I think this may be the longest I’ve ever gone without updating my blog. I don’t think in the more than 10 1/2 years since I started Swoon Worthy, I’ve ever gone more than a couple of weeks, nevermind more than a few months without a single post! I feel like I owe it to those of you who may be coming back and reading my blog for a bit of an explanation!
As you may already know, I started my blog back in 2010, way back before ‘influencer’ had been coined by marketers, long before you could actually make a living doing what I do. I just started it because I wanted to catalogue the changes we were making to our home. I wanted to find like-minded people that enjoyed talking about colour schemes and DIY and the latest trends (because the people closest to me were getting tired of me talking about it!).
The funny thing is, I think my blog may have been the first in the UK to let people inside my house, to show my OWN home rather than just talk about design as a whole. Plenty of people in my life thought it was very weird and warned me it was dangerous to show people INSIDE my house. But I’d seen it done across the pond and whilst no one was doing it here at that time, I knew I could maintain some kind of privacy for myself but pull back the curtain just enough for others to be inspired.
I say it’s funny because you look at Instagram now and well, everyone is doing it. There are literally hundreds of thousands of accounts of people sharing the inside of their homes but, dear reader, I promise it wasn’t always like this. And so my blog stood out, perhaps for that reason alone a decade ago and as I wrote in my blog, more and more people discovered me and followed me here.
After a few years, brands started to catch on to these new blogs, real people using their authentic experience to help others just like them. And so the offers to work with these brands started rolling in. At first, it was a bit of a minefield but I quickly learned how to navigate this whole new world of making money with my blog without sacrificing my integrity and staying true to myself. Four years after starting Swoon Worthy, I was able to quit my secular employment (I was in marketing for years and my last position was running AO’s lifestyle blog). I took on freelance writing and consultancy on the side but mostly, I concentrated on growing Swoon Worthy.
Over the last decade, I have accomplished an incredible amount with my blog. And whilst I’m super proud of it, please know that I do not mean to sound like I’m bragging or anything – especially as this is over the course of more than a decade! – but I am just stating some facts so you can understand where my head is right now, in 2021. I have won 6 blog awards, I have lost count of how many I’ve been nominated for and how many ‘top blogger’ lists I have been on, I have seen my home in more than 20 magazines around the world, I have appeared in 5 interior design books, I have hosted talks to hundreds of people, I have been a guest many times over on national radio. I have worked with some incredible brands including John Lewis, MADE, Anthropologie, the White Company, Argos, George at Home, Caesarstone, John Lewis of Hungerford… the list goes on… plus a myriad of amazing smaller businesses. Over the course of a decade, Swoon Worthy became one of the most well-known and respected interior design blogs in the UK. (Whoa.)
Further to this, at some point last year, I finally hit my goal of reaching over 100,000 page views in a month on the blog and it just kept growing. Not long after that, that figure doubled. The traffic I receive now is larger than I could have ever dreamed. It’s a little surreal if I’m honest.
I am genuinely so so grateful for my blog (and for my readers and followers of course!). It changed our lives in the most incredible ways and it has given me so much. I have been able to support my family with it, pay our mortgage, keep our furbabies fed. It’s allowed me an incredible amount of freedom and I’ve met some of my best friends through it. It has not been without a lot of hard work and the journey hasn’t always been smooth, but I have been able to accomplish the goals I had set for myself.
In case you are scared at this point that I am going to say I’m abandoning my blog forever, please know that is not happening. I don’t think I could ever give it up entirely.
I do think, however, looking back over the last decade, that I’ve now gotten to a point with it that I have no real further goals to reach. I’ve accomplished every goal I had for the blog and then some. Crazy when I think of it, someone who simply loved interior design and wanted to talk about it. I’m still that person, that hasn’t changed. Okay, I have picked up a lot of skills over that time, I’m much better at pulling a room together, we’ve learned so much in terms of DIY over that time. But I’m still just someone who wanted to share. Ya see, I never wanted to be ‘Insta-famous’, I didn’t need to be “turning over 6 figures” and I never wanted to be someone who just preached endless consumerism… those were never my goals so I don’t care that I didn’t achieve those arbitrary markers of success. I just wanted to share my experiences, I wanted the freedom to be my own boss and I wanted to have fun decorating a lovely house and well, I somehow managed those goals instead.
And then, well, Covid hit and the whole world changed and something shifted for me.
