think blogs that are more stream-of-consciousness than polished-and-perfect are the most fun to read anyway.

So those are our five putting-them-out-there resolutions for the coming year. What are you guys resolving? Any personal ones? Personally I’m resolving to simplify things like crazy (something I’ve said before, but I’m feeling even more determined to master it this year). I have too many gadgets and decorative objects and pillows and gift bags and pens and about a million other things that add up to a whole lotta clutter, so I can’t wait to pare down and attempt to live as simply as John and I did back in NYC when we each had tiny studios without attics and basements to hoard clutter. Less really is more, in so many ways.

More posts from Young House Love

Filed Under: Blogging

Our Lighting Line With Shades Of Light
What We Got Each Other This Christmas

Comments

  1. Cara says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:34 pm

    So excited about the forums! YIPEEEE!

    Reply
  2. Sarah says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:35 pm

    Just wanted to thank you guys for sharing so much of your lives with us on the internets. Your desire to do your best, to persevere when things get tough (cough::cough::deck::cough), and to focus to the positive in life really comes through in all that you do– and it’s infectious! Here’s to embracing your inner dork, giving life your all, and making the world feel a little smaller and more friendly, one blog post at a time. Cheers to 2013! May it be the best one for you guys yet!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:49 pm

      Aw thanks so much Sarah! You’re so sweet.

      xo,
      s

  3. Guylaine says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:36 pm

    You are so right!!! Life is to short to put all your eggs in one basket!!! Less is more. I want to follow you for a long time!!! You are almost like family to us… This is very good resolutions!!!

    Mine: Stop dwell on negative things

    Reply
    • Guylaine says

      January 3, 2013 at 3:38 pm

      negative thought :)

    • Guylaine says

      January 3, 2013 at 3:57 pm

      Ha!!! take some english course!!! what I mean is let the past in the past!!!

  4. Martha says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    I know you don’t want to hire anybody to help with the blog – but what if you “hired” interns? That way you’d get some help, avoid paying “employees,” and still keep it light and fresh? You could interview people for the position, but it might be a fun way to involve readers and potential new bloggers alike! Just a suggestion :-)

    Happy New Year to YHL! Can’t wait to meet all the kitties.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:28 pm

      That could be fun someday! Right now we just love keeping things small and simple (no one else to “manage”) but who knows where we’ll end up!

      xo,
      s

  5. Val says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    Good resolutions! Maybe now that the book is done, you can really, actually, for-real-for-real chill out some. We all totally support that.

    I am hellbent on getting rid of stuff. The amount of just straight-up crap in my house is overwhelming and suffocating. We did a ruthless purge on New Year’s Day while we were both off work and it felt AWESOME.

    Reply
  6. Maureen says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:38 pm

    I am totally de-cluttering this year. I can’t really call it a resolution, because we had started a few months back, but no doubt it will take us through the year to finish and get things the way we want. Good luck on your new endeavors! I can’t wait to hear what they are!

    Reply
  7. Cara says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    So, I know it means letting go of a little control, but I’m another one who thinks you should consider hiring a little help. You’re growing, which is awesome for all of us, and things just get harder, not easier. You (and Clara) deserve a life, and we all get that. I know you dont want to lise your voice or creative control. So, maybe a part-timer who would work from their home doing things like making phone calls to set up giveaways, coordinating your appointments for books, side projects, etc. if they got in sync with you, maybe they could even do the first draft of a reader redesign or giveaway type post, and you’d do the edit to add in your voice…I know I’d rather see a little change in voice sometimes than an exhausted Peterisk Going Out of Business sign.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:08 pm

      It’s always an option for us, we just don’t feel like it’s the right choice right now. But we never say never! Sometimes managing someone and outlining what you need done is as fast as just doing it yourself, at least in my DIY-loving mind ;)

      xo,
      s

  8. Eileen says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:44 pm

    “we can’t wait to free the kitties!” <– favorite. line. ever.

    A friend of mine invited me to join her in the nourishing minimalism (it's a blog) 2013 challenge: getting rid of 2013 things this year. I always want to par down, but am so easily side tracked. Hopefully we'll hold each other accountable. I myself am a paper junkie, magazines being my ultimate downfall. Even if all 2013 were just loose papers and Mag's, I know my house would feel a whole lot more spacious.

