One of the greatest struggles of style bloggers — or any creative entrepreneur — is the guilt or frustration that comes with not being able to blog or create as often as you’d like. It’s not your fault. You’re brilliant! You’re sparking with ideas all day long! Ideas that need to see the light of day.
So, one of the best skills to develop is a system to collect all your unique ideas. Don’t let them evaporate. Don’t face writer’s block. Don’t stare blankly at your closet wondering if you’ve any new combos left to wear.
It would be lovely to have one perfectly written list in a luscious journal. But your life is too fast and varied for that, m’dear. Here’s the non-fancy system I use for Dean Street Society:
1. Tangible Notebook: I never leave home without my Rifle notebook. I have one page for “Ideas” and jot down any blog posts, future classes, webinars, offerings, outfits that come to me. {Alternative: “Notes” app on your iPhone}
2. Google Doc: I have an “Ideas” Google Doc which I can access from my MacBook, iPad, iPhone or any computer I sign in to. {Alternatives: Evernote & Penzu}
3. Gmail Folder: Sometimes I come across an article, email myself a Tweet I read or am typing on my iPhone as I power-walk. When in doubt I’ll send myself an email and immediately file it in my “Ideas” folder to get it out of my inbox.
4. Bedside Notepad: I keep a small pad of paper on my nightstand for those moments when something comes to me as I’m reading, falling asleep or having a bout of insomnia.
5. Reminders in iCloud: I keep my Editorial Calendar on my iCloud calendar & sometimes I’ll shuffle things around, post less in a week and have extra ideas that aren’t used. I copy and paste them into a reminder and when I go to look at my editorial calendar for the next month, my unused ideas are waiting for me. {Alternative: Anything that pairs with the calendar you keep, whether tangible or electronic}
6. 3-Ring Binder with Clear Sleeves: Flipping through a magazine or catalogue will often give me an idea of something in my closet I could pair together. I’ll tear out the page, jot a note about my idea, then tuck it in a binder near my closet so it’s on hand when I’m feeling stuck or running late for a photoshoot.
In other words: Every place you could possibly get inspired or have an idea. Actually, I left out the shower. HSN probably has something you can buy for that too.
So you have 892 incredible ideas! Now what? Schedule a “Idea Party” on your calendar every three months. {Jan, April, July, Sept works for me.} Open up each of these spots and wherever makes the most sense for you {mine is a Google Doc} keep a Master Idea List. Cross items off that are duplicates. Combine similar ideas. Use two ideas to make for one killer post. Then put them on your editorial calendar and you’ve got blog content for months to come!
How do you keep track of your blog & outfit ideas? Which one of these can you start implementing today?
By Hilary Rushford: Founder of Dean Street Society
Great advice!
I love my “tangible notebook”! I know that everything is online now (especially if you’re a blogger), but there’s something nice about being able to write something down without having to unlock a phone or open a computer. Great for storing post ideas, or just random Chanel doodles.
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