We recently realized that storage baskets can both help and hinder home organization — yes, the wordplay was intentional. Meanwhile, the duplex reached a major renovation milestone: the floors have been refinished. Our original plan changed at the last minute when an unexpected issue appeared, forcing us to adapt quickly. We also share a thoughtful counterpoint to one of our “must-have” home features based on your feedback from the last episode, plus practical tips for using decor to reduce stress at home.
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What’s New
- The photo above shows how rough the duplex floors were when we bought the house last year — carpet padding glued to the hardwood and dark water-stained areas everywhere.
- We’ll publish a full before-and-after gallery later this week. The transformation is dramatic; the space looks worlds better after refinishing.
- Another photo below shows sticky tile that had been laid over the wood floors. In one bedroom the tile peeled up, leaving a gooey residue that made walking in there a nightmare.
- While you wait for our photo-heavy post, check out a similar floor refinishing transformation we shared from another house for an idea of how much impact refinishing can have.
- We’ve refinished floors before — including downstairs at our Richmond house — and documented what to expect when you refinish hardwoods, which can be helpful if you’re planning a project.
Updates
- Most of these updates were discussed in last week’s Episode #122, so catch up there if you missed it.
- We posted an Instagram thread that gathered 250+ comments about people’s “must-have” house features. Reading those responses was eye-opening and gave us lots of fresh ideas to consider while house hunting or building.
- As an example, our old showhouse included a Jack-and-Jill bathroom layout with a separate door for the toilet — a “private pooper” setup that solved many of the locked-door complaints listeners mentioned. The tub sat inside that enclosed space as well.
What’s Not
- If you want ways to de-stress your home with decor, there are curated lists that suggest practical approaches, from calming color choices to decluttering strategies and thoughtful layout adjustments.
- Other resources highlight things in your home that may be secretly stressing you out so you can tackle them one by one and restore calm to your living space.
- For style inspiration, there are also guides that share tips for creating relaxed, chic interiors influenced by classic French decor — useful if you’re aiming for a tranquil yet polished look.
Can We Just Talk About: Baskets
- The photo above shows some of the large storage baskets we’ve relied on for years. One of these still houses a weighted blanket and remains useful in our living area.
- Many other large baskets around the house have been retired as our kids outgrew big Duplo blocks. Their current toys — smaller Legos, figurines, and dolls — are now stored in smaller bins and drawers in their room rather than scattered in oversized baskets.
- We also keep a stash of baskets in the attic — many of them nested inside larger ones — which gives us options when we need flexible storage for seasonal items, blankets, or accessories.
We’re Digging
- On a tech note, I picked up an Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular at a discounted price. It’s been handy for quick notifications and health features, and I’m using the standard sports band for everyday comfort.
- I’ve enjoyed the built-in Breathe app for short guided breathing breaks. If you want more structured meditation, apps like Headspace and 10% Happier are easy to use on both phone and watch.
- For entertainment, we recently binged The Haunting of Hill House and found it compelling — a spooky, well-crafted series that stuck with us after finishing it.
If you’re trying to track down something we mentioned in a past episode, we maintain a master list of things we’ve been digging across episodes, plus a Book Club page with every title we’ve recommended.
We’d also like to thank our episode sponsor, Grove Collaborative. They often offer seasonal welcome gifts that include popular cleaning essentials and useful accessories — a nice way to try elevated everyday products.
Thanks for listening and reading — we appreciate you following along as the duplex comes together.
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