The 2 Biggest Mistakes I Made in My First Year of Freelance

Running your own business is hard. Especially when your business is service-based. It would be a whole lot easier if I sold candles or something similar: a single purchase, a relationship formed only if both parties want it to continue.

For service-based businesses, the relationship is the point. And with a business that is predicated on relationships, on managing expectations, things can get really challenging.

This isn’t to say that running one type of business is easier than another. There are things that are super challenging about both, obviously. But sometimes, for me, there are times where I wish I could just ship a physical product and call it done!

Unfortunately for me, I don’t make a physical product. I’ve been super lucky to have a really great first 8ish months of working for myself exclusively—there haven’t been any big issues. However, over the last year, I’ve definitely been able to see the mistakes I’ve made clearly. I wanted to share these as I think, for everyone who works for themselves running their own business, they are things to look out for.

1. Not Setting Clear Expectations with Clients (or, Ignoring Very, Very Red Flags)

If you work in a service-based business, eventually you’re going to come across a client who doesn’t know what they want. They know sort of what you do, they know they need to hire you, but they don’t have any idea what any of this means. They might be micromanage-y about it; they might be standoffish about it; but either way, you’re never going to be able to meet their expectations because they don’t know what they are. For you, this creates a situation where the target is always moving, you aren’t able to get what you need, and, especially if you’re in the early part of your career, you don’t really know how to deal with them.

I have had 2 clients like this so far. Both of them had red flags from the very beginning. With these kind of clients, I often find myself falling into the same cycle:

• They ask me to do something that is outside the scope of my contract with them.

• I’m a pushover, so I start doing that work. I communicate with them a new need (such as a login, payment information for a new tool, etc.)

• They do not respond to my emails.

• I think, “I’m an adult. I don’t need to chase my clients when they don’t respond.”

• I send a follow up email.

• They don’t respond.

• A week goes by and they ask me what’s wrong with their website, why haven’t I done the work they asked for, they don’t understand what’s going on, etc.

I end up feeling gaslit by the end of it—am I the one being flaky? Am I the one not doing what I’m supposed to do? And for both of these clients, I sensed a red flag from the very beginning; I suspected that they didn’t know what they want and got the vibe that they would ask for more work from me than what was in the contract. (Such as asking things like “Oh, you do SEO writing too, not just VA work? That’s good to know!” is usually a sign that they’re going to try to get me to redo their website.)

What did I learn from this mistake? Set expectations at the beginning. Here’s a good script I write for myself:

• “So, from my understanding, you’re asking for [#] hours a week of [task-based work]. While I do provide other services, at this time, that is outside the scope of this contract. I understand that your goals are X, Y, and Z. To help meet these goals, I’ll send check up emails on Monday morning.”

That’s just a brief script—I might include more, as well as an email summary that includes a write up of what I’ll be doing in the hours I have dedicated to that client. I also keep my expectations really clear: I am not an employee and I won’t act like one. If an urgent task comes up, I will do my best to tackle it right then and there—but most likely, I will have to work it into my schedule. Making these expectations clear—that I am not their babysitter or manager, but rather an expert in my field they are hiring to take over—is a huge aspect of my on-boarding now. Live and learn, y’all.

2. Not Invoicing My Clients for All the Time I Spent on Their Projects

“Well, I spent 3 hours working on that due to technological issues, but I feel bad that it took so long, so I’ll invoice for 1.5 hours instead,” I said about literally every project with literally every client for the first 6 months of freelancing.

Not only does this cheat your clients—they think you’re doing a ton of work efficiently in half the time, giving them a false sense of how long projects take—it cheats you. You didn’t spend 1.5 hours on that—you spent 3 of your hours (out of 24 in a day, of which hopefully you spend like 10 or so sleeping!) on it. And you deserve to get paid for those 3 hours, even if it took you longer than you thought it should, even if you feel bad about it.

Which, note to self, why do I feel bad about invoicing my clients? They hired me! They’re paying me! That’s what I’m here for!

What did I learn from this mistake? This was a huge mistake I made that doesn’t really have any impact on the work I did or the relationship I built. But it did effect how I saw my work over time, it impacted me financially (obviously spending 12 hours a day working and invoicing for half of it and then wondering why my invoices are so tiny at the end of the month—note to Michelle, you gotta stop this), and it made me feel burnt out. Not only that, I felt really stupid about it!