I was happy, yes, I had worked really hard for so long and accomplished so much of what I’d set out to do. But I no longer felt challenged, I no longer felt excited. To be honest, I think I was pretty burnt out.
And so I decided to shift my energies into a different creative project just to see what might happen, something to throw myself into while the world was in chaos.
So last year, I poured my heart and soul into starting my home-poured luxury candle business and it was like the lights switched back on when I hadn’t even realised they’d been ‘off’. Suddenly, I had a totally new and different challenge, a whole new set of skills to learn. I was starting pretty much over again in so many ways. And my god, was that so nice. I haven’t had that sort of feeling in so long. Things had become too comfortable for me and now there was this huge hill to climb and I didn’t know how I was going to get over that hill but I was going to have the best time trying.
I still do love my blog. I still love interior design. But admittedly, I don’t love where things are going in the industry. I don’t want to make it big on Instagram (and nowadays, most brands have shifted focus from blogs to Instagram), an app which to make any real traction, you have to pretty much be on full time, an app that is constantly shifting the goalposts, where there are just so many creators now vying for attention. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s because I’m a bit older now but I have been negotiating changes in the industry already for such a long time. To me, Instagram feels like junk food, a quick fun hit of entertainment and inspiration but it’s not going to really teach you anything because it all moves so fast. And maybe that’s why blogs are still being read despite what the media might say, despite the fact few brands want coverage on blogs. Maybe that’s why my traffic is higher now than it ever has been because people still want to learn. They still want to slow down a little bit and digest something interesting or learn something new that isn’t just someone pointing to a few words appearing on a screen in 15 seconds.
I have more than 10 years of content on this blog and my blog posts are read every single day by thousands of people because it seems, they are still relevant. They are still teaching you things you may not have known before. And that makes me so proud and so happy. I still get emails all the time from people saying they’ve only just discovered my blog and how helpful they found it. That’s all I ever wanted.
And so whilst I will continue writing on this blog, I have another baby that I’m raising right now: Swoon Worthy Scents. I love that business, it’s still in its infancy but it’s growing stronger all the time, my goals for it are clear and I’m excited about where it will take me.
The blog won’t be neglected completely, I promise, and I’ll still be on Instagram too – I just need to get back into the swing of things. But what I am taking from all this time off is that I’m letting go of the pressure to pump out content for the sake of the blog or the demands of the industry. I want to share as I go in a comfortable and easy way for me – when I have something to say, when I have something to share, when I have something to teach.
We still have projects yet to complete on our home – the lockdowns have made this a little more difficult but hopefully, things are going to continue to improve in that regard. We have yet to do the utility room, we still have the hallway to do, we have a downstairs bathroom to put in, our bathroom still needs a complete overhaul, I still have smaller projects like adding panelling to the living room and I want to update our master bedroom too. We also have some big plans for the back garden that I am eager to share. I will continue to document the things we’re doing on the house here.
I guess what will change is the pressure to continually be pumping out new content all the time. We’ll take our time with these things rather than rush through them for the big reveal. Basically, I’ll still be here, it’ll just be at a more relaxed pace. It feels good to take the pressure off a bit (well, I’ve taken the pressure off for the last 6 months, to be honest!) and so while I promise I won’t necessarily go months without posting, they may be just a bit less frequent than my previous goal of one to two posts every week.
It feels good to finally be able to relax when it comes to my blog and creating the huge amount of content required when growing a blog. It feels exciting to be facing new challenges and being able to concentrate on those for a little while and I hope you understand that this is where my heart is leading me at this point in my life. I do hope, of course, you’ll stick by me, whether you’ve only just started following me or have been around these parts for many years (and if you don’t want to miss my posts, then just sign up for the newsletters below – given the circumstances, you definitely won’t be bombarded with emails!).
Anyway, it feels good to get that off my chest. Thanks for letting me share my thoughts today!
Glad to hear you are staying true to your authentic self and goals.
Have mentioned this before – when my daughter first got her own home I suggested this blog. She went back through your archives and learnt so much about how a HOME develops over time. That it is not a race around a showroom but our own journey. That creating a safe beautiful space is valid. (It helps that her tastes are very similar to yours!)
In a world of clickbait, likes, selling (sometimes still covert) and freebies, your mantra of say, share, teach sounds like fresh air.
Thank you so much Mandy and for your (and your daughter’s!) support over all this time! It really does mean the world to me! xxx
As a fellow home decor blogger, this was really encouraging to read, particularly how far you’ve come on this journey! I completely feel you regarding Instagram and what is requires/has become. You worded that so perfectly. Maybe it’s an age thing (I’m 40) so I can’t/am not interested in spending so much time there for little return.
