Blogging is sort of a funny hamster wheel because we’ll do, buy, install, or build something, blog about it, and then we’ll move onto blogging about other projects, purchases, and updates. So it means we’re not always great at keeping you posted on those older things that we’ve already talked about since we’re so busy sharing new stuff. Which explains why we get update requests for things in our archives all the time. So here’s a big ol’ collection of them for you guys, which marks the second one in this series (here’s our first one from a few years back, so you can check out if we covered other topics you’ve wondered about there).
Our Nest Thermostat: This is the most asked about item in our entire house. And the short answer is: we still love it. More than ever. Not only does it save us money, but the features that we mentioned back in July in the original post (how it can sense when we’re away and shut itself off to save energy, how it adjusts to know our schedule – like warming the second floor when it knows we’re up there, and how we can raise or lower the temperature while laying in bed on our phones) are all awesome. It’s one of those life-updates that you notice every day and feel sort of fancy about while also being really practical and convenient.
It’s hard to quantify how much we save with it since we got it just a few months after our move, but our Nest indicates that we’ve saved more energy than 70% of other Nest users in Virginia (so it’s nice to know that even among fellow Nest users, we’re in the top 30% for energy conservation). The auto-away feature alone has been awesome for us, because we used to have to program our thermostat to heat or cool less if we were going away for the weekend and now it not only can sense that we’re gone and go on “auto-away” mode on its own, it can even do that on days we’re running around all day doing errands. We also really like that we can kick it on from the car (so if we’re coming back from a weekend trip and realize the house might be cold since it knows we’re away, we can turn it on from afar, so it’s warm when we walk back in). In summary: Still truly, madly, and deeply in love.
Our Outdoor Plantings: Whelp, the big holly trees that we splurged on for the most privacy are doing gangbusters (they’re big, healthy-looking, and no deer dares to eat them)… but the funny thing is that when we mentioned that we also got a smaller privet bush a bunch of people warned us that it was super invasive and they wouldn’t recommend it since it can self-seed and sprout up everywhere. The hilariously ironic update is that it’s toast. Completely eaten by deer. It was a veritable buffet. Thankfully the plants came with a one year warranty (even for deer-eating, since they sold this as a deer-resistant variety), so when it gets a little warmer we’ll dig up its skeletal body and bring it back to the store in exchange for something that should work better (most likely more of those awesome holly trees). In summary: The privet is done-zo, but the holly is still living la vida loca.
Living With Stairs: We also get asked how we’re liking life with stairs (usually from fellow ranch-owners who are considering a move to a two-story home). The adjustment was actually pretty easy, and we’re happy to report that life with stairs has been awesome. We never knew we were two-level people (we truly loved one-level living for 7 years), but the main upgrade is that when people come over we only have to run around tidying up the first level since everybody usually stays down there (so there’s a 50% shorter mad-dash when people are on the way).
There’s also only a half bathroom on the main level (we had three full baths in the main level of our last house, so I was cleaning three showers/tubs). Here we have 2.5 baths, and I love that the commonly used main-area bathroom is just a half-bath for faster cleaning. We’ve also noticed that the way we live in the house feels a little more separated, in a good way. We rarely have laptops anywhere near our bedrooms, which was a stark contrast from the layout of our last home (the living room was right behind the bedroom, so there were only a few steps between our “work” and “relaxation” zones). It’s nice to have more of a division here. In summary: Stairs, we ain’t mad atcha. We actually kinda love you.
Living With Old Appliances After Having New Ones: We also get questions like “is it hard to go from living with nice new appliances to using older ones again?” So far living with the old fridge, stove, dishwasher, and laundry equipment hasn’t been bad at all. They work and they do the job. Maybe it’s just our personality (since we’re used to living with not-perfect stuff for years as we slowly work to upgrade them) but they don’t seem to bother us too much, most likely because we’re comforted by the knowledge that they’re not forever (this too shall pass, old dishwasher). Except – bam! – this week our washer broke. Boo! So we’re waiting on a repair guy after taking the entire thing apart ourselves, only to discover two rusted bolts that we need to remove to get to the blockage along with a detached belt.
The annoying thing is that those bolts and broken belt are just too far gone (the bolts are rusted and we think the belt might indicate a motor issue) for us to deal with them ourselves without fearing the worst (giant leak, breaking the entire thing, etc) – hence the repair guy who is coming later today. It’ll hopefully only be around $75 to repair it, which we still think makes more sense than getting a new one at this point (we’d rather save up more for a truly awesome washer someday – and get a great deal – than rush to buy one right now out of desperation). Of course if he comes out and says “this thing is done” we’ll switch into “guess we’re getting a new one” mode. We also would eventually like to upgrade to a gas stove, so that’s exciting to daydream about. In summary: The washer is bugging, but the rest of the gang is cool for now.
Our Rejuvenated Wood Floors: Folks also ask how our little cleaning/sealing treatment has been holding up in the office, dining room, and living room downstairs – and we’re happy to report that seven months later they still look pretty much exactly the same. In summary: No complaints.
