When we start navigating the waters of influencing, it seems like getting to 10,000 Instagram followers is that milestone every influencer sets out to achieve. (For the sake of ease – when I say “influencer” I am grouping bloggers into the category as one collective meaning.) I’ll be honest, that was my goal too. I mean Instagram doesn’t even allow you to have that nifty “swipe up!” feature until you have the 10k badge. A lot of brands and collaborations require “10k plus followers” to even apply to campaigns. When I was first starting out – and I started with 3 followers in February of 2018 – I joined all the collaboration sites I could find, only realizing that collaborations and getting paid for any real influencing would be a goal for the future. I had to obtain the status of 10k first. Let me be really honest about something too. I grew fast in the beginning, I was over 1,000 followers in just a few weeks, however I felt like in my first year of Instagramming I was watching everyone else sky rocket while I just inched. I was moving, always forward, but it seemed everyone else around me was hitting 5,000..10,000…20,000 and here I was pouring my heart and soul into everything I did. Every picture I took I tried my hardest, every caption I wrote and rewrote. I studied the algorithm, I took courses, I engaged with true heart and intention. I grew, just slowly. It’s easy […]
Decorating on a budget 101
Decorating on a budget is quite popular these days, especially with thrifting and vintage decor becoming more and more trendy. I started decorating on a budget out of necessity as a broke college student, but now as a homeowner in my mid 20’s I still decorate on a shoe string budget! Maybe you’ve followed my blog or are just reading this for the first time. Maybe you’ve seen all my thrifty hacks and ideas come to life through my Instagram. Either way, if you want the 101 on the basics of decorating on a budget, I’m going to lay it out for you! My favorite part about decorating on a budget is flexing those creative muscles – it can be so fun and rewarding. Spending just a little money on changing the basics can go a long way. Such as window treatments, pillows, lighting and decor. Obviously doing as much DIY as you can keeps the costs down. Keeping your eyes peeled for deals, sales and furniture you can refinish is essential when decorating on a small budget! Best advice – enjoy the journey and slow down..you may end up with something you truly don’t like if you rush through. The Basics. Ask yourself..does your stuff look defeated? Frayed? Faded? If you answered yes, then it is TIME to give them new life or find new items all together! Start with decluttering + cleaning. I can’t tell you how many times I just removed all the clutter from my surfaces, […]
$200 Industrial Farmhouse Bathroom makeover
There is nothing more satisfying than flexing those creative muscles – and really stretching your dollar. When I started with this horribly drab and outdated bathroom, there were two things I knew of off the bat: I didn’t have much money to do this. I needed to refresh this bathroom on a dime! This bathroom isn’t for me – it’s my fiancé, Brian’s, bathroom, so I wanted to go for a style that was more masculine and streamlined that my typical colorful boho look. I set a goal for myself; I would refresh this bathroom for under $200. I announced it to Instagram, and like that, I had set a goal that I was being held to! This challenge was exciting and made me think even more creatively and dig deeper into my thrifty resources to transform this bathroom. Typically, I don’t reveal how much I spend until after I show everyone the space, but I am seriously impressed with how much I stretched my tiny budget and how great the impact is – so I’m going to brag first! Budget Breakdown: Please note that I bought things on sale or with coupons so some of the prices shown in the links could fluctuate, but they are the exact same product. Paint: Pure White gallon $17 Black paint quart $13 Rust-Oleum – Oil Rubbed Bronze $5 Vintage Edison LED Light Bulbs 4 Pack $19 Grey Marble Contact Paper $6.50 Metal Pipe Brackets (set of 4) $22 Target Threshold Shower Curtain […]
What I wish I knew before I bought my first house.
It’s been a little over a year since me and my fiance bought our first home together! Before buying my first house, I had lived with my parents, college housing, and then an apartment for a brief time. I jumped into home ownership exactly how i’ve jumped into things most of my life..head first and eyes closed! Not the best idea. I’ve made some mistakes, and a year later i’m here to tell you them. A few of these may surprise you, some may have you nod your head in agreeance and hopefully some will spare you from making the same mistake! Overestimated how much space I need When we started our house search, I was dead set on buying a house with at least 3 bedrooms..for some reason I believed that I should buy the biggest house my money could afford. I believe this is a total downfall of American culture..we equate success with big home, new things, the bigger the better! When in fact I didn’t need a house this size. Brian and I moved from a 900 sq. ft. apartment into a 2,000 sq foot home. We didn’t have any furniture, and for months rooms sat vacant. A year later 2 rooms still have nothing in them..and our two extra bedrooms are just furnished enough to make them seem not empty but they serve no real purpose. After a year of living in this house, I wish daily we could shrink it. We don’t plan on having […]
Thrifty Living Room Reveal!
I know you all have been waiting for this, and I’m so excited to finally say the living room is LIVABLE. I’d be lying if I said it was done, because truth be told, only 3 of the 4 walls are painted and the TV wall is a sight to be had, but the main living area is complete. You all know by now, (and i’m comfortable confidently saying) that i’ve mastered thrifty home makeovers. This living room was no exception coming in at just under $130 for a complete update. At the bottom of this post I will do a complete cost breakdown, and keep in mind for 90% of the room i’ve reused items in my home from different spaces or just refreshed what was in here. It just goes to show you don’t need a huge budget to make a huge impact. Before My house was a sea of beige and horribly stained woodwork when we moved in a year ago. Repainting all the trim and doors has been a chore to say the least. The living room was one of the last rooms to get a good coat of fresh paint and white trim and it was like breathing a breath of fresh air into the space! I’m embarrassed that my living room ever looked like this, especially because this is the first thing you see when you walk through the front door, but this is #reallife. And my real life was (is) super messy and […]