Now, I invoice for every minute, every second that I work for a client. I personally use Clockify to manage my time and see how much I’ve worked on a project (and to know if I’m using too many hours—in which case I communicate with the client and let them know I’ll either need to scale back hours or we should increase their budget)—it includes a timer so that I just set it at the start of a task and have a detailed description of every minute I’ve worked.

This leads me to a specific example. This is actually one of the clients in my first example—a client I had to fire for asking me to do more work than was in the scope of my contract, paying me too little (I didn’t negotiate and I was making $12 an hour—that’s right, $12 an hour), and blaming me consistently for things that were not my fault. (A prime example is their website went down because they renewed the wrong website—which unfortunately badly effected their SEO. I wasn’t hired for SEO though and I’m not a programmer; I couldn’t help them with the technical bits of their website!) When I fired them, I sent my last invoice—and they didn’t pay it, didn’t pay it, didn’t pay it. When I finally asked them what was up, as our parting of ways was not contentious, she replied that because she would have to redo some of the work I had done, she didn’t think she should have to pay me for those hours and her bookkeeper agreed. I was so upset that I just said fine, pay me whatever. (Reminder: this was work that was completely outside the scope of my contract to begin with!)

Friends, this is wrong. Your client does not get to determine whether you are paid for the work you did for them or not. You did the work, you get paid for it. There is no arguing. If they do argue, tell them you will speak to a lawyer. If you have a contract (and you should always have a contract), make sure to stipulate payment terms. If you have to prove you did the work, that’s fine. But if you do deliver the work that is asked for, you deserve to be paid for it—and there is no reason why a decent business would ever argue about it or try to step back on a contract.

Whew! All this is to say: invoicing is a challenging part of freelancing, I struggle to bill clients appropriately (due to some guilt issues and imposter syndrome), and I completely understand if you feel lost and confused about the process because, honey, honestly, same.

Ok, over to you: what’s your biggest mistake you’ve made freelancing? I’m not talking email-sent-at-the-wrong-time or email-gone-unanswered, but rather—what is a mistake you made that taught you a serious lesson about running your business?

3 Cozy Summer Loungewear Pieces for Working from Home Featuring Femme Luxe*

It’s been so long since I’ve written and posted anything close to fashion content—including photos. I’m really out of the habit. However, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect loungewear for wearing around the house while I’m working—pretty much since quarantine started in March. I feel like I’ve ordered more new loungewear and pajama sets than I have in years.

Part of the reason why I’ve been on the hunt for great loungewear is because I want to feel comfortable while I’m working from home, while also wearing things that don’t make me feel super slovenly or gross. I tend to wear my pajama pants (well loved pajama pants! I’ve owned the same 5 pairs since before I was pregnant with Forrest) and t-shirts of Danny’s when I’m home. And frankly, after a few weeks of that, I wasn’t feeling so great.

Loungewear gives you that perfect in-between of “I’m dressed up” but also “I’m super comfortable.” When Femme Luxe reached out to me to showcase a few outfits, I was excited to see so much loungewear available. It isn’t the sort of website I would usually consider placing an order from, but I decided to test it out and see what I thought. I’m really glad I did. Here are the 2 outfits I picked out (comprised of 3 separate pieces!).

The first choice I made was this Gray Oversized Loungewear Set. I love an oversized t-shirt, so that was an easy choice to make. In regards to sizing, I ordered the Large size in this one—the shirt is perfectly oversized. The leggings were a bit small at first, but have stretched out a little overtime. I’m typically a size 12-14 ish in pants and skirts (although it’s super variable), so just keep that in mind if you’re ordering.

Best of all these 2 pieces are comfy and soft. Since it’s a uniform gray-all-over, I feel a little more put together than just in my slubby oversized t-shirt!

One thing to note is that these leggings are a bit see-through in the butt—so if you wear them out, make sure to wear a longer t-shirt (like the matching one!) or a tunic-style top to cover up (if that’s something you worry about! If not, live your life girl!)

The second loungewear set I picked was the Taupe & Black Oversized Hoodie Shorts Loungewear Set. It’s a set of basically sweatpants shorts and a zip up hoodie vest—I picked the olive green color, but it also comes in taupe.