Nikon D3200: We’re still very happy with our accidental camera update. That post actually has a lot of info about the camera (both in the post and in the comment section) so you’ll want to check that out if you’re thinking of getting one. We’ve loved it pretty much for all the reasons we called out in that original post (like the video capabilities, the auto white-balance, etc). In summary: Cheers to you, D3200.
Living Without A Proper Two-Person Office: We haven’t loved not having a functional two-person workspace. The way it works now is that John is at the desk in the office with all of his stuff spread out, and I usually work from the kitchen table (which means clearing my stuff-spread off regularly for meals). It hasn’t been torture (I don’t rage at the kitchen table three times a day or anything) but we’re completely aware that it could be a lot more efficient. So we’d love to build systems into the office to make it a lot more functional, and get me out of the kitchen. We’ve actually been researching a few things and sketching out some plans – so we hope it’s on the agenda soon-ish (maybe after the nursery is done). We’re totally guilty of putting it off because it’s not terrible and it seems like a giant mountain to climb, so quick let’s look the other way for one more month… In summary: Not the worst thing that ever happened, but not ideal.
Open Shelving In The Kitchen: We still get a lot of questions about how we like living with kitchen shelves, and the short answer is that we still love them and marvel at how easy it is to grab a plate or unload the dishwasher (hence adding them into this kitchen as well as our last one). We actually expounded upon their virtues in our last update post, so you can read more details right here on that subject. In summary: Open shelves, we just can’t quit you.
Our Restoration Hardware Outlet-Steal Of A Table: Since our kitchen table has a raw look to it, people have asked if we’ve had issues with staining over the last four months or so of everyday use. The crazy thing is that even through grape juice spills and a giant soy sauce explosion, it still looks great. We’ve also never had issues with water rings or anything soaking into the surface, so I can only explain it as having some sort of invisible matte wax that seals it (it’s definitely not anything glossy) so it’s more protected than it looks. In summary: So far, so good.
Our Karlstad Sofa: Once again, we get a whole bunch of “how’s Karl? still love him?” questions, and the good news is that after years of living with a kid, a dog, and two couch-flopping adults, Karl is awesome. We’re really happy with the comfort factor, how the cushions are holding up, and his general overall appearance. I truly believe one of the biggest helps has been our choice of the dark sivik gray cover. It’s crazy durable (almost like denim) and Burger’s little nails can’t get into the tightly woven fibers and pull anything, which has been awesome. It’s also machine washable, which has been really handy. We mentioned Karl in our original update post as well, so you can read more about him here. In summary: Karl takes a licking and keeps on ticking. And is sort of a member of the family at this point.
Stenciled Bathroom Floor: We get questions like “is it peeling or flaking after everyday use?” and the resounding update is: huzzah, the floor still looks mint! Even with Burger tapping around it a million times a day with his claws (he loves having his crate in the closet) and us walking in and out to get ready in the morning and at night – the sealer that we put on seems to have done us right. We even got a few drips of paint on it while painting the nearby master bathroom, and those popped right off when they were dry thanks to the clear top-coat. In summary: Get on with your bad self, stenciled floor.
So there you have it… a big ol’ brain-dump update. What do you guys have in your house that has either rocked your world or let you down? It’s awesome to hear about stuff that you love – and to learn from your “don’t go there” warnings.
Psst- In the “previous mistakes and tweaks” category, you can check out this post, this post, this post and our first update post. We definitely don’t always make the right calls, but there’s something pretty comforting about course correcting as you go (it tends to work out pretty well in the long run for the most part).
I just got the nest for my Dad and he is obsessed! Your posts have been great lately, keep up the good work!
Thanks Kristina!
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I agree, I’ve been loving the variety in the posts, I never know what sort of topic I’ll find that day!
Aw, thanks so much Kristen!
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Love the look of the Nest. So modern! Ah, and those chairs get my every time. What a steal!
So excited to see you guys at the Home and Gardens show!!
Wahoo! Thanks Sarah! So glad you’re coming!
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Thanks for this update! It’s always good to revisit past projects and see how things are holding up. We do that as well around our house. Glad your Nest is still working out great for you! We considered that one, but ended up with the Ecobee, which is fitting our lifestyle well and we love it:
http://www.rathersquare.com/2013/12/tale-of-three-thermostats/
We hear such great things about that one too!
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These update posts are so fun! I really like them since when you first get things it is all exciting so it is nice knowing they are all (well mostly) as good as you like! The Nest is something that I would really like to try.
Thanks Megan!
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The biggest things we’ve done are to believe in ourselves, be patient, be resourceful, and research.
By doing all of those, we’ve opted to dig out (with sledgehammer) the ponds that were the bane of our existence when we bought our house. That’s saving us anywhere from 3-10 thousand dollars.
We also found an amazing site (2 Good 2 Toss) that allowed us to post a massive amount of items that others found useful and took! (It beat putting them in the landfill.)
On the baby/toddler front, the best thing we’ve done is make our own cloth wipes solution for the cloth wipes that my Mom made us. http://www.newmomstalk.com/2013/06/26/diy-baby-wipes-and-solution-revisited/
I love how simple it is (we keep the olive oil, baby wash, and tea tree oil on the kitchen counter), and our girl has yet to have a diaper-area issue.
