Our week living furniture-free is finished, and it went… well, differently than we expected. Today we’re sharing what worked, what didn’t, the mistakes we made, and what might change in how we use our home going forward. We also admit an irritating side effect of a pretty but imperfect feature in our house. Plus, Sherry doubles down on her love of all things woo-woo, and John explains why he’s skeptical about one smart-home technology.
You can download the episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen with the player on this page. Use this post to find the links, notes, and photos we mention. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you may need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- I’m pictured working at my makeshift standing desk — yes, it’s just a random box — for our Furniture Free Living experiment from last week’s episode. It was a useful test even if I’m still undecided about switching permanently.
- If I did commit to standing, I’d consider upgrading to an all-white convertible standing desk that blends with our kitchen better than darker options.
- I suggested an under-desk walking treadmill to Sherry, but it wouldn’t fit under her current setup. She prefers walking outside while answering emails and taking calls on her phone, which she already does a lot.
- We watched a few videos to understand the Furniture Free approach better. One comprehensive house tour by Katy Bowman clarified a lot about movement-rich home design; she was featured in a Good Housekeeping article we mentioned previously and is often recommended by readers.
- For reference, here’s the bonus room we’ve talked about adding more active elements to. There’s a corner behind the couches where a treadmill would fit if we relocated a few baskets of dress-up clothes.
- Please tell us on social if you’re joining Aquatober or Walktober — we’d love to hear about it.
Updates
- Thanks to your suggestions, I’ve removed loyalty cards from my keychain. I now use phone number entry, Apple Wallet, or the Key Ring app, and I’m testing Pass2u for stores that don’t support other import options.
- The solo key not tucked into my leather key organizer lives on a ring with our car fob because it’s for the beach house. That way, when we head there I can detach the main organizer and carry only the car key and that single key.
- I ordered a slim wallet to see if it helps reduce what I carry. Thanks for the tip, Chris.
Can We Just Talk About Smart Locks?
- The door pictured is where we’ve considered adding a smart lock since it’s our most-used entry from the garage. We picked our current polished nickel lockset because it coordinates with the kitchen hardware, and that visual continuity matters to us.
- Most smart locks are large and come in finishes that don’t match polished nickel, so we worry about a bulky black or bronze module clashing with our light door and bright kitchen. Some options come in satin nickel or polished chrome, but none are a perfect match for our hardware.
- I’ve been researching the August smart lock because its main module is smaller on the door and it uses an external hub, which is less visually intrusive. It also offers a keypad for guests who don’t use phones. The silver finish isn’t an exact match, but it’s less obtrusive than many other models.
- For context, our front and back doors use Kwikset locksets with the SmartKey rekeying system, which we’ve had for five years and recommend for convenience when matching locks.
Listener Question
- This covered porch area is what Ang asked about. The windows behind the outdoor sofa look into our living room. (Ignore the old deck in this photo — it was taken before we replaced it.)
- Usually our kitchen and living room look bright and airy, but at certain afternoon hours this side of the house gets noticeably darker because the sun favors the front and western side of the house.
- I snapped a photo that shows how much darker the living room can be in the late afternoon—the dining room on the right is bright simply because the sun is hitting it. The covered porch creates a shaded zone that affects how light filters into the living room, and sometimes that changes the feel of the interior.
- That bright patch on the fireplace you’ll notice comes from sunlight reflecting off our shed’s white doors. Small details like that can make lighting in the house act unexpectedly at certain times of day.
We’re Digging
- We’ve been playing the kids’ favorite new game, Tenzi. Yes, we use coasters to stack the dice to keep the table protected.
- Our favorite rules mix Tenzi Tower — stacking dice as you go — with Stealzi, where you can swipe opponents’ dice. We also bought a guide called “77 Ways to Play Tenzi” that suggests many variations, and there’s a party pack version with multiple sets of dice.
- Sherry bought a jade face roller that she’s been enjoying. We linked a similar highly rated option and shared an article that discusses potential benefits. You can watch Sherry using the roller in our short video and see my reaction at the end.
- For more of Sherry’s woo-woo skincare picks — including unconventional tips she swears by — check the post we referenced that rounds up her favorite household skin remedies.
If you’re trying to find something we mentioned in a past episode but can’t remember which notes to open, we have a master list of everything we’ve been digging across past shows, and a separate Book Club page listing all the books we’ve recommended.
Finally, thanks to Revel Woods for sponsoring this episode. They offer hardwood floor samples to help you choose the right floor for your home. Use their site to order samples and remember any promotional code or offers they’re running at the time.
Thanks for listening!
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