The most common question I get is: “How do you manage everything — family, work, and renovating a house in Italy?”
In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of what life in Italy is really like while renovating — juggling parenting, remote work and the rewarding (but sometimes exhausting) process of renovating a an old Italian home — solo DIY!
What you’ll see in this video:
– A real look at the day-to-day Italian lifestyle
– What it’s like renovating an old house in Italy on your own
– How I balance life abroad, travel, family and working
– The importance of time management and simplifying my goals
– Shoutouts to some amazing people helping along the way
I’ve learned that prioritising time and having simple goals is key. My four checkpoints?
1️⃣ Are my daughters okay?
2️⃣ Is work going well?
3️⃣ Am I enjoying the renovation?
4️⃣ Am I enjoying life in Italy?
There’s beauty in the chaos of this lifestyle — but also a lot of DIY, long days, and small wins. Whether you’re dreaming of buying a house in Italy or just love the Italian countryside, this is an honest look at what it really takes.
#LivingInItaly #ItalianRenovation #ItalyLifestyle #ExpatLife #MoveToItaly #ItalianDream #RenovatingInItaly #LifeAbroad #SlowLivingItaly #OldHouseRenovation
🇮🇹 Contact me
Feel free to contact me or help support me and my channel.
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Also in this video:
– A huge thanks to Laura (https://www.italyunfolded.com ), Selina (Grey Sage Studio in Canada https://www.instagram.com/greysage.studio ), and Joseph ( @housemarche ).
👇 If you’re curious about moving to Italy, renovating a rustic Italian property, or just want an authentic peek into expat life — hit subscribe and follow along.
Grazie mille for all your support — from the comments to the buy me a coffees (and wine)!
📍More updates via my website + Instagram
🍷Buy Me a Coffee link in the description
✉️ Let’s catch up in the comments!
PS – me exploring Le Marche and Italy will come back into videos through spring. 😎
All music that I use on my channel is from my paid subscription with Epedemic Sound.
I edit myself and use the Studio edition of Davinci Resolve.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 grass is growing
02:35 back streets of Corinaldo
13:22 scorpions, lots of scorpions.
20:24 a new lunch view
22:13 fire
24:33 rain and a leaky roof
28:51 inventing a new knott
32:31 smashing a window
34:46 a swarm – am I being attacked?!
38:58 centuries old roof tiles
42:59 the letter
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I enjoy reading your comments and am finding that there is a lovely group of like minded people starting to enjoy this and get involved. It is always great to hear from where you are watching in the world. Thank you for the subscriptions and all the support. I tend to read the comments once or twice a week and will reply or ❤️ when I can. 🙏
Best wishes,
Richard.
35 Comments
Thanks, Richard for the great long video with excellent and varied content. The pottery mugs are beautiful, Corinaldo streets are gorgeous and the clearing of brambles is always fun to watch as it’s nice progress! These free roof tiles will have a perfect spot on your roof! And no, that new lunch spot ain’t bad at all! Cheers!
Ciao Riccardo, 😊 minuto 32:36 e di seguito la tua faccia.😂😂😂😂😂 Mi piace come ti comporti all’arrivo degli imprevisti, con calma, senza rabbia o ansie.👍 Cambiando discorso, puoi rispiegare meglio, per favore, cosa hai messo nella tua “Acqua di Ragno?”. Anche io, nella mia casa di montagna, li trovo e mi fanno proprio sussultare. 😱 🫣🦂 Buon week-end Riccardo. Buon lavoro.💪💪🍀🍀🍀🍀
Yes a long video! Thanks!
Nicely done video! Love the opening music. Been a fan since you started. I can only dream of finding a place like this and fixing it up. Keep up the great work!
I am looking forward to the first large dinner you host alfresco….all your new YouTube friends will be envious….but happy that we have been along for the adventure.
Hi Richard, wonderful video, your bike ride to collect your mail
was so lovey, what a beautiful, quiet town, perfect on such a blue sky sunny morning, it made me wish with all my heart one day I will do the same, in which town I do not know, but I need it. The music was beautiful too.
The Scorpions I can do without 😮 thanks for the Spider water tip , I don’t like Spiders, little ones are OK but not the chunky brown ones that run really fast 😮 please tell me where you got your green Tote bag, I love it!
