Author: natosha

Self Care For Moms and Stay At Home Moms

Self Care For Moms

Have you seen any self care for moms tips that have rocked your world?

Last night, my son’s preschool hosted a Dad’s Night Out. That meant that the dads took the kids to the school for a couple of hours on a Thursday night to play games and have fun together.

It was awesome.

But I was left here at home for some free time. Sounds amazing, right?

But if you’re anything like me, knowing what to do during mom “me time” can get tricky. Everything I could think of doing involved getting ahead on my chores, my work at home work, or taking care of my family in some way.

Self Care Ideas For Busy Moms and Stay At Home Moms

If it was summer, I totally would have been sitting out by the pool with a rum in hand, but since that’s not an option in March, I had to come up with something great to do for me without the summer fun.

I thought of the usual suspects (taking a bath, eating chocolate, reading a book, watching what I want to watch on tv), but the truth is sometimes those are boring or can be more work than they’re worth. Plus, I like to be productive with my time when possible.

Related Posts: Find out how I have a few minutes to spare each day here.
Related Post: Feeling like you aren’t enough? You need this and a cup of tea. <3

How To Be Your Best Self As A Mom

And, I’ve been getting more intentional about crafting a life (and me) I love.

What are those things you would love to do if you had the skills?

I’ve always wanted to know how to sing (well) and play guitar.
I would love to know how to cook like a chef (getting closer!).
I love having a beautiful home (yikes! I need to get to decluttering for that to happen!!).
I love building furniture, even though I’m a beginner.
Having my own blog is so much fun!
Sewing is cool. You can make so much stuff.

But what I’m talking about is a little bit bigger than crafty skills. I’m talking about what kind of life would you love to make. You know. Those (albeit totally fake) tv mom moments when the sun shines down and all the world is happy.

So, I set out to create some of those moments I’ve always wanted to have. Let’s go back to #1 on my list.

When I was a little girl, my dad was a cowboy (like a real one). We would go on camping trips and ride horses up in the mountains all weekend long. And what do you think a cowboy does around a campfire at night? Um, yes. He plays the guitar.

So, I grew up in the guitar around a campfire scene. Or the huge house party “pickin'” where everyone brings over their guitar, banjo, tambourine and comes to jam at someone’s house all night on a Friday night.

I have always wished my kid(s) could grow up around music like that. Unfortunately, I am totally not a natural and could never get past the super-hard chords to make the guitar thing happen.

But, I haven’t given up. I found an adorable chick (on LinkedIn of all places!) jamming with her ukulele. It looks so fun and sounds even more fun. So, that very night my husband and I got a crazy hair and bought a ukulele!

Have Fun As A Mom

Now I’m committed to this little $80 prize and need to make some magic happen so I don’t have buyer’s remorse, right?

What’s a girl do who needs to learn some ukulele? Head to YouTube, of course. That’s where I met my new best friend Cynthia. Okay, so we aren’t best friends as far as she knows, but we spend lots of time together every day on YouTube.

And get this.

I’m totally learning the ukulele.

 

Learn To Play Ukulele

Why is the ukulele the perfect thing to get yourself back again? I’ll tell you why.

  • It’s really easy and fun to learn.
    There are only 4 strings so it’s easier to learn than guitar. It’s just enough of a challenge to be fun, but not so much that it’s frustrating.
  • It’s compact and easy to bring along with you.
    We keep our uke on the table behind the couch. Or by the bed. Or the dining table. It’s usually within arm’s reach to pick it up and strum for a few minutes while I play with my son or wait on dinner to finish cooking.
  • It doesn’t take much time. 
    Just 5-10 minutes a day will get you on your way to learning ukulele. Especially in the beginning while you build up your finger strength and callouses.
  • Kids love to get in on the fun.
    While my 4-year-old isn’t wanting to learn to play yet, he is joining in on the fun by suggesting I try learning to play some songs and singing along with me. I’ve watched Cynthia sing & play Three Little Birds so much, my son won’t tolerate a version by anyone else. Hahaha. I hope to get good enough at strumming and singing at the same time soon so that I can learn some songs to play for my son.

If you want to learn uke along with me, here’s the kit I got. It’s a recommended brand and comes with the basics. I also got one of these so I can play lots more songs without having to learn a ton more chords. It matches the uke we have great!

I’m also going to get one of these soon so I can have a little home base for our uke and it’s few little supplies.

If you’re looking to put the fun back into being a mom (or your old fun self) and needing some self care for moms, the ukulele is a great place to start.

Pin this and save it for some of your mama friends who feel like their losing a piece of them in the hustle of momhood.

 

Self Care Ideas For Busy Moms and Stay At Home Moms

Self Care Ideas For Busy Moms and Stay At Home Moms

Self Care Ideas For Busy Moms and Stay At Home Moms

20 Cheap Comfy Desk Chair Ideas For Beautiful Home Offices or Bedrooms

 

Cheap Comfy Desk Chairs

Finding cheap comfy desk chairs can be a serious challenge if you’re going for beautiful home decor.  I mean, seriously. Who wants a huge black hunk of fake leather on wheels without any style rolling around their home office, or worse yet, a bedroom that has to serve as a home office too.

So, I’m here to the rescue today to show you some options for comfy desk chairs that will look great in any space, even bedrooms or living rooms.

And to make it better, most of these comfy desk chairs are under $200, because let’s get real, you’re probably going to need another one soon if you are a work at home mom or have a busy office space in your house.

20 Office Chairs For A Home Office

So, let’s get right to checking out these gorgeous desk chairs, shall we?

Who doesn’t love a diamond tufted look? This one reminds me of a luxury car seat. Plus, it has a tall back, meaning you can chill and lean back while you create that report, schedule social media, or write that article.

Modern Sterling Leather Executive Chair

Modern Sterling Leather Executive Chair

This chair also has the high back, but what I love about it is that it has beautifully sculpted arms. And if you’re going for a more modern look, the tufting here is pretty sleek.

Leather High Back Executive Chair

Leather High Back Executive Chair

Seriously. Who doesn’t want a little nailhead trim on their feminine desk chair. Plus, it’s tall, so you can chill and kick back all fancy like with that trim.

High Back Executive Swivel

High Back Executive Swivel

Alright. For a girl who is way more modern farmhouse than mid-century modern, I absolutely adore this chair. It probably doesn’t even matter what office desk you pair this with or even what room it goes it. It’s going to be a focal point and be totally styling.

Modern Contemporary Office Chair

Modern Contemporary Office Chair

I included this chair in my last post about feminine desk chair ideas, and there’s a reason it’s back on the list. It’s gorgeous and will fit in almost any decor style these days. I think it has a Restoration Hardware kind of feel, even though it’s made by Bassett.

It’s available in a linen upholstery seat or bonded leather seat.

Inspired Rebecca Nailhead Accent Office Chair

Nailbed Accent Office Chair

While not the most feminine chair in this list, I adore this chair for one main reason. It’s real top-grain leather. Know what that means? It means it’s going to last a long time. Probably at least twice as long as a vinyl chair. So, it’s probably worth the extra for this one.