We turned our upper kitchen cabinets into shelves and I’ve never looked back. I would definitely do it again and if I ever get to do a kitchen again, I would make most of the bottom cabinets into drawers. Drawers everywhere in the kitchen! I feel like the open cabinets are such a pain waste so much space.
Excited to see what you guys do for your office!
YES DRAWERS! You’re so right! John’s sister Emily has them and they’re so awesome. No more kneeling and reaching into those back corners of dark cabinets. Such a good point for when we redo the kitchen down the line!
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Drawers for lowers are the greatest thing ever. Why were they not invented sooner??
Agreed, about lower drawers! And I’m also a fan of base cabs with pull out shelves – great for storing and finding serving ware and big pots like dutch ovens. I’m so thankful the previous owners did those b/c I never ever would’ve thought of them on my own.
We have cabinet door fronts (which generally have a more traditional/classic look in my opinion) and these pull out drawer/shelves inside. It’s hard to describe them, but it’s like a shelf with deep sides to it so nothing can roll. I love it! No back-breaking, but still the look of cabinet doors!
Those sound really cool too!
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My parents have a few drawers similar to what Laurel described and they are awesome! Definitely no wasted space there!
We have large bottom drawers for pans. I like them a lot more than cabinets.
Love that you’re still enjoying the Nest. We just purchased 2 for the different heating zones in our home and I’m obsessed! I check the app a few times a day and love the convenience of controlling the temperature when we’re away, or on our way home!
Gina
We were checking out Ikea couches this weekend… how do you think they’d hold up against 3 not declawed cats? I was thinking a couch w/ a cover would be better so if they do end up destroying it then it can just be replaced unlike the set we have now which is toast. I also still love your stenciled floor and keep wondering where in my house I could add one.
Eeks, I’m not great about cat knowledge (their claws seem so fine/sharp that they can shred any material, right?). Anyone have advice for Liz?
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Hi Liz!
We have the exact same couch as YHL with the same cover and have had zero issues with our cat’s claws. Nary a pick to be seen! ;) We also LOVE our couch. Hope that helps!
Lacey
I think that if you go with a darker color and a fabric that is not velvet like you will be fine. I have a brown with the velvet type fabric and it is not holding up too well with my cat.
Hope you find the right choice!
Sarah
As a backup, there are companies who make slipcovers online for all IKEA couches (even the old discontinued ones!). If anything did happen, you could try one of those. I plan on ordering one soon! I’m not affiliated with them or anything but BEMZ is one option: http://www.bemz.com/
Another thing that helps is trimming your cat’s claws regularly. I trim my cat’s claws myself. Once you get used to it, it’s not bad. Pro-tip: get an actual claw cutter. I use one for rabbits that my MIL gave me when their last rabbit passed on. Works way better than human clippers (I use toe clippers in a pinch).
Keeping my cat’s claws short helps her not snag on things so much, and she also does a bit less scratching on inappropriate surfaces. I just cut her claws every 3-5 weeks or so. Just be careful not to cut into the quick. I prefer to do little cuts more frequently.
Hi Liz,
I have a cat and an IKEA sofa and have not had any problems. I think our covers are Ingebo or something like that…it’s a nice material that looks a bit like corduroy but feels soft. Nearly four years now and no snags from claws.
WOW thanks for the advice everyone! I definitely think a tighter weave on the fabric is the way to go! My husband keeps theirs nails trimmed but maybe i’ll tell him to do it more than he currently does. Thanks again for all the advice :)
We have the karl sofa bed with a light blue cover. We got him 5 years ago and he’s holding up well. We did have a cat and he did snag the arm a little. Not something guests notice, but I do. Oddly, he just did it that once and never again and he had never scratched our other furniture. Maybe he had to try it once and didn’t like the feel?
For what it is worth, our cats have not done much harm to our IKEA couch with that same type of fabric, but they HAVE done a number on our two Tullsta chairs which have a tighter fabric. I purchased slipcovers for those after the “incident” and the cats lost interest, thank heavens. I think the problem on the Tullstas was that they could really dig in. Cats like to reach up to scratch, but ours only like it if they can get really a good grip. I only choose couches with replaceable covers … thanks, cats :)
We have a Karlstad with the exact same cover that YHL has and two not declawed cats. We’ve had the sofa, loveseat, and ottoman for two years now and there’s just one place on the ottoman that has a couple threds ripped from one incident with a cat claw. It’s barely noticeable, and the fabric around it is still holding up very nicely. I think the covers have held up to claws well.
On this topic, i was wondering how your wood floors are looking now that it’s been six months or so since you put the sealer on them. The product has such mixed reviews, but is it still working for you, and do you wet mop over it occasionally?
Oh man, I meant to put that in here. They still look awesome! Will add that to the post!
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love these updates. So want to invest in a Nest!
not sure if you can control this or not but I did get a weird survey pop-up when I came to your page this morn. ( asking how likely I am to purchase tuna) That’s never happened before…
Oh man, someone else just mentioned that too. So sorry about that Amanda! Will get on the case to get it blocked!
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I almost just sprayed my computer with coffee laughing at this! Bahaha
Random tuna surveys sound house related right? Especially since we have a ban on pop-ups. Haha!
