Your Home Story

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What is a neighborhood library and why should you install one? Sharing about my favorite purchase of 2021, the joy it has brought to me, the install process, cost and more!    Get direct links to what I chatted about and see all the pictures on the blog! 

Sharing about smart home devices that we own (the good and bad) and whether we'd recommend them or not.   Full review: www.biggerthanthethreeofus.com/podcast

Should you rekey your door lock or just have them changed?  Full show notes: https://biggerthanthethreeofus.com/podcast/ Find me on Instagram: @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join the Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

After 3 ½ years of podcasting, we are coming off our first break. We’ve got updates to what we’ve been working on, what we’ve been doing for personal things and what’s in store for the podcast going forward.  Things we chatted about today: Faux Front Porch Plants FB Marketplace Orange Chairs Cabinet Cost Comparison One Room Challenge Historic Home Office Makeover Madeline Moves workout program that Ashley is doing You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Learn how to make “little by little” changes throughout the home from Leigh by The Little by Little Home. This is another installment of our Intentional Living series and this time, we are chatting about $100 makeovers, easy decor hacks, and making cleaner switches for the home. Specifically we chatted about: Book Club Discussions $100 Basement Stairwell Reveal  Talks about “functional beauty” in the home Copper Dust Pan (Affiliate Link) Erin from the $100 Makeover Challenge  Ashley’s $87 Minimal Modern Bathroom Nook Makeover $100 Challenge Hallway and Linen Closet Makeover Easy Decor Hacks that Leigh loves: Spray Painting or using gel stain on Vintage Frames (check out her kitchen) Clean Switch Highlight on Instagram Two easy switches: dishwasher detergent and dish soap Homemade Laundry Detergent  Non-Coconut Oil Homemade Toothpaste Castile Soap (Affiliate link)  Find Leigh on her blog, The Little By Little Home and over on Instagram.  You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Ins

Deep cleaning, bug treatment, leaves, and more… we’re covering interior and exterior home maintenance tasks that you could DIY or hire out! Which ones are worth the money to save your time?! Some products and blog posts we talked about (includes affiliate links): Ashley’s DIY Gutter guard installation and pricing for professional gutter guard installation.  Suzannah’s experience hiring out extensive landscaping clean-up is on our Instagram highlights The window cleaning supplies Ashley ordered and used The under $10 ant treatment Suzannah uses You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

From a clutter-filled uninspiring office to a modern traditional serene office makeover, tune in to hear how Suzannah transformed her office space in just under 8 weeks. A blue-green-gray paint and lots of museum art prints really helped brighten up the space but that’s not all. Hear about her adventure with recovering a chair, building a fireplace screen, and more.  See all the pictures and more details : Historic home office renovation reveal You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

We thought it would be fun to share about some of our recent home purchases. Most of our purchases we’ve really loved but there’s a few in there that we might regret. From drying racks to kantha quilts, tune in to hear how we are making our homes work better for us.  Recent Home Purchases (Affiliate links below) Laundry Room Wooden Wall Mounted Clothes Drying Rack  Label Maker https://amzn.to/2Qk5V7f  Wall Sconce from Etsy Blackout Roman shade https://amzn.to/3ePqwtq  Little wood-look ceramic garden stool for the flagstone patio (linked similar) Hammock https://amzn.to/3omL5Rd  Fake Snake Plant  Kantha quilts https://amzn.to/3hslbdy and https://bit.ly/3hsljd2  Linen Sheets in Ashley’s bedroom You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

We’re interviewing an expert on tips for improving safety around the house and reducing tip-over accidents from furniture and electronics. It takes a few dollars and a few minutes to make things so much safer and we’re excited to spread awareness about this super important issue. Resources mentioned:  COVID-19 ‘Stay-at-Home,’ Coupled with Super Bowl LV Viewing, Can Mean Danger for Kids from Falling Furniture and TVs: CPSC.gov AnchorIt.gov Even When You’re Watching PSA video Get Involved--information about becoming an Anchor It! collaborator You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Ashley’s been working on a massive project at her dad’s rustic vacation cabin: doubling the size with an addition, renovating the whole thing, and even adding a bathroom. The framing, electrical, and roof are already done by the pros and now it’s time for Luke and her to do a bunch of DIY work and finish it out!  Posts mentioned: The floor plan, design, and plans for this cabin renovation and addition The one-room cabin renovation they did at this cabin a few years ago Houzz discussions on flooring for non-climate controlled cabins You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Do you have dated exterior lighting that you’d love to replace one day? Or, are you dreaming up your new build and are just getting started with lighting choices? Tune in today to hear about your options for choosing exterior lights including what Dark Sky rated lighting means, what the lighting industry hides (damp versus wet rated lighting), what exterior lights Ashley just installed at her house and more! Affiliate links below: Resources mentioned: Damp versus Wet Location Lighting  International Dark Sky Lighting Association Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor  Front porch makeover Exterior Lights that Ashley bought  You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Honestly, neither of us loves yard work or outdoor projects, but we do them! And we’ve found a few tools that make things easier. Sharing some basics and some upgrades, plus a few unique hacks! Tune in to hear how we use each of these and when we think they’re worth buying. The tools: Pick Rototiller Torch Leaf blower Sledgehammer Hedge trimmer Tree trimmer Folding camping/outdoor knife You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