Genuine Leather Executive ChairGenuine Leather Executive Chair

This guy is leather, too. His description on Amazon says he’s made of bonded leather, so not as nice of leather as the Aluminum Base Executive Chair above, but still way better than vinyl. And it’s a bit less expensive because of it. But still crazy stylin’ and a great size for a small space like a bedroom home office or teen room.

Ashland Home Office Chair

Ashland Home Office Chair

There is that nailhead trim again. I’m such a sucker. It just dresses up a room to add a bit of nailhead to furniture. I also love that it’s an ivory/tan color.

Ivory Wingback Office Chair

Ivory Wingback Office Chair

The last post I created about desk chair ideas had a similar chair to this one on it and everyone looooved it. I mean, seriously. It was hands down the most popular chair. But this guy is upgraded with bonded leather for around the same price as upholstered. Such a steal for a great looking chair.

This one will work great in small spaces, too because of the arm positioning.

Serta Leighton Office Chair

Serta Ashland Office Chair

This is another high-quality leather chair. Though not specified in the description, based on seller feedback on Amazon, I believe this chair is top-grain leather since they state it is not bonded leather. Definitely a great option if you’re looking for a chair that will last a while.

Genuine Leather High Back Office Chair

Genuine Leather High Back Office Chair

I adore this chair for a bedroom home office. I will totally fit in a living room if that’s your speed, but I think of the bedroom as being soft and romantic like velvet. This would make a great chair for a makeup desk or vanity.

Cream Velvet Office Chair

Cream Velvet Office Chair

What about that gold base? **swoon** This chair definitely gets some points for high style. And since gold/brass is totally in right now with mid-century modern style, this chair has all the right elements to spice up your home office style.

Layton Mid Back Office Chair

Layton Mid Back Office Chair

And if the latest trends aren’t your favorite, this may suit your fancy. This chair actually be my favorite one on the whole list. My home office is in the living room and has to look amazing, and this chair would be my absolute first pick if I needed a new desk chair. It’s so sophisticated and traditional, but still a bit edgy with those wingback-style arms. Definitely a great choice if you’re looking for a tall, upholstered chair in a traditional style.

Tufted High Back Desk Chair

Tufted High Back Desk Chair

If this chair looks familiar, it’s because it’s the big sister to the Layton chair above, only it’s vinyl covered instead of upholstered. I love vinyl as a worry-free alternative to upholstered or leather chairs, especially with littles around.

White Layton Office Chair

White Layton Office Chair

This is also the softer sister to the other Serta Leighton chair above, but I really think the tan upholstery gives this chair a cozy, comfy desk chair look.

Tan Serta Leighton Office Chair

Tan Serta Office Chair

This chair screams style. I could totally see this in Edna Mode’s office in the Incredibles (if it were shorter 😉 ). If you’re looking for something a touch more modern but still feminine, this may be your little lady.

Push Midback Office Chair

Push Midback Office Chair

Similar to the chair above, this chair gets tons of style points for the form and ridges in the padding. This chair looks like a soft mattress to me, actually. Or one of those fancy foam pillows.

Escape Midback Office Chair White

Escape Midback Office Chair White

If you’re going to pick up one of these desk chairs and you have hardwood floors, these are a must-have. I actually found them one day when I was shopping for a desk chair for myself last year, and let me tell you…What a difference.

I used to have a plastic mat on my floor to protect it from the plastic chair wheels, but these little puppies are rubbery so they won’t scratch your hardwood floors and you won’t need an ugly plastic mat!

Woo! Double win.

I love little hacks that make your life better. definitely worth the extra 10 bucks to upgrade your desk chair.

Office Chair Hardwood Floor Wheel

Office Chair Hardwood Floor Wheel

Comfy Desk Chair Ideas For A Gorgeous Home Office

There you have it. This is the updated version of my original desk chair ideas post from last year. Haven’t seen it? Head on over and check out the other chairs I found that are perfect for a home office or bedroom office.

10 Bargain Desk Chair Ideas of a Stunning Home Office

Or, if you’re sprucing up your whole office, you may want to check out this post full of bargain desks for a gorgeous home office.

If you’ve seen my post about bargain desk chairs, you know I’m on the hunt for stylish and affordable office furniture.

20 Cheap Comfy Desk Chair Ideas for Beautiful Home Offices or Bedrooms
20 Cheap Comfy Desk Chair Ideas for Beautiful Home Offices or Bedrooms

How to Stage a Kitchen to Sell

How to Stage a Kitchen To Sell Fast

If you’re selling your home and want to sell your house fast, you need to know how to stage a kitchen.

What do you look for when shopping for a home?  Are you craving a big backyard with tons of space for the kiddos to run around in and a nice fence for privacy and to hedge in your dogs?  Do you need lots of windows for natural light to cheer up your mornings?

Or, are you like me and look for a spacious kitchen that will be the center of your home where you can gather with friends and family around delicious food?

As in, a great kitchen is totally a non-negotiable.

Chances are that you are not only craving a fantastic kitchen space, but it’s a must have on your list. Well, guess what? You and I aren’t the only ones.

Home Staging A Kitchen

In fact, the kitchen is now considered to be the most important room in the home.  So much so that many homeowners are shelling out big bucks for kitchen renovations to turn a modest kitchen into a workspace where Gordon Ramsey would feel right at home. These renovations don’t come cheap though, one estimate has them running anywhere from $50,000 and $150,000.

Because of this new trend, the kitchen is a place where you definitely want to pay special attention and make attractive and inviting when staging a home to sell.  But, you don’t have to have a huge renovation budget to accomplish this, in fact you don’t have to remodel your kitchen at all!

With a few simple tricks, you can stage your kitchen and have it look and feel cozy and inviting for potential homebuyers!  Here are my top five tips for staging a kitchen to sell.

5 Tips to Stage A Kitchen

Keep it clean. I mean, clean the kitchen.

First things first, clean that kitchen like you have never cleaned it before.  I’m talking walls, floors, cabinet doors, inside of cabinets, the oven, the fridge, the light fixtures, baseboards, the ceiling.

Scrub-a-dub-dub everything you can see and everything you can’t  Make it sparkle and make it shine.

We completely updated our kitchen on a tight budget of under $3000 including white Ikea cabinets, laminate countertops in white carrara, a farmhouse sink (domsjo from Ikea) and new grey wood look floors. Under $3k!!

If this feels daunting it might be worth hiring a professional to come in and clean for you.  Oftentimes hiring someone to clean can be very affordable, and they also have fantastic cleaning chemicals and cleaning tricks and tips that make it easier for them to do the job than it is for you to do it yourself.

Declutter Your Kitchen

  • Remove small rugs and stow them elsewhere.
  • Take everything off of the refrigerator except a few attractive magnets.
  • Go through your pantry and toss out that bag with just the ends of a loaf of bread in it and those fifteen thousand packets of takeout ketchup.
  • Un-junk the junk drawer.
  • Counters should be clear with only a few exceptions (see the last tip of this list).
  • You want to declutter the space in order to make it look as large and clean as possible, while still making it look inviting.

Make Your Kitchen Smell Good

Consider how your kitchen smells.  Does last night’s fish curry still linger in the air?  Is the garlic from your famous bolognese sauce still dominating the dining room? 

Better yet, ask a friend (one of the brutally honest ones) to come over and sniff around. She’ll be more likely to smell your house since your brain has already turned off the smells from your own home.

