How I Plan Out My Blog/YouTube Content

How I Plan Out My Blog/YouTube Content

With over a decade of creating content online, I’ve tried my fair share of content planning. I’ve used tangible planners, Google Calendars, and pages of lists. Yet my current content strategy has been by far my favorite and the one I’ve kept up with the most. I use Monday.com, but you could probably recreate this in excel or another project management software. It’s about $8 a month to use after a free trial, but I would pay so much more than that (and I do for my other businesses). I set up my content into three different Monday boards to keep things organized and clear.

One thing to note with Monday, all of your sections within one board will have the same fields. Since all of my content exists on one board, there are fields I won’t fill out until they’re moved to certain sections.

content ideas

Pro The first of the sections is Content Ideas. This is where I put any possible blog post or YouTube video ideas I may want to do. I think color code them based on topic or theme. That way if I want to add more variety to my content, I can just sort my posts by topic and choose from there. I also like to mark if it’s a YouTube Video, Blog Post, or both.

Then I have an area of content I’m working on or want to do next. These are all of the items that are coming up and I’ve assigned a publish date to. Monday.com has a ton of different integration options so I actually connected it to my Google Calendar. So when I set a publish date, it gets added onto my calendar so I can plan out when I’m going to film. I have a section marked “Good to Go?” to let me know if I have all the supplies in, materials I need, and notes taken. Then there’s a section for Content Created, if I’ve Published the post or Scheduled it, and if I have done Social for it. Once the post is scheduled or published it moves to the next section.

finished posts

The last section is where all my finished content lives. It’s where I make sure I post social and include links to any pieces of content. That way if I want to share something in particular, I don’t have to scrounge around on the internet trying to find a particular post. This also makes it easier to do “best of” posts or combine different content together for an ultimate guide to something.

finished posts

Now I still keep a log of the content I post in my planner, but it’s more for sentimental value than actually getting things done. I’ll add to my to do list to film certain videos or write certain posts, but the bulk of the organization and strategy exists on my Monday board. 

How do you track projects or content creation?

How to Become a Plant Person When You are Busy (and Lazy)

How to Become a Plant Person When You are Busy (and Lazy)

This girl’s got plants. Like a lot of them. Over 50 and counting are plopped throughout my house in all different shapes and species. I get asked tons of questions about how I keep them alive and remember to water them. With all this time we’re spending at home lately, I’m super glad you’re considering becoming a plant person. I promise it’s a whole lot easier than you think.

First off, you don’t need a jungle of plants. One or two plants starting out is just fine to get used to caring for plants. I also suggest picking super easy to grow options like peace lilies and ferns. Devil’s ivy is also a super easy plant to grow and take care of.

Oh, Hello Living Holding a Plant

Quite simply, put your plant near a window (any window starting out will do, just get it light) and set yourself a phone reminder to water the plant once a week. I usually water on Sundays in the morning while I’m tidying up the house. If you find that the soil is still wet when you go to water, change your phone alarm to eight or nine days. Let the soil dry before watering.

When you purchase a new plant, repot it into another, larger pot that has drainage. If the pot doesn’t have holes in the bottom, add some rocks and sand to the bottom before adding soil so the excess water has somewhere to go.

Above all, check on your plants. Put them in a place that you will see them regularly. Near where you get ready in the morning, by your sink, etc. A plant you see is a plant that has a better chance to live.

You may still kill a few plants. It happens to me a few times a year. There are some plants that just won’t like you or your home’s growing conditions. Don’t take it too harshly and keep trying. There is definitely a plant out there for you. Trust me.

5 Reasons to Start Secondhand Shopping Right Now

5 Reasons to Start Secondhand Shopping Right Now

There hasn’t been a better time than right now to start secondhand shopping. Here’s why.

1. People are decluttering and donating tons of items.

Since people are spending more time in their homes lately, the donations are flooding into the secondhand shops right now. Everyone is getting rid of unnecessary items that could be your next favorite outfit.

2. The holidays are coming up

Secondhand stores are really great places to find gifts for friends and family. A lot of time there are brand new, tags-still-on options you can pick up for a steal.

3. It helps the environment.

Buying new clothes costs resources and energy while buying used or secondhand costs nothing. There are perfectly amazing clothing items, kitchen appliances, and more that already exist. Feel good about yourself while getting some amazing items in the process.

