It’s that time of year again for a grand declaration of goals – a powerful tradition that lights a fire under any ambitious endeavor. There’s nothing quite like a public proclamation to galvanize intentions into action. As we embark on another exciting chapter, we’re laying out our aspirations for the year ahead, aiming to elevate both our personal lives and the essence of this blog. Join us as we unveil the strategic shifts and renewed commitments that will define our journey forward.
Goal #1: Cultivating Sustainable Balance in Life and Work
Achieving a healthier work-life balance has been a recurring theme for us, an aspiration first voiced in our 2011 resolutions post. Back then, we pledged to resist the common pitfall of pouring all our time, resources, and energy into our home and professional pursuits to the detriment of our personal lives, savings, and our daughter Clara’s childhood experiences. We recognized the danger of becoming house-bound, having not enjoyed a significant vacation beyond short road trips and family beach weeks since our honeymoon over four and a half years prior. This year, this goal returns with renewed urgency, as we recognize the critical need to make substantial improvements.
The past year has been a whirlwind of activity and incredible opportunities. John transitioned to working full-time on the blog, we navigated a major move, and Clara has grown into an energetic toddler, running and talking up a storm. Professionally, we’ve taken on columns for BabyCenter and Do It Yourself magazine, authored a comprehensive 260+ page book, tackled countless house projects, and completely redesigned our website. While these achievements are truly amazing, the cost has often been our ‘recharging away-from-the-computer’ time. The always-on nature of the internet means we’re frequently plugged in during evenings, weekends, and even on holidays and vacations. I even had a baby last year and didn’t miss a single post – a testament to our dedication, but also a stark reminder of the lack of unplugged moments. This intense pace prompted the creation of Young House Life, a dedicated space intended to serve as a vital reminder for us to pause, truly live, embrace spontaneity, and consciously step away from the laptop. This year, we are committed to not just recognizing this need, but actively implementing strategies to achieve a more sustainable and fulfilling rhythm.
Goal #2: Embracing Brevity and Impactful Content in Every Post
Our second goal directly addresses a key element of achieving the balance we so deeply crave: optimizing our content length. We recognize that not every blog post needs to be an exhaustive tome. In fact, some of our most cherished and well-received posts are those that are concise and to the point, devoid of 2,000 words and twenty images. We’re even guilty of skimming each other’s lengthy posts, which makes it abundantly clear that our readers likely do the same. This insight underscores a fundamental truth about modern content consumption: sometimes, short and sweet is not just acceptable, but preferred. The notion that every post must be a novel, meticulously polished and verbose, doesn’t align with the dynamic nature of blogging or our desire for authentic, real-time sharing.
The joy of blogging, for us, lies in its versatility. It’s the freedom to share a quick update on a small project, highlight a simple find we’re excited about, or even spontaneously post a funny video capturing a moment from our lives. These are the elements that foster genuine connection and keep the content fresh and engaging. By committing to this goal, we aim to diversify our content strategy. This means intentionally crafting posts that are quick reads, offering valuable insights or glimpses into our lives without the pressure of extensive detail. Such an approach not only makes our content more digestible for our busy readers but also allows us to publish more frequently and organically. It frees us from the often time-consuming endeavor of producing lengthy articles for every single update, thereby contributing significantly to our overarching goal of achieving greater work-life balance. We believe that by embracing a more varied approach to post length, we can deliver a richer, more authentic, and ultimately more enjoyable experience for our community.
Goal #3: Reinstating Before & After Inspiration with Reader Redesigns
A year ago, our blog featured a vibrant schedule that included two weekly Reader Redesigns, two weekly giveaway posts (one announcing the giveaway, the other the winner), and a Friday “Burning Question” poll centered on decor-related topics, such as preferences for painted versus wood cabinets, or wall-to-wall carpet versus tile or hardwood floors. However, during our last blogiversary, we came to a critical realization: dedicating five posts a week to non-our-house content was gradually steering our blog away from its foundational “DIY diary” feel. This original essence, rooted in sharing our personal home improvement journey, was something we were determined to preserve.
Consequently, we decided to refocus on our own house, especially with a significant move and numerous projects on the horizon. We streamlined our content by discontinuing the Friday Burning Questions and consolidating giveaway winner announcements into a P.S. section at the bottom of other posts. Most notably, we bid a fond farewell to our weekly Reader Redesigns, directing submissions instead to our Facebook page. While we didn’t miss the giveaway winner posts or the Burning Questions, the absence of Reader Redesigns left a noticeable void. These posts were incredibly inspiring, brimming with visual appeal and innovative ideas. Their loss was truly felt, both by us and, we believe, by our community.