We recently renovated our farmhouse kitchen for under $3000! We shopped all the details and loved our choices in the end for our farmhouse kitchen with sheet vinyl floors, laminate kitchen countertops, and ikea cabinets.

If you are in a pinch, open the windows, run an exhaust fan and spray an air deodorizer to get rid of food smells.  A better option is to dine out a day or two before a big home showing to avoid stubborn cooking odors.

You can also try out one of these DIY home scenting tips from my post on how to make your home smell amazing, or try the old realtor trick of sticking a batch of cookies into the oven to get some delicious smells to warm up the space.

Organize Your Kitchen

Anything that is inside your cabinets needs to be super neat and organized.

I know, I know, why would they look inside your cabinets?  I don’t know why, but trust me, they will, so make it pretty.  I’m talking all of the coffee cup handles turned the same way, alphabetize your spices and line them up in pretty little rows.  Stack the plates neatly and remove any random ones that don’t match with a set.

Seriously. This is a must-do when staging your house to sell.

We completely updated our kitchen on a tight budget of under $3000 including white Ikea cabinets, laminate countertops in white carrara, a farmhouse sink (domsjo from Ikea) and new grey wood look floors. Under $3k!!

Make Your Kitchen Inviting

Nothing should be on the counters except a few decorative canisters, a nice simple canister of cooking utensils, a few nice appliances such as a fancy coffee pot (scrubbed and buffed till it shines) and/or a Kitchenaid mixer, and a decorative handsoap.  A lovely live plant or carefully arranged vase of flowers can add a delightful pop of color and warmth as well.

There you have it!  It is easy to stage your kitchen beautifully and invitingly for your potential home buyers.  Happy staging!

5 easy steps to stage a kitchen to sell you rhouse fast

Valentine’s Gifts For Men

The Best Valentine Gift for Men

Valentine’s gifts for men are so tricky. I mean, seriously.

No guy wants the flowers and heart of chocolates. He probably doesn’t even want a Valentine’s Day card if he’s being honest.

If your guy is into working out, drinking, or tech/gaming you have a few more options, but didn’t we just survive Christmas gifts for men just a couple of months ago??

And so, at our house, Valentine’s day gets set aside as one of those obligatory gift-giving days when we’d rather save our money and celebrate on a day that’s special for us, our anniversary (coming up in a few months).

This year is especially tricky because my husband just survived a really rough few days in the dog house. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say it ended with him setting up a super-special weeknight date at Carrabba’s. He asked our local Carrabba’s for a special night and they totally delivered. It was awesome. Except for the part about my husband being in the dog house. But, thankfully, like a good marriage should, we’ve bounced back.

But the thing is that we just had a quiet dinner out. And we gave our best gifts a couple of months ago. And we all know those flowers are going to wilt in a week anyway. And, ahem, I definitely do not need chocolate.

Gifts for Men for Valentines

And so, this year I’m just not feeling the Valentine’s Day vibe.

We were in Costco a few days ago walking past all their gorgeous Valentine’s day flowers when I remembered to ask him if he had plans for Valentines.

I think he thought I was putting him on the spot, but really I was just checking to make sure he hadn’t come up with any elaborate plan that would put me behind the game.

Thankfully, there was no plan. And while he was eager to offer to get me flowers, chocolates and the whole nine, I gladly declined.

But, I can’t tell you the look of relief on his face when I told him I actually didn’t even want flowers this year. I didn’t even really care about a card (that’s my typical bare-minimum must-do for the holidays. Good grief. A card isn’t too much to ask, right??).

So, he offered to get some chocolates. Nope. No thanks.

“Are you sure?” he says.

What A Man Really Wants For Valentine’s

Seriously, y’all. That look of relief on his face was priceless.

He was making sure he wasn’t in trouble for not doing those things, but I could tell he was so happy not to have to sneak and stop at the grocery store on his way home from work.

Or to make a trip out on his lunch break to pick up a card and chocolates.

And seriously, I’m cool without those things this year. Because I’m happy to have my husband. And I’m glad he’s still happily married (even if he slips up and gets into the doghouse sometimes).

So, if you aren’t sure what Valentine’s gifts for men to get this year, give them a free pass for the day. Or the next holiday.

Make sure they don’t already have something in the works, and then just totally let them off the hook and see how it goes.

Especially if you’ve been married or dating for a while.

And then, come back here and let me know how it goes. 😀

Valentine's Gifts For Men

Valentine's Gifts For Men

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Valentine's Gifts For Men

Free Decluttering Workbook

Free Decluttering Workbook

How To Make Decluttering Easy

Something that’s changing my life lately.

So, here’s the deal. Nathan and I have had an ongoing discussion (going on 6 months now) about “wasting time.” Is it possible? On one hand, every time we’re “wasting our time” there is a good chance we are learning something new that will impact our future. But, on the other hand, we only have a limited amount of time in our life, so if we spend it worthlessly, then that time is gone forever.

Okay. So, with that in mind, let’s talk about how many times you’ve picked up those toy cars this week. (Or toy robots in my case.) And let’s talk about how many times you’ve moved that pile of clothes off your bed only to put them back when you wake up in the morning (totally guilty here). Or what about how much time you spend working around that pile of clutter at the end of the counter?

Or digging through your closet looking for that shirt you wanted to wear? And I don’t know about you, but I’ve probably spent over 100 hours this year trying to find a place to put things. Or organizing things.

And even if the stuff isn’t in your way, what about fixing things? Stuff takes maintenance. Or cleaning things. And stuff still collects dust, if we use it or not.

How many hours a week would you say you spend dealing with stuff?

So let’s tie the two together now. I found this quote on Pinterest and it is shaking me to my core.

“We don’t buy things with money. We buy them with hours from our lives.”

Hours that we will never get back.

Think about it. We work all day and half the night, either bringing home a paycheck from work or working on the life that happens at home. And then once that is done, it’s time to do laundry, clean, pick up toys and the list goes on.

What if we had less stuff? Then would we have more time to play simple card games or board games after dinner? Maybe if there were fewer toys to pick up on Saturday morning we might get to get out as a family and go on adventures (or, if you’re the Grandma, get out and go see the family).

What if we take this decluttering plunge with our whole hearts and come out with the life we’ve always dreamed.

Decluttering Workbook by Love and Sweet Tea Promo 2

See, I have this idea. It’s kinda bonkers, and I have a blog post coming out about it soon. But, I had lots of toys when I was a kid. We lived in a modest house. Lots of toys + small bedroom = normal kid clutter. As I grew up and wanted a magazine room, I studied the magazines. What I realized was those people could actually see their baseboards.

Whoah. My baseboards were completely covered with toys and furniture. And now that I’m grown up, I’ve gotten rid of a lot of the furniture I had before because I know that if I can see my baseboards, my mind has visual space to think and be creative. That when we can’t see the baseboards, the furniture is so thick in the room that we have a hard time moving around to live and play.

And seriously. If seeing my baseboards is the trick to having more of that sweet precious time with my little boy, I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll sell the whole farm to see his sweet smile and hear his contagious laugh.

So, here is the decluttering challenge.

