We had an “a-ha” moment during spring break that sparked a massive whole-house purge — including a mountain of toys — and the kids’ reaction surprised us. This week we share what prompted the change, how it shifted our perspective, and the practical steps we took. We also talk about how we became close with our neighbors and offer simple ideas to encourage a friendlier, more social vibe where you live. Plus, we discuss why paying attention to home staging tips can be useful even if you don’t plan to sell. Sherry finds inspiration from the success of a favorite accessory designer, and I admit to finding inspiration by quietly watching people on the beach. Yes, like a creeper.
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What’s New
- A number of readers asked about the place we stayed in Cape Canaveral over spring break. We stayed in a cozy rental and have included a few favorite photos here. The stay inspired lots of relaxed, low-stress time that helped kickstart our desire to simplify things at home.
- Sherry highly recommends the book Simplicity Parenting. She’s read it twice and says it changed how she thinks about the role of possessions in kids’ lives. Even if you aren’t a parent, the book offers thoughtful reminders about simplifying daily routines and practical steps to reduce clutter and chaos.
Also, Burger had the time of his life.
Updates
- If you enjoyed the voice and storytelling in our episode, you might like the S-Town podcast, which is a six-episode narrative series with a distinctive host voice and an intricate local story. Be aware it contains adult language and mature themes.
- We also loved the S-Town soundtrack — it complements the series beautifully and has been on repeat for us.
- We referenced a few of our earlier episodes that relate to topics discussed this week: budget projects and creative fixes, an unspoiled escape room story we enjoyed, and advice about what to do with leftover paint sample cans. Those episodes provide related tips and memories for folks who want a deeper dive.
What’s Not
- We mentioned an article called “How to Stage Your Home For Living” by Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist, and want to clarify that he is not the same Joshua featured in The Minimalists documentary. Both are proponents of simple living, but they are different people. The Becker article inspired part of our conversation about staging spaces to feel less cluttered and more livable.
- We also touched on a past episode about staging a home to sell, which contains practical tips that apply whether you’re selling or simply trying to make your home feel more intentional.
- For listeners interested in the theme of doing more and buying less, Episode #33 is a helpful companion that explores choices, priorities, and small lifestyle shifts that reduce clutter and increase satisfaction.
Listener Question
- One listener asked about our neighborhood thrift-store date night. That idea originally came up in an earlier episode about house cleaning and decluttering. We shared a photo from that night below — we’re the ones in the green and yellow outfits — and the evening led to a spontaneous neighborhood meetup that was a lot of fun.
- We’ve hosted moving sales in the past that became community events; one post about a moving sale turned neighborhood meet-and-greet includes practical tips for organizing a sale that also fosters neighborly connections.
We’re Digging
- The inflatable loungers we spotted on the beach caught our eye. They’re a lightweight, portable option for relaxing on sand. Note: use these on land only — do not use them in water, as there have been incidents when deflation caused people to be pulled under.
- We also liked the beach cart available at our rental and saw a version that converts into a small table — a clever, practical beach accessory for families.
- Another standout product is a sand-resistant beach blanket that lets sand fall through so it doesn’t accumulate on the surface. It makes beach clean-up much easier and keeps towels and bags sand-free.
- If you enjoy entrepreneur stories, the podcast How I Built This is a rich resource of founder interviews and origin stories. Sherry especially loved the episode about a jewelry designer who built a beloved accessory brand from the ground up.
- For anyone curious about those signature earrings Sherry mentioned, she owns several pairs in different stones and metal finishes and wears them constantly — they add an instant polished look to casual outfits.
Psst — Looking for something we mentioned in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to check? We keep a master list of favorite items and topics from previous shows that makes finding past recommendations easy.
Visit thomasavenueceramics.com/YHL to browse tile for your next project, and get 20% off your next purchase with the code YHL20.
*This post contains affiliate links and occasional product references; recommendations reflect items we personally like or used during the trip.