Therefore, we are thrilled to announce their return! While we won’t be resuming two per week, or even necessarily one per week, Reader Redesigns will once again make regular appearances on the blog. The sheer volume of amazing transformations out there offers an endless wellspring of inspiration and encouragement for everyone. If you have any stunning home transformations you’d like to share for consideration – perhaps a creative repurposing project like the beautiful card-catalog-turned-buffet shown below – please send them to [email protected]. We’re eager to celebrate your creativity and share it with our burgeoning community, fostering a collective spirit of DIY accomplishment and design exploration.
Goal #4: Fostering Security and Authenticity in Our Unique Bloghood
In the vast and diverse world of online content, it’s natural to hope that every single person who visits our blog would love every single one of our 2,000+ posts. However, that’s about as realistic as wishing for a goose chihuahua that lays golden eggs. The fundamental truth of putting our lives and creative endeavors out there for public consumption is the necessity of being comfortable with the reality that not everyone will love everything, or even anything, we share. This understanding is liberating. In turn, we hope our readers grasp that projects, decor choices, and even the way we craft our posts are as inherently subjective as favorite foods or hairstyles. There isn’t a singular “right way” to approach DIY, design, or blogging itself.
Our blog is, at its core, a personal DIY diary – a candid chronicle of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the blissfully mundane aspects of our home and family life. One day you might find us gutting a bathroom, the next we could be organizing a junk drawer, or even discussing breastfeeding (tangents are definitely a feature, not a bug!). Strangely enough, this very “blogging formula” – raw, personal, and sometimes unexpected – is precisely what has led us to where we are today. To think that we now receive over four million hits a month is profoundly humbling and something we are incredibly thankful for. My brain still struggles to process such numbers; I often pretend I’m writing to just ten people to combat any lingering “blog stage fright.” While some might approach blogging differently, that’s precisely the beauty of this medium: everyone has the freedom to forge their own unique path, and in doing so, cultivate a truly authentic voice. Our security in this “bloghood” comes from embracing our distinct style and trusting the connection we’ve built with our community.
Goal #5: Cultivating a Mindset of Profound Gratitude
Even in a dream job, the pressures can sometimes obscure the privilege. There are moments when the stress of a more-challenging-than-anticipated project, or the daunting sight of 150 pending comments requiring thoughtful responses, can momentarily make us forget how truly fortunate we are. While our passion for what we do is immense – indeed, this blog was born purely from a never-thought-we’d-make-a-dime passion – it has also evolved into our primary means of supporting our family. This transformation, while wonderful, inherently brings a level of pressure that anyone running their own business can readily attest to.
Therefore, this goal is less about a tangible action and more about a fundamental mental shift. Whenever we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed by looming deadlines, mounting comments, magazine assignments, or book chapters awaiting completion, our commitment is to consciously pause, take a deep breath, and remind ourselves that we are, in fact, living the dream – a sentiment that, while it might sound corny, is profoundly true. In those “oh-crap-I’m-stressing” moments, we simply need to recall the geeky giddiness we feel over this incredible opportunity that has somehow materialized. No one is more surprised by our journey and where we’ve ended up than we are; we often lie awake at night, perma-smiling and excitedly chattering about our next project. Life, even when it’s bustling and chaotic, is undeniably good. This underlying sense of deep gratitude is the anchor that grounds us, allowing us to navigate the complexities of our work with joy and appreciation. We are, truly, oh so grateful for every step of this journey.
Goal #6: Embracing New Experiences and Expanding Our Creative Horizons
Our sixth goal is a broad invitation to innovation and exploration: Try New Things. The scope of this is intentionally wide, encompassing everything from simply having an open mind about a whimsical, half-baked decorating idea that sparks in our minds, to boldly embarking on entirely new adventures for the blog. This could manifest as initiatives like “House Crashing,” where we feature amazing homes beyond our own, or “Window Shopping,” an intriguing concept whose full potential we’re still envisioning. The beauty lies in the unknown, in the willingness to explore.