Right here. Right now. I’m throwing down the gauntlet and challenging you to jump into this with your whole self. It will make a difference for your family. For your peace. And even your joy. You’ll have more breathing room and less stress (who doesn’t need that?!!? Yes! Sign me up!!). You’ll have more time to spend with you family because you’ll be spending less time dealing with the stuff. And you’ll finally have the space to soak up the moments instead of the mess.

So, I’ll leave you with my own quote and a link to this life-changing workbook.

“Get rid of the mess so you can soak up the moments.”

Wondering what’s in this handy free decluttering workbook? Well. I’ll tell ya. Some life-changing stuff.

  • First, you’ll get to read a quick how-to for using the workbook.
  • Then, you’ll start the action steps by setting some goals. You’ll want to come back to these goals when it feels like you’re not making any progress. Then you’ll remember why you started.
  • Next, you’ll find a room checklist to check off a room as you finish it (feel free to add more rooms in your home in the extra space).
  • Then, it’ll be time to get down to the nitty gritty. You can move through each room, writing down things you know need to go and using the sample list as a starting point. If you need more space or pages, there is a blank page for you to reprint and use as needed.
  • Finally, I know motivation can be hard to find sometimes, so I included some printable cards for inspiration. Print them out and set them out in the room you’re working on to keep you motivated to keep going.

You can do this. I’ve got your back. Let me know if you need help along the way. I’m right here in the trenches with you!

Let’s take back our life from our stuff and start living the life we were meant to live.

Free Decluttering Workbook by Love and Sweet Tea

 

 

2018 Planner Tips

2018 Printable Blog Planner Tips

I created this planner with a busy mama in mind. Are you her? You have a ton of things floating around in your head at any given moment. You stress all day about getting your work done, but when you finally get to your desk, the overwhelm sits in and you can’t remember where to start.

**If you haven’t already bought the ultimate blogging planner, you can head over here to check out what it’s all about.**

If only you could get it all out on paper so you don’t have to remember it but just work through your plan…

And here’s the thing. Your plan is different than my plan. And that’s different than another mama’s plan. I work best with long weekly lists and big sets of bullets (and extra space for the crazy last minute ideas), but you may want to have order and a plan for every day.

And that’s why I am not including a ton of instructions with this planner. Make it yours. Use it how you want. Print out all the flex sheets you want. Don’t want a youtube tracking sheet? No problemo!

With that being said, there are a few things that I put in this planner to help you make it through the year with intentionality. You don’t have to use these features in your planner this way, but I’ve found it helps me reach my goals to see everything laid out in front of me in a way that I have to interact with it.

These are the pages where you can find these hidden features and plus some tips and ideas for your planner.

How to bind a printable planner. I've found the perfect way to bind my new planner!

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

Overall

I designed the planner to be an easy printable. It’s light and bright which means it won’t use up all your ink (but if you want to save a buck, you can buy ink on Amazon for crazy cheap). And, it’s a standard 8.5×11 size so you don’t have to look around for expensive planner paper.

The planner has sections so you can print the ones you need and leave off the ones you don’t.

Feel free to have it bound however you’d like (more instructions on that below), but the planner was created with a disc-bound system in mind.

I have actually used a Happy Planner and then added the sheets from this planner in sections behind the Happy Planner (I did desperately miss the monthly checkboxes, though). I liked that I got the benefits of the Happy Planner (like that dreamy laminated cover and the monthly tabs), but also had all the robust tools from the blog planner that I needed.

But I’ve finally come up with my system for my planner that I love. I have the tough monthly dividers and the extra section dividers that make this thing feel tough and rugged, with the helpful blogging tools wrapped up in a beautiful package. Skip to the bottom of this post if you want to see what I’m doing now.

Don’t be afraid to use it how you want. <3

Printables

The first few pages are all motivational printables. Put them in between months, in every section, in a frame on your desk. Use them as a cover. Whatever. I just thought you’d like them. <3

How many of each page to print

I created this planner based on the suggestions of LOTS of business-owning mamas and we all have our own way of doing things. So, you’ll find options for various features of the planner. I encourage you to take 5 minutes and flip through the planner to decide which pages you love and which ones you can do without.

And when you do land on your favorite, be sure to print out enough for your needs. One example is that there are 3 different ways to manage your daily/weekly schedule. Pick the one(s) that work for you and make sure you have enough for 52 weeks.

So, for that reason, you won’t find a hard & fast list of how many pages to print. There are just too many ways to customize this planner. But you can find my suggestions below.

Goals Planner

These two sheets help you achieve your goals by breaking them down into smaller, actionable lists. Add a due date. Make it real.

There are two different versions of goal planners. This is just for the people who prefer boxes over straight lines. 😉

How to bind a printable planner. I've found the perfect way to bind my new planner!

Monthly Planner

The months are portrait and one-sided for a reason. I love to keep notes on the open side of the planner. I keep track of dates on one side, and take notes or jot ideas down on the other side. The monthly pages are great candidates to print onto thicker paper or cardstock just for this reason.

You’ll notice some little boxes above the calendar. These are tracking boxes. Use them to keep track of how consistently you’re meeting your goals for the month. Example: I had a goal to post a blog post every other day for a month. It was easy to keep track of how many I posted because I checked them off every time I finished one. You could also use these little boxes to track exercise, drinking water, product sales, etc.

I like to use the ToDo section at the bottom to highlight important tasks for the month or jot down important ideas that I get along the way.

Daily/Weekly Planner

This page is one of my absolute favorites. It’s one-sided like the monthly planner, but you can tackle an entire week (complete with brainstorming space) on one page! How awesome is that?

I use the left side to block off my days with projects or big tasks and then use the list on the right to keep track of the little things I need to do.

The Remember box is great for quotes, appointments, and goals.

You’ll want to print about 52 of these. I store them in the back of my planner and then just move them into the month as it comes along to keep it easy to flip through coming months.

General Planner

This section is devoted to the free spirits like me who forget their passwords and have a lot of ideas. Sometimes you just need a blank list that matches the rest of your planner, amiright?

Use these however you’d like.

Posts Planner

This section is for the bloggers but could be customized for online shop owners, too.

Post Ideas will help you organize your post ideas to make sure you have a strategy behind your content creation.

And the Posts page will help you make sure you cover all your bases for every post. You’ll want to print lots of these if you’re a blogger.

Social Tracking

These are pretty straightforward and will help you keep track of engagement on your social media outlets. My favorite is the Pinterest Group Boards tracking page. When I find a board I love, I put a star next to it so I remember it’s a good one.

Many of these were requested by you. <3

Stats Tracking

Watch your blog grow with these pages. I’ve also included some handy finance tracking worksheets.

Many of these were requested by you. <3

Clients & Products

These two were created out of necessity. If you work with clients or are developing products, these might be your jam. I keep a client sheet for every client (sometimes for each month, depending on the workload) and a product sheet for every product I am working on to walk me through development and launch/promo.

Printing/Binding

Here’s where the rubber meets the road! Let’s get this thing out of your computer and onto your desk!!

This little thing is your planner. And here’s the deal. You can do this anyway you want!!

Just keep in mind, that the planner was created with a disc-bound system in mind, though. So, if you opt for a 3 ring binder, you might be punching over a letter or two. If that doesn’t bother you, then punch away. If you think it might bother you, then a spiral binding or disc bound system might be the right choice for you.

