New at TDC

Hello hello! I was so hoping to share the office redo with you today, but the last project is taking the longest. (Why is that how it ALWAYS is with me?!) And because this part being such a bugger, I came up with a new idea for it anyway. In my head it’s pretty darn cool, but we’ll see how it turns out.

So I will finish it it up this weekend and share it with you first thing next week!! I’m ITCHING to get it done because I’ve forced myself to hold off on anything other projects till it’s done…so it must. be. done.

I’ve shared a few of my house goals with you over the past couple of weeks. There’s a bunch of them here, and then a BIG project idea in my last post.

I tell you WHAT. Y’all are a bunch of enablers and I LOVE IT. I’m SOOOOO changing up the dining room. I just have to get the final OK from hubby first. I start introducing my big ideas slowly with a lot of “I was thinking” and “Wouldn’t it be nice if…” or “SO, I have this idea…”

After all these years, he knows it (usually) ends up well…so he trusts me. I just have to remind him of that. ;)

(Check out my Facebook page to see a photo a reader sent me with the exact chair set up I was thinking of! Love it!)

Sooo…I’m pretty excited about some new stuff going on on the old blog this year and wanted to share some of it with you!

The popular Before and After Parties will continue every month:

Those go up the first Monday of the month and I love before and after  photos too much to give them up! ;)

But from now on, I won’t be sharing my own projects during that post, but instead will highlight some of my favorites from the previous month’s party. I figure this way I can show some of you off even more. I’m super excited about that!!

I love seeing individual projects every month, but I thought it would be fun to do another party too…this one sharing whole rooms. It’ll be a Pinterest frenzy!! ;)

I don’t have a button for this one yet, but the Show Us Your House linkies will go up the third Tuesday of every month – the first one this coming Tuesday, January 17. I’m SO excited about this one!!

Every month we’ll highlight a different room. Here’s the plan for the year:

January:
Office/craft spaces

February:
Closets

March:
Kitchens

April:
Dining rooms

May:
Nursery/Kids rooms

June:
Outdoor spaces

July:
Bathrooms

August:
Family rooms

September:
Basements/rec rooms

October:
Bedrooms (guest or master)

November:
Foyers

December:
We’ll play it by ear ;)

FUN eh? I can’t wait to see so many awesome rooms all in one post!! I think this is an awesome way to find new blogs too – it’s easy to get an idea of someone’s style when you can see a whole room.

Next up are some changes in the works for the blog. (Super excited about this too – this is just an all around exciting post for me.)

I’ve been working with a designer for about five years now to redo my site. OK, I think it’s been about six months, but I take forever to do anything, so it feels like five years.

It’s a totally new look and I really love it. There are still a LOT things left to do, so it won’t be revealed for a while yet. Here’s a little peak:

I know, not much. I suck. ;)

The change I’m quivering my boots about is this one:

 

YES. I’m doing the switch from Blogger to WordPress. I’ve fought it for years. I hate change. Changing up my blog look, I’m OK with. Changing up rooms, I’m great with. Changing how I work? Notsogood.

I’ll explain why I’m switching in a future post (it’s nothing earth shattering), but what I want you to know now is that the look of the posts will not change – they will not be truncated, or shortened. I’m trying to set it up in a way that’s familiar and comfortable for me and you. :)

And as far as posts go, I plan to keep up all the DIY of course, but hope to show and share more of ME along the way.

Not sharing more of me in that way…dirty birds.

I find myself looking at blogs and liking when I see photos of the actual blogger. I realized the other day that all you really see of me is this:

 

My left hand. ;)

I’m not really all excited about sharing my mug on here, but it is my blog and I am the one writing it, so maybe I’ll include some action shots here and there? You know…like crafting, sawing, watching paint dry. The exciting ones.

So we’ll see how that goes. I’d also like to share more of my life with you guys…just a bit more. I always struggle with how much to share because I feel like I spew out enough of my life on here, but I like when other bloggers share personal stories here and there. Nothing drastic, like my son’s birth story. (Although it was AMAZING, really, you should hear about it.)  :)

But just a few more things about me here and there. So we can get to know each other better. Cause I’ll be asking you to share some info too.

