Simply Stated - Blogs - Home & Organizing

So many blogs, so little time. How does one cut through the blog smog to locate ones that fit their needs? As a blogger and a blog reader, you may be surprised to know that I read less than 10 blogs per day. In addition to Simply Stated of course. I scan many others to stay current, but that occurs less than once a week and takes me about an hour total.

A design blog article I wrote for a real estate journal back in 2006 pointing potential home buyers to some of my favorite reads on the web.

Why do I practice portion control when it comes to blog reading?

Mostly due to lack of time. Like so many of you, I have a life off-line that demands my attention in addition to my online responsibilities blogging at decor8 and here on Simply Stated. There are thousands of great blogs out there and more are joining the ranks each day, how could I ever keep up if I didn't exercise some self control? Maybe you feel the same.

I like to read blogs about decorating, art, do-it-yourself projects, and crafts because they encourage and inspire me since bloggers often share their process and progress. This motives me and often I walk away from something I read feeling totally pumped to start my own project. This is what keeps me coming back to blogs for more, it's a huge bonus in addition to the entertainment factor. If I walk away from a blog feeling like I Can Do It then I know I found the right fit for me, I'll keep reading again and again.

A lot of people ask me what I look for in decorating and craft blogs. Here are some questions I ask myself:

Does the blogger have their name and/or bio visible, or at least their email address? I want to know a little about this person! A bio gives me a way to connect to their world. When I surveyed readers on my own blog, many asked me to include a bio page because they wanted to know more about me. After adding a bio, my readership increased and many took time to express to me through email how much they valued the addition of my bio. Not everyone has to include one, I didn't at first, but what a difference it can make!
If the blog offers advice (on say, rewiring a lamp), do they have the credentials to do so? And when I say credentials, I don't mean they need to have some fancy background, I just want to know that if I try the same project I won't set my house on fire. :)
If they show photos on their blog, are they crediting their images giving the source full credit?
Is their content consistent?
Do they answer comments left on their blog?
Are comments made by fellow readers constructive to the discussion or are they overly negative?
And most of all, does the blog make me feel positive about myself and my life? Am I inspired? Or do I walk away in a bad mood?

I think all of these points are good to consider because you want to make sure that what you're taking in is worth your time.

My rule is that if I wouldn't consider having them as friends in my 'real' life, then I certainly don't want to associate with them online. Plus, it soaks up time that I could be spending on projects, exercising, or giving attention and care to my family -- my husband is precious and I never want him to take the back seat to over consumption when it comes to online recreation.

This is something I think everyone should consider. How much time are you spending reading blogs? Are they benefiting you in some way? Do you genuinely like the author? Is the message giving you feelings of hope or draining you? All valid things to consider.

I suggest making a list of your daily must-reads and sign up for their RSS feeds. That's what I do now and it really makes a difference in how I'm spending my time. Just as I wouldn't sit on the sofa for hours to watch television, reading blogs and surfing the net isn't something I do 24/7 either. There is such a thing as to much of a good thing. Whether it's cupcakes, sex, or blog reading, you can't do any of it constantly and not eventually tire out.

Of course, as my interests change, so does my list of must-read blogs for the day. I'll share my blog reading list with you on Monday.

If I didn't author a blog myself and write here for Simply Stated, I would read a lot more blogs than I do currently. Reading 10 or less daily works for me and I'm quite happy with it. Everyone is different of course so you read as many as you like -- do what works for you.

I'm also not walking away over-stimulated and frustrated each day from over consumption. I believe that the time you spend on every activity should be as good as you can possibly make it. Even a mundane shower should be fun -- wash with your favorite soap and listen to a great CD and sing your little heart out. If you are consuming too much information daily, try to curb things a bit, reel yourself in, make an honest assessment about your blog intake, and then do something to shorten your list of reads so that you're spending more time enjoying the blogs you love, commenting on them, and showing the author that you appreciate their hard work so the good blogs stick around and continue to thrive.

If you have any blog reading tips to share, or if you'd like to tell us what blogs you read daily, please comment below!

edited: May 24, 2008

(image: holly becker)

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