How to bind a printable planner. I've found the perfect way to bind my new planner!

Here’s how I have used the planner in the past.

I started off the year using a super-cute 3 ring binder that I found at Target and really loved that layout (using plastic tabbed dividers). I have also gotten my planners spiral bound at FedEx or Staples with a plastic cover and plastic tabs and loved that set-up, too.

But, if you must know, there are a few reasons why I am loving using these planner pages in a disc-bound system.

The beauty of a spiral binding is that it can be small on my desk. I can have it open to one page at a time. It folds back on itself and because of the plastic covers + the bulk of the planner, it’s tough. I like that.

But, I missed the flexibility of being able to move pages around as I needed them (like moving the weekly pages to the front as it comes along so I can flip through future months easier), so I used the 3 ring binder. However, then I didn’t like how big this binder was and that to see a page, I needed some serious real estate open on my desk to open my planner. No good.

So, I’ve found the disc bound systems work amazing for both of those issues. I can have the flexibility of moving my pages around as I need to. I can have a strong book that can fold open on itself.

How to bind a printable planner. I've found the perfect way to bind my new planner!

If you want to take a shortcut, you can use a Happy Planner like I used to (with your blog organizing sheets tucked behind the calendar). You can find a Happy Planner at local craft stores, but I wasn’t too impressed with the selection (plus, they’re taped up so you can’t flip through them there). So, if I buy another Happy Planner, I’ll look on Amazon instead.

But keep reading because I think I’ve finally cracked the code on making a DIY printable planner.

***How I’m putting my printable planner together***

If you want to build a disc bound planner yourself, it’s pretty easy. Just snag all the pieces, punch your papers (& dividers), and snap them onto the disks. You’ll have a complete DIY planner in no time. 😀

For this year’s version, I’m actually using some Martha Stewart, Arc, and Avery pieces I found at Staples. I’m so impressed with how it turned out!!

I’m definitely not needing a Happy Planner this year.

But feel free to find pieces you like locally, on Amazon or even on Etsy. These are just some readily-available suggestions below.

A list of the things you’ll want to assemble your own disc bound planner

Most brands are interchangeable, though they can vary slightly.

The photos of the planner are an actual bound planner with all the pages (including a weekly page for every week).

How to bind a printable planner. I've found the perfect way to bind my new planner!

How To Prepare For A Hurricane

How To Prepare For A Hurricane or Other Emergency

If a storm is heading your way, you need to beef up on your preparedness skills really quickly and prepare your home & family for a natural disaster.

A hurricane is heading my way in just a few days, so I’ve been doing that very thing. While I’m not in a coastal location, hurricanes tend to bring crazy wind and rain inland for hundreds of miles. So, needless to say, I’ve been getting my prep on (was that totally nerdy to say??).

Storm supplies. Wind up weather radio with candle and matches.

Emergency Preparedness When A Storm Is On Its Way

In most any storm or natural disaster situation, we’re all worrying about the same things: water, food, power, & shelter. Here is my hit list of things to do to get ready for this impending hurricane.

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

  1. Take photos of loved ones.
  2. Agree with loved ones on preparedness plan, meeting location if separated, and assign tasks.
  3. Take a photo inventory of my home (including snapshots of serial numbers).
  4. Secure important documents in a waterproof/fireproof safe (and other less important documents in baggies.
  5. Stock up on the necessities (cash, propane for the grill, water bottles, milk, bread, peanut butter, toilet paper, gas in the car, and extra gas in gas cans (this is a good deal), bleach to purify water if needed).
  6. Plan and prepare food for 3-5 days including fresh (eat first), frozen (eat second), & canned foods (last). Pre-cooking meals is a good idea, as wind & rain may make grilling difficult. Don’t forget a can opener.
  7. Save water & ice: water in the tubs, water in extra containers/gallon baggies to save in the freezer (keeps freezer cold longer and gives cold water), and ice in baggies.
  8. Grab some coffee filters at the store to filter your water before you sanitize it with bleach.
  9. Have an ax handy in case you need to dig you or someone else out from under a tree.
  10. Add a 1/2 gallon jug to the toilet to save on water needed to flush the toilet. No one wants to potty outside if you run out of water in your bathtub.
  11. Gather extra batteries, flashlights, lanterns, candles, matches/lighters, board games or card games, and basic tools like utility knives.
  12. Charge an external battery pack for your phone (order one now if you don’t have one).
  13. Gather safety equipment (I’m bringing in my son’s bicycle helmet and husband’s hard hat in the event we have tornadoes or falling limbs).
  14. Secure outdoor furniture either inside or with strong straps to permanent structures.
  15. Prepare a safe place in your home (meaning I’m cleaning out a portion of our storage area located in our basement. Yikes!).
  16. Prepare a first aid kit, giving attention to band-aids, Neosporin, peroxide, antiseptic, tape, and gauze (love mine!).
  17. Write down important phone numbers & test walkie talkie apps (such as Zello).
  18. Buy or set out a regular radio. I know it sounds old school, but if the power goes out for an extended time, you may not have power or the internet, so a radio can give you news about the outside world. Bonus points if it’s a NOAA radio with crank or solar power.
  19. Make note of your utility company’s phone number and apps to report outages and check on updates.
  20. Know how to turn off utilities to your home (like water & gas). Make sure you have tools for it if needed.
  21. Rain may bring the bugs with it, so make sure you have enough bug repellent. (West nile was just confirmed in my hometown. Yikes.)
  22. Catch up on the laundry.
  23. Make sure you have somewhere to dry laundry if the power does go out. A clothesline and clothespins may save the day.

Storm supplies. Wind up weather radio with candle and matches.

Prepare To Evacuate

I’m also prepping for the event that we may need to leave our home. Here’s my todo list.

  1. Gather pet necessities like food, water, treats, leash, medicine & bed/blanket.
  2. Pack bags for the family including copies of important documents like insurance cards, birth certificates, and ID cards for adults & kids.
  3. Document safe with copies of our important documents.
  4. Laptop & external hard drives (begin cloud backup if you haven’t already. I love and use Backblaze).
  5. Don’t forget sentimental items like irreplaceable family photos and favorite blankets or snuggle buddies.

Great tips for how to prepare for a hurricane or emergency. Saving this for the next Irma or hurricane season to beef up my preparedness and my hurricane preparation.
Great tips for how to prepare for a hurricane or emergency. Saving this for the next Irma or hurricane season to beef up my preparedness and my hurricane preparation. Great tips for how to prepare for a hurricane or emergency. Saving this for the next Irma or hurricane season to beef up my preparedness and my hurricane preparation.

Gift Guide for Her (girlfriends, moms, best friends, and even yourself!)

Gift guides for women can get pretty boring. Let’s face it. There’s only so many pairs of slippers and necklaces we can wear at once, and there are so many awesome things a girl wants. And even if you are a girl, thinking up great gift ideas for women can still be challenging.

So, today, I’m going to give you some great gift ideas for her, whoever “her” is. 😉

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

Does she like music? Or podcasts? I would listen to music 24 hours a day if I could. I always carry a bluetooth speaker with me whenever I go outside or start a project at home. The music carries me through the hard parts of the chore and I end up in a much better mood than I would have been.

I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas!