4. Keeps costs low and gives you more for your budget.

Budgets are tight right now and clothing is definitely not on the top of the list. If you need a new work outfit or want a refresh without spending a lot, secondhand is the way to go.

5. You can try styles and trends that are out of your comfort zone.

When The Second Hand Stylist took me shopping I tried so many outfits and styles I never would have picked out for myself. I was able to try new things without putting a financial investment behind them. Plus it’s easier to keep up with popular trends this way without feeling guilty when it ends up in the back of your closet by next year.

Nearly a year ago now I hired The Second Hand Stylist to go shopping with me at secondhand stores to teach me what to look for when browsing the racks. Rachel showed me all of the tricks and ways to spot high-quality brands and items. She’s one of my very good friends and if you’re in the Grand Rapids area  you should definitely check her out. She even does secondhand clothing boxes mailed to you! This post isn’t sponsored and she definitely didn’t know I was writing it, but she deserves mountains of praise for being such a bad ass boss babe!

Why I’m Thankful for 2020

Why I’m Thankful for 2020

It’s safe to say 2020 is one of the worst years in recent history. We still have running water and air conditioning so I can’t honestly say it’s the worst, but I’m sure you get the idea. Yet in an effort to find the silver lining and be more positive, there are quite a few things I’m thankful for in 2020. So let’s push the negativity aside (for a little bit at least) and reflect on the good things that 2020 has brought.

2020 has been an amazing year to slow down and spend more time on leisure activities. I’ve picked up crafting again and love being able to work with my hands on projects. I’ve made wooden cacti and started on building a miniature greenhouse that reminds me deeply of my father’s models he used to make. I wish I would have discovered these models while he was alive, but it’s nice to have the time to feel like I’m spending it with him.

 

There has been so much nature this year. Nature walks, gardening, composting, and outdoor adventures. I’ve even taken up bird watching, or birding as us “in the know” call it. If 2020 wants us to slow down, then let’s make the most of it, huh? It’s all about changing the frame of mind to be more positive and look on the bright side. There is still a lot that 2020 has to offer.

My marriage with Alex is stronger than ever this year and I’m beyond thankful for the time we’ve gotten to spend together. I’ve spent more time with family and cherish the time I get to spend with friends at a distance. Every moment or event has so much more meaning now that they’re few and far between. 

It’s all about perspective. It’s easy to look at all of the negatives this year and sure there are plenty, but there’s also quite a lot of great things that happen in the quiet moments at home. More cat cuddles, more baking, more blow-up-mattress-in- the-basement movie nights. And I’m not mad about it.

5 Greeting Cards You Should Always Have on Hand

5 Greeting Cards You Should Always Have on Hand

I’ve always had a thing for greeting cards. Hell it’s why I started my first business. So it’s a no brainer that 2020 is the year of greeting cards for me. It’s been a great way to keep in touch with friends and family beyond a text or a Facebook message. Plus any excuse to be able to use my wax seal, right? If you’re looking to beef up your on-hand card selection, these are five categories you don’t want to forget. (Ironically I forgot one in the video!)

BIRTHDAY

Probably the most obvious of the card categories, but I suggest you go with more generic, basic card designs. That way they’ll work for best friends and somewhat strangers at the same time. It’s what’s inside the cards that count, right?

CELEBRATION

Now celebration can cover anything from marriage to paying off student loans, so to keep your collection from overflowing with every possible event, stick with the basics. A good ol’ congrats or hooray card will do the trick. And if you’re in a pinch you can even use the hooray one to celebrate the fact that you’re writing a letter.

THANK YOU

Does anyone else still send a thank you letter after a thoughtful gift or lovely evening together? Just me? I’m apparently 100 million years old and love sending a thank you card for any little reason.

SYMPATHY

The category that most definitely slipped my mind when I was filming this video earlier today. If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that loss can hit you fast and dirty. It’s downright heartbreaking how many sympathy cards I’ve sent out this year on top of the loss I myself have felt. Unfortunately you should keep some of these on hand for life’s unfortunate surprises.

JUST A NOTE

This is definitely the category I go a bit crazy in. Any cute, decorative card that’s blank inside falls into this category. If you’re going to have any greeting cards on hand, have this type. You can fill the insides in with whatever occasion that calls for a note and look completely thoughtful without having to have the perfect card.

So I somehow managed to completely forget about sympathy cards when I filmed this video, but you get the idea! All the cards featured in this post and the video are available on my website or in store.