I’ve observed I get a handful of repeat questions by way of DMs, feedback, and publication replies, so I believed it will be enjoyable to start out answering just a few of them in additional element every month.
Ask Brittany – January 2026 Version
How is ChatGPT serving to you enhance your private home?
This has been a complete sport changer for somebody like me who can’t visualize what one thing will appear to be. I typically don’t know if I like one thing till I’m staring proper at it—which makes adorning tough.
We use the paid model of ChatGPT (although you are able to do this with the free model too—there’s only a restrict on picture generations). I merely take a photograph of the house I need to enhance, add it within the app, and describe what I’d prefer to see. It normally takes a little bit back-and-forth to get my imaginative and prescient throughout, and it’s undoubtedly not flawless. Generally proportions are off, or it removes issues fully (RIP to the air return vent that disappeared on one wall). However total? Extremely useful.
Take the large empty wall beside our fire, for instance. I uploaded a photograph of the clean house and requested ChatGPT to embellish it within the type of Pottery Barn. I don’t need my complete home to appear to be a Pottery Barn catalog, however the aesthetic aligns intently with what I like—and it’s a method that’s simple for the instrument to know.
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You’ll discover the proportions modified fairly a bit. It shrunk the stone space to the appropriate of the fireside, lowered the ceiling, and prolonged the mantel. Not very best… so I saved enjoying with it.
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Excellent? No. However nonetheless very useful for somebody who struggles with the “what is going to this truly appear to be?” query? Completely.
After just a few extra iterations, I landed on a model that felt real looking and that I genuinely liked. With that picture (under) in thoughts, I reached out to a carpenter—and shortly I’ll be capable to present you the real-life “after” of this house with floating cabinets.
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I’ll report again on how the experiment seems, however I’ve already used this method in a number of different areas of our dwelling. I’m planning a built-in bench for the entrance porch and am very near pulling the set off on a setup for an empty nook in the lounge too.
Have you ever used ChatGPT for dwelling design?
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What books have you ever learn recently?
Let’s speak about January reads but in addition 2025 books since my studying tends to stretch over time.
At any given second, I normally have:
- a bodily e book for me
- an audiobook for me
- a bodily read-aloud with the youngsters
- an audiobook with the youngsters
- and normally an audiobook for me and every child for automotive time
It appears like quite a bit, nevertheless it works for us.
As a substitute of sharing simply what I’m studying proper now, right here’s a have a look at what I’ve learn over the previous six months or so. I’ve linked all the pieces for simple searching and added my completely subjective letter grade subsequent to every.
On My Personal
- Outlive — A
- The Story (Teen Model) — B
- Demon Copperhead — A
- Massive Stunning Life — Did Not End
- Be Prepared When the Luck Occurs — B-
- Pleasure & Prejudice (with Hailey) — A+
- The Alchemist — C
- 4 Thousand Weeks: Time Administration for Mortals — B
With the Children
- Anne of Inexperienced Gables — A+
- Pollyanna — B-
- Little Girls — A+
- Quantity the Stars — A
- The Secret Backyard — B+
- The Bridge to Terabithia — C
- A Wrinkle in Time — C
- Beowulf — B+
- The place the Purple Fern Grows — A+
- King Arthur and the Knights of the Spherical Desk — B-
- The Legend of Sleepy Hole — B+
- The Mysterious Benedict Society — A
- The Hobbit — A
Brief time period rental recommendation?
I typically get requested: What do you would like you’d identified earlier than getting began with short-term leases?
First, begin right here—I wrote a publish answering frequent FAQs about short-term leases. Then, listed below are just a few rapid-fire ideas:
First, begin right here the place I wrote a publish about FAQ with brief time period leases. Then, listed below are just a few speedy hearth suggestions:
- Be clear about your objectives. Are you targeted on earnings/money circulate? Decreasing taxable earnings? Making a trip dwelling for your loved ones? These solutions matter as a result of they’ll form all the pieces—from the property you select to the way you handle it.
- Select a property with a distinguishing characteristic. Particularly in well-liked markets, one thing must set your house aside—a view, an excellent location, or a novel amenity. There’s additionally an previous saying: heads and beds. The extra individuals you possibly can comfortably sleep, the higher your reserving potential (even when that results in some unconventional sleeping preparations like a twin mattress in the identical room because the king mattress).
- Resolve whether or not you’ll self-manage or rent a supervisor. There are professionals and cons to each. If a part of your technique includes tax advantages, self-managing—and monitoring at the very least 500 hours—issues. For those who use a supervisor, store round. Charges differ broadly, and a few can take a stunning chew out of your earnings.
- Have a monetary cushion. Early bills and slower-than-expected ramp-up intervals are frequent. You don’t need to really feel cash-strapped when you’re nonetheless discovering your footing.
- Analysis market information before you purchase. Instruments like PriceLabs and AirDNA may also help you set real looking expectations. Proudly owning a property near house is handy, however comfort doesn’t at all times equal sturdy returns.
Subsequent month…
Have a query that might be enjoyable to talk about subsequent month? Remark under or e-mail me—I’d love to incorporate it.
And now I’m curious:
What’s the best approach you’ve used ChatGPT (or Copilot or Grok)?
What’s one of the best e book you’ve learn recently?
Any funding methods catching your eye proper now?