Tile Finder

I’m a busy mom. I lose things. My keys. My phone. The remote. This Tile finder thing has been on my wishlist for 2 Christmas’s now. It helps you find stuff. They even have one for lost luggage. Whoah. It will even make your phone ring if it’s on silent so you can find your phone.

I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas!

Battery Backup

I don’t know many women who can keep a charge on their phone through the day (I’m not sure if it’s a girl problem or just a phone problem, but it’s a common theme). This is one of the best-rated portable chargers on Amazon. Plus, it’s white. Who doesn’t love a white electronic device? Plus everyone is happy if mom’s phone is charged! Finally.

I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas!

Small Organizers

I finally have a purse I love, but it’s a tote style bag (so popular these days) and is seriously lacking organization. I keep everything neat and tidy with cute organizing cases like these.

I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas!

They really save the day to hold all the mom-things I carry around all the time (think: bandaids, fingernail clippers, tiny shopping bag). These are actually way cuter than mine, so they’re going on my list for stocking stuffers this year!

Meal Service

Seriously. This is one of the best gifts for anyone. Sunbasket is a meal service that will deliver meals straight to your front door. I chose SunBasket because I try to feed our family only organic food, and SunBasket is one of the more “natural” meal service options out there. Their meats are all organic and GMO-free. If you regularly buy organic food, you’ll quickly realize that SunBasket is a steal for how much organic food you get, not to mention the recipes are delicious and it’s so easy.

If you’ve never used a meal service before, here’s a quick rundown.

  • You sign up for an account and select a meal plan type (think: family, vegetarian, paleo, etc).
  • Then, every week (or about once a month), you can preview weekly menus for the next few weeks. You get to select meals that you think your family would like from the list.
  • Then, a box of food shows up on your doorstep.
  • Nicely chilled and ready to stow away into the fridge with all the necessary information like recipes and info sheets.
  • You pull out the recipe, and ingredients for the day’s meal, and cook away.

When our life was crazy busy, SunBasket was a lifesaver, and it felt great knowing our family was eating organic instead of whatever fake stuff they’re sneaking into foods at restaurants these days.

Gifting a service like this is perfect for busy working mamas, new moms, and Grandmas who may have a difficult time making it to the grocery store, but who still enjoy cooking. Plus, if you use my affiliate link, you can sign up and save $35 off your first meal. Or, save 50% off Family Meals!!

Hobo Lauren Wallet

This is the wallet every girl needs. Like seriously. The Hobo Lauren wallet is one of the absolute most versatile wallets out there. I have one that I’ve used every day for at least the past 5 years and it’s still going strong. I absolutely love it and it’s worth every. single. penny.

I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas! I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas!

Lauren wallets are made with two main sections that unfold easily to hold your most-used cards and ID. I also use it as my recent receipts holder, since it closes back up magnetically. Plus, each side opens with a kiss clasp to hold a ton of cards and has all kinds of sections that a girl needs to organize life and all those discount cards, coupons and cash. The best part? It’s made of leather and has a cute fabric interior.

Mine has lasted forever and I absolutely love it.

Robot Vacuum

Yikes. You’re probably thinking I’m going to recommend some $300 robot vacuum to buy for your mother-in-law, right? No way. But every lady loves the luxurious idea of a maid or a butler (unless they’re one of those totally bonkers people who find cleaning therapeutic. If you or your gift recipient are one of them, I envy y’all.).

I actually found this Roomba alternative as my own Christmas present last year and absolutely love it. We have a whole colony of dust bunnies, or at least, we did, until Jimmy came on the scene. We named our robot vacuum Jimmy.

Do you want to know the best part??? That robot vacuum, that has completely changed my life, was only $150. Yep. 150 bucks is all it took to really help me chill on the housework overload. That’s about a month’s worth of a cleaning lady. And I’m pretty sure my robot vacuum is going to last a lot longer than a month.

Now, we are completely dust bunny free. This robot vacuum has saved our house from the always-dirty house that it was. Just running our little robot vacuum once or twice a week has made a huge difference in how clean the house is and, consequently, my stress level. If you’re gifting to a busy mom or feeble Grandma, this should be at the top of your list. And at under $150 it just might be in your budget.

Do you want to know the best part??? That robot vacuum, that has completely changed my life, was only $150. Yep. 150 bucks is all it took to really help me chill on the housework overload. That’s about a month’s worth of a cleaning lady. And I’m pretty sure my robot vacuum is going to last a lot longer than a month.

You can click here if you want to read my full review on our robot vacuum. It’s packed with features.

There you have it. My gift guide for “her,” whoever she may be. Hopefully, you have a ton of awesome gift ideas for your girlfriend, mom, best friend, and even yourself.

And since I know the boyfriends and husbands can be clueless help them out and send this post to them. You can click the Facebook button below this post and send this post in a Facebook message. 🙂

Best Gift Guide for Her

So, there you have it! These are some of my favorite gifts I’ll be giving this year (and maybe asking the hubs for!).

I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas! I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas! I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas! I'm definitely adding some of these to my wish list and going to get some of these ideas as Christmas gifts! These are some unique Christmas Gift ideas!

Gift Ideas for Him (guys, dads, boyfriends, brothers, or just men)

Gifts for Guys

Gift buying for my husband is always a challenge. I can never come up with many gift ideas for him! I adore the guy and would give him anything, but he usually tells me he wants something outrageous or nothing at all. Lame.

So, a girl’s gotta find something to get her guy (or even her dad, for that matter). You know what I’m talking about. Even if he goes to buy that $300 game console the week before Christmas, he still needs something to open on Christmas morning. And if he’s already spent all the spending money the month before his birthday, what’s a birthday party without a present to open?

Plus, I know every time I turn around there’s another holiday I have to buy a gift for (Father’s day, birthday, Anniversary, Christmas, Valentine’s, I-know-I’m-missing-another).

So, here are some of my go-to gift ideas for guys.

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

Stainless Steel Water Bottle

My husband doesn’t go anywhere without his water bottle. Heading to Home Depot to grab some supplies? There’s a water bottle at my feet in the car. Work? He’s got it loaded and ready to go. Yard work? It’s always full of ice and freezing water for hot summer days. Because he uses them so much, we’ve gone through our share of water bottles. We’ve tried one similar to this one and liked it for a while until we got this one. He said this one is designed better and he likes that the lid isn’t always in his face like the other one.  But! I can attest to the fact that both of these water bottles will hold ice water for over 24 hours!

Best Gifts for Guys

Electric Razor

If your guy is a guy he probably needs one of these. Even guys with beards need to shave sometimes (like their necks and cheeks…I had no idea about this until I got married?!!).

An electric razor might be his favorite new thing. My husband has really sensitive skin, and regular razors always give him razor burn, no matter what he does to prevent it. Plus, shaving takes him an extra 15 minutes every morning getting ready, and I know it’s 15 minutes a day he’d rather be sleeping in the morning. So, I’m thinking about getting him one of these electric razors made for sensitive skin. It will save him time shaving (the reviews say it’s a faster shave) and hopefully get rid of his razor burn! Win win!

Beard Trimmer

If your man doesn’t have a beard, hear me out here. Even without a beard, sometimes a guy needs a trim. That scruffy just-shaved-yesterday look is really in style right now and it’s almost impossible to get that look without the right trimmer. Plus, sideburns. Hello.