I ordered the XL size in this one and I probably could have ordered a size large. The shorts are a little too big, but that’s fine because they’re so comfortable and soft. I’ve probably worn this set more than any other—it’s so comfortable and perfect for summer, when it’s too hot for leggings, but you want to be comfy.

The hoodie vest is also great for layering—I like having pockets when I’m in my house, only so I always have my phone and glasses. These ones are perfect—they’re super big!

I paired this set with the Coral California Graphic T-shirt. I ordered a size Large in this as well—it fits really well. I’ve worn this t-shirt so much, I’ve washed it 3 times since I got it already! It’s probably my second favorite piece (after the shorts from the loungewear set!) and I’ve gotten a ton of compliments on it. It’s just a cute graphic t-shirt, perfect for wandering around the house, working or just lounging.

My favorite thing about these 2 outfits is that, if I have to jump on a quick Zoom call with a client and don’t want to change my outfit, it doesn’t look like I’m wearing loungewear—I look nice without having to put in a ton of effort!

When I first was approached by Femme Luxe, I was worried that they wouldn’t carry much in my size. Being plus size these days definitely feels a bit restrictive at times—there’s just less for us. But if you’re in the smaller range of plus size, Femme Luxe is a great, affordable option. Even better, they do ship to the United States, so if you, like me, want to try some new loungewear pieces, they will make it across the pond!

Disclaimer: As denoted by the asterisk (*) in this post’s title, I did receive items for free in exchange for posting. Posts like this help me keep the lights on here at Writing Between Pauses. However, all opinions remain my own. If you’d like to learn more about my disclosure policy, click here.

3 Habits to Stay Organized

I’m so excited to be sharing the second installment of my Let’s Get Organized series: 3 Habits to Stay Organized. Organization is not about perfection; it’s about having the tools and systems in place to make your life easier, whenever you need it. If you’d like to see May-June’s series on Daily Routines, click here.

Organizing a space is the easy part. You spend a day, or a few days, cleaning out a space, getting everything put away in a way that makes sense, and then it stays perfect forever, right? Right.

Actually, not right. We all know that’s not how it works. We’ve all organized a space and then gone back 2 weeks later and wondered what on earth happened.

Part of getting and staying organized is making it a habit that we work on continuously. A muscle that we stretch and strengthen like any other. It takes routine. It takes patience. It takes a few things that help make it a habit. Here are 3 ways to make organization a habit!

1. Make Your Organization Easy

This one is easier said than done. Basically: make your organization easy for you. There was a great Twitter thread recently about how, for some people, stacked, closed boxes for organization simply don’t work for them. It’s not easy enough. It takes too much time and effort and they know they won’t keep up with it. Open bins, however, work great. While that might not be for everyone, the point is: find a method that works for you. Neat stacks of things? Go for it. Open bins? Yes. Stacked, orderly, labeled boxes? Yes!

Whatever it is that makes organization easy, then incorporate it into your space and life. One thing I struggle with in my office is keeping my desk clear of clutter. I realized recently I need some place to put papers (that I will need to reference later!), random notebooks, etc. I am getting a second bookshelf soon (I know!) and I'll be getting a few open, pretty bins to collect those bits-and-pieces that I need, but don’t have a space for. I’m also getting a filing cabinet soon—it’s long overdue and it will change my office when I finally get one, I think!

Here’s a few ideas of how to make organization easy:

• Make your organization fit how you use a space. That means, don’t stack things that are basically storage in the pantry; put them in storage!

• Put everything where it goes the first time—and instead of just shoving it into a closet, take it to the actual closet where it lives. (A prime example of this for Danny and I is our 3 closets that each have 1/3 of our medicine cabinet.)

• Don’t challenge yourself with your organization. If you really want to be organized, know yourself first—don’t use this as an opportunity to force yourself to try a method you probably know won’t work for you.

2. Make Space for Everything (And If There Isn’t Space, Do You Need It?)

There should be a space for everything you need—and if there isn’t space in way that makes sense, that works, and that’s easy… then ask yourself: do you really need it?

This is sort of a Marie Kondo-esque moment—but not quite that intense. It’s just about simplifying.

