6 Practical Ways To Create A Lifestyle-Blogger Routine On A Regular-Person Budget
It took me long enough, but I have finally realized what all the fuss is about over Pinterest.
Now that I’m on the other side of 30, I find Pinterest to be an incredibly soothing experience – and, unlike every other social media network, there’s no discourse or cliques on Pinterest. Just refinished kitchen cabinets and skincare routines.
Of course, even on Pinterest, you still can’t escape the issue of lifestyle envy. You’re still inundated with posts from lifestyle bloggers and micro-influencers whose lives are financed, or at least partially subsidized, by brands looking for exposure. Every post represents something you do not have, which can be hard can be a pill to swallow, even for the most well-adjusted among us.
The majority of us know that the creators we follow have the beautiful homes they have and live the specially curated lives they live because they have to. And yet, our brain still asks, “Why doesn’t my life look like that?” Especially when we’re feeling down.
However, there are a few ways you can enjoy platforms like Pinterest (or Instagram, Bloglovin or other similar sites) and feel like you live a lifestyle-blogger life, while still functioning and maintaining like a real person.
1. Be more scheduled
The more you do to keep yourself on schedule, the less chaotic things will feel. Wake up and have your coffee at the same time every day. Shower at the same time every day. Start dinner around the same time. If you’ve ever avoided trying something new or starting an ambitious project because you “don’t have time,” getting used to a more scheduled existence can help show you how much time you actually have, and can help you make time.
2. Develop more routines
Similar to scheduling, routine is also a big part of what can help make your life more beautiful. It may sound uninspired – doing generally the same thing every time you shower, put on makeup or pick out your clothes – but you know how you get good at something? By repeating it. The more you do the same three hairstyles in your arsenal, or your simple makeup routine, the more confident you become. Plus, daily routines, such as skincare, food prep, and nighttime rituals, are a nice little indulgence that you can stretch into feeling like a mini spa day.
3. Create a (really small!) piece of your own personal paradise
As much as you might have project fever for things like room makeovers, DIYs or ambitious statement walls, there are usually a few reasons for not doing so – mainly that they cost a lot. Instead, focus on one small project. For me, it was my second bedroom/home office over the course of more than a year. It looks better than any other space in my home and hanging out in there satiates my need to overhaul the rest of my life. If a whole room doesn’t make sense for you, it could be as simple as refreshing your desk space with a clean-up or creating a reading corner by moving a chair around and adding a throw.
4. Create mini, personal celebrations
Most of us are still not able to regularly do things like birthday parties or movie nights. This is a great excuse to try out a small number of your favorite projects – a cute outfit, a “special” dinner, a unique date. A few weeks ago, my husband and I had a “Blockbuster night” like when we were kids. We bought “video store” snacks (Reese’s Pieces and licorice) and soda, and rented a movie off iTunes that wasn’t in our usual Netflix rotation. Last Friday, we made a plant-based charcuterie board just to celebrate being finished with the week.
There’s a catch – when I say “personal,” I mean: challenge yourself to not take a picture of it. I’m not saying you shouldn’t document things you’re proud of ever, but unless you have professional-level photography or styling skills, your life might look a lot better through your eyes than it does through your phone. If you’ve just done your makeup or rearranged your room, keep the focus away from how cute a post it will make and instead make it about pleasing yourself.
5. Curb your impulses
When you deal with lifestyle envy, it’s really easy to start making lists of things you want to buy. When you don’t have techniques for dealing with those impulses, it can grate a toxic spend and thought cycle. Employ tactics to slow yourself down.
I’ve already spoken about my impulse journal tactic, which I’ve used to space out/evaluate major purchases. Other tactics I’ve read right here on TFD include waiting at least a month to buy anything over $50, and using intentional living to keep the focus away from spending for the sake of satisfaction. Then, there’s my favorite personal rule:
6. Clean it up before you add to it
Even back in 2017, I was complaining on TFD about how much I dislike my comfy, yet hideous and oversized couch. Guess what? It’s still here, no matter how many pins I see of my dream couch (which is smaller, more angular and not brown). You know how I have kept the urge at bay? I keep it clean. Every time I think “this would be better with a new couch” or “I should add some candles,” I start decluttering, dusting and deep-cleaning.
The same goes for my clothes. Every time I think “my clothes don’t look good anymore,” I run an iron over them, make sure all the creases are where they should be and store them with care. This can also apply to makeup, hair and kitchen gadgets.
Remember, adding a cute accessory to an already-cluttered room – or more wardrobe pieces to an already-cluttered wardrobe – won’t remove the clutter.
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Your life will never look like a lifestyle blog. That is because you are not paid for your life to look like a lifestyle blog. But there are steps you can take so that you stop asking “Why doesn’t my life look like that?” Ultimately, though, none of these things are possible without remembering that you live your life for you, not a camera.
Bree Rody is a full-time business journalist and part-time choreographer based in Toronto. She covered Toronto City Hall during the Rob Ford era before transitioning to business journalism. Her areas of specialty include advertising, media buying, technology, entertainment and agriculture. Follow her on Twitter.
Image via Unsplash