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Thanks for the update! I am glad to see how well the floor is holding up – gives me hope for the staircase I painted. :)
Just a heads up – I got a pop up ad on your site this morning, which was a first. I don’t know if that is my end or your end, but I have a screen shot of it if you would like me to email it to you. I haven’t changed any of my settings or had it happen on other sites though, if that helps.
Weird! Is it one of those blue survey pop ups? Those are so sneaky. Would love a screen grab (to [email protected]) so we can block it. Thanks Dani!
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Yup it was a blue survey pop up. I am sending the screen shot now!
Thanks Dani! Those things are so frustrating. We block them like once a week and then weasel their way back through with new code.
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Just curious and I know you’ve busted but in other areas, but how has the office been on the back burner so long with you both working at home? Not sure how you want to set it up? Overwhelmed with everything in general?
Yes and yes. I think it feels like a giant project (we want built-ins and some sort of big floating table/workspace in the middle) but we’re not 100% sure how we want it, and with such big changes/projects that will be involved to transform it, we’d rather wait until we’re 100% certain (and have the money saved up to do it well). We’re totally guilty of putting it off because we’re sort of frozen with indecision, so it’s easier to look the other way and dive into other things we’re more sure about. Haha!
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The office space problem is so not computing with me… Why would you use the kitchen table and have to clear it off every day when you could:
a) use the dining room table instead
b) use the actual desk area in the kitchen
c) put another temporary desk in the office
Simple, obvious solutions, no?
If you check out our house tour video from Friday, you’ll see why the dining table isn’t the best spot for me to work right now. Haha! And I prefer having a window view over looking at the kitchen wall all day, hence me choosing the kitchen table over the desk area (I can actually glance into the living room while Clara plays as well as look out the window when I’m at the table so it’s oddly convenient in that aspect). A temporary thing like a card table in the office would work too, we just haven’t resorted to that. But I completely get that this sounds crazy to some people. I’m apparently just not frustrated enough to jump on it yet ;)
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Since you’re no loving the built-in desk facing the wall in the kitchen, does that mean it’ll be getting the ax when it comes time to renovate the whole kitchen down the line?
Yes, we’re planning to turn that into floor to ceiling cabinetry for tons of storage – possibly without much of a counter (maybe one of those half-depth ones with the uppers just resting on the lowers – kinda like this). It’s just a landing spot for junk, so we like the idea of minimizing that counter and adding even more storage.
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Did the two person desk you guys built stay at your old house, I’m assuming?
Yup, that was built-in so it was sold with the house.
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The nest is on our short list of updates. I didn’t realize how robust it was though, super cool and high tech!
It looks like the bold font in the paragraph for “Our Restoration Hardware Outlet-Steal Of A Table:” is different than the others. It is bolder. Things like this bother my OCD tendencies, so I just had to let you know. :D
It’s great to hear everything is still treating you all well!
So strange, it looks the same on my computer! Anyone else see that one as more bold? I wonder if it has to do with certain fonts on certain browsers?
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Yes, it is bolder on my computer, too.
My browser is IE.
So strange! Will look at the hard-coding again to see if something’s hidden in there…
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I see it as more bolder too (but didn’t notice it initially). It looks like it might be a different font or size or something.
Woo hoo! It’s fixed. And the twitching has subsided. ;)
Yes, you guys were totally right! There was some weird double bold coding in there, so I just deleted that and hoped it made the difference (never could see it on our end, so it was admittedly a blind fix, haha!).
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Awesome!!! Thanks for the updates! I always wonder but never ask.
Our thermostat is on a wall visible from the entrance and it was so ugly. A large 70s style white box. We replaced it with the Nest a few months back and ohmygosh it is so lovely. I have some frames around it now. We also got two Nest Protect fire alarms and they are really great too. The alarms will send a text to your phone if it detects smoke and you aren’t home – a very big deal for us as pet owners.
The first house we bought is a two story but we rented one stories for several years. I love the stairs – our private areas are all up stairs and entertaining space is down. We also just have a 1/2 bath down and it is so easy to keep clean.
Those smoke alarms sound awesome! Especially for people with pets!
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Those fire alarms sound awesome. We have a hardwired alarm system, but that does nothing for us if it goes off while the dogs are home and there’s a fire. We heat almost exclusively with a wood stove (even when we’re gone) so it’s a worry I have to push to the back of my mind and accept that we do everything we can to provide a safe environment and maintenance. I’m going to look into seeing what’s out there for hardwired options! Great idea.
Washer story:
We bought a new GE set nearly five years ago. We did not get the extended warranty. Lo and behold after two years the washer went to poo. Someone came by and repaired it. It didn’t sound right and we called him back. Long story short he said never by GE again he said they are not worth repairing again – he did fix it. But now everytime I use the GE I always wonder if this is the day it will break on us…. Nearly 3 YEARS of waiting. That is not a way to live. Btw is sounds horrible now but still functions.
Wow, thanks so much for the tip Amber! Anyone else have washer tips in case ours ends up being down for the count?
