Who Lives in My House? Downsides of Living Rurally? When Will I Start the Kitchen? | House Q&A! 

Having all your electric done is not a baby step. It is huge!!!! I live in a 1965 cottage now and while I wanted to redecorate, getting upgraded electric, plumbing, furnace and windows made it a comfortable and safe house. My husband was starting to be friends with the Roto Rooter guy.

My husband and I love watching your home videos together. Today he said “it’s like watching real life Stardew Valley” ☺️

Make one box strawberries, it will produce every year for you. The other box divide into four squares and put things you like- radishes, green onions, lettuce and cherry tomatoes as an idea. Next year if you don’t want a salad garden then do a flower bed. Have fun with these boxes and learn about gardening.

Sounds like this is going to be a really exciting and busy year! Getting the house re-wired is a massive step, the cosmetic changes are always the most fun to see but the foundational work will ensure that your home stays safe long into the future. I just listened to your voicemail as well and when I realized we are in March I got so excited about you starting demo on your kitchen!

Woman… you make me smile from the inside out. I’ll find your podcast for the books. As a 76 yo old who has built my own house(my husband is a builder…trust me I’m not hands on😂), expanded it and renovated our shore house, I’ve had the fun of being creative in that way. I love it too. So sit in your spaces in the peaceful moments, enjoy. And buckle up for the new adventures. You’re a pioneer! Bravo

I remember not being very into the whole renovation videos at the beginning but at this point I’m so invested! Ariel, you can make anything look interesting with your zeal. Love your energy🤍

Your videos inspire me so much! I've been a home owner for almost 7 years and I've been "allergic" to colour and painted all the walls and bought all my furniture in either white or grey, bc I wanted my house to "fit in" and follow trends! But just in the last month I've painted my living room green and trifted many wood furniture and I feel so much more happy in my home now! It feels so alive and warm! So thank you for inspiring me!

Just bought my first house and have been feeling anxious about all the projects…. and i think “I have fixed the fortress! We shall sleep well tonight!” Is going to be my new motto, and it makes me feel so much better already 😂💜

Hearing you talk about how it took time to feel comfortable in your house but that it was worth it comforts me. I’m buying an old house and while it’s nowhere near as bad as yours was, it does need a lot of work and Right now I’m too blinded by excitement to worry about it, but I will probably feel stressed out once we actually move in. Glad to know I’m not alone :)

So excited about the kitchen and bathroom renovations but at the same time I feel like we’re getting close to the end and I don’t want these renovation videos to end. 😢

Can’t wait for all the progress you make in 2023! Your vibe is 🤌✨

I love the house videos so much because I also live in an old, cheap house in the maritimes. And so much interior design content on the internet is like celebrity homes, or literal British aristocrats, or just very upper middle class people with way more money than I will ever have. It's so nice to watch something that feels like it exists in the same sphere of reality that I do.

It's ridiculous how invested I am in your house reno series Ariel, but they bring me so much joy!! I stumbled across your videos a few weeks ago and binged all of them immediately! You make me feel more hopeful about the future and empowered to prioritise my own living space! Much love

I became a single homeowner when I was 44, so I understand the anxiety related to home issues. What I've learned is maintenance prevents those very costly repairs (for the most part). I live your lovely little home and look forward to upcoming projects, they're inspirational! 🌵

Hey Ariel just a quick comment about the bathroom sink/dresser. My house (which is also very old) has a bathroom-sink-converted- dresser too and while it looks great with the old fittings, it does get ALOT of water damage from splashes. This makes it hard to keep clean and we frequently have to sand and revarnish it (as a result, we actually all hate it because of this continual upkeep). When you convert it maybe think about having a splash area around the sink to limit the wood being damaged. Perhaps if you fitted some stone around the outside of the sink? I know that your eye for interiors would make it look gorgeous I hate to be one of those smug annoying commenters and I’m obviously not saying it’s impossible. Just thought I’d share what we learned from experience :)

The answer to "How do you like being the owner of your house" was literally life-giving. Hearing you talk about how hard it's been but how rewarding it's been gives me so much perspective about my life and its problems even though they are nothing related to owning a house lol completely unrelated. but your struggle and how you perspectivise it is universally applicable i feel. honestly i'd love to hear more about all the hiccups you faced in this journey and how you tackled them and your emotional/mental arc through it all! it's so inspiring!

as someone who is like 2 months away from serious construction. the house content is appreciated and the book stuff will be a bonus when my life isn't falling apart around me.

