For our first blogiversary we shared a handful of goals for year two. Now we’re checking in to see how we did and to set new goals as we head into year three.
Last year we decided to publish our intentions instead of keeping them in a private notebook. We figured making them public would light a fire under us—and, as it turns out, it helped. Here’s a summary of how we fared and what we plan next.
Last Year’s Goal: Get Your Read — We wanted to write more interactive, reader-focused posts like this one here. How we did: Pretty well. We discovered that posts work best when they feel like a conversation, so we started ending posts with questions, launched recurring “Let’s Tackle It Together” projects, and continued the popular Burning Questions series. Your feedback has made blogging more fun and collaborative—thank you for weighing in.
Last Year’s Goal: Change The Scenery — I planned to hand over the camera to John so he could appear more on video. How we did: Success. John stepped out from behind the lens and into the frame for many videos—from garage cleanouts to road trips and painting projects—so viewers got more of him and less of my overexposed mug.
Last Year’s Goal: Listen Up — You asked for regular features like $0 room makeovers and “deal of the week” posts. How we did: We delivered. We shared favorite bargains, from paint brushes to soap dispensers and vacuums, and created a zero-dollar same-day room makeover project, plus many affordable Reader Redesigns. More budget-friendly ideas are in the pipeline for year three.
Last Year’s Goal: Seriously Detox — We vowed to adopt more eco-friendly habits and products. How we did: Not bad. We added a backyard compost, planted an edible garden, built a rain barrel, and switched to greener cookware and an organic mattress. We also explored natural cleaning tips and offered reusable Envirosax shopping bags as a favorite giveaway.
Last Year’s Goal: Kid Around — We wanted to do a same-day kids’ room makeover. How we did: We haven’t completed a same-day kids’ makeover yet, but we did several reader-submitted kids’ room features and helped transform an extra bedroom into a budget-friendly nursery for John’s sister. The nursery reveal (and baby) is coming soon.
Last Year’s Goal: Get The Goods — We hoped to expand our shop beyond prints and portraits to include home accessories. How we did: We didn’t fully launch a wholesale decor line due to time and logistics, but we did add YHL T‑shirts to our shop and they’ve been a hit—so much so we had to restock quickly.
Last Year’s Goal: Tech Things Up — We wanted to get savvier with tech and multimedia. How we did: We feel good about this one. We published weekly videos, created a dedicated video page, and generally improved how we present multimedia content.
Last Year’s Goal: Be More Social — We aimed to use Twitter and Facebook more effectively. How we did: Done. We now use social platforms to share updates, outtakes, giveaway announcements, and sneak peeks—keeping the community engaged beyond the blog.
Last Year’s Goal: Get Around — We wanted to visit more homes beyond our hometown for house tours. How we did: We succeeded. We house-crashed homes in other states, shared a 40-hour road trip story, and even crashed a wedding in Texas. More travel content is planned.
Last Year’s Goal: Enjoy The Ride — We wanted to remember why we love blogging despite the occasional frustration. How we did: We survived and stayed grateful. Running Young House Love isn’t easy, but it remains our passion, and we keep reminding ourselves that worthwhile things take hard work.
That wraps up our progress report. Here’s what we’re aiming for in the coming year:
Hit The Road — We plan to travel more and house crash more inspiring homes across the country (and maybe international spots too).
Get Cracking At Home — We’re saving and planning to finish our basement and gut and renovate our bathroom. This year should see sledgehammers and paint brushes in serious use.
Share The Process — You asked for more than just before-and-afters. For our basement and bathroom projects we’ll share detailed planning—how we evaluate a space, pick colors and materials, and decide layouts—so you’ll see the full decision-making process.
Do More With Less Moolah — We’ll continue delivering thrifty tips, cheap upgrades, and free ideas to help you live well on a budget.
Put Faces To Screen Names — We want to meet readers in person, whether at local meetups or on the road. We’re even thinking about shopping meetups at Targets, Ikeas, and TJ Maxx stores—who’s game?
Sling The Swag — We’ll keep the giveaways coming and aim for even better prizes. Over the past year we hosted more than 40 giveaways, distributing over $6,000 worth of goodies, and we plan to keep that momentum.
Expand The Clan? — There’s a chance this could be the year we add a baby to the mix. No promises, but a nursery makeover might be on the horizon.
That’s our plan for the next year. We’re also still reviewing everyone’s responses from the reader questionnaire, so more ideas may emerge. What are your goals for the next 365 days? Declaring them publicly really helps—so feel free to share.
Slightly altered image found here.