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Honestly, I don’t know if it matters what brand you have. I had a LG front loader that ended up having to have most of it’s major components replaced last year (at 3 years old) only to have it die again a few months ago. We replaced it with a Samsung and got the extended 5 year warranty. They say that the top loaders don’t break as much, but you do have to watch out for some brands that you can’t wash waterproof materials like mattress pads. The most popular bands seem to be LG and Samsung – so it just seems like luck of the draw. Good luck!
Thanks Stephanie!
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Samsung washer here. LOVE it absolutely!
My plumber says to buy appliances like washers and dishwashers with metal connectors – not plastic. He says the plastic ones can’t take the pressure and do not last long.
Great tip!
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Buy a Whirlpool!
My husband has been in the appliance business for 30 years now as both a seller and servicer. He knows from experience that Whirlpool has the absolute best quality in the appliance market. They also stand behind their products better than any other appliance manufacturer. Since they are mostly made in the USA it is easier to get parts when something breaks.
I don’t like to be negative, but you should know that the quality of GE products is so poor that my husband has refused to carry anything made by them for decades now. He won’t even allow GE lightbulbs in our house!
He also refuses to service LG products because it takes so long to get parts for them, which have to come from Korea.
If you want a washer that is going to last and will be simple to fix when something wears out on it, buy a Whirlpool.
So interesting! We have bought Whirlpool washers & dryers for our last two houses and been really happy with them!
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Andy and I were recently shopping around and we noticed the bigger home improvement stores are carrying more and more top loading washers again (I love them, but we have a front loader now – not too bad). My husband has thrown the prediction down that front-loaders might be on the way out for these super fancy top loaders.
I wish there was a “like” button so I could give you a thumbs-up for being a happy Whirlpool customer! =)
Yep! Another happy Whirlpool owner here!
Woot!
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I need that nest in my life…we have the old, old kind where you flip the switch up for hot and down for cold….would be so nice to change the temp with my phone when I’m too cold to get up out of bed in the morning! #firstworldprobs
I’ve been hearing so much about the Nest lately that I think I’m going to have to convince my husband to make the upgrade. Thanks for the review.
I wonder if you could use the dining room table instead of the kitchen table short-term, Sherry, for your work projects, etc? That way you don’t have to clear your work area in preparation for every meal and mess up yo’ work groove! Just a thought! C
I’d love that if it was cleared off! We shared how that rooms looks in Friday’s video tour, and it’s a hot mess! Need to get on that too! Haha!
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Haha, then clear off the table! It looks like you have two rooms upstairs that are being used for clutter and odds and ends that you aren’t using. I am sure it would feel nice to not have so much clutter in your dining room since it is in the main area of your house and I am sure it’s not fun to look at all the time!
One more update pretty please? What do you think of your mattresses? We are local (DC area) and considering either the splurgy organic or a trip to your hood for one from the Mattress Factory. Any concerns on either?
Still very happy with it! We like a firm mattress and it’s still nice and firm. No dents or low parts in it or anything!
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Thanks!
Glad to hear that your stencilled floor is holding up. I bought the same sealer for a project!
My boyfriend and I purchased ourselves a Karlstad love seat with chaise in the same fabric a few months ago, after reading your review and seeing how nice it looked in your living room. We also adopted the name, and we love our Karl so much! Our dog Scout (similar size to Burger) loves to cozy herself in the corner with all the blankets :)
Wahoo! Long live Karl 2.0!
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Won’t your home warranty cover the cost to replace your washer?
Sadly that ran out, but their trip charge is $75 anyway (on top of the warranty, so that comes out of pocket) and this company is only $65 for a site visit (and has great ratings online) so we hope we can get things straight without dumping too much money down the washer drain. Har-har. We’ll have to see if this washer still has some life in her!
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Love these posts! I actually have a Karl and a Nest too, and both have been fantastic purchases!
Question for you though – my husband and I have been considering a Dremel Trio like John’s. Do you guys find that you use it a lot? We have a dremel and a router, but the Trio seems like a nice upgrade because you can route smaller things than with a giant router, and it’s multifuntionality seems super convenient. Thoughts?
Yes, we end up using that the most of those type of tools (we also have a Multi-Max that we like less).
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The privet will probably never be toast. They are so invasive and will sprout everywhere even if it appears to be dead. Dig it up as soon as possible! We have been trying to kill old stumps from large privets we cut down and they just keep sprouting and spreading everywhere!
Thanks Kim, will do! As soon as the ground un-freezes. Haha!
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You have the exact same camera as I do! What a nice surprise, guess I didn’t find that post before yet, so more reading material for me now! I think it’s a very nice camera if you’re getting into DSLR’s. So far I’m still learning how to get the most out of it as well, but I’ve already had some great fun with it.
I’m also very curious about the Nest, I’ve heard from it before but not sure if it’s already an option (or even for sale) over here, so that’s another “I’ll have to check that one out in the near future”
These are great posts! I love hearing about the long term outcome of things around your house. I’m planning on a Karlstad soon and it’s very reassuring to hear that they hold up. We had a cheap upholstered chair from IKEA many years ago that didn’t and I think it scarred me for life into ikeaskepticism. (All one word? Sure.)