And you thought you were just going to get to sit back and read boring stuff about me.

SO…that’s the plan for this year on Thrifty Decor Chick! I’m so excited, are YOU? Can you barely contain yourself at the thought of seeing photos of me painting walls?? It’s gonna be AWESOME.

I have one question I need your help with – I’ve been wondering this for a while and would love your feedback. When I’ve done room redos, I typically share the redo along the way and then show the final result. Do you like it that way or would you rather see it finished first and then the how to’s after?

I like both ways so I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you like to see it in pieces or in one big reveal?

Thanks in advance!!

Making Money Blogging

Hey hey! How about that title eh? Just putting it all out there. I just couldn’t think of anything more appropriate, so there you go.

I’m joining a few of my favorite lovely blogging ladies today for the next post in the Growing Your Blog series my pal Kate dreamed up:

Yesterday Nester shared her thoughts on authenticity in blogging and her post and the comments were a great read – check it out here.

Today I’m sharing more on a topic I know bloggers and non-bloggers alike are curious about – making money on a blog.

First, let’s hear what the other four ladies had to say, then I’ll share my advice:

The time I get to spend at Nesting Place is directly related to how much money I earn, that's just the cold, harsh truth. My husband and I are hoping to be debt free early this year and it's been great to help contribute to that. The best advice I've ever heard about monetization and blogging is to diversify where your money is coming in from. I have private ads, corporate sponsors, ebook affiliates, my own ebook, network ads and from time to time 3rd party sponsors. Relying on any one of these methods alone is risky, but as a whole, I can usually count on an average income per month. I go into more detail at this guest post at Funky Junk Interiors about how I've made a business out of Nesting Place if you are wondering more about each of those methods.

My best money managing tip is something I heard from Simple Mom :: Open an ING account. I opened one three years ago and have an ING checking account where my Network Ad income is automatically deposited. That account is linked to my PayPal and our regular joint bank account. I also have SEVEN ING savings accounts {emergency fund, taxes, Nesting Place expenses, accounts for my boys, braces...stuff like that} ING lets you have up to 25 savings accounts for free. I like ING because it's all online, you get a debit card and checks and you can set up automatic payments into your savings accounts. For my private ads {etsy shops} I have an assistant who does all of the billing because I've figured out, I always forget to bill everyone so basically, I make more money when I have an assistant because she actually bills people.

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I started my blog without any intention of making money but as a hobby and creative outlet, and mostly to document the continuing progress on our home remodel. I didn’t have any sponsors for an entire year, only Google Ads which made next to nothing. I remember getting my first Google Ads check for $13 and being so excited! As traffic grew due to a growing readership, I started getting sponsors for the sidebar, mostly small businesses, and they all found me. In 2010, I signed on with Haven Home Media (HHM) as my ad network. Google Ads and HHM both account for 60% of my income, the rest comes from sponsors and writing gigs. I don’t make much from affiliates, I suppose I should be better about that, and I have yet to write an eBook (all that extra time ya know…). I’ve read all sorts of good things about SocialSpark (have yet to try it) and do get approached a lot to do paid sponsored posts for companies large and small, but I turn 90% of them down, unless it’s a brand I trust and would be comfortable promoting to my readers (and of course there is always the requirement of full disclosure for those arrangements).

The cool but unexpected thing is that through consistent content over three years, the blog has grown into an actual business where I made an income in 2011. But with that growth comes the cost of maintenance (server, accountant, costs for projects, travel expenses, etc.) and taxes that must always be filed. To keep track of it all, I use PayPal for billing and Quickbooks to document income, receipts, and other expenses.

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When I first started blogging, I thought I would never have ads on my blog. Almost a year in, though, I realized this was a full time job and I needed some income for it. I am now a part of an ad network and I use Google Ads. Both are awesome, because they require almost no maintenance. I also accept private sponsors. That form of monetization requires a lot of upkeep, but it’s fun to spotlight small businesses or products I really love. And, since I’m sure everyone is curious… Yes, you can make a good full-time income off of a blog. It’s worth all of the work to grow your blog.