I started following home decor blogs back in 2011 while I lived in London. I wish I’d discovered your blog while I lived there lol. I’m back in Trinidad and Tobago now.
Your candles are stunning and I wish you continued growth, success and inspiration as you now raise that baby.
Thank you Nickesha! I agree, I spend enough time on screens so the demands of Instagram as an ‘influencer’ requires far more than I’m willing to give it! lol Really appreciate the support lovely xxx
Kimberly
So happy to see you pop up in my inbox. You continue to blaze a trail my friend… being your authentic self! You can never take Jersey out of the girl no matter how long you’ve lived in that magical land!
be well and congrats on moving forward the way you want and not feeling pressure to do otherwise!
xo
Hahaha Meryl regarding your ‘Jersey Girl’ comment! Thank you lovely, that means a lot! xxx
I recently shut down my Instagram account so I understand what you are saying. While I was just a follower not producing any content I still felt like I was constantly checking and then getting depressed by all the dieting ads, shopping way too much etc. It took one of my fav Instagrammers (?) who decided to shut his account down and plus watching the documentary Social Dilemma to decide that it was getting to be too much. I get more from your blog than you know and as a reader I understand ,you blog for you— you are not required nor should you be to constantly update in order to fulfill others needs. Does this all make sense? Anyway I am still a fan and will continue to read and learn from you. Who knew I would get into candle making? Find really cool home decor on HM? Fall in love with a wicker purse? Not to mention your gorgeous pets! I hope one day to get to visit Shrewsbury. Thank you for not totally disconnecting and best wishes for your new path! I am excited to see all the progress!
What a lovely comment and yes, it all makes total sense! I often wish there was a way to just disconnect completely (especially after watching Social Dilemma, OMG) but its tough when you’ve built a business that’s totally online! LOL! But words like yours are so encouraging and I really appreciate the support. I’m constantly in awe of how nice my readers really are! thank you xxx
Hello and congrats on your new endeavor. I first found you in a google search for “boho glam”. At the time, I wasn’t sure if it was even a thing but I wanted it to be and you were the blog that came up. I saw your style and said “that’s it”! Exactly what I imagined boho glam to be. Thank you for providing endless inspiration. xo Robyn
Yay for boho glam Robyn! LOL! It’s totally a thing ;) Thank you Robyn, I’m so so happy you’ve found some inspiration here! xxx
I have now gone on Instagram since, as you say, a lot of the interior bloggers have switched to that platform but I still love looking a longer posts on blogs such as yours and I will, like all your faithful long time readers, be perfectly happy to wait for you to complete your home projects at a more leisurely pace in order to admire them! Good luck with all your new projects!
Aww thanks Helen! I think a lot of people have moved to Instagram (understandably too, that’s kind of where the money is these days!) but like you, I still love to read nice meaty blog posts! And so do a lot of others ;) Thanks lovely, looking forward to sharing more here xxx
Ive been with you for so many years Kimberly, you feel more like a friend then just the lady that rights a blog. You do whats right for you, that is one thing i have learnt with everything thats happened this last year.
Be happy and if this is the way for you then im 100% behind it. Your new business is amazing and i wish you well with everything you want to do, ill still be here flower. Xxx
Aww thank you lovely lady, your support has always meant so much to me! So agree, you have to follow your heart at times, right? Thanks darling! xxx
This post was very timely! Recently, I had been wondering where you have been and was a little concerned. I’m pleased you’ve found another outlet for your creativity and will continue to share your projects, as they have always been inspiring. Of course, there’s still a wealth of information and inspiration in the archives of your blog. Wishing you all good things and look forward to seeing future posts!
Good on you Lovely. Having shared a lot of that journey with you I completely understand. I know that this next chapter will be successful for you because you work hard at everything you do.
This past year has changed things here to. We’ve brought forward plans to move to the country. We’ve found a beautiful house and I’m sure some DIY will happen but I no longer want to bend a house to my taste and the latest trends. Whatever we do it will be organic and slow. Maybe consumerism is dead. I hope so.
