Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

Five Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Blogging

When I started blogging, I pretty much did it sporadically and very not-seriously.  Aside from a handful of accounts, I didn’t realize that you could really be a “blogger” and not “someone who has a blog.”  There’s a difference, people!  I was so not aware that there was the community out there.  If I had known these things from the get-go, I might be in a different place.

5 things I wish I knew when I started blogging. Don't make these mistakes!

It is an investment

Time, money, energy…blogging is an investment.  The more serious you want to be, the more of an investment it is.  Blogging can truly be a full time job, but you also have to dedicate full time energy to it.

Pick where you want to invest and do so wisely.  If you don’t want to commit to blogging every day (like us over in the Be A Better Blogger Challenge!) pick a schedule so your readers know when to expect to see your new posts.  They’re excited to hear from you!

Also choose where you want to spend your money.  Sure you don’t need a premium theme right out of the gates, but you probably will want that in the future.  Pick something that can grow with you.  Same with your domain name and your hosting.  Make sure that you have invested in a solid foundation.

It’s okay to stumble and then come back

I’ve “rebranded” myself so many times.  I stopped writing for large chunks of time.  I didn’t have a Facebook page for my blog for a long time.  It’s okay.  You’re learning and growing.  It’s perfectly fine to stumble and come back stronger.

Be authentic

There are days when I feel like I’m still trying to find my true voice here and other days that I say, “Boom, this is me, this is what I sound like, deal with it.”  In my head, I’d like to think I’m a lot more unapologetic than I actually am.  This is why I love Laura and Katy so much.  They are 100% them and it totally come through in their blogs.

But no matter what, be true to you and who you are.  There are posts of mine that I read and I’m just like….that feels awkward to me.  Your readers probably feel a little of that, too.

Find your support group

Get a group of friends together, find communities online, and get interacting!  It’s so helpful to have people to bounce ideas off of and turn to when you’re struggling.  They’ll help you sort through where you want to be, where you are right now, and connect the two.

The SITS Girls is a great community, so is BlogHer, and of course, you can check out what Marissa has to say about finding your tribe so you can make your own group.

Decide what kind of blogger do you want to be

Part of this is why it’s handy to have a tribe.  Maybe you don’t know what kind of blogger you want to be.  Maybe you’re a Seinfeld blog like Katy, maybe you have a clear focus like Kristin.

I wish I would have known what I wanted to do when I started blogging.  I kind of just opened up a blog because I thought it would be fun and filled in the blanks from there.  I mean, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s nice to have more of a direction.

What do you wish you knew when you started blogging?

Be a Better Blogger is a weekly link up dedicated to helping you be a more intentional blogger. Want to be a better blogger but don’t know where to start? Head over to the Be a Better Blogger page for daily prompts and a weekly linkup to help get the creative juices flowing! Oh, and use #beabetterblogger on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook to keep the fun going even after you hit Publish!

Be a Better…Organizer

I have a hard time letting go of things.  If there’s a possibility of saving it, I will.  (Just ask all of my DIY projects.  I’m the queen of saying, “I can make that instead of buying it,” buying the supplies, then never making it.)  So I have to practice great restraint when I try to get rid of items that no longer serve me.

Everyone has heard “If you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it,” or, “If it was in the back of the closet, clearly you don’t remember you have it, so get rid of it.”  But I have a different set of criteria when I’m organizing.  I think they help me to be better organizer.  I don’t know if anyone who has been in my house would agree, but I say it works for me!

Not everyone is born with an organizational gene. Some people are just messy or hold on to things. I have 5 questions that will help you to be an organizer.

When I need to organize and pare down, I ask myself these five questions.

Can this be used for its intended purpose?

At some point, I adopted an Alton Brown-ian philosophy that everything I bring into my house should have multiple purposes.  If you don’t know, he has an adage, “The only uni-tasker in the kitchen should be a fire extinguisher,” meaning everything else should do at least two tasks.

If it can be used for its intended purpose, and you still have use for that intended purpose, keep it.  Just make sure it has a place to live and you put it back in that place.

Can I do something with it?

This is the question I struggle with the most.  I feel so bad getting rid of something just because I’ve upgraded or no longer am using something for its intended purpose.  If you’re looking at something saying, “Well, I have a new wine rack, so I don’t need this old one anymore, but it’s good so I don’t want to get rid of it…” see if it can fit elsewhere.

For a long time, I used a 12-slot wine rack as a shoe organizer.  It was small and compact and it provided some extra storage space on top, too.

That said, if you can’t re-purpose it naturally and it would be an even bigger hassle to tinker with it to turn it into something else, get rid of it.

Would someone else want it?

On the other hand, if it’s a good piece and you just don’t have a need for it, see if someone else wants it.  Put it online, ask your friends, or do what I did and send an office-wide email saying, “Hey, I have a houseful of stuff that’s gotta go.  If you need something, let me know!”  I felt so much better knowing that items that were perfectly good just no longer use to me would be taken home with someone who needs it.