    Reply
  9. Stacey says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:45 pm

    I think 7 posts a week here (and 2 at Young House Life) is totally reasonable, esp. considering all the work that goes into each post.

    On a kinda unrelated note, I’ve just finished up a couple of room/space makeovers and was pondering submitting them for Reader Redesigns. How do I go about doing that?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:06 pm

      Just send them our way to [email protected].

      xo,
      s

    • Stacey says

      January 3, 2013 at 10:56 pm

      Thanks, Sherry!

  10. Elizabeth K. says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:46 pm

    I personally love your stream of consciousness posts, even though I may not comment that much (I’m mostly a lurker)… so I would definitely hate it if your site got that over-polished look that lost its character. Right now, Young House Love is TOTALLY my favorite blog. :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      Aw shucks thanks Elizabeth!

      xo,
      s

  11. Laurie says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:46 pm

    Every year I aspire to “do less and have more”….not more stuff, but more quality of life. I am one of those people who works nights, weekends and vacations but such is the nature of my job. However, we took our family to Disneyland for a week over Christmas this year. I vowed to my little girl that I wouldn’t take my business phone into the park. I kept that promise and guess what happened? NOTHING! They survived without me and solved their own problems since I made it clear I wouldn’t be available as a resource. Making myself available all the time FORCED me to be available all the time. So I took my life back. I am also dedicating the year to loving what I have. We have a beautiful home that I worked very hard to achieve, I don’t need one more thing. I spent part of my vacation re-purposing and re-imagining things in a new way and re-vamped nearly every room without spending a dime. Excited to see what your next big thing is…..

    Reply
  12. Andrea says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:49 pm

    I, for one, think you guys are amazing for posting as much as you do. I was DIY blogging for a little while last year (on top of a full-time job, a business and 2 kids) and I had to stop the DIY blogging part because I just couldn’t keep up with it. Photographing, talking about every step and editing the photos was just.too.much. I have a HUGE appreciation for what you guys do and the way you do it!

    As far as resolutions go, I thought I didn’t really believe in them, but then I came across the concept of writing a “Future Letter,” where you write a letter to yourself as if you’ve already accomplished everything you want for the year. I find that having it out there in Internet-land has made me feel far more accountable, and I’m already doing things to make the changes I want to make! It’s kind of a fun self-fulfilling prophecy! It’s on my blog if anyone wants to check it out – I recommend it!

    Happy New Year to you guys!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:05 pm

      That’s a fun concept! I’ll have to try it!

      xo,
      s

  13. Katy says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:52 pm

    I have a photo on my fridge of a little girl my hubby and I sponsored through World Vision for several years. One year, we donated $100 for her Christmas gift. Among other things, World Vision bought her family a goat. So, I have the picture of her with her goat on the fridge. It reminds me of how little it takes for those in less developed countries to be content. Such a contrast to how we always seem to be striving for more.

    I’ve been trying to declutter for a while, and every little step I take is like a breath of fresh air. Every time I get rid of something and clear a corner, I feel a little more free and it just inspires me to keep going. Also, when I try to keep things in perspective (mostly by thinking about how many people have SO LITTLE compared with what I have), it helps me to let go of all the crap.

    Reply
  14. Jon says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:56 pm

    You guys are amazing! I love having people in my life – whether it is a blog I read or friends in the area – who are doing amazing things and blowing people’s minds with their creativity and productivity. I especially like #3 – Be Realistic. I know my wife goes crazy sometimes reading some of the blogs that are out there. I have to remind her that most of the blogs have a team of 10 or more people that produce, write and manage the blog – it’s not a snapshot of one persons life. Keep up the great work and enjoy the blessings of family. As for me, my 2013 goal is cutting back on the soda…leads to better health and savings in the wallet.

