This week we talk about when it makes sense to undo a personal change you made to your house that could deter buyers — and when you should confidently leave it as-is. We also dig into changing store return policies: returning décor that doesn’t work is a helpful safety net, but some retailers are tightening controls. We’ll share what we learned about behind-the-scenes return policing and steps DIYers can take to avoid having an account flagged. Plus, a recap of our blogging conference in Austin, an a-ha moment about something you sleep on, and a surprise celebrity call that made Sherry’s year.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen to it below. Use this page to find links, notes, and photos we referenced. 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
- Above is the photo we took as snow began covering our house while we drove to the airport for the conference in Austin a few weeks ago.
- We were deep in sessions and didn’t take many photos, but here’s a quick group shot on our way out. From left to right: Jeremy & Katie from Bower Power, us, Amanda & Corey from Love & Renovations, and Julia & Chris from Chris Loves Julia.
- We also caught Randi Zuckerberg speaking from a distance (you can spot the back of Michael from Inspired By Charm in the foreground). We loved her children’s book Dot, which explores kids and technology with a thoughtful message.
- And of course, here’s a photo of the birthday girl in the Tesla that was our Uber for the evening — a fun surprise for dinner as people expected someone more glamorous to step out.
- Below you can see the Tesla doors in action and hear our surprised shrieks when we realized THAT was our Uber.
- This grainy shot (we were in the third row) shows the giant navigation screen on the dashboard. Jeremy Bower chatted with the driver about its 300-mile range per charge.
Can We Just Talk About?
- We examined reporting on how retailers track return behavior to limit excessive or abusive returns. This shift affects shoppers who rely on liberal return policies when buying online.
- We also revisit why flexible return policies make us more comfortable buying decor online in Episode #83 of the podcast.
Listener Question
- The house with the garage-turned-theater appeared in our roundup of other houses we considered before buying our current home. It’s the navy one labeled “The Garage Theater House.”
- Sherry is preparing a post with staging advice and many photo examples. As a preview, here’s the dining-room-turned-office-turned-homework room as it was originally photographed (left) and how Sherry simplified it for sale (right). The changes were mostly small: removing a few art pieces and filing baskets and simplifying the styling rather than major renovations.
- Sherry also staged the kitchen by moving the island back to the center, which made a big visual difference once it was in place.
- We also reminded readers about our previous home’s carport after adding a pergola — the “cargola.” We chose not to convert it into an enclosed garage because it would have felt cramped and blocked light from the office and laundry room. The current owners left it as a carport as well.
We’re Digging
- The photo above shows the first mail-order boxspring we bought a few years ago when we needed one for the guest room after switching from a platform bed to a metal frame. That specific model is no longer available, so when we needed another last fall we chose a metal boxspring/foundation that’s cheaper, easier to assemble, and works great for everyday use.
- Assembly is straightforward: you unfold or assemble the frame, zip the cover around it, and the boxspring is ready to go. The wooden boxspring shown here illustrates that process, but our current recommendation is the simple metal option.
- And the highlight of recent weeks: Sherry received a personalized birthday message from Real Housewives of New York City’s Countess Luann via Cameo — and she still screams with delight every time she watches it.
If you’re trying to find something we’ve mentioned in earlier episodes but can’t remember which show notes to click, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past episodes for easy reference.
Finally, thanks to West Elm LOCAL Experiences for sponsoring this episode. You can enter to win a getaway to Charleston, SC through May 15th via their promotion. It’s a great initiative supporting local makers and DIY projects.
Thanks for listening!
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