If homes had personalities, Sarah’s would be the house that was stuck in time. Originally built in 1982, it was neglected for many years and needed a lot of help: ceilings that had yellowed to the point of turning orange; counters so dirty she had to use oven cleaner; press-on fingernails found in the fridge (ICK), and cats having an all-out war in my front yard at four in the morning. And after over 1,000 posts and countless projects big and small, there’s still more left to do. Without much of a budget to work with, Sarah does a lot of the work herself. Her blog, The Ugly Duckling House, is your Not-So-Serious Guide to DIY Home Improvement, Home Repair, Woodworking, Food, and Decorating. With each new project she has used her blog to keep a running log of knowledge in the hopes that someday, this info will help someone else.