    Reply
  15. Celia says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:56 pm

    I would actually LOVE to see shorter posts from time to time. Even a “wordless” post with a cute photo would rock my socks. It would save you guys time! And it would save me time, too, because while I love this blog, I follow a bunch and sometimes there just seems to be too much to read on the interwebs!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:04 pm

      Agreed! Short and sweet is good too! We like a nice mix :)

      xo,
      s

  16. Dawn says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:57 pm

    I read on another blog (don’t remember which one) that instead of resolutions, they had a “word”. My word for 2013 is “Healthy”. This will encompass both mental and physical health. It’s easy to remember (I can ask myself before I eat or do something – “Is that healthy?”) and can be applied to so many different situations. Good luck with your resolutions!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 3:59 pm

      So cool! I like that.

      xo,
      s

  17. Deb says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:57 pm

    They all sound fabulous!!! You guys have inspired me to think about writing a blog… about my blended family and just goodness! Can’t wait to see everything you have planned for 2013!

    Reply
  18. Lindsay @ Me, Ed and Pea says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:58 pm

    Agree with #5 the most!! I LOVE the random posts :) I thought you guys did a better job with #4 this year? I guess that’s just cause of the Hawaii trip. You just make it look so easy we forget about much you’re working!! ;)

    Reply
  19. trish says

    January 3, 2013 at 3:59 pm

    Love what you guys do everyday…just wanted to tell you I have been waiting patiently to see your book. I am on the waiting list at my local library and can’t wait to check it out when my name comes up! You are legends!!!! LOL

    Reply
  20. Laurie says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    I’m curious as to how you plan to not work until 1 am. As a similarly aged working parent with a 2 year old (and a husband that works also) I’m constantly trying to figure out how to not work late, log on after the baby’s in bed, etc. and I find I just can’t do it. Do you think we’re just destined to overwork now?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:54 pm

      Oh gosh I hope not! I am focused on letting go of things we should (not saying yes to everything, taking rain checks, simplifying projects/posts/giveaways, etc). I think the hard thing is avoiding the urge to “work smarter” which still means keeping those crazy high expectations. I’m trying to let things go instead of struggling to do them better/faster.

      xo,
      s

  21. Cassidy says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:01 pm

    You guys are too awesome! I am totally ok with one post a day, I rarely read the afternoon ones anyways! You guys deserve some time to yourselves, or we will never see a “Sherry is pregnant with number 2!” post. Which I have been dying for :)

    Reply
  22. Alix says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    May I just say…I’ve noticed your posts (especially since the blogiversary) are getting a bit shorter (and of course just as sweet!) from time to time. I know you folks had wanted to work on being a little less verbose with just as much “meat,” and I just wanted to tell you that your content is awesome, your humor infectious, and your posts, now even shorter, feel just as meaty. So don’t worry your heads too much! We all love you and your blog! Do what feels right; you can bet your sweet bippy we’ll be right behind ya! :) xoxo

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:36 pm

      Hahaha our sweet bippy! I love it!

      xo,
      s

  23. Lesley says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:07 pm

    Great resolutions, guys!

    And I am DYING over the Frito-dog-feet syndrome conversation on that one post. How did I miss this? You have some seriously funny fans :)

    Reply
  24. Megan says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:08 pm

    I’m always amazed at the personable yet professional blog that only the two of you have managed to put together. It’s pretty inspirational about what passion and deterimination can accomplish. Also, I’m with you on the simplifying things. I’ve been systematically going through each room of our home the last few months and being brutal about what I hold on to. Going through the craft/guest room was the worst but now that it’s all cleaned up I can finally start in on the makeover I’ve been planning for months!

    Reply
  25. Beccii says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:08 pm

    Well done guys, I am so impressed with the two of you and all of your projects, big and small. You so deserve as much ‘you’ time as you can grab. I’m pretty sure all of us readers would rather grow older reading a couple less posts a week, so long as we can grow old with you. I honestly hope you are here for a long long time because we would all miss you so much if you were to throw in the burnt out towel :)

    Reply
  26. Jamie D says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:09 pm

    Oh I’m all for you dropping a post once a week and using it to recharge! Such a good idea to realize you should scale back to keep it up for the long haul, and i bet 90% of readers wouldn’t even notice if you hadn’t mentioned it! I’m so happy to have discovered this corner of the internet and i love the Petersik family!

    Reply
  27. Christina @ Homemade Ocean says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:12 pm

    HOLLER…..don’t know how you do whatchu do kids :)

    Please never ever lose the “personal touch” of your blog by bringing in contributers and editors and programers and all that junk. I think that is truly what sets you apart from the crowd.

    HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL THE PETERSIKS!!!!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:39 pm

      Haha thanks Christina! You’re so sweet!

      xo,
      s

  28. Emily says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    Those are wonderful resolutions, and I’ll chime in again with saying that we will not at ALL be offended with you cutting back. I think it is really important for everyone in this crazy blogging world to remember that there is a life away from blogs!

    As for my own resolutions, this year I started a blog of my own! And am determined to take 2013 by the reigns and live the life I’ve always wanted. Kinda cheesy but hey, what better time is there to be cheesy than New Years?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:34 pm

      Aw Emily that’s sweet! Not cheesy at all. Good luck with everything!

      xo,
      s

  29. Elisabeth says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    Those look like some great resolutions! I may have to grab a few of them for myself. =) By the way, I’ve been meaning to tell you this…I have been reading your blog for years. Like possibly all the way back to when you did the wedding recaps…I can’t remember for sure. Anyway, I love you guys, and now I’m getting my husband into checking out YHL. I have to be honest though – he mostly loves the Clara videos. haha!!! We want a baby within the near future, and he would dearly love to have a little girl. So, he lives vicariously through y’all! Anytime there’s a new “Clara movie” up, I let him know so we can watch together, and I have to refer to you as “Clara’s parents” or he doesn’t remember which blog I’m talking about. lol! Monday morning, I heard your voice (Sherry) coming from the laptop…he had found a house tour video of y’all on YouTube and was watching it all on his own. So, thanks, Clara, for helping get my man hooked on your parents’ blog! =) We are looking forward to hopefully meeting y’all in ATL at your book signing. =)

    {sorry i wrote a book…}

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:50 pm

      Haha that’s awesome! Can’t wait to meet you in ATL!

      xo,
      s

  30. Wendy says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    Sounds like a perfect resolution list! I can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve in 2013. :-)

    We’re excited to take on more DIY in 2013, specifically the renovation of our master bathroom. This 1980s beast is due for some major TLC. We have a few other “must dos” on the list too (http://www.oldtownhome.com/2013/1/2/Starting-the-New-Year-Off-With-a-Bang-Our-List-of-2013-Resolutions/index.aspx) but overall we’re scaling back on our public resolutions to make more time for fun pop up projects. Sometimes our best work comes from a lightbulb moment or two.

    Happy New Year!

    Reply
  31. Melissa Shipman says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:16 pm

    I love these resolutions! They are totally different than mine, (found here: http://lovinghere.com/resolutions-2013-style/) because you guys are already successful and awesome and busy, and I’m just getting started on hopefully one day being all those things!
    Hubs and I just bought our house this summer and started our DIY blog about it so we have a long ways to go! I’m so glad I found you guys to come to for inspiration when I’m lacking. Do you ever find yourself needing to find inspiration? If so, where do you go to get it?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:57 pm

      We just look around and try to remember that even a pretty candle box or a book cover can be inspiration. Corny but true. A lot of times inspiration comes from a need to fill (solving a problem, etc). Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  32. Cristina says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:19 pm

    You know, what I love about you guys is that you’re real. As in your don’t hire people write posts, answer comments, etc. and you respond to your readers. I love it. What I love even more is your resolutions to continue being real. So yeah, keep it real $herdog. ;)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:32 pm

      Aw thanks Cristina! We love to keep it simple :)

      xo,
      s

  33. Kara says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:20 pm

    Wow, there’s a lotta Karas/Caras posting here. I don’t feel too special anymore, boo. But on the other hand, oh yeah, my/our name is the bomb-diggety!

    Since I’m one of super many fans that gave you guys a gift at your book tour stops – I figure it you didn’t mention it by now, I’ll be fine with the fact that you would want to include it in the declutter pile. As long as it finds a good home is all that matters! (*coughs*, bye cute orange elephant, *coughs*!) You having remembered me and my friend Erin at the Living Social event was a big enough gift to us! We were amazed at that.

    Anyway, yeah – I’m all for life balance, don’t you DARE burn out on us, so take it easy and keep that happy train choo-chooing! :) I’m very excited to see what you got in store for us!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      Haha we love you and that elephant Kara!

      xo,
      s

  34. Michelle says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    Love how creative, positive, and down-to-earth your blog is. Wishing you all the best in the new year.

