When you put a lot of time or money into a project, you’ll go to great, weird, and sometimes gross lengths to protect it. We’ve got all the details in this week’s episode, along with a story that shows why renovating a house that’s over two hours away isn’t always a smooth process. Plus, we gathered some great advice on building a new home from scratch (or tackling a major renovation with a group of pros), including how to find the right team and avoid common pitfalls… and why you should keep your expectations in check. You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify – or listen to it below! Then use this page to

A few years ago we embarked on a design project with a local builder that we were very excited about… but it all fell apart for reasons we never anticipated (and it still bums us out). We’re sharing that story this week, along with the surprising way Sherry scored an awesome secondhand find for the beach house. We also dive into your feedback about houses that are too big, including some conflicting sentiments about children and large houses. Plus, how we pulled off a stress-free game night with friends and the details behind our new collaboration with A Beautiful Mess. You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify – or listen to it below! Then

Our month-long shopping hiatus came to a close last week, so today we’re sharing our results! What was the most difficult part? How did it change our habits? What were we dying to buy first after it ended? And – most importantly – how did it impact our bank account? We’re sharing all those details, along with some ideas for you to try if you’re too nervous to commit to a full-on ban. Plus, there’s a part of our house that we rarely show because we’ve been so ashamed of its state – but not anymore! Find out what we did to fix it without spending any money. We also added some easy organization at

Right in the middle of our own month-long shopping ban, we jumped at the chance to have a deep conversation with the author who started it all: Cait Flanders. She shared fascinating insights, regrets, and explained how her “Year of Less” had a lasting change on her relationship with “stuff.” She also cleared up some common misconceptions about her ban, including why shopping is not the enemy – and how this experiment affected her relationships (along with her bank account). We also cover how some outsourced work in our backyard from last fall is finally starting to pay off, and why we’re both very glad not to be in high school anymore. You can download this

We’ve recently had a realization that we just don’t need as much space as we have. So how’d we end up buying a too-big house? What has made this so clear to us now? And what square footage do we think would be just right? We’re sharing all of that in this episode, including the exact moment we now realize we went off the rails during our house hunting search. We’re also taking you behind the scenes of our recent charity makeover for three deserving kids and sharing why things have really turned a corner out at the beach. Plus, Sherry hunts for the perfect Mother’s Day gift and John shares what exterior gadget made

Just when we thought the duplex renovation was finally rolling along smoothly, we found ourselves in the midst of an ordeal that required an emergency trip to Cape Charles, and another hot-seat meeting with the Historic Review Board. We’re sharing all the details, along with an update on our month-long shopping ban (oh the temptations!). Plus we’re talking about how to get large materials and furniture home when you don’t own a giant car or truck. Because as much as we DIY, we don’t actually own the ideal DIYers vehicle. So this week we’ll tell you why, and share how we get around it. Plus, maybe millennials are just efficiently experts…? You can download this