With our book slated for release next fall, we anticipate a deluge of new experiences, many of which will undoubtedly be exciting, but also potentially daunting. This journey has already begun with numerous photoshoots scheduled for hundreds of secret projects that will grace the pages of our book in the coming months. Our intention is to approach these new (and yes, potentially scary) experiences with an open heart and mind, rather than succumbing to fear, dread, or becoming a “big ol’ ball of stress.” This goal, in many ways, intertwines with our commitment to gratitude. We want to remember that trying new things, taking chances, and embracing spontaneity are the very qualities that propelled us to where we are today. They are the lifeblood of creativity, growth, and keeping our content fresh and engaging for both ourselves and our cherished audience. By actively seeking out and embracing the novel, we ensure that our blog continues to evolve, surprise, and inspire, just as it has from its very humble beginnings.
So there they stand: six ambitious goals for our fifth year of blogging with unwavering dedication (figuratively speaking, of course). While we understand that not every single one may be fully accomplished, our commitment to trying our absolute darndest remains steadfast. As part of our annual tradition of goal-tending, we also believe it’s crucial to look back and honestly assess our progress on the previous year’s aspirations. This reflection provides valuable insights, highlighting areas of success and those that require continued attention.
You can delve into the specifics of those goals right here, but for the sake of brevity and clarity, we’ve summarized last year’s objectives in bullet points to evaluate our journey and progress:
Reviewing Last Year’s Goals: An Honest Assessment
- Last Year’s Goal #1: Move On – This foundational goal centered on the significant transition of moving into our new house. It was about truly embracing this fresh start, settling in, and diligently documenting all our adventures, home projects, and the inevitable tribulations that come with a new space. We can confidently say that we threw ourselves into this endeavor, sharing every step of the process with our community. The verdict: Mission accomplished. We successfully moved, embraced our new home, and chronicled its transformation.
- Last Year’s Goal #2: Loosen Up – This goal aimed to break free from a “machine-like” blogging rhythm that had developed. We sought to return to a looser, more real-time content format, moving away from a system where projects sat in the hopper for up to two weeks before being shared. Our intention was to post things as they happened, fostering a more immediate connection with our audience. We’ve certainly made strides here; posts generally go live just a day or two after a project’s completion, allowing for essential editing and writing time. So, the “less-lag-time” aspect has largely been achieved – a definite score! However, this goal also included finding a better balance between our signature long, meaty posts and quick updates or small, real-life details that didn’t require 2,000 words. We firmly believe that sometimes short and sweet can be more impactful than heavy and verbose, and we aimed for a good mix of both. The verdict: Still gotta work on that balance. This directly informed and inspired Goal #2 for this year.
- Last Year’s Goal #3: Get Real – In our initial year of blogging, we frequently shared ordinary, in-progress, and spur-of-the-moment content, offering authentic glimpses into our daily DIY lives (examples include this, this, this, thisand this). Over time, we acknowledge that we somehow drifted away from this raw, immediate style. Last year, we were eager to rekindle the practice of chronicling those real and random moments that occur between the perfect “before & after” shots – the kind of unvarnished reality often omitted from glossy 30-minute makeover shows. This past year, we definitely embraced authenticity, sharing content like messy house tours, fridge before & afters, and even a cloth diaper update. However, many of the inspiring “off-the-cuff” posts we initially referenced were quick and spontaneous – not every update needs to be twenty photos long with extensive breakdowns. The verdict: 50% accomplished. We still need to work on effortlessly tossing up those light, spur-of-the-moment posts, reminiscent of the good old days.
Now, we’re turning our profound appreciation towards you, our incredible community. We are immeasurably grateful for each and every one of you who takes the time to drop in on us. Without your consistent support and engagement, our overarching goal would simply be to “get back into the advertising thing because we’d be out of a job” – a humorous, yet stark, reminder of the vital role you play in our journey. It’s truly unbelievable to reflect on where we stand today, just four years after starting this tiny blog in 2007, initially intended for friends and family to follow our small kitchen makeover. Life has a wonderfully crazy way of unfolding. But I’ll resist the urge to wax poetic further about the “who-woulda-thought-we’d-be-here” narrative. We could easily spend days discussing the surprisingly random evolution of our little blog, but this post, already well over a thousand words, clearly demonstrates we’ll have to keep working diligently on our “short and sweet” aspiration. Is anyone truly surprised by that?
Psst- The first image of the blog goals graphic was sourced here, and the last image of the paintbrushes was found here (of course, without our heads on them, which we digitally added). Oh, and that adorable photo of Clara was taken by Katie B.
Psssst- We announced this week’s substantial $500 West Elm gift card winner! Click hereto discover if you are the lucky recipient.