They save money, we both get to practice Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…win-win, right?

Do I have space for it if I save it?

This is a biggie…  Let’s say your wine rack is perfectly good, but you don’t use it anymore and no one wants/needs it.  Maybe you want to try to re-purpose it elsewhere, but it’ll take some time to figure that out.  Do you have space to store it?

Trying to pare down my father’s house is proving such a challenge and storage space is going to be at a premium if and when he moves.  This is a big question when trying to figure out which serving platters are staying or going.

Do I already have these?

Okay, I know I can’t judge here.  I have backup pairs of my favorite jeans so when one wears out, I can jump right into a new pair.  But, if you’re looking at something and debating whether to get rid of it, see if you already have something that does a similar job.  If so, keep the one you like better and try to let go of the others.

No one will get me out of my gray t-shirts, though; yes, I need multiple pairs.

What are your organizational rules?

Be a Better Blogger is a weekly link up dedicated to helping you be a more intentional blogger. Want to be a better blogger but don’t know where to start? Head over to the Be a Better Blogger page for daily prompts and a weekly linkup to help get the creative juices flowing! Oh, and use #beabetterblogger on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook to keep the fun going even after you hit Publish!

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Support

What I love about blogging is that there is a whole community out there ready to support and uplift each other.  There are all kinds of people out there who write blogs, update Instagram feeds, have rockin’ Twitter accounts.  The best thing about blogging is that is allows you to meet friends from around the country.  And what is a blog if you can’t support each other?

Best kept blogging secret: supporting others

I know sometimes it feels like the market is saturated and you’re struggling to figure out what sets you apart.  Guess what – it’s okay.  The world needs your story and your perspective.  Just like Sam Bennett said in her No BS Lab podcast, we need your stories to uplift us, ground us, make us feel not so alone.

So all I want to know today is how can I support you this month while we’re all working how to #BeABetterBlogger?Is there a post you want to promote more?  Is there a question you have about social media, blogging, marketing in general that you’re dying to ask?  Do you need someone to hold you accountable for you to achieve your goal?

I’m all about helping people make connections, find their place, and be generally better, happier, more creative people.  Let me know how I can help you.  If you don’t want to leave it in the comments, you can always email me!Here are some goals that I have for the month.  Hold me to them, okay?

  • Write and post every day
  • Use Twitter more to promote myself and spread great posts from other bloggers
  • Create a blog-specific Instagram account
  • Plan out posts in advance more effectively
  • Comment more on other bloggers’ posts. Gotta get that community going!

Wanna find your tribe?  Marissa at Ampersand Creative has some great tips.  If you’re debating starting a blog, she has some words of wisdom there, too.

Need a hand?  Have an idea for a collaboration?  Let’s talk!  How can we support each other?

Be a Better Blogger is a weekly link up dedicated to helping you be a more intentional blogger. Want to be a better blogger but don’t know where to start? Head over to the Be a Better Blogger page for daily prompts and a weekly linkup to help get the creative juices flowing! Oh, and use #beabetterblogger on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook to keep the fun going even after you hit Publish!

What I Learned from Blogging Every Day

Guys, I’m so excited today.  I wanted to keep writing every day and Katy and Meghan are so fantastic, that they were like, “Hell yeah, we’ll keep going too!”  So we’re launching a weekly link up dedicated to helping you Be a Better Blogger.

If you know anything about me, you know that I want to bring people together and make connections.  I love that this is encouraging and elevating other bloggers.  Part of that support is sharing what we’re learning.

Blogging every day is a huge undertaking but it is possible to do well. After a month of every day blogging, I'm sharing what I learned in the process.

Planning is your friend

I know that I should have an editorial calendar and a list of posts that I’m committed to at the beginning of the month.  The closest I’ve gotten to that is having certain themes for the days that I posted.  It helps so much when you have a plan.  Using Katy’s prompts in May was so helpful because it allowed me to focus my thoughts when I was writing.

Ride the creative wave

For me, much of blogging means spending time figuring out what to write about and then actually writing it.  There are times when I didn’t have a post written for the next day and I’d be sitting here at my computer saying, “Okay, brain, what’s it gonna be…wanna give me something good now?”

When you get the creative spark to write, do it.  And write as much as you can to get yourself ahead of the game.  Even if you end up using a different post (I’ve had 3 different posts written for today), at least you have some writing that you can pull from later.

Batch posts

This is another thing that I know is necessary but never really did.  Write everything, then work on figuring out what photos you want to take, then go in and edit them all, and finally add the correct tags and information to them.

This helps so much when you can just open up Photoshop, load in a few post’s worth of photos, and plug them into the post.  Then schedule away.

Schedule your social media

When I get busy, the first thing that goes is updating social media.  That’s why scheduling is indispensable for me as a blogger.  I can write my posts and then as I’m scheduling them, I’ll queue ’em up for Tweetdeck.  That way I know that I’m taking the necessary steps to have a successful blog without stressing too much during the day when I should be focusing on work.