Are you planning to have some dry walls in your garden? After that rude eviction, the Euscorpius italicus should be compensated.
What is the language like there? Do most speak english or have you learnt to speak enough Italian to be confident? Im in a region where not many speak english which is quite overwhelming, even though I’m learning
Excellent visit – Fun , loved the bike ride thru your town
Richard è sempre bello averti qui con noi
Another great video, Richard. I too think a shredder would benefit you. Sorry, we laughed when the window fell out 😂😂 just love your video's they cheer me up ❤😊
Richard some string around the bottom of your jeans when you are playing with the scorpions they like to hide 🦂🦂🦂🦂🦂 🤣, also jays fluid is good to get muck of the tiles, will kill moss ect. Clive
What kind of range do you get from your bike on full charge? Looks great!!
I felt your pain when the glass smashed 😢 I love Selinas cups too 😊
Wonderful visit!
Not fun all those metallic thingy, asbestos, tiles and do on…but remember back in the day they were no dump yards!! Everyone had to keep their broken things, junks, glass…bin/garbage and burn it on the spot!!!
Another time…back in the day…
Great content loved the silent bike ride with all the big shadows in the morning. Everything turning green very nice 👍👍🙏🇬🇧
In Le Marche you're probably a higher elevation than we are here in Narni, the Nera basin, and those scorpions are bigger than I've ever seen, even in my place near Perugia. I think I got stung once; had a bad habit of going around the garden in bare feet with just cheap crocs on, and got a super swollen bright purple big toe out of it. Didn't half itch and sting. Like the worst mosquito bite you can imagine. I went to the farmacia and the lady gave me some stuff to put on it which took the itching and stinging out. It went down after a few days, but I remembered, and lesson learned. Always wore closed shoes or boots from then on, and always took them inside with me at the end of the gardening day. And even so, knocked them out before putting them on. Don't worry too much about snakes; they're very alert and won't stay near anyone making and noise or doing garden work. They're good guys mostly; eating the mice and rats – a leave them alone and they'll leave you alone sort of situation. Good to know about the spider water though. We don't get too many critters here in town, but some day I'll be back in the country again.
Is it hoarding or is it, set in a spot for easy hauling later. Or was it forgotten when vines & weeds covered them–Out of sight, out of mind.
👍👍👍 the scorpions 🦂 are not dangerous 😄👍…zero problems , at least the Italian scorpions 😇
Amazing video again Richard. Looking forward to all new videos and progress you will make to watch it with pleasure 🙏
No wine 🍷 with your pasta 😊
Pasta dish – yum (my fav with tomatoes and olives).
Scorpions – thanks for the nightmares.
Your improvisational skills (roof cover, for example) – super impressive.
Your sense of humor – either you're getting funnier or letting it show through more now. Love it.
Richard or Ricardo! when in Italy I have found certain areas with good crazy drivers 6 then Puglia mental. Great videos again.
I miss your straight up diy videos, don't watch quite so much anymore.. hope you are ok
FIIIIIIITT
Just a trick for your first try with the telepass barrier. Choose the gate with both symbols depicted, the yellow telepass and the credit card. If the telepass works you're ok, otherwise that gate is also enabled to accept your card..
That piece of farm machinery with the teeth would make a great art installation
Scorpions don't like lemon peel. Put some lemon peel without any pulp on it around there, and the scorpions will be gone.
I tell you what Richard, I nearly had a messy accident when I saw those damn scorpions so I have no idea how you finished that job knowing they were still there 🤯
Little by little, big jobs become little jobs to become finished jobs and youre doing the right thing with the clearing the land.
Lovely gift for the coffee too, that was very nice of you Celina.
Stay safe and we'll see you next time
As ever found your update an inspiration – shit happens but you deal with it. Have to say I did smile when the plane fell out of the outhouse door. Just like gardening – difficult to plan based on weather forecasts 🤨
Good morning 🌞🌄
Appreciate all helpful advice n referrals.🙏🏻👍❤️
Another great video Richard aka Noel G and we are going to try out that quick pasta dish, here is one for you fresh ricotta cheese mix it in the pasta after straining it and smatter of salt viola past ricotta , great in the summer
hahahahahhahha that glass falling out of the door window was COMEDY GOLD timing! hahahahha