    Just moved into a new house with so many ideas for decorating and DIY, but realizing that less-sexy infrastructure projects like weatherproofing, new bathroom fixtures, and insulation might be the first things to make this home feel comfortable. Can you share more about projects like that?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 5:05 pm

      Oh yes whenever we tackle the unsexy stuff we share that too!

      xo,
      s

  35. Anna says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    Wondering why you don’t hire out some of the coding/site maintenance. Or a part-time assistant to manage business-y stuff (like giveaways, etc…). I know it is tempting to want to do it yourself (free) rather than hiring out, but maybe it’s time to delegate more of the behind the scenes stuff? Anyway, just curious.

    Good luck with your resolutions.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 5:03 pm

      We just think managing other people can take more time that doing it yourself sometimes. Who knows where we’ll end up, but for now we just like to keep it simple and not turn into a big team of workers, ya know?

      xo,
      s

  36. Angela says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:36 pm

    This is awesome. I can’t wait to see where you guys take YHL this year. This is my favorite blog and I think you guys are neato.

    I hate failing, so I do a word for the year, rather than a resolution. This year, it’s “intentional,” as that is something I want to be.

    Reply
  37. Michelle S says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    I totally love the picture of you two on the couch with your laptops. This is so my husband and I. We may or may not send text messages, Google Talk, email, or comment on each other’s Facebook posts while sitting right next to each other.It can be a little hard to disconnect when you do what you love with the person that you love. Happy New Year!

    Reply
  38. Karen F says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    Great resolutions – I’m very excited about whatever #1 is!! Kudos to you guys for doing things on your terms and growing your “empire” ;) in a way that you’re comfortable with.

    My resolution is to SLOW DOWN and not try to do so much – it makes me cranky, tired and miserable. I’m also starting a new job, which ironically I think will give me even less free time than I have now, so I will have to adjust to that and figure out how to balance everything.

    Reply
  39. Rachel says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:44 pm

    Awesome, perfect resolutions! You guys have a great perspective on things. And you can write it out so well, too. You guys are pretty darn cool. It’s what keeps me coming back :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 5:01 pm

      Aw thanks Rachel!

      xo,
      s

  40. Tracey says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:48 pm

    I’m tired just reading all that you do and have accomplished. I believe good things happen to good people and your cup is overflowing for sure. Congrats on all your success!
    As for resolutions, mine it to write down everything I send money on and the cost. I want to see where my money goes to and if there are smart ways to keep some of it. I think just writing about it will help deter me from spending on things I don’t really need.
    A quick question for ya. Is there an easy way to navigate back to your post where people are sharing their YHL book inspired projects? I love that stuff!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 5:00 pm

      Oh yes if you click the link under our header that says “our book” there’s a button on that page that leads to that post!

      xo,
      s

  41. Michele @ Moonfield Lane says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    Love your resolutions and I’m always in awe of what you guys accomplish while taking care of Clara, as well. I won’t miss one less post (i’m sure I’m not alone) and the forum idea sounds really exciting! I’m so in love with your shades and fixtures, too! And I love that they’re so affordable. Most things that I see on the site are way out of my comfort zone. Can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store!

    Reply
  42. Olivia says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:52 pm

    I think it’s great to use the new year as an opportunity to re-evaluate. Eliminating one post per week is totally reasonable – congrats! And I can’t wait to find out more about the secret-project balls :)

    Reply
  43. bridget b. says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:54 pm

    I want my chocolate CAKE!!!!! LOL!

    Reply
  44. Renee says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:56 pm

    I’m not making resolutions. I’m making goals. I think since I’m calling it something different it might work.

    Good for you guys to scale back a little. One of my “goals” in 2013…less really is more.