Comment, share, and support other bloggers

I’ve always tried to comment as much as I can, but blogging every day takes away some of the time to read other blogs.  This is something I want to work on more for the following month.

It’s also so valuable to have a network you can turn to for support and inspiration.  If you’re out there supporting other bloggers, you’re racking up good karma points.  It doesn’t go unnoticed!

Most importantly, keep learning, it’s okay to make mistakes, your job is never “done”

There are so many things that I learned from blogging every day for a month.  It taught me a lot about time management, having a clear plan, and that batching posts is your friend.

What tips do you have for being a better blogger?

 

Be a Better Blogger is a weekly link up dedicated to helping you be a more intentional blogger. The linkups will happen on a weekly level over on the BBB page. Link as many of your posts as you’d like! Join us as we support each other to be better bloggers!

Blogs I Love

A big part of being a blogger is reading other blogs.  You’re able to support your friends and see new perspectives in the world, which is fantastic in my book.  I have a Feedly list all set up, but I barely remember to use it.  I think because (last time I tried) it was difficult to comment on a blog through Feedly.  Please correct me if I’m wrong!  So I’ll cycle through a few blogs every day that are my must-reads (enjoy that direct traffic, baby!).  I want to share my must-read favorite blogs with you today because it’s the topic for Blogger, May I!

Being a good blogger means supporting other blogs. There are tons of blogs deserving of attention. Here's a list of great bloggers to follow. | Gardening In High Heels

I have to say, I’m having anxiety thinking that I may have left someone out.  If I do…well, I’ll make it a series!  There are tons of people who are so deserving of attention and good vibes.  In fact, I had so many Pittsburgh bloggers that I’m breaking them into a separate post that’ll come down the road.

I would be totally remiss if I didn’t start this list out with my Blogger, May I partners in insanity, but in no particular order…

Katy (Wild and Wanderful, Handmade Escapade)

I am so happy I found Katy – I think through Meghan!  She’s truly pouring her heart out for the internet to see and it’s beautiful.  As a fellow “Seinfeld blogger,” I love that she’s always sharing things that interest her.  If you’re into sewing/creating, hearing about awesome community events, and pictures of adorable kiddos, you need to know about Katy.

Meghan (Hayes Days)

I love Meghan’s writing style and her way with words.  I wish I lived closer to her so we could go shopping.  Is that weird to say?  The girl always has amazing outfits and shares the best shopping deals.

Nicole (Designs by Nicolina, Happily Ever Tees)

Nicole rounds out the Sunday Lately trio with Meghan and Katy and another gal with a great writing style.  I love that her posts are to the point but never short on personality.  You can totally hear the friendliness in her tone, even though her posts are concise.  The girl is busy running DBN, so I don’t blame her for short and sweet posts!

Laura (Life with Lolo)

This girl makes me laugh so hard every time I read her blog.  She has the writing style I only imagine I have – full of personality, totally conveys who she is and the tone she’s saying something.  I mean, you can just hear the eye rolls in her Hashtag Humpday posts.

Jaelan (Making Mrs M)

I think Jaelan is one of those people that can do everything so well and doesn’t have to try.  If I didn’t love her so much, I’d be totally jealous!  At least, she makes everything seem effortless from putting together a cute outfit to making cookies.  Plus, you can just about hear her Texas accent coming through the computer!

Kam (Campfire Chic)

I really like Kam for her emails and her e-courses (and 30 Days Of Lists with Amy @ Lemon & Raspberry).  No that her blog is bad (it’s a rockstar!) I just always get her right in my inbox, so I don’t go to the blog as much.  That’s probably bad to admit.  Does that make sense?  Anyway, she has great resources for making your own adventure and her photos are fantastic.

Kayla (Kayla Hollatz)

Kayla is a fantastic blog to follow for blogging resources and social media advice.  She also hosts her own Twitter chat at 8p ET / 7p Central called #CreateLounge and if you don’t walk away feeling ready to run through a wall and write blog posts all night, you doin’ it wrong.

And my Pittsburgh Blogging Tribe:

Marissa (Ampersand Creative, formerly The Modern Austen)

If you need help getting your career on a creative path, go to Marissa!  She’s so relateable, I’ll forgive her for stealing my favorite punctuation mark as her business name.  She also loves the Oxford comma, so she’s a good egg.

Kristin (My Life As A Teacup)

Kristin is a stellar writer and she’s dedicated to helping your words be the best they can be.  I love her grammar series, Intensive Purposes (a play on “all intents and purposes”).  She also shares great writing resources.

Jess (In Pursuit of Simple)

Jess shares simple, actionable ways to improve your health and well being.  She’s great at connecting everything back to a live driven by simplicity so you don’t get overwhelmed.

So that’s my (not complete and first installment) of blogs I love. What are some of your favorite blogs?


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