I thought it might be fun to walk around the house with the Flip cam and show you guys how each room can look on an average day. You know, before we pick the clothes up off the floor, put away Clara’s toys, and fold the big blankets that we snuggle under on the sofa. So here’s an impromptu house tour (while John and Clara ducked out to the post office and grocery store) in all of its average everyday glory:
Things to note:
- Ugh, I have a cold. Sorry about my annoying voice. Who am I kidding, my voice annoys me even when I’m not crazy congested.
- I’m terrible at walking around, talking, and holding a camera (too much multitasking, pardon the Blair Witch Project-esque jolts).
- For those who requested updated office photos in this post, you can see it in 3-D (well, almost) in the vid.
- Burger is so cute. I love how he comes running in and steals the show (and is later seen relaxing in the window).
- I have no idea why I take the time to explain Clara’s music class kit. It’s so weird what you think is noteworthy.
- You can sneak a peek at John’s behind the sofa console project’s progress. Oh and when I say it’s not level and it slopes away from the wall, it’s because our floors are slanted, not because John’s work is shoddy (more pics and details on the big console build this afternoon).
- Yes, my ceramic pooch is still sitting on on the back patio. I just can’t bring myself to let go of him yet. But I’m working up to it. One day at a time.
- You can sneak a peek at the two 30 x 40″ canvases that we got super cheap at Michael’s (more details on our plans for them soon).
- I have no idea why at the end I’m talking about other rooms while walking back through the house and aiming the camera at the dining room and the kitchen (it’s just odd to show the kitchen and say “the messy playroom”). It’s official: I’m no Spielberg.
- My dramatic ending on my purse is beyond weird. What is wrong with me?
Here’s some bonus “ordinary day” behavior. We always tell people how Burger sleeps like a human (with his head on the pillow and his body tucked under the covers) but people rarely believe just how hilarious this is. So here’s some visual evidence that I snapped this morning. I promise this isn’t staged. John got up first today, so I reached over and took some pics after Burger crawled up from the bottom of the bed to “steal” John’s place and sleep in at least four more hours. What a life.
What about you guys. What would people see if you randomly shot photos (or a shaky nausea-inducing video) of your house before cleaning up? Anything embarrassing out there like a teddy bear in the bed or a man-thong on the floor? Thank goodness I put John’s leopard one away before filming that video. Haha. Kidding. Sorry honey. I know just reading that is gonna make you all flustered.
samantha owens says
haha love it! my dog sleeps the EXACT same way. she loves having her head on the pillow and body under the covers.
http://twitpic.com/4i0ceq
hope you feel better soon!
YoungHouseLove says
Hilarious!
xo,
s
Erika @ Blonde Moments In The Burbs says
Thanks for sharing this. It’s nice to know that despite the perfectly awesome blog pictures you post, your house looks “lived in”! Kuddos to you and John, esp with juggling a baby and business. Keep up the great work!
KOS! (Keep On S'myelin!) says
I feel so relieved that other people’s houses look just like mine ;) Makes me feel normal! I posted my crazy messy sink yesterday for Wordless Wednesday…
http://keeponsmyelin.blogspot.com/2011/04/wordless-wednesday.html
Rhiannon says
I loved this post! Sherry you are so funny, it was totally entertaining and nice to see that you guys live like real people. My husband has the same clothes problem as John, so I keep baskets ALL OVER the house to scoop everything up a moments notice. Oh and Burger is one cute guy!
Valerie says
Your mess = my house on a GOOD day … like company’s coming over day! :-)
I had an epiphany regarding your cracked ceramic dog … feel bad for it/you. Stick an over sized silk Gerbera daisy down the hole and then she’ll look like she’s ready for spring!
Love your blog! And Clara and Burger!!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- I actually think the daisy thing is so cute! Too bad the rest of his face is so jagged and scary looking.
xo,
s
Andrea K says
aww, Burger is simply ADOR!
Kristy says
I’ve never really liked Chihuahuas, but I heart Burger.
