This week we’re sharing a simple kitchen change that made daily life noticeably easier for us — a small rearrangement that we wish we’d done sooner. We also have an update about appliance delivery stress, a few practical tips for people who actually want books on their shelves (rather than using shelves mainly for decor), and a couple of TV recommendations that have us hooked. Plus, we talk about a new Netflix series that felt unexpectedly transformative for us — similar to the buzz around Marie Kondo’s show.
You can download the episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, or Spotify — or listen from the player on the original post. Note: if you’re reading this in a feed reader you may need to click through to the post to access the audio player.
What’s New
- We didn’t get many good photos during the appliance delivery because we were a little stressed, so the best visual we have of the dented refrigerator comes from a quick video screen grab. Still, the positive news is that the refrigerators fit the space well and look great in the kitchen once you step back and take it all in.
- The other appliances — the range, washer, and dryer — are in place but still have protective plastic on them, so they look slightly odd. Once everything is fully unwrapped and settled, we’ll take more polished photos to show how it all works together in the space.
Updates
- Sherry has been engrossed in the Court of Thorns and Roses series and is currently on the fourth book, A Court of Frost & Starlight. After finishing that she plans to start another fantasy series she’s excited about.
- Last week’s episode included a great conversation with Stephanie Sikora about making your home not just tidier but more efficient. That discussion inspired us to re-evaluate some kitchen storage choices.
In our earlier kitchen layout the dishes and serving pieces felt conveniently placed near the dishwasher, but they required a lot of crossing back and forth. We moved plates, bowls, and utensils to the island drawers on the opposite side of the microwave so they sit on the same side of the dishwasher as the cups and mugs stored in the nearby upper cabinets. The result: unloading the dishwasher is far quicker and feels much more streamlined — no more constantly walking around the appliance.
Can We Just Talk About
- We discovered a reality competition on Netflix called Instant Hotel that focuses on short-term rental design and hospitality. It’s packed with design ideas, rental tips, and entertaining TV drama. We found it genuinely inspiring for anyone who cares about interiors and guest experience.
- The early episodes highlight a broad variety of properties and personalities; if you watch through the season you’ll see even more characters and surprising design choices that are worth discussing.
Listener Question
We often get asked about our bookcases: how many books we keep, how we arrange them, and whether we prefer a bookshelf full of volumes or a mix of books and objects. Our living room built-ins have evolved over the years — at one point they were packed with books, but during a period of simplifying they became more curated with fewer volumes and more intentional styling.
Below are a few practical approaches we’ve found useful for people who actually want books on their shelves:
- Give priority to function: place frequently read or referenced books in easy-to-reach spots. Keep the books you reread most often on lower, accessible shelves so they aren’t buried.
- Organize by category or purpose: dedicate one shelf to fiction, another to non-fiction, and another to cookbooks or reference volumes. This makes it easier to find what you want and keeps the overall look cohesive.
- Mix books with a few meaningful objects for balance: a couple of framed photos, a small plant, or a decorative item per shelf can make bookcases feel styled without sacrificing storage for the books you love.
We also painted the backs of bookcases in a previous home to add color and depth — it was an inexpensive upgrade that helped the shelves feel intentional and cohesive. In our current living room built-ins we made sure the shelves are deep enough to accommodate large hardcover books, which was a priority after struggling with shallow shelves before.
We’re Digging
- Marie Kondo’s show and book have inspired a lot of people to rethink how they keep and organize belongings. The core idea — keeping items that spark joy and streamlining what you own — resonates with many homeowners who want calmer, more functional spaces.
- We recently added a wireless phone charger and mount for the car that makes daily charging less fiddly. It still connects to power, but once the phone is placed in the mount it charges without wrestling a cable every time — a small convenience that makes a real difference.
If you want to revisit things we’ve recommended in past episodes, we maintain a master list of items and ideas that we’ve highlighted across all shows, including books we’ve recommended on our Book Club page. Finally, thanks to this episode’s sponsor for supporting the show — we appreciate the partners who help us keep producing content.
Thanks for listening and for reading along — we love sharing small changes that add up to a more functional, welcoming home.
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