Once we finally figured out that beard trimmers could get him the look he wanted,  it was impossible to find one that would hold a charge. We spent lots of money testing them out before we finally found the one. This trimmer is amazing. He’s had it for almost a year now and has only charged it like 3 times. And that’s with using it every day.

He really likes to rock the scruffy look, and we found that a lot of trimmers wouldn’t shave close enough to give him the just-shaved-yesterday look. This trimmer fits the bill perfectly.

Bags for Men

If your husband goes to work in the morning, there’s a good chance he needs a few things to help him make it through the day. My husband carries ear phones, eye glasses, medicine, an extra external hard drive for work, an extra charger, his water bottle, pens, and a few other miscellaneous things to work every day. Plus, he carries a separate bag to the gym full of typical gym stuff like clothes, shoes, and toiletries.

Thankfully, I’ve found some awesome bags to send him off in style! He switches out between a few different bags, depending on what his week looks like. He has a backpack, gym bag, canvas messenger bag, and a larger leather messenger bag.

This backpack is actually one of my favorite bags. It’s a simple, easy bag. The canvas is thick and nice, but the bag isn’t overly heavy. If you’re looking for something simple and stylish for a guy, this canvas backpack might be the answer. And for what it’s worth, I would totally carry this bag, too.

I think we actually got his duffle bag at TJ Maxx, but it’s really similar to this bag on Amazon. He loves that it’s a canvas and leather bag that doesn’t look like a gym bag, but still holds everything he needs with room to spare.

And he also has two messenger bags. This one is a fluke that turned out great. He has a super nice all leather messenger bag that is large enough to carry the laptop home from work if he needs to. I found it on sale at a Fossil Outlet Store. I couldn’t find it online, but it’s pretty simlar to this one on Amazon.

And then he has a smaller canvas messenger bag to carry his daily stuff in. Sometimes he trades out the smaller messenger bag with the backpack, depending on his gym bag situation.

We have managed to cover every scenario for traveling to work and weekend travel with these four bags.

Watch

Okay, so I totally get it that this is on the pricier end of things. But I’m including it here because my husband LOOOVES his. We have Samsung phones (which we also love so much even after owning iPhones), so he jumped for the Samsung S3 watch. They have different versions, but he’s a more rugged/sportier guy and opted for the tactical looking watch.

I’m blown away by the functionality of it. He can do everything on his watch that he can on his phone (except he needs some practice typing :P). He can sit through dinner with us without needing to check emails buzzing through on his phone because he can glance at his watch and make sure it isn’t someone needing something from work. He can be in a meeting and see a text from me come through without feeling like he’s being rude to his boss or whoever he’s meeting with.

So, if you’ve been on the fence about getting a smartwatch, they’re amazing. I’ve even thought about getting one as a stay at home mom just so I don’t have the temptation to be glued to my phone all day, but I can still feel safe knowing I’m getting calls and messages.

Bluetooth Headphones

Who doesn’t need headphones these days? If you drive, workout, do yard work, listen to podcasts or music, you need headphones. I’m not saying you have to have the most expensive headphones, but my husband can get picky at times. He picked out these Jaybird X3 headphones and loves them.

He has err, um, spacious ears and earbuds tend to fall out while he’s working out or mowing the yard. But who wants to walk around looking like 1985 is calling with big earphones over their ears? (Unless you’re cool like that, I guess. (For the record, he did rock that look for the past 3 years with his Bose headphones)). So, now, he has these earphones that won’t fall out and sound almost as good as Bose.

Running/Workout Belt

Hear me out here.

Not every guy loves working out, but my guess is that there are times when your guy will need to work or play hands-free, but you probably still want him to have his phone handy. These running belts are the perfect answer. My hubs uses it at the gym so he can listen to audiobooks while he’s biking, but he’s used it other times (like that time he needed to climb on the roof and didn’t want his phone to fall out of his pocket). They’re cheap and make an excellent stocking stuffer.

Front Pocket Wallet

I remember the days when my dad always had a worn spot on his back pocket from where his wallet always was. Well, those days are long gone and men are opting for slimmer wallets that can sit in their front pockets. Those big leather old school wallets can cause back trouble in a hurry, not to mention they’re huge even when they are empty. The updated minimalist style is streamlined and functional, plus it won’t hurt his back.

My husband has a metal wallet now, but it has a slot on one side and a money clip on the other. If he doesn’t have the exact right amount of cards in his wallet, they’ll all fall out because of the fixed size. Plus, he can never streamline it to make it smaller. So, shhhh…this is going in his stocking this year!

Gift Ideas for Him

I hope I’ve given you some great gift ideas for him this year.  I’d love to hear what you plan on giving your “him” this year for ___________________ (insert holiday here). Drop a line in the comments below and I’d love to hear your ideas!

 

Guys can be so hard to buy for, but this gift guide will help you find the perfect gift for any guy in your life, from dads, to boyfriends, to husbands and father-in-law. It's a great gift guide for guys who work out, golf, have a beard (or not), guys who like music and even guys who you don't know anything about. Something for every guy on this list. Guys can be so hard to buy for, but this gift guide will help you find the perfect gift for any guy in your life, from dads, to boyfriends, to husbands and father-in-law. It's a great gift guide for guys who work out, golf, have a beard (or not), guys who like music and even guys who you don't know anything about. Something for every guy on this list.

Guys can be so hard to buy for, but this gift guide will help you find the perfect gift for any guy in your life, from dads, to boyfriends, to husbands and father-in-law. It's a great gift guide for guys who work out, golf, have a beard (or not), guys who like music and even guys who you don't know anything about. Something for every guy on this list.

11 Blogging Conference Tips: Haven Conference 2017

What to know about going to your first blogging conference

Going to your first blogging conference? Score! You’re in the right place! This is for all the bloggers who want to know the ins and outs of going to their very first blogging conference.

Yes! So, you’ve decided to register for your first blogging conference! Now what? Yikes! Let me tell you, there is a whole new world waiting on the other side of those conference doors that is probably (most definitely!) going to rock. your. world.

Here’s what you’re probably asking yourself if you’re reading this post. Why do I even need to go to a conference (Facebook groups, duh!)? What should I bring? OMG, what do I wear??! What am I not remembering??

This post may contain affiliate links to stuff I love. It doesn't charge you any extra, but it will help support this blog and my family.

Going to your first blogging conference

I can’t tell you how many times I almost backed out leading up to the conference. I had so much commitment phobia that I didn’t even register until two and a half weeks before the conference. Seriously. And even then, while I was packing and ordering cards and all those things, I seriously thought I was crazy to be wasting my time and money to go to a conference for blogging (blogger doubt is no joke, people!).

But I did it anyway. I planned all the details out. Ordered a new purse and suitcase (both definite necessities 😉 More on those later), checked out the facebook group, and waited until last minute to order my blogger business cards like a champ!

Let’s just say I’m not waiting until last minute for the next set of cards I order.

But, here’s the thing. This blogging conference (Haven 2017) completely rocked our socks off. As in, seriously changed our lives. There will definitely be some changes coming to my blog and business as a result of going to Haven. Not only that, but Nathan has had tremendous doors of opportunity open to him because he went (and he was just the bonus visitor!).