Here’s an example: I have 4 tubs of journals. 4 tubs from my entire life. These are important to me. I keep them in a small storage room that is in my office’s closet. It’s a great place to store things I change out pretty frequently or use often, like wrapping paper, decorations for the seasons, extra rugs, tablecloths… that kind of thing. But over the last year, this storage room has gotten insanely disorganized. The primary culprit are these 4 huge tubs of journals. I like to look at them; I’ve referenced them a few times in the past year for random things. But I don’t need them in this space.

They could easily go to the garage! So once our garage is tidied up, that’s where they’re going to go and I’m sticking with it.

All I’m saying here is this: just because something doesn’t work in a space or isn’t needed in a space, doesn’t mean you need to throw it away or get rid of it. It might just mean finding a new space to store it, especially if it’s not something you use frequently or need frequently.

Once you’re really in the work process of organizing a space, deciding what you need versus what you want in that space really is crucial. It will impact how you choose to organize it. And making the right decisions and clearing out things that are just going to complicate the space will make it easier to stay organized over time.

3. Include Reorganization Into Your Routine

My office is a huge bugbear. It tends to be a catch all space where things get put: stuff my mom gives me, stuff that needs to go into storage, random papers, bills… all kinds of stuff ends up there! Right now, I’m still in the process of getting the space cleaned up and organized in a way that makes sense. However, I have started trying to do a quick, 15-minute clean up every evening where I straighten things up, put all the pens back in the pen cup, and at least straighten up my papers.

I also try to take a quick 5 minutes to organize my kitchen at the end of the day: putting things away, straightening random clutter that I need to figure out what to do with, checking the pantry, making sure coffee making stuff is stocked for the morning.

If you make these small tasks of continuously reorganizing and working on a space part of your routine, it makes it that much easier to keep up—and to become a habit. You’ll be more likely to put things where they go rather than just leaving them on the counter or tucking them away in a random drawer if you make it part of your routine to go along after yourself (or your husband, or your kids) and put them where they go. (And obviously, encouraging everyone in your home to do the same thing is the dream!)

Another part of this is, of course, changing your organization when it doesn’t fit. You might think you have a good idea of how to organize a space—but then when it comes to working in your routine and daily life, it just might not. So taking 5 minutes to quickly reorganize the coffee station or silverware drawer so it is more functional is going to make a huge difference and allow organization to be a better habit.

My July 2020 Planner Set Up

The number one question I get asked from friends, family, acquaintances, Instagram followers, and more is: what planner do you use?

We’re all searching for that perfect planner, aren’t we? Planners are highly personal, incredibly tactile objects. If you’re someone who uses a planner, then you know what I’m talking about when I say: a calendar simply isn’t the same thing as a planner. It’s just not!

Part of the reason why I use planners is because I sometimes just need space to write down what is on my brain—it helps me to remember and cement that information. Plus, seeing it written in my own handwriting is often easier for me to recall and connect with.

It’s hard to talk about planners without making exact recommendations: what works for me simply might not work for you! However, I do find people love looking at planners and learning why I (or anyone!) has chosen that planner. So, without further ado, this is my planner set up for July 2020.

Planner 1: My Bullet Journal

I use my bullet journal primarily as a brain dump and a daily journal. I make a few monthly lists—tasks, my playlist, a list of books I’ve read, and highlights—but then after that, I try to fit about 5-6 days on every two pages for my morning journal session. I have been doing one list from the original 52 Lists every single day since June 1—I’m almost done with that book, then I’ll move on to 52 Lists for Calm. I find this a great way to journal every day without the pressure of knowing what to write. Usually once I’m done with my list, I’ll write a few things on my plate for the day or that I’m thinking about.

This journal originally started as a work journal; I kept work journals at my old agency where I kept track of tasks and notes. I have probably 10+ journals full from over 5 years. This was a brand new journal then when I got laid off—it’s funny to see those first few pages of business-as-usual notes that turned into journaling and keeping track of phone numbers for lawyers and more.

I almost thought about just retiring it: transitioning it to a journal felt very weird and it took me a long time. However, I don’t like being wasteful with journals—so I just keep it moving and those first 25 pages remain as a testament to a very weird time in my life.

This month’s theme was a 70s-ish flower theme. Nothing fancy—just the basics. I really liked it though. For a full flip through, you can check out my Instagram!