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I started my blog as a family blog – and didn’t even know you could make money from your blog back then. I’ve learned a lot over the last few years. If you are thinking of monetizing, making an advertiser/sponsor section on your sidebar is a great way to start. (WordPress, for example, has some wonderful plugins that automatically rotate your ads, schedule ads and track clicks.) Also, be sure to create a media kit that includes facts about your blog, who reads your blog, your latest blog stats (use Google Analytics to track and update your stats). But keep in mind also, sponsors care about more than just numbers – if you have a specific niche and an engaged readership, that relationship you have with your audience can be more important than numbers.

An ad network is a way to make money from your blog without having to manage the overhead of sponsors and advertisers. Google AdSense is an easy way to start, and your revenue will increase over time. Whether you like Google ads or not, you may want to try a few different networks and see what works best for you. (I use a few networks and rotate them around.) Many of these networks don’t restrict you to using just one network. Finally, there are companies that match bloggers with advertising campaigns. If you’re interested, they will present you with the brand’s campaign and you can decide whether or not to participate. Examples are: CleverGirls Collective and SocialSpark. This can be a good way to start working with major brands.

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And now my two cents. Har. Get it? Two cents…post about money? OK, I’ll move on.

Anyhoo, I first blogged about making money as a blogger in this post a couple years ago. I started my blog in May of 2008 and didn’t accept my first ad until January of the following year.

If there is one piece of advice I have about making money blogging, it’s to not expect to make money blogging. ;) Meaning, don’t start a blog with the goal of making it your “career.” I’m 100 percent positive the most successful bloggers I know (that make the most money) did NOT start their blog thinking, I’m going to make meeeeellions!! Buwhahahahaha!!!

OK, I have two pieces of advice. The other is to take the advice of your financial advisor and like Nester said above -- diversify! Change it up, take on different types of ads, look into different ways to make some moolah.

Let me start by saying something important. I don’t get the notion that a blogger is “selling out” because they make money doing what they do. Obviously I don’t agree with that. Blogging takes more time than you ever think it will and takes effort and work. Therefore, if you can get paid, by all means…get paid.

Sure, I see ads that annoy me. I see sponsored posts I’m not interested in…but I still say all the power to them. That blogger is trying to make the most of what they are putting out there and I think that’s a good thing (although, yes, there’s always a point of going a little overboard.)

Personal ads are the first and only advertising I had on TDC for a long time. That January years ago, I put up a post letting the world (or the 50 people who read my blog at the time) know that I was accepting ads.

I felt like this:

I was SO uncomfortable about the whole thing. Still am. UGH.

At the time, I had just over 2,000 page views a day. My ad space was $10 a month.

Here’s another nugget of advice from a “seasoned” blogger (can we call almost four years seasoned?) – I highly recommend you wait till you’ve been blogging at LEAST six months to take on ads.

Actually, a year if you can. I was only nine months in to it, but I had a surge of new visitors the fall before I took on my first advertisers. Honestly, if I could go back in time I would have held off and waited a bit longer.

Why? Just because you need time to figure out where your blog is going to go. You may be able to post five times a week at the start because of the rush, and then realize the time it takes and slow down. Advertisers like consistency.

Or you may start off with one focus for your blog and find a new interest takes it in a different direction later. Businesses are looking for a site that matches their audience.

After I took on some private ads, I started with Google:

These are SO crazy easy to put up and use! Go to Adsense to set up an account (if you blog on Blogger you’ll probably already have one). Just pick out the size you want, grab the code and put it on your page. It really is easy and they guide you through the process.

You get paid through Google based on impressions and clicks on your ads. Some days and months you’ll make more than others, but it’s great, consistent income. Even if “income” is just $4.36 – the amount I made my first month. ;)

Next up I moved on to network-type advertising. It’s similar to Google, but instead it’s a private company that works with advertisers for you. You put their code on your blog and it kind of does it’s own thing. The ads will change based on key words they pick up in your content.

These are my favorite. :)

In my experience, they pay the most. They are easiest to work with because you don’t do much and you know what to expect. Sometimes Google will put up an ad I’m not particularly thrilled with, and then I have to go in and block ads from that site.