Anne G. says
I love everything about this post! 1. I am sick with a cold, and am going to ask my hubby to rub my feet with lotion tonight! :) 2. My husband usually gets up before me in the morning, and our dog will jump up on the bed and sleep next to me until I get up. It’s my favorite part of my day…but don’t tell my husband or he’ll get jealous. 3. We moved into our house 3 months ago and still have a room full of half unpacked boxes, and other junk. The only way we are ever going to clean it out is if we have a guest come to stay. 4. You are lucky you have a chair you can throw clothes on! My husband throws his on the floor! I am going to get a chair just for his clothes! :)
Love you guys. Thanks for making my day, every day!
Alex says
This was one of my favorite posts! You house always looks amazing, so it was nice to see that on a normal day it looks…normal! I try to be as tidy as possible, but when my life gets busy (like now as I’m working on my thesis), it looks like a hurricane hit.
Jennifer Lentz says
I love your blog and your decorating style. I think it was great to post this video of your “normal” day at the house. It helps me realize that even if my family isn’t the tidiest we can still have style and that it takes time to get your home the way you imagine it. Thanks!
Erin says
My sister walked in right as you said “My poor sweet dog that I tried to save.. but I don’t know if he’s savable..” at which point she turned to me with the most hysterical face. Thanks for that!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, that does sound bad.
xo,
s
Mae says
Loved the tour!! I was also wondering if you were some of those “perfect people” who never go to bed with things out of place or find random pieces of clothing where they don’t belong and then proceed to walk right past them for another 3 days without doing anything about them.
Glad to know you’re real, I think I love your blog even more now!
Also I have to know… the yellow satin-y trimmed lovie looking thing on the floor of the nursery… does it happen to be a duck? With a bow tie?
My 2 year old has one that looks exactly like that (upside down, of course) and it’s a duck with a bow tie that we’ve named Mr Quackers. But I’ve never seen another one!
Thanks for the tour!
YoungHouseLove says
I think that’s Clara’s gator. I wish she had a cute duckie though. I had one I loved growing up. Duck was actually my first word!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Thank you so much for posting this. I feel so much better about myself and my cluttered house now that I know you guys are human, too, LOL.
Hope you feel better!
Danielle says
I love burger! These pics are hilarious! I have a chihuahua also and I have found her sleeping the same way! Its too cute!
Robin @ Our Semi Organic Life says
my favorite part was the comment about the archaeological dig! too funny. Doesn’t everyone have a junk space?! I suspect your’s will eventually be the attic or basement.
jeanne says
Burger. Life is GOOOD!
Seriously dude, can you just try to be a little less comfortable?
Little buddy, you crack me up.
xo Jeanne.
Kristen L. says
You won’t believe it, but our pug sleeps just the same way! Under the covers all night, and by morning he creeps up to snag some pillow time for his smushed little face. Love it!
Stephanie says
Just had to thank you for posting this!!! So good to know that you are real people and don’t have the magic cleaning fairy wand (though I really do want one of those wands). I really wonder about the people whose homes look like museums when you walk in.
Elizabeth says
Ahem…gators ROCK! Ducks are okay as well.
Rose says
What a great house! I love what you’ve done with the dining room and the built in shelves. We’re working on updating our condo and you just keep the ideas coming! And thanks for the tour on an ordinary day, it’s a nice reminder that everyones house gets a messy from time to time!
Sara says
Well I can’t watch the video yet(I’m at work) but I love the photos of Burger sleeping, so cute! Our cats love to sleep under the covers too.
I noticed you said that was John’s pillow that Burger was on. Did you guys switch sides sleeping? I thought your closet and nightstand were on that side of the bed in your old house. (Totally weird question, haha.)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! I used to be on the right as you face the bed but now I’m on the left. I like to be on the far side of the room for some reason. The furthest from the door. Feels cozy to me. And John’s sweet so he goes along with it.
xo,
s
Christina says
Hahahaha! I often find my dog, Sushi, in the same spot. Why she always ends up on my side is beyond me! Hope you feel better. The house is looking great btw. Although I have no idea why anyone would hang a light randomly like they did. I’m sure you’ll fix it up super cute though :)
Jessica says
This post made my heart smile :-) I love the honesty. Lately the posts seem a bit more relaxed, a little less planned out (I mean that in a good way!), and a little more on the goofy side perhaps. I feel like Im falling in love with your blog all over again! (Too cheesy??) I seriously never would have imagined your house being so lived in. It looks so NORMAL! Gorgeously designed, but still normal.