I’m so glad you posted this! I’ve got my eye on a Nest and I’ve been wondering how yours is working out. There are a couple of competitors on the market now, but I still think Nest is the sexiest and hey, didn’t Google just buy them?
Yes, we heard that! For something like 5 billion dollars. Does that make your brain explode, or what?
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We’re thinking of investing in a Nest for our next home (which will hopefully be soon!), but when we saw that they were bought by Google, it makes us a little nervous…anyone else worried about Google monitoring what’s going on in your home? Or are we just paranoid? :)
Never even thought about that! Anyone else have thoughts on that subject?
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From what I read on their website their privacy policy forbids them from sharing anything other than generic user statistics with anyone even Google. So they could say 17% of Louisiana Nest users are in Away Mode currently but they couldn’t say Mr. Joe Anyman’s Nest is currently in Away Mode.
Interesting!
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Thanks for the update guys! I’ll be looking forward to when you get a gas stove. We’re currently in the process of buying our first home and after living in a rental with a gas stove I can’t imagine going back to electric!
We keep hearing that gas is amazing, and this house actually has gas heat so we hope it’s not too hard to add that line to the stove!
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We converted from electric gas and the gas company just tapped into our gas heat line (but ours was in the basement and just had to go up through the floor). I think it was like $100 or something.
That’s SO AWESOME! Wahoo!
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Gas is a dealbreaker – no way would I every buy with electric (or not convertible) again.
I can’t even boil water on electric!
I love, love, love cooking on a gas range and will never be persuaded that electric or induction are better, but if I could have anything I wanted, I would go with a dual fuel- the electric oven is much better for maintaining a consistent temperature.
Yes – it’s a simple switch if you already have gas heat and a gas line nearby. A plumber friend hooked it up for us, so we are now cooking with dual fuel! I don’t really bake much so I can’t attest to the difference of an electric oven. But I do LOVE that it is a double oven — we use the top, small oven almost exclusively. It heats up really quickly. And has an awesome “toast” feature.
That’s awesome!
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I have one question that you did not cover in your update… Your car. Are you guys planning on getting something larger for when Barnacle arrives or are you just going to make it work with what you already have? Was trying to imagine how you would fit things into your car with two car seats and two adults. ;)
We have been thinking about it for sure. Nothing giant like a minivan, but maybe something with more cargo space for the dog crate and two kids’ worth of stuff. Not sure when we’ll strike though (Nov sales are typically the best around here, so we might wait until then, or we might just wake up and feel more compelled than we’re feeling now). Will keep you posted!
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I was always anti-minivan too until we got one. Three cheers for automatic sliding doors and trunks and seats that fold flat! You may find that price and gas mileage-wise it works out to be less than an SUV or wagon, too.
When you do go car shopping I always recommend this video on negotiating. (It’s a quick 5 minute TED talk) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPor5b7JLLE
Thanks for the tip Kelly!
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oh man, i love our minivan. i love not calling my parents to borrow theirs to haul stuff. i love leaving the third row folded flat into the floor most of the time, and not having to worry about how to fit stuff. i love how fast the whole car heats up and cools down (first new car ever, so that could be part of it). love it. though our 4-year-old calls the ten-year-old honda accord “the sports car” because it’s smaller, so clearly faster.
That’s hilarious!
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I’m so getting the Nest! We got the Nest Protect as a Xmas present and so far love it. Granted it doesn’t save you money like the the thermostat but it is a million times better than the regular detector that I’ve fought with all my homeowner life.
Sad to hear about your privet, although it may be a good thing if it is invasive. I have a few Japanese Pieris bushes, which are very deer-resistant evergreens, work well in the shade and grow pretty fast so that may be an option. Another bush I discovered last year is Aucuba. Also a made for shade evergreen that so far the deer haven’t touched and the foliage is very attractive.
Thanks for the tips Isabel!
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Our AIO’s have holes in them (darn agitator in the washing machine), but I throw a doubler in them and they still work very well. I plan to use them for our next child too, despite the holes, with a doubler as needed. Also, I love the bumgenius newborn diapers. They were a great fit for our daughter’s first month or so. She was a big baby, so she grew into her all-in-ones quickly, but I loved the newborn ones for the first little bit!
Whoops, wrong thread! Don’t know how that happened :) See diaper discussion … Elsewhere!
Haha, thanks Jennie!
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I was wondering about how you were liking the Nest, I heard Google purchased Nest for over $3 million! So it must be catching on with others, even if they aren’t using as diligently as you guys!
Isn’t that crazy!?!?! When I read that I thought… man, wish that had been our idea. Haha!
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*over $3 BILLION! :)
“A million dollars isn’t cool … you know what’s cool?”
Haha, oh yeah… BILLION! So crazy!
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Opps sorry about the typo! I’m not used to talking about such large sums of money! :)
Haha, I know, right?! I think at some point a giant pile of money is a giant pile of money to folks like us!
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What about that super shaggy/chunky wool rug that you got on overstock. Do you guys still have that? I had bought one a few years ago and despised it because it shed everywhere — I had wool all over my house. But I still love the look. Wondered how yours worked out.
Oh yeah, we ended up craigslisting that since it was too small for the living room and not super practical once Clara went from baby to toddler (picture mashed snacks in it hiding for days). So sorry yours is super sheddy though. That’s frustrating!
