We didn’t stop with painting our house white last year—there’s been more work on the exterior since then. Today we’ll share the projects we’ve finished, what remains on the to-do list, and one decision we’ve changed our minds about more than once. We’ll also reflect on a few experiments and interviews from the podcast’s first 149 episodes that genuinely changed how we live at home. Plus, we’re issuing a simple challenge to help you identify small, fixable friction points in your daily routine. And because curiosity never quits, we dig into the surprising concept of buying a house sight-unseen in a town you’ve never visited—turns out it’s not as outlandish as it sounds.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Spotify.
What’s New
- The metal awning we mentioned back in Episode #139 has finally arrived and been installed. It’s a game changer for the front entry’s look and function.
- There’s still work to do. After lowering the lanterns we patched the brick where holes were made, but brick dust still covers much of the area in this photo and the patched spots need paint. We also had to partially reconstruct the door surround to position the awning correctly, so that area requires caulking and repainting as well.
- Ignore the brief peek at the bluestone landing for now—expect a full post about that soon with more photos and details.
- We included a photo of the duplex so you can reference the shutters we discussed. We waffled about adding shutters to our own house—several times—but we’re excited about the decision. We still need to choose the final color; a medium putty tone is currently a leading contender.
Can We Just Talk About Roofstock?
- We recently read a Curbed piece that introduced us to Roofstock, a platform that lists rental properties investors can buy remotely. The article includes accounts from people who purchased homes they’d never toured in person. The idea felt both nerve-racking and fascinating, and we’re curious if any listeners have personal experience buying property sight-unseen or through platforms like Roofstock.
150 Episodes & The Sticking Points Challenge
To celebrate reaching 150 episodes, we looked back at a few experiments and interviews that truly changed the way we manage our home. Below are the episodes we referenced in this show, listed in the order they were mentioned. Each one includes practical takeaways worth revisiting if you’re looking for ways to simplify, save time, or streamline daily life.
- Episode #12: A lighthearted moment where Sherry beatboxed with Bravo’s Jenni Pulos—fun and unexpected.
- Episode #113: A recap of our mostly failed “furniture-free” week challenge (originally discussed in Episode #112), which includes my improvised standing desk and the lessons we learned about comfort and priorities.
- Episode #97: Insights from our “No Spend Month” challenge that started in Episode #93, inspired by Cait Flanders’ The Year of Less and the interview in Episode #96. This experiment highlighted how intentional restraint can reveal spending habits and priorities.
- Episode #131: What we learned from a “No TV” challenge (originally issued in Episode #128) and the surprising ways unplugging changed our routines and family interaction.
- Episode #39: Our interview with cleaning expert Melissa Maker, which provided actionable cleaning strategies that actually stick.
- Episode #60: A conversation with Clea and Joanna from The Home Edit, full of organization tips that make daily life easier.
- Episode #33: Dana Miller on downsizing—smart perspective on buying less and doing more.
- Episode #128: A thoughtful interview with minimalism advocate Joshua Becker about simplifying and focusing on what matters.
- Episode #126: Practical advice from home efficiency expert Stephanie Sikora on improving household systems and routines.
- As part of our anniversary episode we launched the “Sticking Points Challenge.” The idea is to identify small, recurring annoyances in your household routine—things that create friction every day—and fix them quickly, cheaply, or even for free. An example from our house: we moved the kids’ socks down to the mudroom so they’re easy to grab on school mornings. Little changes like that add up.
- If you try the challenge and solve a sticking point, please tell us about it. Send a message on social media or leave a voicemail at 571-4-YHLHAP (571-494-5427). We plan to share a follow-up episode highlighting listener solutions and clever fixes.
We’re Digging
- Sherry’s current favorite is a Corkcicle canteen, which she mentioned in the show notes alongside her love of True Lemon. Switching to a canteen has helped her cut down on single-use cans and reduced recycling volume—small habit changes that deliver tidy benefits.
- The Corkcicle line includes several styles—from classic tumblers to short tumblers and stemless wine glasses—so there are options for different routines and beverages.
- I recently added an Echo Auto to our car and have enjoyed the hands-free navigation, voice-controlled lists, and podcast playback. It can be a bit more sensitive to road noise than our home Echos, but overall it’s been useful for on-the-go convenience.
If you’re trying to remember a product we talked about in a previous episode but don’t want to hunt through old show notes, we maintain a master list of all the items we’ve featured on the “We’re Digging” segment. We also keep a running list of recommended titles on our Book Club page for those who want deeper reading from guests we’ve interviewed.
Finally, a thank-you to Arrow Fastener for sponsoring this episode. They offer a range of handy tools, like the classic T-50 staple gun, which are useful for many DIY tasks around the house.
Thanks for listening, everyone—your feedback, experiment reports, and tips keep the podcast and our projects moving forward.
*This post contains affiliate links*