Ask Casey No. 1
Making friends as an adult, my favorite buy of 2024, travel plans, thoughts on moving, and more.
Hi friends!
Welcome to the very first edition of “Ask Casey” here on Substack! This series used to live on my blog, but it feels like this platform is a better fit for more casual and conversational content like this.
For today’s edition, I sourced your questions from Instagram, but moving forward, I’ll pull from the comments on these posts. So if you have a question, drop it below, and I’ll do my best to answer it in February!
How’d you get to know your neighbors so well? I would love that type of community!
To give you some background, we bought our home in 2019, so we’ve been here about six years now. But it’s really been in the past three years (post-COVID and post-tiny baby chaos) that we’ve grown incredibly close to our neighbors.
In fact, I’m part of a book club with eleven women—all from our street. Yes, just one street, not the whole neighborhood! It blows my mind how lucky we are to have so many women around the same age, with kids, who love hanging out, reading, and sipping wine together. Honestly, I hit the jackpot moving here.
When we first arrived, I knew one person on our street who followed me online, and while we were friendly, COVID and babies made it tough to build those deeper connections. But during my “Year of Casey”—a time when I focused on rediscovering myself beyond just being a mom—I asked her out to dinner. We had such a great time, and she mentioned knowing a few other neighbors.
We floated the idea of a book club, invited a handful of women we each knew casually, and just like that, our little club was born.
Now, these women are truly some of my closest friends. We’ve gone beyond our monthly book club meetings to include dinners out, spa dates, and casual backyard hangs. The husbands, slightly jealous of our fun, joined us for a back-to-school event where we rented a trolley for a bar crawl around town with 24 neighbors. It was epic.
For our kids, we’ve started hosting monthly “sleep-unders.” Basically, it’s like a sleepover, but everyone goes home by 7 p.m. There are pajamas, movies, and pizza, but no one actually has to sleep over. It’s a win-win: the kids have a blast, and the parents get a free night!
So, how do you create this for yourself? Well, my best advice is: put yourself out there. If there are women on your street you casually know, ask them to grab coffee or a cocktail. Mom life can be isolating, and so many of us are craving connection—especially with people who live close by.
Making friends as an adult can make us feel vulnerable and it can also be a little scary, but it’s also so rewarding. It just takes a bit of courage to “ask someone out” and see where it goes!
How did you get so good at DIY stuff?
Believe it or not, most people assume Finn is the handy one (he’s not) or that I grew up with a handy dad (nope). The truth is, I knew nothing about homeownership or DIY until I started The DIY Playbook in 2013. Everything I know, I’ve learned along the way.
Before tackling any project, I dive into research mode - reading tutorials, watching YouTube videos, and gathering all the info I can. But the real learning happens when you just start. The first time you do something, it’s confusing and awkward. The second time? A little easier.
My motto is: “Everything is figure-out-able,” and I firmly believe that. If someone else can do it, why can’t you?
Any travel plans for 2025?
Yes! My mom is renting a house in Watercolor, Florida for the month of February and into March. This will be our fourth year joining her, and we’ll head down during the first week of March. By that point in winter, we’re desperate for sunshine and warmth, and the kids will be thrilled to run around outside.
In April, Rory has spring break, and we’re planning a girls’ trip to Round Top, Texas! My sister-in-law and mother-in-law live in Houston, and we’ve always talked about attending the famous Round Top Antique Market together. This year, we’re making it happen - and my mom is even joining us!
Beyond that, no solid plans yet. But now that Rory is officially in “real school,” I’m hoping we can plan a fun family trip over the summer break.
What was your favorite buy from 2024?
Hands down, my Shark Air Styler. This little gadget has completely transformed my hair routine.
I used to blow-dry my hair and then curl it with a hot iron. Now, I use the Air Styler for everything. It gives my hair so much volume, and I genuinely think my hair is healthier since switching. Yes, it gets hot, but not nearly as hot as a traditional straightener or curling iron. Game changer.
I’ll probably do an entire post about using it since I get asked about it a lot, but here’s what I do…
Wash hair and add this detangler after showering
Apply this frizz blocking spray and this mousse for volume
Blow dry about 80%
Use the round brush attachment on the styler to get to 100% dry
Section hair and use the curling attachments on my entire head
Apply this hair oil to my ends
I then use wear this Sleepy Tie at night to keep it looking good for at least two more days
Can you talk more about staying in your current home?
Ah, the million-dollar question! Every time I do a Q&A, someone asks if we’re moving, why we’re not moving, or if we’re buying another property.
About two years ago, I thought we’d move. I even had real estate photos taken! But after a lot of reflection, I realized it just didn’t make sense for us right now.
Here’s the truth:
Our home is 100% done. And while that’s not ideal for someone who runs a home improvement business, constantly churning out “before and after” content was not sustainable for me long-term.
Pivoting to focus on home maintenance has been one of the best decisions for both my business and my mental health.
But the biggest reason? This community (as evidenced by question #1)
If I needed a cup of sugar, an hour of babysitting, or just someone to sip wine with and vent, I’d have a handful of women ready to show up in minutes. That’s rare, and I don’t want to lose it.
Plus, we love our neighborhood school. Rory is thriving there, and Ellis will follow soon. With the school serving pre-K through 8th grade, we could easily stay put for years.
Do I want another big project someday? Absolutely. I love transforming spaces, and I know we’ll buy another property down the line. But for now, I’m content right here.
That’s it for this edition of “Ask Casey!” Thank you for being here, for asking thoughtful questions, and for letting me share a little slice of life with you.
Drop your questions for next time in the comments below, and I’ll see you in February!
xo,
Casey
P.S. 100% of the proceeds from my digital guide (Your Home Playbook) will go to wildfire relief efforts in LA through this weekend. If you’ve been tempted to buy it, now is a great time to have your dollars go to a good cause. You can find all of the details here!
Hi! How are you balancing spending time with both kids? You’ve got a cool vacation with Rory lined up - are you doing something with Ellis too?
I’m also a mom of two and I’m so excited to have a 5 year old who can do really fun stuff with me, but my other is 2 and that’s a different vibe. I’m trying to figure out how to not favor one over the other.
Thank you for being kind to those of us in California. Please remember not everyone is wealthy and well to do. Hundreds of thousands of us make minimum wage and live paycheck to paycheck. Homes as well as places of employment and probably health insurance have been lost. Palm Springs is 90 miles away but here in PS we are helping. The PS Animal Shelter (which is quite fabulous) can help and there are many places for horses, tortoises and even exotic animals. Hotels here are also giving discounts for those in need. Mother Nature can be a bitch but it is heartening to see the outpouring of help from everywhere. Many thanks friend, Elle