For a while, I worked with a network called Juice in the City and it went great for a while. They changed their format and it no longer worked with my audience, so I was thrilled when I was contacted by a new network called Haven Home Media. These guys are fantastic and I’m thrilled to partner with them.

I’ve also worked with Rivit Media and they do a great job too – many of the Michael’s campaigns you see in blogland are through them. I have not worked with BlogHer but have heard great things. Another reputable company for these types of ads is Federated Media.

Sometimes you have to sign a contract for this type of ad, or they may have some guidelines you have to follow in order to keep your ads up. (Mine do not.) Just ask as many questions as you need and find out all the details before signing on the dotted line!

Finally, a couple of weekends of the month (sometimes less, sometimes more during the holidays), I do giveaways. Businesses pay me to blog about their product and then they give away something to one (or more!) of you.

I know some bloggers don’t charge for giveaways and I say all the power to them! I think starting out you should test the waters and try a few without payment. But I (and my advertisers) believe I’m providing a service – sending hundreds if not thousands of new visitors to their site, not to mention exposing their products and brand to tens of thousands.

I still struggle with TDC being a business. Sometimes it’s hard for me to treat it as such because I LOVE WHAT I DO SO. But doing giveaways for a fee is one of those business decisions. I believe you undervalue your blog as a business (if that is what it turns into, which happens often) if you do too much for free.

These are all my personal experiences and thoughts – take them or leave them. :) All that being said, I’m picky. If I don’t like the products a company sells for a giveaway, I politely decline. If an advertiser isn’t a right fit, I let them know. I don’t take on any types of ads that would annoy me if I saw them on another site. I get approached daily with offers, and I decline most of them. I try to be deliberate and consider my readers as much as possible.

The million dollar question that I always want to know is how much a particular blogger makes doing what they do. Without going into too much detail, I will say you can absolutely do “well” as a blogger.

I now make much more than I did working full time – and that feels kind of weird and icky for me to say, because I don’t want to sound like I’m all oooowheee, check me out, I rule.

I say that because I want to encourage anyone who wants to blog or is blogging that you can make money doing this. You can help support your family, you can make some extra spending money. My income allowed us to become debt free much faster and allows me to keep doing fun things to our home that I hope continues to inspire you.

And that inspiring part is my very favorite part. :) Blogging (can be) a job, and if you’ve been at it long enough, I believe it’s one you should make money doing. If you want to. 

But I still find it hard to consider this work, especially when it’s this fun. Probably the best job ever.

I hope that answers some questions about the elephant in the blogland room. ;) If you blog and have any other advice to add, please do so! If you’re a reader and want to share what you like to see when it comes to ads, I know we’d love to hear from you too! (Constructively, of course.)

And if you have any other questions, please let me know and I’ll address them soon! Be sure to check out Jen’s advice on utilizing social media on Wednesday, Marian’s photography tips on Thursday, and Kate’s thoughts on finding balance on Friday.

P.S. I think I said “blog” 847 times in this post. Annnd that is all. :)

Tops of 2011

Hey hey! How is your last week of the year coming along? I’m still not doing much. Other than eating. And sitting. And sleeping. ;)

Yesterday I posted about the top ten posts in 2011 (based on your comments), and I couldn’t resist sharing some other tops of the year! Google Analytics is chock full of awesome little details about blog traffic (if you don’t have it set up on your blog, you should!).

I gathered a few of my favorites to share with you today! And then I swear…onto the new for 2012! ;)

I love to check out the posts that get the most traffic every year. It’s a great reminder because it truly shows the benefit of titling your posts right. Eight of the top ten posts that were “hit” on my blog this year were NOT from this year. Some were actually from years ago. Isn’t that crazy?

There is great power in titling your posts according to how they will be searched! Here are the top ten:

1. How to Decorate Your Mantel

 

2. How to Make a Headboard

 

3. Dollar Store Fall Wreath

 

4. Comfort Foods

 

5. A Santa Craft

 

6. DIY Drum Shade Chandelier

 

7. Closet Turned Book Nook

 

8. Family Room Redone

 

9. Warm and Cozy Family Room

 

10. New Dining Room Centerpiece

It was also fun to look back at the linky parties I hosted this year. I checked back on them to see which ones had the most links. I gathered the top five to share – if you have nothing to do this weekend I think they’ll keep you occupied. ;)

5. Home May’d Spray Paint Party (493)

 

4. Before and After: February (499)

 

3. Before and After Party: March (505)

 

2. Before and After Party: November (507)

 

1. Christmas Tree Party (573)

Of course I have to give a shout out to all the bloggers who sent me visitors this year! I consider them all friends and am lucky to know them!