It can be overwhelming to think about all the money that we want to spend on our houses to get it “finished.” But there are some improvements that don’t take any money at all, some of them not even that much time!, and make a big difference. (This is a lot more than your basic ideas of moving art around!!) Deep cleaning, decor/style, and home improvement--there are tons of ways to change and better your home without spending anything. Actual real high-impact DIY projects you can do with materials you already have! Free projects we talked about: Ashley’s laundry room shelves Stems Suzannah cut from a large shrub outside Ashley’s post on trimming back boxwoods and removing shutters When Suzannah removed a fireplace screen (before/after) Suzannah’s post about for painting a fireplace screen Angela from Restoring Home’s fireplace makeover Ashley’s update to modernize stair railing Ashley’s update to ornate woodwork  You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @b

We follow designers with a range of decor styles, and have noticed there are a few rules that apply across all of them. Not just design school basics, but principles that will help you shop for your home over time. We’re breaking them down and sharing how to use them in your home! Design rules that are true for any style: Where to hang art How to choose paint colors A large rug makes a space look larger How to mix wood tones Overhead lighting Vintage, heirloom, and/or antique pieces You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Have you checked into solar panels for your house? If not, are you curious to hear what they cost, what’s involved and what they do for your energy bill?  Ashley and her husband Luke are chatting about what they’ve learned when it comes to adding solar because it’s something they are seriously considering adding to their house.  Helpful links to check out:  Project Sunroof by Google Powerwall by Tesla  Federal Tax Credit for Solar You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Rock landscaping can drastically change the look of a yard. Today, there’s a big breakdown of the rock creek and flagstone patio install that Ashley just put in at her house.  We chatted about:  Flagstone patio and dry creek inspiration images Replacing mulch with rock  Landscape architect episode  Full before/after reveal of Ashley’s Flagstone Patio and Dry Rock Creek  You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

Getting dressed is something we have to do every day, and having clothes we like is only part of that. How we store our clothing makes a huge difference on how easy or stressful that start to our day is. We’re interviewing an expert in personal style and wardrobe strategy, Jennifer Mackey-Mary, about function and design for great closets, no matter how much space you have to work with.  Jennifer’s giving our listeners 20% off any of her courses or guides you can grab from her website with code YOURHOMESTORY! Jennifer’s recommendations of easy, free design tools that can help you maximize your closet space: EasyClosets The Container Store  Closet Maid-- Closet Maid has a free option, or a $5 option where they design it for you and send you a parts/product list. You can find Jennifer: Web: Everyday Style | Capsule Wardrobe Guides, Virtual Styling Facebook: Everyday Style Instagram: @everydaystylewithjen You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthe

It’s a casual catch-up chat today, talking about Ashley’s extra hair supplies (and where to store them), Suzannah’s projects with unique fabrics, and what’s coming up over the next month on the podcast.  Links to some of the things we talked about:  Curly Girl Method Tension pole shower storage (affiliate)  Suzannah’s recent closet makeover Cotton block print for Lucy’s Roman shade (affiliate) Lucy’s room Fabric covered-Roman shade tutorial The wreaths Ashley ordered (affiliate) A peek at Ashley’s basement The Everyday Style Podcast You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!

If you’ve been curious about what is involved in purchasing custom wood furniture pieces, then this episode is for you. From lead times to cost breakdowns and what you should be asking before you purchase… tune in for all the details! Resources mentioned: (Affiliate links below) Matboard shop on Etsy  Mat Cutting Tutorial  Room and Board Vanity in Ashley’s Bathroom Room and Board Bathroom Vanities Wren and Cooper Hedge House Furniture Astoria Shuffleboard Exotic Wood Stores Questions to ask for when buying custom furniture You can find us on our blogs or connect with each of us on Instagram: @suzannahstanley @biggerthanthethreeofus @yourhomestorypodcast And you can join our Facebook group here to connect with other listeners and ask questions!