    Reply
  45. Nancy says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:58 pm

    This may sound psycho, but sometimes I kind of worry about you all. Like this morning when you pulled that whole lighting collection out, like “Look what we’ve been doing in our spare time.” And I was all “uh, what spare time? Didn’t you also write a 300+ page book with projects you did by yourselves, styling the photos yourselves, and then promoting that book on a tour? Don’t you have a small child and a dog? Exactly when is this spare time? Wouldn’t you be using that for things like going to the bathroom and eating?” I know you have a business to run and I really do admire your work ethic. But frankly, your work ethic is cutting into my productivity. ;) If you wanted to cut back on the posts to one a day, it might help with my resolution to actually get some work done! Happy New Years! Love the lighting collection!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 5:29 pm

      Hahahahahahahah you’re so sweet Nancy! We love you!

      xo,
      s

  46. Camille says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:59 pm

    I run a small business from home so I appreciate your honesty about reclaiming your life, working nights/weekends/vacations, etc. Been there, done that. I love your blog and check it every day. Personally the House Crashes are one of my favorite parts of the blog so I’d hate to see them decrease too much–maybe folks way out of town can nominate themselves with some submitted photos? I’m sure it would be tough to get good quality photos but I know from living in an area chock full of photographers that many would shoot it for free if they got a link to their site. I love all the real-life homes on sites like Apartment Therapy but the vibe there is so negative. Yay for all the respectful YL readers! Just my two cents, thanks for reading :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 5:27 pm

      Oh yes we love House Crashing too! I imagine that frequency will stay the same (one or two a month). Those just depend on us getting submissions :)

      xo,
      s

  47. Cassie says

    January 3, 2013 at 4:59 pm

    My biggest resolution is to follow through with our financial house buying plan (we intend to buy in about a year) and to not be so angry/stressed. I’m starting student teaching next semester in addition to attending school full time (which isn’t normally allowed), so that one could be a toughie….

    Reply
  48. Leah says

    January 3, 2013 at 5:07 pm

    My 2013 goals also include work/life balance (first year teacher here, ugh, so let’s not talk about my current lack of balance), reducing clutter, and embracing family time. I love my husband, and I’m often a grumpy gus because I don’t get enough sleep or I have to bring work home. I am working on leaving the work at school. That said, I am committing to staying “later” at school in the interests of not having to shuffle papers when I’m at home.

    Reply
  49. Dusa says

    January 3, 2013 at 5:13 pm

    Sounds like a well-thought out plan! Whatever you bring, I’ll read. Especially if it has to do with kittehs (and yes, I realize you’re not talking real kittehs. You weren’t, right?)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 5:25 pm

      Haha!

      xo,
      s

  50. Eileen says

    January 3, 2013 at 5:15 pm

    You both are so amazing and inspiring and just plain fun. You remind me everyday of why we should all strive to do what we love – the success will follow.

    I love your resolutions and I am super excited about your cats in the bags.

    My goal for 2013 is to laugh as much as possible and let go of everything that weighs me down – physically and mentally.

    And my other goal is to implement your closet philosophy so tthat my closet and drawers are only full of stuff that makes me look awesome! Speaking of awesome stuff, I am wearing my J.Crew bracelet from your post a few weeks back! I lurve it!!

    Rock on, Sherry and John! Here’s to a spectacular 2013!!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 3, 2013 at 5:32 pm

      Ahh I love that bracelet! So jealous!

      xo,
      s

« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Stuff We Love

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

John and Sherry Sitting On Woven ChairHey, we’re John & Sherry. We’ve fixed up 7 homes, written books, designed products, started a podcast, and then downsized & moved to the beach! Here you’ll find over 3,000 DIY projects & home updates. More about us…
*This site contains ads and affiliate links*
See our disclaimer & privacy policy to learn more

Latest Finds

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

SHOP OUR LIGHTING

Young House Love Shades Of Light Capiz Chandelier

GET POSTS BY EMAIL

We’re Digging

Traditional Rug
The “Magic” Rug
Smokeless Solo Stove Firepit
Smokeless Firepit
Outdoor Solar LED Path Lights
Solar Path Lights
Criss Cross Office Chair
Our Desk Chair
Blue Air 211 Air Purifier
Our Air Purifiers
Eufy 11S Max Robot Vacuum
Our Robot Vacuum
Kohler Memoirs Toilet
Our Favorite Toilet
Livable Luxe Book
Fav Design Book
SEE MORE OF OUR FAVORITE FINDS > >

  • About
  • FAQs
  • Press
  • Contact
  • :)

© 2025 Young House Love ® · Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · A Fun Wordpress theme on Genesis Framework · Hosted by Liquid Web