I’ve seen other bloggers make similar posts, and I swear that even their “real” pictures were staged to some extent. Everything would be pristine except a grouping of three toys evenly spaced on the rug. pfft.. thats not real and everyone knows it. I know that your blog tend to have some influence on the home/design-blogging field and it would be really nice if some others followed suit and made similar videos… this is really interesting! Very humble of you!
Kelsey says
You could put an eye patch on ceramic pooch and its an automatic pirate pooch. You know, for the quirky things in life…
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we do love a good pirate joke…
xo,
s
Debbie says
Love the tour….but I did have to go lie down afterwards…I get motion sick easily…it started at the part in the kitchen when burger ran in and you went back into the laundry….but of course I kept watching…just squinted my eyes abit!!!
There is also a superstition about purses on the floor…When you put a female purse on the floor your money will flee. I do it all the time and my office assistant reminds me each time!!!
Love your blog!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, never heard about that! What if you’re never organized enough to have cash in your wallet anyway? That’s me. Haha.
xo,
s
emmary roemer says
You just made my day!! I love knowing that your life is just as real as mine. I’m learning to find joy in each and every mess my family makes. That proves that we live and we love in this space!!
Blessings!
- Sarah :-) says
Probably stuffing… whenever Austin (our large and adorable pup) gets a stuffed animal (or even one of those supposedly non-stuffed ones that somehow still produce a mess), he MUST remove all stuffing and place the evidence all over the house. As often as we pick up after him, there’s still pieces here and there that he seems to save until after we’re done.
What can I say? He’s our furry child, and if he’s happy, then we’re typically just as happy. So we tend to accept the fact that our living room looks like a cloud horror film until we are expecting company, and hide the toy until it’s safe to wreak havoc again. :-)
Darla Bennett says
Hey! Our offer was just accepted on this house: http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2332-Shoreham-Drive_Richmond_VA_23235_M59200-87352 If you guys ever need a house (and it’s so close!) for before and after pics, let me know. I’m so excited to use your blog to help me along the way. This house needs some major renovation but it’s still so cute! Oh, and btw, DRINK RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR for allergies and spring colds
! It has saved me (literally)!
YoungHouseLove says
Congrats Darla! That’s amazing. Have so much fun!
xo,
s
Meghan M. says
Its really refreshing to know that you have day to day messes happening in various rooms of your house, too. Thanks for sharing!!
Breen says
Thanks so much for posting this! It’s reassuring to see how the house looks “lived in”
lcg says
Loved the tour…thanks for sharing the house in “relaxed mode”. One of my fav shots was of Burger in the window. Our bischon shares our bed (of course) and if I get up just for a minute to go to the bathroom he’s up from the bottom of the bed and curled up in my spot. Dogs are the best!
SushiMama says
As I watched your video all I could think was, thank goodness I’ve never done one of these posts. You know your clothes in the chair of your room? Multiply it by 10 and you have my bench/desk area. Good job and having a pretty darn clean house on any given day!
linda says
OH.MI.GOSH! you really ARE human! i love love loved the tour! i was really had bought into your house being spotless all the time!
Ashley @ DesignBuildLove.co says
Soooo sorry you’re sick! That’s no fun, especially this time of year! Overall, the tour was GREAT! It really gave me a better sense of the flow of the house. It’s always nice to see that people don’t always have their houses picked up, picture-perfect… though I know we all wish we had a little fairy following behind us to take care of that stuff! Aww… if only…
Thanks for the tour Sherry and feel better!!!
Caitlin says
Burger is adorable! My Chi mix likes to be totally under the covers. He likes to snuggle up under the covers between my boyfriend and I, and he somehow manages to take up half the bed even though he’s tiny. It takes skill.
Caity says
I will settle the above arguments and say you were totally channeling Mila Kunis’ voice in this one :)
Favorite moment? “And looook: it’s her little, um, “don’t-hit-your-head-on-the faucet-whale.” :)
Like everyone else, I’m glad to know your house isn’t always as completely pristine as it appears in posts. Maybe I’ll relax a little more about mine, now! Thanks for this post–it was a fun tour!