1. Centsational Girl
2. Hooked on Houses
3. Bower Power
4. Nesting Place
5. 320 Sycamore
6. All Things Thrifty
7. The Inspired Room
8. Miss Mustard Seed
9. The Lettered Cottage
10. Better After

Live Writer wouldn’t let me link to the full blog names for some reason. Highly annoying. So just click on the grey parts to get to these lovely ladies. :)

Numbers one and two are actually Facebook and Pinterest respectively. It is blowing my mind how Pinterest is affecting blogging – in a mostly really good way! If you have a blog and don’t have an account, I encourage you get one!

And just for fun, I checked out where all you Squeezies come from. :) Of course the majority is the good old US of A, but it was kind of cool to see the top five:

1. Canada
2. Australia
3. UK
4. Germany
5. Brazil

Sooo…if any of you (especially those Australia or Brazil) would like me to come stay for a week or so, that would be awesome. Just let me know. ;)

There you go! Aren’t recaps fun?? No? Maybe just for me? Whatevs. Did you find Thrifty Decor Chick in 2011? If so was it from one of the posts I linked to? I’d love to hear!

I hope to be back before the new year, but if not I hope you have a wonderful end of 2011 and even better start to 2012!! Loves ya!

Top Ten of Eleven

Well hey there! Remember me? :) I’ve had such a lovely, totally lazy week…it has been absolutely wonderful. I’m still in low key mode but sure do miss you all.

The end of 2011 is here…can you even believe it? Only a few days left of the year, and that means it’s time to recap the biggest projects  of 2011 here on TDC.

I figure these out based on comments. I love ‘em. I do.  :)

So here. we. go. – the top ten projects based on you!

Up first, the most recent redo – our awkward corner fireplace that used to look like this:

Was changed (with a bit of handy men help) into this:

I am SO so happy with it still. One of the best changes I’ve ever made to our house! (You can go here to see more about the process.)

I’m dreaming up ideas for a treatment above the mantel, but I love it as is for now. I don’t want to do anything till I’m totally sure about it.

Up next was a project from this summer – a little redo of our family room based around our first debt free purchase – the new sofa:

I finished up that room during my No-Spend July, and I was able to get creative with some accessories and art that didn’t take any cash at all. My favorite kind!!

Next up was another big purchase, but this one wasn’t planned and it was one we didn’t have to pay for (well, most of it). Our fridge meltdown meant we had to replace our laminate floors in the family room and kitchen, and we decided to continue them throughout the bottom floor.

At first we were planning on going with prefinished floors:

But after reading all of your comments on this post, I changed my mind. We went with finished on site, and I’m SO glad we did. I can’t get over how much I love our hardwoods:

Because our laundry room was laminate previously, and we weren’t replacing it with hardwoods, we were able to apply that insurance credit toward the office, then we paid extra for the dining and living rooms.

Best. decision. ever.

Up next, I shared how I tackled the pile of papers I had ignored for YEARS. That was a very fun week around here.

NOT:

I used to go through the files at the start of every year, but I had avoided it for awhile and it came back to bite me. :)

That reminds me…I need to go through the files. (Shudder.)

The next big post was when I blogged about how we are NOT moving any time soon:

We got some bad news about the value of our house this year, along with the rest of the human race, and had some major thinking to do. It only took about a day to figure out we didn’t want to move and aren’t moving. You can read why here.

Next was yet another family room post. It certainly was the year of the family room around here. ;) This one was from the start of the year, before the new sofa or the redo. (Confused? Me too.)

I was so tired of the room feeling so cramped that I broke all the couch rules and removed one:

It made a HUGE difference in this space! It was less seating for awhile, but it was worth it. It also helped me to figure out a new set up for the room which is what we ultimately ended up with.

