Blogging Club: My Summer Project (Or, Confessions of a Digital Hoarder)

Two years ago was The Great Clean of 2013, where I made it my mission to de-clutter; I wanted to be one lean, mean, cleaning machine, and by the time the first leaves of fall began to hit the ground, I’d finally found some calm amidst the chaos. It was quite a liberating feeling, actually, which wasn’t something I was necessarily expecting.

It really is true what they say: Clutter just weighs you down. It gives you undue stress that you really don’t need in your life. And you know what? Clutter doesn’t just come in tangible, physical forms, either, as I soon learned.

So! With that in mind, I got to thinking about this year’s summer project. What is one thing I really want to accomplish? What is one thing that will make me happy? What will make cleaning, dare I say, FUN?

The answer was clear: A digital cleanse.

I suspect some of you are just like me. Maybe you let your email inbox pile up. Maybe you’ve got a whole bunch of bookmarked Web sites that you’ve been meaning to go through “when you had the time.” Maybe you’ve wanted to give your blog a little clean-up or give your social media platforms a bit of a makeover.

Well, for me, that time is NOW! I’ve got all that and more. I mean, the situation is reaching nuclear proportions. You know things have gotten really bad when you’ve got miscellaneous email drafts all over the place and countless to-do lists saved as email drafts, some of which you haven’t even looked at in months.

YIKES!

Over the next several months, I plan to tackle some of those very projects; after nearly seven years of blogging, I’ve learned just how important it is to consistently strive to keep your digital space fresh, exciting and inviting. To make the project less overwhelming (because, let’s be honest, IT IS a bit overwhelming!!), I’ve divided the work into monthly tasks, where I’ll focus on one social media space at a time. This month, it’s all about So About What I Said, so don’t be alarmed if you see a bit of construction around these parts. After that, I’ll be working on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

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And, there are some amazingly helpful resources when it comes to digital clean-ups. Here are 10 great ones I found in my quest for inspiration…

BLOG RESOURCES TO BOOKMARK

*Clean your blog printable checklist
*10 things you should do for your blog
*Blogging timesavers
*How to back up your posts
*Why your blog needs a plan
*7 ways to keep your ideas organized
*How to improve your blog
*Design resources
*Newsletters for creatives
*”25 Things I’ve Learned From Blogging 5 Days a Week“

Go forth and tackle those summer projects, friends! What tasks are on your list this year? Have you started yet? How are you coming along? There’s safety — and inspiration! — in numbers, remember, so let’s support each other, shall we? xoxo

[Photos via That Kind of Woman]

Family Photos: Lazy Cats! Summer Shopping! Mini Ms. Bear’s Kitchen!

As promised, I give you more photographic proof of our summer shenanigans, which have been quite relaxing, actually. Something tells me that we’ve been hanging around the cats too much — something tells me their laziness is rubbing off on us. Someone’s enjoying the morning sunshine…

And shopping! Oh, how I do love going on my classic Target trips. Yesterday, the sun was shining and it was the perfect summer day to take in a little retail therapy. Of course, all the summer essentials were out in full force. It made me feel like I was on the beach just strolling up and down the aisles of Five Below*

My summer motto this year, courtesy of Target…

Some fun reading for the summer in the form of my favorite magazines…

A trip to my old haunt (my old college library!) to get some work done…

Lots of good summer eats, courtesy of Ms. Bear’s Kitchen. Two of my recent favorites: A summer fruit salad medley and a cucumber and tomato salad. The dressing on the cucumber salad was delicious!!

And lots of summer fun, like Yahtzee and, more recently, rummy! I’m on a rummy winning streak right now, so cross your fingers that it continues!

…and the sun burning has begun! #NoFilter #Summertime

But…danger, danger! My mom is trying to introduce at least some semblance of order into our lives. Being a rather obsessive planner, she came up with this chart system. In the words of Miranda Sings, “Are you kidding me…?”

I’m going to do my best and stand my ground on her War on Fun. Are you with me, friends? I figure we’re stronger together. C’mon, you know you’re dying to relax too, so don’t try to deny it any longer! Here’s to lots of fun and relaxation!! xoxo

*OMG, I’m not the only one obsessed with this store, right?

Family Photos: End-of-summer fun!

To kick off Savoring Summer Week 2014, I thought it only appropriate that I give you a little peek into how we’ve been enjoying the last lazy days of my favorite season. Needless to say, we’ve been making the most of the last couple weeks — summer-style, of course! Translation: “Doing lots” means staying home, relaxing and eating lots of good food! Just a few of my favorite end-of-summer things, like spending entire weekends reading magazines (I’m choosing to call it research!)…

Cool drinks (Loooove Panera’s soda fountain) and delicious eats (My mom grew these tomatoes, though I haven’t tried them yet)…

Quality time with the cats, who never stop teaching us new things about the art of relaxing…

LOTS of games — did I mention I’m on a huge losing streak? It’s seriously bad!

What do you think, friends? Hope you’re enjoy these laid-back summer days!!! And if you need me, I’ll be glued to Taylor‘s Live Stream for the rest of the afternoon! I’ve been counting down the days for months…talk about fun!!! 🙂

How are you savoring summer?

Allow me to put on my beatnik hat and wax poetic for a moment: The end is near. Like those beautifully white puffy clouds, the summer is drifting away. We walk a little faster as we feel the brisk chill in the air. We watch the glow of the sun as it sinks deeper and deeper into the crimson sky. And we might even lather up on the sunscreen just so we can carry that beach smell with us all day long.

Yes, friends, now more than ever, we’re looking to savor those last few sips of lemonade! So, I thought it would be fun to celebrate summer’s last hurrah this week with some fun themed posts. Look for lots of inspiration on savoring these dog days of summer…

But, first, I’d love to hear: how are you savoring the summer? Doing anything to celebrate? Long walks? Ice cream runs? Nightly bonfires? Let’s chat, shall we? xoxo

P.S. More simple summer pleasures, like sun rooms, flowing dresses, popsicles, glamping, temporary tattoos, baseball tees, fruity ice cubes and road trip essentials! 🙂

[Photos via We Heart It]

The Great Clean of 2013: Update #1

So! I’m sure you all remember my summer project. When I first posted about The Great Clean of 2013 a few weeks ago, I had the highest of hopes — you know, those grand dreams that put stars in your eyes and send your heart fluttering with wild anticipation. I was determined to be one lean, mean, cleaning machine. I was pumped. I was ready. I was all set…

That is, well, until I wasn’t. I tried really hard at first. I did. And then, something weird happened. I realized it last night just as I was going to bed. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve not cleaned out a bin so much as I gained half a bin…

What? How is that even possible? But, I feel it’s important that I come clean today — no pun intended — and be honest. As I said in the original post, I promised to report on my progress (or lack thereof…) throughout the summer, and you all know that I’m a woman of my word. So, it’s back to the drawing board this week…or, should I say back to the bins? I’ll report back again soon. Wish me luck, friends! xoxo