The house must have been overwhelming at first experience. Fantastic job managing it and doing it your way.

I live in Miami, so I think if I ever moved to Canada I might actually freeze to death, but honetly, for years now I've always wished I could meet a person like you in real life to have as a friend! I'm so happy you're enjoying your house renovations so much💖💖💖

Watching this 11 months later, with a whole new ROOM found in the upstairs bathroom

I purposely play water sounds to relax so a bench by the river would be wonderful. Just beautiful. Clara

"I have fixed the fortress. We may all rest this night." Put that on a T-shirt and take my money!! (The amount of time I've spent fixing water-related issues for my house in the woods is.... a lot and I love not feeling alone hearing you say things like that!)

Really inspiring to hear the backstory on how you felt anxious about first getting the house! Like it’s so cool to see how you’ve climbed that mountain and made something so beautiful in the process, love your channel so much 😭💛

Strawberries are so rewarding to grow. I would love a mini garden series from you once you get the house sorted.

“You feel a little bit like a king!.. Like, yes, I have fixed the fortress, we may all rest this night.” 😂😂 This slayed me

Everbearing strawberries provide fruit ALL summer not just during the strawberry season

I can’t wait for your creativity to be unleashed on the bathroom and kitchen. I’ve just turned my formal dining room into a reading room and it was so much fun.

It's interesting how many people are living in your home because most of the time you don't see anyone walking around. Nice for them if they don't want to be in videos that it works so well.

My husband and I bought a house built in 1960 last year and are currently looking into getting a new roof this summer, then we address the foundation (luckily we just need a new beam or 2 to support the floors better) installed laundry and are next wiring in a dishwasher and then getting new windows. It’s a ton of work but will be so worth it and was the reason why our house was so affordable. We live in St. John’s NL and are so grateful to be homeowners after being priced out of even renting in the GTA where we both grew up. Coastal living really has its perks!

we will be here whether you’re making book, house or even fashion videos, I don’t care, I like seeing you happy and hearing you speak, so go on and follow your heart 💛

Awwww.. this was great!! It seems like we were all being nosey neighbors and ya called us on it.😆 I can say from experience that if you can do the kitchen & bath reno at the same time, while the plumbers and electrician are both there, it's torture but can save you money. They are indeed the worst rooms to deal with. I am honored to watch your progression and have been through it myself. I know that OH-SHIT-DID-I-REALLY-DO-THIS feeling, being a single female who purchased her own home after my divorce. First thing I did was take a series of home maintenance courses at my local VoTech school. You are fortunate to have your dad to help and that he knows his way around a tool box. I cannot tell you how many people couldn't believe the stuff I did by myself... a sad commentary on society's stereotyping of females. I blew the neighbor's mind when I had a small backhoe delivered and proceeded to rip out 125' of hedges in my yard. It was so much fun!! I have since sold the house after 22 yrs, and now travel fulltime in an rv- which is A WHOLE NEW SET OF RENO SKILLS- even though it was only 3 yrs old when I bought it. The bottom line is... you have a sense of wonder, challenge, imagination, fortitude... (and maybe like me, a bit of stubborness) that sees possibilities where others just see a roadblock. I can almost guarantee you that it will not change, even with age. A sense of wonder is free to ALL, in any part of the world, any socio-economic construct, and at any age. And on that note... I do say I wonder what is currently in your diorama in your wall gallery. Have you changed it recently?

My therapist said it take an average of five years to make a friend group in a new place. ❤

Those boxes would be perfect for strawberries - they spread a lot so keeping them contained a little is a good idea! :D

It’s slowly but surely taking shape and you are focusing on the important bits ❤

Ah, you have the old knob and tube. You definitely need to get that upgraded. Good job getting an electrician to upgrade your home.

One more point about being a homeowner. No landlord to evict you. That was how you wound up looking for a home to buy. You can buy your home, get it completely paid for and live debt free! And no landlord to tell you he is selling the house so you have to leave.

The feeling of homeownership with it's ups and downs was true for me too. I did not realize what I was getting myself into until 2 yrs in and I was like 😮😢 no. Looking back at it, owning a home is not for the faint of heart.

the fact that you have running water on your property is just,,, I think I just realised that I need that, rivers/creeks/streams are some of my favourite things in nature and I can’t imagine the blessing of living right next to it

You have an air vent on the wall by the sink, your antique bureau will BLOCK the vent. Just to let you know it has to be moved before you redo the sink. You’re fantastic.