The lesson here…do whatever the heck you want. It’s YOUR home.

You all were so helpful when it came to the sofa search for that family room. I shared all the things I hated about our sofa set we had had for years:

I loved those comments because I was originally set against microfiber, but my mind was changed. I saw the microfiber light people!! We ended up with a smaller sectional from Arhaus and it’s made of micro denier – a bunny’s butt soft version of microfiber.

It is incredible. LOVE. Love love love.

The next biggest post was not about the family room. I know, shocking! It was about me being a total doofus and causing a big gaping hole in our house for a few days:

Ugh. I still can’t believe I did that. You can see how that happened and the end result (which I love) here.

Number 9 was one of my very favorite projects I’ve done in our home – the closet turned book nook:

With some purging and reorganizing, I realized we didn’t need the small closet in our loft space. Using almost all scrap wood that I had in the garage, I transformed it into a lovely little book nook for me the Bub.

It’s the smallest “room” in our house and one of my favorites. :)

And finally – the biggest response was to a project that didn’t include many pretty pictures, but instead pictures of my piles:

Yep. I’m a piler. A stacker. A bagger. I try to fight it and I can’t. Many of you are right there with me. (Thank you.)

And just like every year, my most popular posts were more personal ones that weren’t about DIY at all. :) The top five of those were…

When I introduced you to the dog I saw, picked up, and fell instantly in love with:

These cat folks are now totally head over heels in love with that little bugger. :) We can’t imagine our lives without Peanut Butter.

I shared how I don’t do it all in this post.

The (mostly) pretty pictures can be highly misleading. I try to share our “real” life with you as much as I can.

Early this year I got news that a (very young) family member of mine had breast cancer. It kind of rocked my world. I shared how I was determined to take better care of myself here.

That’s when this woman came back into my life:

I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit…but I’m determined to get back on. I recently found out that a former student of my husband’s is facing cancer. He just graduated a few years ago. What a cruel reminder.

I celebrated three years of blogging by sharing how I try not to let the wonderful world of blogging get me down:

Blogging is 90 percent amazing, ten percent yucky jealousy and insecurity. That post was my reminder to remember that all the houses and blogs that appear perfect are not really perfect after all. And that’s OK. :)

And finally, the biggie. The one that changed our lives:

The one where we paid off $125,000 in debt. Everything but the house. And our lives have been (unbelievably) better for it since.

I hope that I have inspired you to take on something in your homes this year – whether it be personal or just using a hammer for the first time. ;) I love your comments and emails telling me just that – they fill me with JOY!

Next up I’ll share what I’ve got planned for 2012. It’s going to be a great year! :)

Did your favorite post at TDC this year make the cut?

Secret Santa (and a few things)

Hello there! How the heck are ya?!

First of all…AHHHHHH!!!:

Are you freakin’ out yet?

Just a friendly reminder, that’s all. ;)

I had to tell you about a FUN idea my friend Stefanie over at Brooklyn Limestone came up with. She coordinated a bunch of bloggers and we’re doing a blogland Secret Santa:

How great is that? (I’m in good company, eh?) I love it cause it’s the same kind of fun I used to have in the office setting (in my old life), but this time it’s via the good old US Postal Service. ;)

I’m dying to know who has me – I got these lovely coasters the other day:

I think I know who they came from…but I’m not guessing out loud quite yet. ;) I’ll let you know who it is when I find out! I hope my gal likes her treats as well!

I wanted to share a fun linky party as well -- my friend Melissa is hosting a favorite things party, and I love sharing mine, especially this time of year:

Go check out my favorites here and see how I created the snowflake bokeh-like photo of our tree:

By the way, there are nearly 550 gorgeous trees linked up at the Christmas tree party – it’s a feast for the eyes! Go here to link up you’re own! (It will be open till Wednesday this week.)

And finally, the winners of the Antique Farm House giveaway are:

Beth at The Rhamy Roost
Amy at Wine Country Mama

Congrats ladies! Please email me at thriftydecorchick (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll get you connected!

Hope you’re having a lovely week! Any guesses who my Santa is? ;)