I had the most fun with today’s episode because it is actually one of my friends and it is always magical when you get to sit and have a chat with your friend and then let everyone else listen in on it. Noell Jett is my amazing guest today. I connected with her on TikTok through the pandemic.
Noell exploded on TikTok because she has the best everything including recipes, strategies for keeping your house clean, and more. She is so good at balancing it all. She has been online as a creator sharing her journey for years.
Today we are sitting down to explore Noell’s story which is really unexpected if you’ve encountered her on social media. We also get to talk about her new book, Create Your Dream Home on a Budget. She gives practical advice for how to do that, inspiration, and also shares some projects. This is a journey she went on herself so now she can share with other people just how possible it is.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify – or listen to it below!
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in this episode
[04:01] Noell’s story [09:43] Building and planning their first dream house [23:49] Her design process [27:04] Having a beautiful kid-friendly home [28:40] Maintaining your space [29:21] Evolving spaces as kids growlinks
- Make Space Podcast Website
- Cara on Instagram
- Cara on Twitter
- Color Curator Workshop
- DIY Coaching Session
- Design Consultation
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[04:01] Noell’s story
Noell was raised in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in southwestern Missouri in extreme poverty. There were some religious constraints and just a very poor part of the country. There were five kids total, so seven people in this tiny little house. They hunted and we had a garden, but didn’t just go to the grocery store ever. So just a different kind of poverty that a lot of people don’t even realize still exists.
In her 20s, Noell ended up pregnant, married, and had two beautiful daughters. Then ended up divorced and a single mom to two little girls. Then she met Daniel and that was a very pivotal moment in turning my life around, beginning to figure out life, and really just stabilizing myself and heading on the path that has led to here.
[09:43] Building and planning their first dream house
When Noell met Daniel, he told her that since he was at least in high school, he had dreamed of building his own house someday. She loved that so they made it their goal and something that they worked toward as a couple. So for the next seven years, they worked on setting that plan into motion.
It was very hard to plan and it took a lot of time, energy, and effort. This is why they have written the book to help other people navigate that process and maybe learn from some of the things that we learned, and some shortcuts based on all the things that they had to go through. Just kind of give them a little leg up in the process.
[23:49] Her design process
For Noell, it mainly starts with function. I look at what she wants her process to look like and how she wants her home to flow. Then she also leans into her roots. As she grew up in the backwoods it’s still part of her heart and soul and she loves old-fashioned things. She used to go with my grandmother as a little girl so that’s always been part of me and that always bleeds over into my designs.
[27:04] Having a beautiful kid-friendly home
First and foremost, it is work and it is not easy. Noell has amazing systems in place. Everything has a home and a place where it’s supposed to be. The more organization you can have in a home, the better. Every single item needs to have a home. That makes it so much easier when it is time to do a reset. Also when you’re in the design process, choose materials and designs that stand up to children. For everything you choose, make it as kid-friendly as possible.
[28:40] Maintaining your space
Maintaining a space requires upkeep on a daily basis. Even the best-laid plans still require daily maintenance, weekly maintenance, and monthly maintenance, and you have to stay on top of it. It’s not just like a one-time and forget-it kind of thing.
[29:21] Evolving spaces as kids grow
With the kids, Noell tries to give them independence and let them be involved in the process so that they truly love the space and love the design and they’re not asking you to change it in six months or a year. Then make it as functional as possible and think about pieces that will grow with them.
It gives them a little more personal responsibility when they’re involved in it and they want to keep it a little more organized and clean. Bring them with you and even just simple things like let them play in the dirt and dirt piles. Let go of perfectionism and let them be involved. When it is truly a family effort it is so much more rewarding once it is done.