Super excited for the kitchen reno! Thanks for the updates!

Ariel is always so real. I have been renovating my house for 4 years, and it has been a huge project. I do most of it myself, and, had I been younger, it would probably be complete by now. Do not ever take on a reno by yourself in your 60s. ( I am a woman and pretty self- sufficient, usually) Things I was able to do in the past by myself are too challenging for me at this point. But, I do feel like i love my house one day and am grateful to have it. Then, the next day I think WHY did I do this to myself! Lol

I loved this video! I am one of the people who was always confused, shocked and blind-sided by various things you said in videos about your brother’s room, your boyfriend moving out or being there, your parents’ new house while they also had a bedroom there. Wha-wha-what?!? [visualize my head flipping every-which-way in speedy succession] Thank you greatly for the clarifications as I shall now sleep much better than before this video.

2023, the year of the kitchen and bathroom, and maybe the stream.

Suggestion for house vs book videos: you could mention what book you are reading, or new authors in every house video.

LOL "Yes, I have fixed the fortress! We can rest this night!" Too funny and so true. I find home repair so satisfing for this exact reason.

i found your channel when you were living in honduras. it's been such an amazing journey watching you get to this chapter in your life! i can not wait to see what you do with that kitchen!!

To resonate with your answer to the last question, I absolutely love your renovation videos! They are super interesting, I'm always very excited to watch them ☺ I don't miss the books videos because we can clearly see that you're happy making these new ones about your house, and as I said they are so interesting! You are a very inspiring person ☀

May I say that I loved hearing you talk about your mama (I live in the U.S. and everyone uses "Mom"...I wish I could have been able to stick with mama for me), all the provinces (especially Ontario, my home province), the proper pronunciation of Quebec, etc. I found myself getting a bit teary eyed. I also really love your joy in Nova Scotia! It is on the list of possible places to settle down for my son and I. Thank you for that! Finally, your home is lovely. You are doing great work. Yes, all the working bits are most important (electrical!! Plumbing! Roof. etc) and without those being tackled/resolved nothing else meaningful can happen. The fact that you've done so much while still dealing with working bits is impressive! You are quite the inspirational woman. 💖 I want to be like you when I grow up! (I'm 68)

Dear Ariel, I just thought you'd like to know that any time I see you've uploaded a new video I save it for the next morning bc you have such a lovely, calm, positive energy that I just love starting my day with you

Your parents should document their renovation journey! I would totally watch!

Ariel, you have two perfect trees by that creek that seems to be a perfect spot for a hammock!

I love that your channel has adapted with you. I can imagine doing the same things over and over gets dull and uninspiring. I’d rather watch you having fun than doing something you don’t enjoy anymore. ☺️

Ariel is essentially like an NPC in Cottage Living - love that energy!

I love the art deco pedestal sink in the bathroom, but the transformed dresser sink is going to be beautiful, I'm sure.

If you can invest in it, maybe try collecting rain water? If you're well is going dry that's an option of having backup water, especially if you start gardening.

Maybe unrelated question but, do you play video games? Your mountain metaphor at 14:32 really reminded me of a beautiful Indie game called Celeste. It's set in Canada, too, you're playing a girl called Madeline who wants to climb Mount Celeste. If you haven't played it yet, I really recommend it. It can be quite difficult, but that's kind of what it's all about - failing and not giving up, overcoming yourself and growing with each failure. Love the videos about your house btw, they really make me dream that someday in the distant future I might be able to buy a house of my own and turn it into a home.

You inspired me to buy my first apartment here in Brazil ❤ and I really relate with the feeling of responsibility (that everything is up to me), but at the same time, all of this is mine.

Tomatoes, squash or zucchini and cucumbers are good items to start a garden. Especially if you haven’t had a garden before. I miss your book videos.

I love the size and plans for the garden, a great beginning for a new gardener and I cant wait to see how it grows!

Have you been to Maud Lewis' House it's in Nova Scotia. She is like a prolific folk artist and her house is super colourful

i love when you laugh when talking about funny things like gardening, i assume that you don't have any experiences in this field like me too. All your journey is a mindset and calming that i really wish to have some day, we are both authors and definitely we love living rural, that this is the spirituality and telepathy between authors, they love living isolated, that's why they write great writing.