So, if you’re anything like me, wondering if you even deserve to go to a conference, lean in real close and listen hard. **Yes. Yes, you need to go to a blogging conference. Like, yesterday.** 

Showing up is more than half the battle. The other half of the battle is greeting someone with a smile and introducing yourself. The rest of it will come.

You will create (and cultivate) relationships you never dreamed were possible. And these are the kinds of relationships you could never make in a Facebook group. Seriously. You will learn so much your head will explode. And the opportunities. They are out there far beyond your imagination, but showing up is. . . right. You have to be there to catch them. Or make them.

What to bring to a blogging conference

Here’s what you need to bring to Haven (and similar conferences):

Business cards. See this post about what your blogging business card info should include.
A tote bag. Haven is famous for the swag and it’s no joke. Get a big tote bag. Bonus for leather!
A cute suitcase. Especially if you’re sharing a room with your new best blogging buds.
An extra suitcase. Remember that swag? This is especially necessary if you’re flying to Haven.
A pen and notebook. I seriously made a trip to the store to get a cute one. (This one is adorable!) And I adore these pens.
Scarf, jacket, or sweater. Conferences are notorious for needing layers.
A smile and friendly disposition. For real, that totally sounds like Mary Poppins, but it’s true. I didn’t sit with grumpies at my table. I found the peeps that were real and helpful and sat with them.

Was. not. kidding. about the swag.

What to wear to a blogging conference

If you’re anything like me, the second you hit the submit button, you had a panic attack about what to wear. I can’t tell you how many google image searches I did for Haven Conference to see what people had worn in past years. I even read a blog post that said cocktail dresses were a thing, but then in the Facebook group there were shrieks when cocktail dresses were mentioned??

Along with lots of jokes. So, here’s the real deal about what to wear to a blogging conference.

Blogger conference: What to wear

I think of it as date-night dressy. Like, as a mom going on a date. Cute but casual. Dresses are totally okay, but I never felt underdressed in my jeans and a cute top. Here’s what I took with me (and actually wore) for 3 nights and 2 days at a blogging conference.

  • Navy sleeveless a-line dress (with flip flops to tone it down)
  • Two pairs of jeans (dark and lighter wash)
  • White blazer (for layering)
  • White peplum tank top
  • Teal flowy tank with blush cardigan
  • Basic hot pink tank for Ladies Night In

And let’s not forget the flip flops and sandals.

Wear to a blogging conference: Shoes

Everyone said to wear flats, but, y’all. I’m a Georgia girl with 10 pairs of sandals and one pair of real shoes. So, flip flops and sandals it was for me. If you love wearing flats, you won’t feel out of place a bit. But the flip flops aren’t out of line either.

Wear to a blogging conference: Luggage

Okay, so I get it that you don’t wear your luggage, but it just belongs in this section, so here we have it.

In the course of 2 months, my stay-at-home-only-go-out-to-target-and-homegoods self is going to two conferences and Disney World. Actually, I’m flying out from Orlando at the end of our family vacation to head to the second conference in Portland. (Can you say, tired??!?)

So, with all that in mind (flying by myself across the country, yikes!), I decided to go ahead and start packing smart. I used Haven as a practice run for the next conference because there won’t be grabbing any last minute things out of my closet if I’ve been sleeping in Orlando for the past week.

So, I got serious about the luggage situation. I scoured the internet and all my local stores to find a suitcase and bag that could multitask and be everything I needed it to be. Plus!! I’ve been searching for the perfect purse for months. So, this was a perfect opportunity to get on the tote bag/purse bandwagon since I needed a “personal item” that could hold all my necessities.

In the end, I found the perfect duo. This vintage-looking hard side suitcase with spinner wheels and this amazing leather tote purse.

UPDATE: It’s been over 6 months since I bought this purse and let me tell you. It’s one of the nicest purses I’ve ever owned. Even better than my Coach or Fossils. It isn’t wearing out a bit. No broken buckles, no stringly things, no rubber trim (or whatever that stuff usually is) falling off in strings, and no places look rubbed.

It’s totally worth it and probably nicer than any purse at TJ Maxx.

What to do before going to a blogging conference

Order business cards

Before the week of the conference, preferably. Head over to this post about blogger business cards 101.

Join the blogging conference Facebook group

Just about every blogging conference has a Facebook group these days. It’s a great way to find a roomie, catch a ride to the hotel from the airport, or stalk people you want to be friends with before you get there. It’s really nice to get to a conference when you’re a newbie and at least recognize other bloggers that aren’t superstars.

The flipside to this is going in without knowing anyone will help you to be more outgoing and adventurous. We sat with some superstar bloggers and Nathan didn’t know who they were (I didn’t prep him at all on purpose). He asked if they blog full time and even asked the husband what does he do. We all snickered as the husband humbly said: “I blog, too, with her.” LOL. I love my bold husband. That conversation opened doors of opportunity we would have never imagined. But if he knew who they were, he would have been more reserved and not as genuine. <3

Review the conference schedule

Haven is a multi-class conference where you can choose hour-by-hour which class you want to attend. I even changed my mind more than once a day based on things I was learning were important throughout the conference. But having an idea of the class schedule is a great idea.

Some blogging conferences are smaller and have an educational slant to them. These conferences will only have one class at a time that everyone will go to. (I’m heading to a conference like that in Portland in the fall, so be watching for a recap of that conference, too!). Even when your schedule is set, it will probably pay off to know who the teachers are and at least have an idea of their website and business as you learn from them.

Get a flight and a roomie

The Facebook group should be a huge help to secure a roommate during the conference. And you can even find out from the Facebook group if anyone lands around the same time as you so you can ride together from the airport to the hotel. Thankfully, I brought my own roommate and drove to this conference, so neither of those applied to me this time. They definitely do for the next conference I plan to go to, though.

Prepare a pitch

Some of the Haven veterans came prepared with special cards to pitch their ideas to brands/vendors who were represented at the conference. This wasn’t our year to take advantage of that, but it was a great idea if you think there will be vendors there you want to talk to.

Sign in with your social accounts on your phone

Okay, so you might think this last one is a little weird. If you’re like a lot of other bloggers out there, many of us manage social profiles for other people. Or, maybe you just haven’t logged in to twitter in a while? Yikes.

Either way, be sure you’re logged in on social media (and know the basics of how to use it). There could be giveaways that you have to enter on social media or an entire network of new friends waiting on you out there in the social webs. At least be logged in so you don’t miss out on those opportunities. (Whwew! Good thing I wasn’t logged in to that attorney’s twitter account I manage when I tweeted about that faucet giveaway!).

First Blogging Conference Recap

So, if you’re thinking about going to a blogging conference, here’s the recap.

Yes, you need to go!
Wear cute but casual date-night type of clothes.
Come prepared, but not too psyched out.

Show up. Introduce yourself. The rest will follow. 

These are great blogging conference tips. Like what to wear and what to put on your business cards. Click through to read what you don't know you don't know!
These are great blogging conference tips. Like what to wear and what to put on your business cards. Click through to read what you don't know you don't know!
These are great blogging conference tips for your first blogging conference. Like what to wear and what to put on your business cards. Click through to read what you don't know you don't know!