After more than a year and a half of renovation, the duplex finally hosted its first overnight guests. It was an exciting, emotional, and eye-opening test of everything we put into the place, so we’re sharing what we learned and what we’ll change before the next guests arrive. We also talk about a house that came back onto our radar as a potential long-term rental and some small, inexpensive solutions that made a big difference around the property. Plus, Sherry has a tissue-related rant while John finds unexpected delight in an oversized roll.

You can also find this episode on popular podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, and Spotify.

What’s New

• Note: there’s a Game of Thrones-related photo a few images down. If you haven’t watched the finale and are avoiding spoilers, skip the image after the one of the toilet paper.
• If you want the original conversation about considering another rental property and why that house wasn’t right for us last fall, check our episode archives for Episode #114.

Can We Just Talk About… Tissue Boxes

• We recently went shopping for tissues for the duplex and ran into a surprising difficulty: finding a subtle, low-pattern option that complemented the bathrooms without competing with colorful floor tiles and painted doors. Many multipacks mixed subdued designs with bolder ones, which defeated the purpose.
• To solve that, we bought a simple house-shaped tissue box cover to neutralize the look of various tissue packs throughout the duplex. It’s inexpensive and does the job of keeping the decor consistent without drawing attention.

• Some decorative or woven tissue covers are beautiful but expensive, especially when you need several for a multi-unit property. We preferred an affordable, understated solution rather than splurging on dozens of pricey covers.
• On the plus side, the Forever Roll finally arrived after recording the episode, and it’s impressively large. We ordered a starter pack as a gag gift for a friend who won our bet related to a TV finale—and the size is hilariously grand.

The Duplex’s First Guests

• We stayed at the duplex with family for a few nights to test everything before listing it. Seeing the kitchens, bedrooms, dining areas, and outdoor showers in use was immensely gratifying—it made the months of work feel real and worthwhile.
• During the test stay we identified a number of small-but-important items we’d overlooked while focusing on big renovations. These are practical things that improve guest experience and reduce friction for hosts:
• A coffee scoop and single-serve sugar packets to make the provided coffee more convenient.
• Spoon rests for the stovetop—silicone versions avoid scratches and are easy to clean.
• Silicone spatulas and pancake flippers; we replaced a tiny metal spatula with more guest-friendly tools.
• Cake and pie servers—sharing desserts is awkward without a proper server.
• Extra TV remotes so a lost controller doesn’t derail a stay.
• Outdoor furniture covers for patio sets; keeping cushions stored and covered makes the patio more inviting and maintenance simpler.
• Bathroom air fresheners for a small, pleasant finishing touch.

We’re Digging

• We picked up a freezable grocery bag in a striped pattern to use as a beach cooler. It’s compact, affordable (about $25), and stores flat in the freezer so it’s always ready—perfect for summer outings.
• We matched it with durable beach chairs in an “ocean stripes” color that have held up much better than other brands we’ve tried. Practical, long-lasting gear is worth the investment for frequent beach days.

• For the duplex coat closet we added motion-activated puck lights in warm white. They’re not extremely bright, but a 3-pack for under $20 illuminates the space just enough and the motion sensor works well. We placed two inside the door frame to light the items most commonly reached for, and a third on the opposite side.
• There’s also a small hardwired fluorescent-style light in the closet mounted in a tight spot; its tiny switch is tucked into a corner and hard to find in the dark, so the puck lights make finding things much easier. The puck lights can be attached via screws, magnets, or adhesive, offering flexible mounting options.

If you’re trying to remember something we featured in an earlier episode, we keep a master list of all the items we’ve recommended and discussed. We also maintain a Book Club page with every book we’ve mentioned.

A final thank-you to our episode sponsor, You Need A Budget (YNAB). They support the show and offer a way to get started with smart budgeting tools.

Thanks for reading and for following along as the duplex comes to life.

*This post contains affiliate links and references to products we personally used.*