You are just so likeable ☺️. Thanks for mentioning that you had doubts about the house at first. That is totally understandable. I'm so hooked on this series!

I love how you are so unapologetically yourself! And I really admire your relationship with your family! I would love to hear what your parents did right so you have such a good relationship (I hope to get along so well with my daughters when they grow up and for them to be as close to one another as you seem to be with your brother. ❤

I commented on a video a while back that as a designer I appreciate the way you take your time to curate your home and decor. SO MANY PEOPLE commented how much they love your home journey and so many others said they had no idea about your channel and are now hooked! ❤❤ We are all rootin for you! 🎉🎉

You have done so much! Any project is a major project when you are the one in charge of it all...the money the prep... managing people and expectations. Massive achievement.

love you, love this channel, love this Q&A! but more importantly, my jaw dropped on the bathroom sneak peak pics of the mirror and vanity -- yessssssssss perfection! especially coming off the magical ante-room xo so excited for all your plans this year, thanks for being such a lovely part of the internet

Think about a heated floor in your bathroom. It’s worth it for a cold climate. Consider a style that fits an older house.

We bought a house at the same time. Know the joy, know the pain lol. love, love, love, the videos!! When a person finds their calling --you can tell.

Plant strawberries! It's the right time of year!

You can absolutely add more plugs to your house your self. It’s easy as changing a light fixture just have an electrician come check your work. Have one come do one and show you how he does it and ask about the load.

My question would be is when are you going to start working on the spooky room?

I feel like your answer about Nova Scotia says more about your openness to experience than about a place in particular. Which I think is the only way one can answer that type of question. Very inspired by your integration into your local community!

Omg I'm so early!! Love this lil update!!

Ahhh I love your videos so much! Congratulations on all these huge steps with the house! I get so excited every time you get excited ^^

Thanks for sharing and updating us! You've made a ton of progress and I love following along!

5° C = 41° F. It's still winter (in Central Texas, WINTER!!), but certainly promising Better Times.

Yay I love a Q&A video! 💜

Love the house videos! Your style is amazing! Now I have to check out your book podcast! Thank you!

Massive job rewiring electrics - my 1930s bungalow needs this! If you want a wall lamp without the hassle of wiring Ikea do a really good one with a clamp and needs no wiring! I have one in two bedrooms here.

Really love your house videos and the podcast!! Congratulations on getting started on the rewiring 🎉

I love any single video !! your house videos are always so inspiring!! Listening to Books unbound is one of my comfort activities each week 🫶🏻

Hi Ariel, I really enjoy your video content and your house progress is so exciting to see as it slowly evolves. Going to check out your book podcast. Blessings to you and your family.

I love all the house videos and q/a. I've rewatched the videos so much lol

I love seeing you in all your colorful rooms! Makes me so inspired!

Ariel, you are inspirational. Thank you!

Wow so many exciting house upgrades! Hope it all works out well ♡

Absolutely love the house videos and had no idea you had a podcast!

Excited for fhe bathroom renovations, those sneek peeks are beautiful. I love your ideas!

Loving everything. I adore your podcast too!

How in the WORLD did I miss your podcast? Crazy times! I’m going to subscribe to your channel and your podcast right now. I love your house vids, too! ❤️🥳🥰

Omg, NS (me too)!!!! I have been bingeing your home update videos this past week and had to do a double take when you said rural Nova Scotia. What a nice surprise 😊

I actually really like your kitchen panelling, I've never seen it in that light colour! The countertop is neat too. I bet you could do a lot with it working with what you have in the meantime. I find that to be a fun challenge in old homes.

You are such a joy

I just started listening to the pod late last year and love it so much! I've been listening to the episodes in order so I had no idea about the RU-vid account! ♡

Your channel is such a jewel to me❤ thank you for all the videos!

You're such a joy, so happy to see you x

Sooooo interesting. Love your videos and your bubbly personality. Cheers

Loved this video, All the answers to questions I didn't realize I had in one place. Your house is beautiful and I really enjoy all your house content. Recently found your podcast channel and am looking forward to catching up on the book content there!

I am so happy that you are loving Nova Scotia!! East coast pride ☺️🦞🌊

One of yr best vids yet, love yr upbeat attitude and everything yr doing to the house, you make me feel inspired and happy just watching yr progress.