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I’m curious about your plans for using cloth diapers with baby number 2. Will you invest in newborn cloth diapers this time?
We’re planning to do the same thing we did with Clara (disposable Seventh Generation ones for the super tiny stage since they poop a million times a day, and then cloth as soon as the bun fits into our All In Ones). They’re still in good shape, but we might get 6 more just to supplement our collection (we hear boys pee more so we might be changing him more?).
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You could also pick up a few doublers to add into the diapers for a little more absorption (especially in the front). I think the biggest thing to remember with little boys is that it’s umm all about positioning things properly before closing up the diaper!!
Also, from a healthier disposable diaper stand point, you might want to consider Honest brand diapers. I know Franklin Goose carries them now. Did you know Seventh Generation dyes their diapers to get that brown color? They aren’t just simply unbleached :o\
Thanks Donna Jean! I’ve heard awesome things about Honest! Didn’t know FG sold them, that’s so convenient!
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Our all in ones got pretty worn out after just one kid (holes where the fabric was scrunched up around the leg – maybe from not air drying as much and using the dryer??). Did you guys have this problem? We noticed there was a lot more leaking towards the end (before we switched to pull-ups which work better at daycare for potty training).
Anyway, I’m happy to use them again with the next one but not sure if they’ll work. Also, I think remembering reading that the changed the design of the all in one so their different now from when we bought them.
Ours seemed to perform the same way the whole way through (not a lot of leaking other than a few crazy blowouts in the early days) although in the end we didn’t use them overnight as much (one disposable a day for that period seemed to keep her dryer when she was so big and she slept better that way). Did yours have velcro or snaps? Ours were snaps, but maybe that makes a difference in the leg fit? As for the changed design, we heard about that, but sites like Cotton Babies still sell the original design since some people prefer that one.
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I should clarify – I don’t think every diaper has a hole in it and most only have one hole so it isn’t like their destroyed…I also thought about trying to hand sew them closed too.
We had snaps too – thanks for the tips on Cotton Babies selling the old design still!
Maybe the leaking is a boy thing (ours is a boy)…didn’t think of that until I read one of the comments in the thread…maybe that was why??
Totally could be! I also heard from some people with different dryers and washers that said that had a lot to do with wear (some were rougher so they got holes more, etc).
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I would like to know if anyone has an opinion on bathtub refinishing. Mine is horrible, but I’m leery of getting it refinished. Oh, and we’ve been talking about getting our hardwood floors re-done since 1985. Keep putting that one off for one reason or another, but now that I think I am ready, all I can think about is what to do with all our stuff. So, though I love reading your blog, I wish I had your energy. Lol
We had our tub reglazed in our first house and really liked it! We did a lot of research to find someone with a great standing with the Better Business Bureau (he provided a warranty and references) and were really happy with the outcome. We moved a few years later, but it looked great while we were there. As for hardwood refinishing, we also found a local guy our friends had used and loved (references are so important to us) and he did such a great job! Clearing the whole house out to make room for the sanding was the hardest part, but so worth it.
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I love this post! I’ve been wondering about some of these things! We have the same couch as y’all and we love it, too! We have been through quite a few couches and it’s held up better than any of them – which says a lot with a two year old and a ten year old boxer furbaby (whose nails demolished our last two couches)! We’ve been looking at the Nest thermostat and I want it now more than ever! So neat! :)
Did you see Google bought Nest? I knew this product was awesome since I read about it in your blog. I don’t need it for my house since I live in the tropic, but it seems to be the perfect formula with energy saving + automation + comfort. Glad to hear you are still happy with Nest.
Yes, for something like 5 billion dollars! So crazy!
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I love seeing updates like this since it helps to know how things are working in the long term and functioning for you (or not).
Just an FYI there was a popup survey on the site when I came on this morning. I took a screenshot if you’d like me to send it to you.
Thanks Kelly! That seems to be getting a ton of people so we’re on the case already! Hope to have it blocked asap! Grrr, pop ups.
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It’s so funny, I constantly think about the power you guys have when it comes to reviewing stuff and influencing my purchases when I make a big buy! I’ve said to my hubby, ” If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for us!” more times than you can imagine!! I really appreciate your honesty on these kinds of posts :-) now, off to look into a nest since my heating bill was THROUGH THE ROOF this last month…whoops!
Aw thanks Nadia, you’re so sweet!
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We LOVE our Nest! I would love a post with all the tips you have learned about it :). It is super wonderful!
Hmm, tips… if you’re coming home after being away for the weekend it’s nice to realize the house will be cold from auto-away so just clicking into the app and turning the heat on for when we get home is awesome. We also just try to stay on the “green leaf” setting when we can (see that in the photo, it’s just from turning it down when it’s not too cold and up when it’s not too hot). What else? I guess just living with it? Ours seems to know us better over time, so it knows when we’ll be upstairs most of the time (and can slop cooling the lower floor to focus on the upstairs). Anyone else have tips? Share and share alike!
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What about the Nature Spec paint? How does it seem to be holding up in comparison with Natura? Same question with going glossier with this house… are you happy with that decision so far? Any other tips on choosing paint based on your choices in this house vs. last? Thanks!
