My three year blogging confessions
Hoorah! Tin Box Traveller is three years old. I read somewhere recently that if you blog makes it this far it’s going to be around forever…or at least until the zombie apocalypse.
That’s an exciting thought – the forever part, not the apocalypse. But how to celebrate?
I was tempted to tell you all about the exciting posts I’ve written, how my blog has grown and what I’ve learnt along the way. However, that would be seriously unoriginal.
So, let’s make this a little more interesting. I’ve got some confessions – things only I know about my blog that may shatter the illusions I’ve worked hard to create. But hey, what the heck!
Contents - jump to what you'd like to know
Confession one – I’ve used terrible quality photos
I run a weekly feature called Travel Timehop. I post pictures from our travels during the past decade and share the memories associated with them. Cute, right? Well, I have a little secret. Most of the pictures I’ve shared have had to be copied from Facebook. This is family travel blogger blasphemy!
The reason is that during one of his deployments with the Royal Navy Mr Tin Box took away our hard drive containing our entire photo library. We had decided to put everything in one place to avoid duplication. Big mistake!
To cut a long story short, the ship rolled and the hard drive got smashed on the floor of his cabin. We lost everything pre-2012. Our honeymoon, the road trip around Europe, and dozens of holidays from before we got married. The moral of this little confession – back up, back up and back up some more!
Confession two – I think caravanning can be dull
I started my blog to share our caravan adventures. I love caravanning: the freedom we have to visit all sorts of places on a budget; the sense of community within the club to which we belong; and sharing something that I enjoyed as a child with my own babies.
However, I think I (and anyone who reads my posts) would soon get bored if I didn’t blog about other things. There you go, I’ve said it. Just writing about caravanning would be boring. That’s why you’ll now find a happy mix of travel, family fun and mummy musings on Tin Box Traveller. This is what I enjoy, so I’m writing about it.
Confession three – I’m stuck in the social media dark ages
I schedule all my social media posts manually. Yes, it does take hours but I haven’t quite got to the point where my blog is self-funding and I can commit to the regular monthly expense of a plugin that does the job for me. I’m also on Blogger rather than WordPress so my options are more limited. I’m hoping, for my own sanity, this will change in 2016.
Confession four – I fall in and out of love with blogging daily
I want my blog to be successful, but some days I just can’t be bothered.
You know those days. The kids have been playing ‘tag, I’m awake’ all night. The last post you wrote flopped for reasons unknown. And there’s a bottle of wine calling you from the kitchen.
On those days (and only after the kids are in bed) do I put the phone aside, close my laptop and sit back to watch some trash TV with a glass of vino. Tomorrow is another blogging day.
Confession five – I’m so last minute
I’m often up writing tomorrow’s post the night before. It’s not because I have a lack of ideas. I have a huge list of things I want to write about.
The challenge is fitting blogging in around two little people and a dog that hold most of my attention during day light hours. Then, if Mr TB is home (and not smashing precious memories onboard a ship – he’ll never live it down) I do try to be social at least a couple of evenings a week.
There just never seems to be enough hours in the day to write, photograph and edit more than one post at a time.
So they you have it; my blogging confessions. If you’re a blogger, do you have any vices you’d be willing to share. I’d love to hear them.
I love hearing what people think about my blog so feel free to leave a comment below or browse around. You can also find me on Bloglovin’, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and LinkedIn
The challenge is fitting blogging in around two little people and a dog that hold most of my attention during day light hours. Then, if Mr TB is home (and not smashing precious memories onboard a ship – he’ll never live it down) I do try to be social at least a couple of evenings a week.
There just never seems to be enough hours in the day to write, photograph and edit more than one post at a time.
So they you have it; my blogging confessions. If you’re a blogger, do you have any vices you’d be willing to share. I’d love to hear them.
I love hearing what people think about my blog so feel free to leave a comment below or browse around. You can also find me on Bloglovin’, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and LinkedIn
Happy 3 years blogiversary 🙂 I keep trying to plan ahead but it never works. I am hoping my blog break next week might help me!?!
Merry Christmas to yout family. It was great meeting you this year. Blog camp was one of my 2015 blogging highlights. Maybe see you at a blogging event next year if I get planning some xx
Congratulations on your 3 years blogging!! Such a long time!! Well done you must be very consistent in order to keep blogging for so long!! I can relate to many of them!! I'm also always behind just thinking about the post I should have written a week ago!! LOL It is just so hard to keep post on the day. I also feel the same of the feeling of fall in and out of love with blogging although overall I love it but it is just such a time consuming sometimes. Thanks so much for sharing this at #KCACOLS! 🙂 xx
Me too – I just never have the time to plan ahead, I always write posts on the go and publish them pretty much immediately. I am hoping to start doing half a day for my blog next year, in peace, so hubby can take the terror toddler for a walk but we shall see if that'll ever happen 🙂 congrats on 3 years!
Congratulations on your bloggiversary!
I think most bloggers would have a list of 'confessions' like this. For me it all started out a bit haphazard but hopefully has gotten better little by little I find 🙂
Thanks for linking up with #KCACOLS
Congratulations on getting to 3 years – that's taken some dedication! As much as I've tried (not much then) I never schedule my posts in advance – apart from for the next day. Like you, I just don't seem to have enough time. I also have a dog and the dog walks are a little like school runs!! (although I don't have to do those yet – I'm totally assuming). That is such a shame about all of your photos, thanks god for Facebook. I also have a truprint account (very retro) which has proved so handy when I've crashed/dropped laptops in the past! #KCACOLS
forgot #KCACOLS
They sound all too familiar! I hope to make it as long as this, I'm almost at 6 months and I'm amazed because I find it hard to stick at things. I'm sure you'll forgive him eventually 😉
Happy blog anniversary! I am with you I have so many plans to get organised and often end up writing the next day's blog post the night before. Here's to another 3 or 30 years! 🙂 #kcacols
Congratulations on three years! Love your confessions – I can relate to many of them! #KCACOLS
Ha love it! I'm guilty of all of these (and much, much worse!). Congratulations on your blog birthday, hope you have many more years of fun ahead! 🙂
Happy blog anniversary Claire! 3 years wow and you still have not run out of ideas! I would never forgive my hubby if he destroyed our pics either. Like Cathy above, I have many of my old pics on print only but I also have some stored all over the place, an old laptop, some DVDs, on back up box thingy – (my confession would be that I'm not very technical!) I also confess to 4 & 5….. I frequently wonder what I am blogging for and I am always late to add to any linky! Enjoy bubbles to celebrate tonight:) Fab post and a very inspiring blog. Lisa
Happy blog anniversary. I am a bad blogger, I never plan ahead, usually going with whatever ideas pop into my head there and then. I don't schedule posts I do it all myself and sometimes I just can't be bothered! sshhh! #KCACOLS
Happy blog anniversary! I am definitely guilty of a few of these including 4 and 5. And what a nightmare about the photos… although most of my old ones are print only!