Much love xx
You’ve been around this industry just as I have Carole so I know you get it! lol I didn’t realise you were moving house – that’s so exciting but I totally understand wanting to step away from the pressures of doing things just for an audience. You do you and enjoy it every step of the way. Best of luck with the move, it sounds fabulous xxx
Oh bless you Tere! I never think people will notice if I slink off for a while! Haha! Thank you for your lovely support, darling, it really means a lot to me to have such wonderful readers! xxx
This post resonated deeply with me, in fact, I am experiencing similar feelings at the moment to those you have voiced. I love your blog, I’ve been reading it since I think 2015 but I totally understand how you are feeling about it right now. Having said that I will still be looking forwards to your future posts and will remain a loyal reader. I hope your candles are an amazing success btw too. May I request a couple of darker colourways for the future as I’d love to display them in my home too. Wishing you all the best x
Oh thank you lovely lady! I definitely won’t just disappear – we have too much still to do and I’m still an over-sharer! Haha! Oh and if you are looking forward to a darker colourway, stay tuned as I’ll be working on a collaboration later this year which I think will be RIGHT up your street ;) xxx
Yay you, Kimberly! 100% feel ya on all of it! And 100% happy to continue to celebrate you in your ongoing calibrations and re-calibrations. Create right-sized happiness, sustainability, and joy in your creative process is the highest and best goal, IMO. Love ya!
You are SUCH a sweetheart, Claire! thank you, darling, that means a lot! xxx
As a blog reader I actually prefer less posts with more unique interesting content. I mean we are all busy in our lives and practically being buried under social media as it is. So it is rather difficult for me to keep up with those that put out 4-5 posts a week, and then once I get behind I feel bad. And as a new home interiors blogger it is a little discouraging that I missed a better blogging decade. However, I have heard the same thing from other bloggers I follow regarding Instagram. They are as well not feeling very positive and tapering off the time they spend on there. Looking forward to your future posts.
Oh I feel you completely on the overwhelm of keeping up with it all Ann! It’s just too much noise, I agree. I don’t think you missed out to be honest, it’s just a different industry to what it was when I started but there are still so many opportunities to those willing to put in the work ;) I just think having done it for such a long time now, I’m looking for something new now but don’t let that discourage you! Thanks for your kind words, lovely xxx
Congratulations on recognizing the need for something else :-)
Aww thank you June! xxx
Following you on Instagram it was so clear your passion was taking off with the candles and that is obviously where you are meant to be focusing your energy right now. And given I have one of them on my desk I can vouch that you’re pretty great at it too!
I read this nodding a lot, I especially agree with you about Instagram – I still love longform blogs but they are fewer and fewer these days sadly. One thing though – you made it sound as though your success was almost a ‘right place, right time’ thing. I beg to disagree – I think it all derives from your amazing eye for interiors, the brilliantly informative way you teach what you’ve learnt, and your personality. I don’t think any of these successes would have come your way without those things, whether or not you were the first person sharing your home and in the right era for the rise of the interiors blogger. Please don’t be too humble in the face of such amazing achievements! xx
Aww I’m so happy you are loving your candle, Anna! And thank you for your kind words, you are so sweet – I am really proud of my achievements, I guess I was just acknowledging that timing played a role but I will remember your words regardless! ha! Thank you sweetheart xxx
Kimberly — Thanks for checking in.
It’s so good to hear from you. Glad you’re ok.
And congratulations on your new venture!
(Do you know how many blogs just go away, and never say goodbye 🥲)
Aww thank you, Margaret! And I know what you mean – I’ve experienced it too reading blogs and I didn’t want to do that! I’ll still be here anyway, I won’t’ just go away, I promise – I’m still too much of an over-sharer! Haha! xxx
I have been following you for years and love your blog. Happy your not going to stop blogging whenever you feel like it. I bet that will make your posts even better. I’m with you instagram… I find it overwhelming in a sense and lacking in many others. Good luck with your new venture!
I am in love with your website and enjoy to read your blog posts. Thank you for sharing your home with us!!
Congratulations on finding your true self and your new pursuits. We all change and our minds are flooded constantly so sometimes we need to step back and recharge. We need to relax and LIVE! I am 74 and never had the chance to start what I really loved but I am changing things in my home to reflect the real me – Scorpio and an empath. Thank you for giving me new ideas and good luck with your future endeavors.
Oh Lynn, what beautiful encouragement! Thank you so much for your comment, I couldn’t agree more and I’m so happy you are taking the time to create a home that speaks to who you are as a person. As a fellow empath, it’s so important we protect our energy and where better to do that in our own homes! Thank you again lovely xxx
Nice post
I like your blog