Home projects can be stressful — sometimes extremely so. In this update we share three practical ways we’re managing stress during our bathroom renovation, focusing on common pressure points like budget surprises, timeline slippage, and decision fatigue. We’ll also explain how to stop second-guessing choices, and reveal a part of this renovation we haven’t discussed much but are surprisingly excited about. Plus, we gathered holiday life-hack ideas from listeners and recount a small nostalgic detail from Sherry’s childhood that has resurfaced in the best possible way.
What’s New
- You may remember the closet from last year’s post about Sherry’s minimal wardrobe. The photo above shows her side of the room before demo; below shows my side. And yes, hello Burger!
- Right now it’s just an empty room with no floor while we complete the demo and prep for the new layout.
- We used Ikea’s Pax wardrobe planner to mock up how the new systems will look. This is the design we worked on at home and fine-tuned in store, so the final install may have small tweaks. We’ll share full photos once everything is installed.
- Planned layout: one 29″ wardrobe in the center flanked by two 19″ wardrobes with doors. Doors aren’t available for the 29″ unit, and we appreciate the open center since it contains drawers — easier access without doors.
- We mirrored the exposed sections on both sides but customized the interiors of each doored 19″ unit to suit our individual storage needs. We’ll detail organization ideas after installation.
- We first used Pax wardrobes years ago in our first home to expand clothing storage by adding wardrobes on either side of the bed. It’s been a reliable solution for us ever since.
- The current layout echoes a closet we had in our second house, which feels pleasantly familiar.
Updates: Holiday Life Hacks
- Here are some themed gift ideas we’ve used with extended family to keep holiday gifting fun and manageable:
- Hey Hot Stuff! — spicy foods, warm accessories, or items that evoke warm places.
- Book It — books, reading accessories, or anything related to travel planning.
- Travel Junk — souvenirs and travel-related finds collected on trips.
- Say Cheese — photo- or cheese-themed gifts and novelty cutting boards shaped like places we love.
- The Good Ol’ Days — vintage-style or retro items like classic board games.
- On The Road — travel-friendly gifts like compact art kits or car-friendly entertainment.
- The Year of Granny — gifts that celebrate a family member’s memory or milestone, chosen to evoke special memories.
- Be A Good Sport — sports-themed gifts or small games to enjoy together.
- Feeling Green — eco-friendly items or gifts that are literally green.
- Across State Lines — locally made gifts from the gifter’s hometown.
- We also collected listener-submitted non-holiday life hacks on a recent episode if you want even more ideas and household tips shared by our community.
Managing Renovation Stress
- If you’re catching up on our bathroom renovation, see our detailed post with before photos, floor plans, and selections for tile and fixtures. It includes the tub Sherry loves and links to our product choices.
- Last week we concentrated on tile preparation and are nearing completion. Once the prep is finished we plan to tile the shower floor and walls plus the bathroom and closet floors right after Thanksgiving.
- We referenced a recent conversation with renovation coach Miranda Anderson about enjoying the process as well as the outcome. Her perspective reminded us to slow down when decisions get overwhelming and to celebrate small milestones.
- A quick note about our kitchen counters: the matte quartz we chose shows faint water outlines that appear after splashes. They can be buffed away, but it’s extra maintenance compared with the polished quartz on our island, which resists marks and is easier to live with. In hindsight, we’d choose a polished finish for similar materials to reduce upkeep.
- We still appreciate the durability and look of quartz, but lessons learned about finish and maintenance will inform future choices. We’ll share more kitchen photos and notes in a dedicated post.
We’re Digging
- Those vintage troll dolls are a sweet gift from our daughter’s friend and a fun nostalgia win. Old-school toys can be a great way to connect with kids, and many retro finds are available through secondhand markets if you want to recreate that childhood feel.
- Other nostalgic toy ideas we’ve enjoyed: vintage Beanie Babies, classic unbranded Lego bricks, old action figures like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or He-Man, and retro board games such as Clue, Guess Who?, or Battleship. Collectibles like trading cards or pogs can also spark playful curiosity.
- Sherry also mentioned the popular “Save – Spend – Share” piggy banks that many readers have asked about; they’re a helpful, tangible tool to teach kids basic money habits.
- One small favorite: the stretchy jeans I wear almost every day are currently a great value, so I picked up a spare pair to keep as a backup. The slim fit suits me best because very skinny styles feel too restrictive.
If you’re searching for specific recommendations we’ve mentioned on past episodes, we maintain a master list of everything we’ve been “digging” across past show notes, along with a Book Club page listing all the books we’ve discussed and recommended.
Finally, a thank-you to our episode sponsor. We appreciate partnerships that help keep this podcast going and support the content we create. Note: some posts may include affiliate links; that means we could earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when purchases are made through links on our site.
