State of the Blog Address


We would like to cordially welcome you to our first annual “BLOG WEEK”. This week we are devoted to giving you guys detailed information on the behind-the-scenes/day-to-day operations of the DIY Playbook. We know that this may not interest all of you (we sincerely apologize to those who don’t care and will immediately go back to our regular content next Monday at 5:00 am), but we also know that we receive quite a few inquiries about how we do things and thought this was a great time to address those questions. This week’s blog topics:

  • State of the Blog Address
  • Tips on Efficient Blogging
  • The Awkward Moments of Blogging <—wow there are lots!
  • How we Handle Blog Finances (let’s talk money!)
  • Advice from 20+ DIY Bloggers #halloffamelineup

First Blog Week

blog weekBut let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, first up– the State of the Blog Address. No we are not here to drop any bombshells. We just wanted to check in and keep you up-to-speed on the “state of the blog”… literally. Where are we headed? What are we changing? How do we think we’re doing? As much information as we can squeeze into this post without completely boring you out of your mind. Here’s what’s on our minds:

1. Trending Now – Less Craftiness:ย No we don’t hate crafts. However, we have realized that we just don’t have a lot of room for crafts, craft supplies, and seasonal decor in each of our small homes. Since we don’t have a significant “need” for crafts in our real lives, we don’t want to create ’em just for the sake of blog content. The DIY Playbook seems to trending away from crafts for this reason and this reason alone. We aren’t saying goodbye to crafts forever (we still love us some quality time with the hot glue gun!), but there just won’t be as much as there has been in years past. (Psst: Fellow crafters don’t be too sad… we ironically have a craft tutorial scheduled next week).

2. Getting Vaccinated for – Blogger Burn Out: No, we don’t have any symptoms of Blogger Burn Out and we want to keep it that way! It’s always a concern floating around in the back of our heads, so it’s important that we take breaks, treat ourselves, and unplug every now and then to RECHARGE. Hopefully, these small steps will keep that dreaded Blogger Burn Out far, far away from the DIY Playbook.

flowerskitchen3. What’s on Deck – Projects we actually need to tackle in real life: Like everyone else in this world, we are busy and our time is valuable. This is exactly why we continue to share projects that we actually need to tackle in real life (hence the decline of crafts). If we need new bedding… you can bet we’ll be sharing it. If we need to rework a gallery wall… add it to the content calendar. But if we need material just to fill a blog day… you can bet that we will NOT be creating work for ourselves and making something just to make it. We want this blog to align what really needs to be done around here, not just what can fill the calendar or be most “pin-worthy”

 

4. Walking thatย Line – Getting too personal vs. not sharing enough: <– The struggle is real! We are constantly going back and forth about keeping it strictly “DIY” or letting a little bit of our lives leak onto the blog. It’s a fine line and we go back and forth. We don’t mind sharing, but we are also hesitant because sharing = being vulnerable for the internet to comment. We want to share DIY in order to inspire others to create (that’s why we all read blogs, right?) but on the other hand, we personally love following the blogger’s journey and learning about the gal behind the blog. We don’t want to get too personal, but we don’t want to be strangers either. Are you completely confused yet? Cause we are….

bedroom5. Room for Improvement – Making Design Decisions with Intention: We have a whole post coming up on this topic next week. This has been an ongoing discussion between us for a few months now and we think we are finally ready to lay it out there and seek advice/support. In short: 2 years ago we both started decorating our spaces and our style continues to evolve. We look back and sometimes wish we could change some of the design decisions we made. So from here on out, we want to make design decisions with intention and purpose. If you feel like you can relate, we’d LOVEEE to hear your insight next week (Monday to be exact). HELP!

Rookies6. Ongoing Goal – Being Transparent, Honest & True to “Us”: This is just an obvious yet ongoing goal we have around here. No matter where this blogging journey takes us, we want to make sure we keep our professionalism, integrity, friendship and honesty along the way. If we take this wild ride and come out with those four things intact, we’ll call our journey a very, VERY successful one.

computer7. Real Talk – Treating the Blog like a Business (because it is!): We’ll chat more about this on Thursday when we discuss Blog Finance 101. We didn’t start the blog as a business, but it slowly grew into one. With the guidance and support of our husbands, we think it’s important to view the DIY Playbook like a business, heck we pour hours and hours of work and passion into this blog, we owe it to ourselves to treat it for what it is.

Patio Reveal Door8. Want to be BFF’s? – Our Brand Partnerships: Plain and simple, we want to partner with brands that we are already BFF’s with in real life, brands we use/believe in, and ones that will work with us for the long run… not just a “one and done” post. We take the DIY Playbook and the responsibility of communicating our opinions on products seriously, and we want to be authentic in who/what we align with. So yes, we are always looking to team up with our BFF brands, yet are thoughtful in making sure these partnerships are with companies with whom we are proud to work.

office9. In your Dreams – Our Blog Dreams: Like little girls dreaming about their “dream wedding” or future plans, we often gossip about the day we could rent a glamorous studio, come to work together, make coffee, and blog all day. That, of course, is just a DREAM, but it can’t hurt to dream, right? In the meantime, we’re sticking with our day jobs and are thanking our lucky stars for the opportunities we have had thus far! Blogging makes us happy and feeling fulfilled, just living that reality every day is a freakin’ dream. =)

Rookies NYE10. Saving the Best for Last – Thank YOU: Yes YOU, the reader on the other side of this message who takes time out of her (or his!) crazy busy schedule to check in on the DIY Playbook. Whether you read every single day or check-in when something catches your interest, we are thankful for YOU. For those family members who always ask, “what’s new with the blog?” — thank you. For our friends and co-workers who comment on how much they LOVE that new board & batten — thank you. For that person who leaves a sweet/funny/happy/positive/encouraging blog comment just because — thank you. For that new follower on Instagram or that stranger from across the country reaching out to say keep up the good work — thank you, thank you, thank you. We are passionate about DIY and home decor and if this mini slice of the blogosphere is able to inspire or motivate even ONE person to create something in his or her own homes that (s)he LOVES, well…. we’ve done our job. Our hearts are full and we love spreading DIY cheer because of YOU, thank YOU for being a part of the DIY Playbook team.

Bridget&Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.