This week we speak with Joyful author and design expert Ingrid Fetell Lee about simple, affordable ways to bring more joy into your home. Ingrid explains why joy is often more attainable than happiness and how intentionally seeking joyful moments at home can reveal and refine your decorating style. We also celebrate Sherry’s birthday (she finally got two tattoos), share the meaning behind them and what the experience was like, report on our latest escape room outing, describe a new tactic for taming car clutter, and announce a notable change to the podcast that listeners will want to hear about.
You can find this episode on your favorite podcast app such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Stitcher, or Spotify.
New Intro Song
- We’re excited to debut our new podcast intro song in video form. Longtime followers will especially appreciate this short video reveal.
Note: If you’re viewing this in a feed reader, the video may not appear inline. Visit the post directly to view the embedded preview.
- Below we’ve also included a few of our past musical experiments for fun context. One is the original rap from 2013, and another is a follow-up we filmed the next year during a DIY-themed challenge.
These earlier videos were playful departures from our usual content and have become an amusing part of our archive for anyone curious about our more whimsical moments.
- If you enjoy seasonal pranks and creative stunts, we’ve rounded up ten years of our April Fool’s posts for a nostalgic look back at past shenanigans, including workout videos, novelty product launches, and themed home projects.
What’s New
- We surprised Sherry with a small birthday display when she turned 37 last month. It was low-key, sweet, and a nice reminder that small touches can make a day feel special.
- We recently tried an escape room for the first time. Because photography wasn’t allowed, we don’t have pictures to share, but we talk about the experience in Episode #43 of the podcast. The local venue we visited offers several themed rooms, including a VR experience and a kid-friendly option at a nearby location.
- To celebrate Sherry’s birthday she got two tattoos from a talented artist. In the episode she explains the symbolism: a seven-leaf laurel to honor the significance of the number seven in our family, and a “V” to commemorate two beloved women—her grandmother Victoria and great-grandmother Vincenza.
- We also shared short Instagram stories documenting the tattoos and the studio visit for anyone who wants extra context about the process and results.
Ingrid Fetell Lee, Joyful
- If you haven’t heard our earlier conversation about Ingrid’s book Joyful, it’s worth listening to for practical, design-forward ideas that invite delight into everyday spaces.
- Ingrid’s work emphasizes tangible design strategies—like color, pattern, and scale—that create surprising little moments of joy. She also offers helpful worksheets and examples that make applying these ideas to your own home straightforward.
- During the episode we mention a charming cottage Ingrid described as an example of joyful design. We also discuss practical decorating tips such as arranging and color-coding books on shelves or facing them backward for a cleaner look.
- If you’re interested in minimalist wardrobes and closet organization, we revisit Sherry’s closet tour and some of our earlier episodes where we dive into capsule wardrobes and closet editing techniques.
We’re Digging
- Car clutter has long been a small but persistent annoyance for us. To help, we purchased an inexpensive mini trash can that fits in the passenger door cup holder. For under $10 it’s made a noticeable difference because it’s an easy habit to maintain—the simpler the system, the more likely we are to use it.
- On the phone front, if you use an iPhone, take advantage of Do Not Disturb settings to limit interruptions overnight or during focused times. We keep our Do Not Disturb scheduled and allow calls from a short list of favorite contacts; the Repeated Calls option can also let an urgent call through if someone calls twice in quick succession.
If you’re trying to remember which episode covered a particular tip or product, we’ve compiled a master list of everything we’ve “been digging” across past shows. That page and our Book Club page list previous recommendations and resources for easy reference.
We also want to thank our sponsor for this episode, Cree LED Light Bulbs, whose products helped inspire a recent post about how better lighting transforms a room. For more on improving home lighting, check our light bulb resource post and our recent recommendations.
Thanks for listening and reading. We appreciate your support and love hearing how small changes in design and routine can bring more joy into everyday life.
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