Caity says
Ahhhh, being a grammar freak, I must fix that typo: “And loook: it’s her little, um, ‘don’t-hit-your-head-on-the-faucet-whale.'” :)
Much better!
Clare says
Its nice to see that you guys are just like the rest of us. I love the vest on the floor and on the desk.
layersofmeaning says
Nico and Burger sleep exactly the same!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw Burger sends his love to Nico! Such a cutie!
xo,
s
Tiffany says
Oh my gosh! This makes me love you guys even more and feel better about my house! Every day I strive to have my house look picture perfect like your house, but it never happens! I feel better that other people have a chair full of clothes, and a “junky” spot to throw mail!
Question…. your green light you bought recently is on the floor of the “playroom.” Is this a regret purchase that no longer has a home??
YoungHouseLove says
Nope it’ll live in the playroom when we finish that room! Either that or Clara’s room when we no longer need her changing pad on the top of her big dresser. We just think it’s so playful and fun we want it to be in a kid’s space.
xo,
s
Nik says
Did you add bumper to Clara’s crib or is that old news?
YoungHouseLove says
About a month ago we added a thin “breathable bumper” from Babies R Us. It keeps her arms and legs from sticking out, but it’s thin and meshy so I don’t have to be a freak about suffocation hazards.
xo,
s
Bethany Annechino says
I have the perfect solution for how to handle the dog! Fill in the bits that are missing the tiny shards with some clay or putty and sand them smooth. Paint the whole guy a new shiny white lacquer. And on his little head, to cover his hole, perch a small top hat jauntily!
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?pageName=search&flag=true&PRODID=prd29985
He will look quite dapper. And then he can be named something formal like Winston. Or Jeeves. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, Jeeves is the perfect name. Maybe I’ll name my concrete greyhound Jeeves instead…
xo,
s
Amanda- Hip House Girl says
Ok. I feel a lot better about myself now! Sometimes bloggers (not pointing any fingers at you- promise!) will say things like “OMG it’s SOOOO messy in here right now” when there are like, two things on the countertop. Drives me nuts! Glad to see you guys have the same piles and dropped items as everyone else.
Jackie says
Nice to know that you are human like the rest of us!
Alison says
John,
You do home improvement and decorating. You go run errands and grocery shop and take the baby. You change most of the diapers. You take Clara duty. You cook. And you rub the Wife’s feet. (Saw all of this mentioned on posts)
You are awesome!
YoungHouseLove says
I know right? I credit my luck with the fact that he has three sisters. They made him the sweet man he is! And his dad made him the awesome builder that he is.
xo,
s
Alison says
Sweet man indeed.
MandeeFoFandee says
I have the same Eco Canteen! love it! :)
Maria says
I’m such a big fan of your site! One of the reasons you are my favorite blog is that you are REAL people dealing with REAL DIY projects. It’s nice to know that you have REAL messes too!
Rachel says
Love Burger hanging out on the window sill. I’m purchasing a new house and there are very wide window sills that I know will attract the attention of my Yorkie Schnauzer mix Link. I was thinking of creating a fabric covered foam window seat of sorts because I’m concerned that his toenails will scratch up the sill. (He’s 20 pounds.) Are you seeing any wear from Burger on your sill?
YoungHouseLove says
He refuses to lay up there unless we have that blue blanket folded up for him (I think he’s afraid of slipping if it’s raw wood) so we haven’t had any wear and tear. If we did I think we would probably just make a cushion like you mention. It would be so sweet!
xo,
s
Kelly says
I love your house tour! I think this was one of my favorite posts ever! You should do more these random house tours as you finish up projects. Hope you feel better soon! :)
Xo
Kelly
Handy Man, Crafty Woman says
man thong, lol! That made me spit my drink out. aaack! lol
It’s a hard balance when you have a home blog; sometimes I feel embarrassed to ever show a “mess”, but then once in a while I post a messy “in progress” cleaning or reno photo. No one’s perfect, but (for us at least), most home bloggers want to put nice pictures on their blog, of neat and organized rooms.
rachel says
my favourite part is how sue the napkin is in your handbag- but i see in other comments that you always carry it. i cannot get over how much i love your living room- the colour palette and the framed colour blocks and oh that rug. fabulous!