Oh yes, the Ultra-Spec has been awesome! It’s also no-VOC and very competitively priced to the big box stores. We heard a rumor that Natura is actually going to get phased out since people tend to buy/prefer the Ultra-Spec! So far ours looks great (along with our Natura). I thought that was interesting though! Mainly the paint differences from this house to the last one have just been using it differently (we’ve had fun with colorful interior doors like in our foyer and Clara’s room in this house) along with more painted ceilings (like the pink one in Clara’s room, the platinum one in the foyer, and the blue one in the sunroom).
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Glad to have a good report on the open shelving after living with it in 2 of your houses! We decided to do no upper cabinets at all in our kitchen just walls full of open shelves. I’m really nervous about it.
http://www.willscasa.com/2013/12/backsplash/
AHHHHHH! That’s going to be amazing. SO exciting. And that arched door. Swoon.
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I just forwarded this over to the hubs (in case he hasn’t ready it yet today; he’s as avid a follower as me now). He’s been wanting to get his nerdy mitts on a Nest thermostat for about a year now but wanted to know if it really made a difference.
Guess I know what I’ll be getting him for his birthday. :)
Oh man, you guys are going to love it.
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I would LOOVE an update on how cloth diapering with Clara ended up being. Our first is due in July and we bought some of the same ones you used for her. Was it what you expected? Did you like them from birth to potty training? Did you end up using some disposable and some cloth? Do you plan to reuse them with the new babe and will you do anything differently? Were you happy with those specific diapers or do you wish you had tried different kinds? Snaps vs. velcro?
We actually chatted about that in our last update post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2012/04/post-haste-2/ (there are also links to other cloth diaper posts, like an update after one year, etc). We were really happy with them and plan to use the same ones for the bun. We like snaps over velcro because we hear they last longer and can stay on better, and in our experience they were great. We did Seventh Generation disposables with Clara when she was tiny until she fit into the AIOs, so that’s the same plan for this guy. We might buy 6 more of the same type (original BumGenius AOIs with snaps) just to have more on hand since we hear boys pee more, but other than that we plan to do the same thing!
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How’s the white in the stair runner holding up?
Is it ethical to return a plant that deer ate? Not being critical, I just wonder if warrantees cover environmental factors the nursery can’t control.
Oh yes, the nursery folks who helped us choose plants told us these were deer-resistant shrubs but if the deer went rogue and ate them that we could bring them back for something else that would work better. We love local nurseries for their commitment to customer satisfaction and finding the right plants for the right places!
As for the stair runner, it’s still white! Being a no-shoes house seems to help, although generally we hear that Dash & Albert is known to be great about durability for kids/dogs/stains/etc.
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How do you keep dishes on the open shelves from getting dusty? What about cooking grease? Does it settle on to the dishes? I love them…they look great ????
Thanks Marcia! In our experience with them in two kitchens over multiple years, we have never had an issue with cooking grease (we’ve had range hoods in our kitchen that seem to take care of that) and we fill the shelves with such commonly used items (like everyday dishes and bowls) that are rotated in and out so frequently that they don’t have time to get dusty. We might also put something like a plant up there, but it’s the same thing as putting a plant out on the console or counter (they occasionally get dusty, but that’s true about any flat surface).
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I think the success/failure of open shelving in the kitchen depends on what kinds of things a person cooks in their kitchen. I sauté a LOT of food in olive oil when I cook and have a horrible problem with grease splattering everywhere. I use a splatter screen and have a super range hood but the grease splatters are still horrible. I have to throw the range hood filter in the dishwasher every couple of weeks and wipe down everything around the stove every time I cook. I don’t have open shelving around my stove, but I do have some about halfway across the kitchen from the stove and I find that a sticky, greasy film builds up on the shelves (not on the stuff on the shelves because we use those things regularly) even though I thoroughly clean them once a week.
My conclusion is that my cooking style is definitely not good for open shelving!
Great tip Pam! Thanks for weighing in!
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Wow, I missed the post abotu the floor the first time around but man, you’ve got to stop! You’re giving me too many ideas. I was planning to start the grout project tonight that you posted about last week but now I want to abandon that one and tackle the floors to make them shiny! So many exciting projects, so little time!!
Haha, thanks Emily! Good luck with everything!
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I love the chairs in your kitchen – where did you get them, or did you DIY them? Couldn’t find a post although I did search! Thanks.
Thanks Erin! Those are new. Here’s that update for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2014/01/wire-chair-love/
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Thanks for this update! We’re talking about getting a Nest for the lake (house awesome would it be to knock the temp up a few degrees an hour or two before going up when it’s super cold and snowy out?!) so it’s good to hear a long term review.
And I’ll be honest – I was holding out on doing our floors (same idea – temporary reno to hold us until we can do it for real) until hearing an update!
I’ve also linked to your posts about Karl a few times now when IKEA couches come up for discussion so yay for Karl still rocking!
And last – we did the same. Bungalow to two storey. And we’ve never looked back! Love the separation of private and “public” spaces.
Aw thanks Rebecca! Good luck with your floors!
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