Okay, truth be told, I was a little intimidated by the idea of writing this post because I don’t think I’m that big of a blogger, nor do I do anything fancy in terms of blogging set up or prep.
I thought I would share with you a little peek of what I use to blog and how I set it up. Spoiler alert: There’s only five items, and nothing fancy as you might think!
I’ve benefited a lot from reading other bloggers’ posts on their set up and planning. I’m a nosy person and this is exactly the kind of post I would click instantly when it shows up on my bloglovin’ feed. So enough intro… let’s get started on the blog tools/blogging tools I can’t live without!
1. A Camera
Surprise surprise! The secret to a good blog post? Definitely camera. Even if the title isn’t as eye catching as expected, as long as there is a great picture, I would go ahead and open that blog post. Most bloggers these days have a fancy DSLR to capture stunning images but I just can’t be bothered! I own the Nikon D5100 but even after spending hours learning it, I am just not getting it. #INeedHelp!? I stick with my almost 10 years-old Panasonic Lumix camera. I know this is about 10 years old because I remembered bringing it on a trip when I was in 9th grade. And this used to be my Dad’s camera too – hooray for free hand me downs!
2. Natural Lights
Now this is something we all have in abundance and it doesn’t cost a penny!! I’ve invested in “natural lighting” light bulbs, and tried building my own light box but the results just aren’t the same. Natural lighting on the weekend (any time between 10-3pm) are my prime photography hour! The pictures need less editing, and comes out so much better than with artificial lighting!
3. Photoshop or Image Editing Software
I’ve been designing and working with Photoshop long before it became a blogging thing. However, a lot of my Photoshop career involved designing wallpapers, and graphics to use on my resource site that I used to run years ago. Although I try to to not edit it too much, sometimes, when you’re working with only several hours of sunlight during the weekend and trying not to spend your entire weekend on blog work, it helps to adjust brightness and ensure the images look as crisp and clean as possible.
If you don’t have access to Photoshop, there are plenty of free alternatives out there! A quick Google search will yield plenty of results to help you get picture-perfect images for your blog.
4. Planner & Notepads
I’m as old school as it gets. When it comes to planning out my posts and ensuring everything is spaced out evenly so that I’m not doing a back-to-back haul post (because let’s be honest, I’m just shoving consumerism up people’s faces!). I also use it to jot down the dates that the posts are publishing so that I can upload Instagram/Twitter posts while I’m at work or out and about. In my notepad (just one of those that I have lying around will do just fine!) I jot down post ideas, products that I want to feature, and the “setting” that I want to have for the post. This helps ensure that the time I’m spending on the weekend on the photos are well-used and I’m not scrambling for pictures at the last minute.
5. Phone & Social Media
My phone is how I stay connected with my blog and everyone/everything associated with it. From having the Instagram/Twitter/Pinterest apps on my phone, to being able to respond to emails and queries on my phone. I know it seems like a silly thing to post on a blogging must-have list, but let’s be real, this is how you advertise and make your blog big!
Now it’s your turn! Share what your favourite blogging must-have’s are! I’m as simplistic as it gets – am I missing anything? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Share with me comment section or through Twitter or Instagram!