Planner 2: My Habit Tracker

This planner is the Blue Sky Habit Tracker; you can find a very similar one here, but mine was not that expensive! I really like this layout because it involves a monthly page to write down your goals, pick your habits to track, and write. I typically use this for non-work things, like reminding myself to drink water or other habits I’m working on building. I haven’t filled out my July pages quite yet (just a little behind!), but this is always one of my favorite things to do at the beginning of each month: pick my habits, write what worked from last month and what didn’t, and what I want to focus on.

This month, I want to intermittent fast every day through the end of the month—so that will be on the list. (Before anyone asks, I use IF to help with my migraines!) I haven’t decided on my other goals quite yet, but that will come.

I also use these pages to write out my household tasks and to write notes for myself, as well as things I want to remember—like quotes or ideas I have for blog posts in the future! At the end of the week, I usually condense these pages into a notebook or word doc to help me keep track of all my ideas and brain dumps.

Planner #3: My Daily Schedule Notepad

I get soooo many questions about this notepad. So, here are the details; this is the Lamare Embark Weekly Notepad. I use this for planning each day and keeping track of tasks I need to do on-the-fly. Things like texts from clients saying “can you do xyz really quick?” I’ll jot that down and finish what I’m doing, then take it on. I also try to map out my week here: I’ll look at my Asana task list and transfer things to the day I want to get them done so I have a plan in place. It helps me to be able to glance at my week and know when I have meetings, deadlines, and specific tasks planned.

I don’t really use the habit tracker on this notepad—I tend to use that area to doodle! But I do list my top 3 moments during the week; when something good happens, I try to write it down immediately so I don’t forget! I use the to do section for quick notes as well.

Voila! My planner set up for the week. It’s a fairly simple set up, as I have been trying to use my Asana as project management—rather than trying to have one handwritten to do list! This has been a huge help in managing my clients more effectively—plus it’s tied to the tool I use for recording my time for clients, so that works out perfectly.

How do you use your planners?

3 Tips for Social Media Managers

Social media management isn’t the only thing I do—and, I’ll be honest, it’s not my favorite thing to do.

Back when I first got into marketing, I dreamed of being able to take on social media campaigns, writing witty Instagram captions, optimizing hashtags… I took on other roles in the meantime, like email marketing or blog writing. When I finally got to social media management, I realized that it’s not quite the walk-in-the-park that people think it is.

I do want to start off this blog post with a bit of a disclaimer and explanation: social media management is a challenging, difficult field. It requires a lot of work behind the scenes in analytics and strategy. It goes without saying: just because you happen to have a large number of followers on Instagram personally does not mean you can successfully run social media for brands. You know the basics, for sure! But these are not the same thing and a brand that is selling a product is going to want more from you than perhaps you understand.

This isn’t to say it’s not something to strive for. But I’ve found myself getting frustrated seeing very young girls on Instagram try to pivot to being SMMs…. just because they’ve grown their Instagram (sometimes through blogging groups, sometimes through buying followers) to 10,000 followers. Those simply aren’t the same thing. This might be a bit of gatekeeping on my end, but all I ask is that if you’re interested in this line of work, you understand what you’re getting into, what it means to offer social media management services to a business, and how serious it is to take a business’s money in exchange for results.

All that being said, if you’re new the social media management world, I hope this blog post is helpful to you! I wanted to share 3 pieces of information I’ve learned over the past 6 years that have helped me become better at my job.

1. Social media management requires cooperation between lots of different departments—so make sure you know the entire marketing plan and how you play into it.

Too often, businesses and brands want social media to exist on its own island. They don’t want to provide creative; they don’t want to hire a graphic designer; they don’t have a blog or if they do, they don’t think social media is related to that at all. They just want the results. This is such an incredibly common attitude and it comes from a place of not understanding marketing.

My advice here is this: if you suspect a client is like this, it’s a red flag. You aren’t ever going to be able to do your job effectively; your client is going to get frustrated at the questions you ask; and the relationship will sour pretty quickly.

Social media does not exist in a vacuum, completely separate from other pieces of the business; a good social media manager knows the company calendar, speaks to others in the marketing department, and plays a role in each part of developing a marketing plan for the year.

2. Managing expectations is 50% of your job.

Here’s an example from a client I had at an agency once. When we asked what his goal for social media was, this is what he said: “My goal is to spread rumors about my competition and destroy them politically.”

Yes. He said that.

He wanted to use social media ruthlessly. And unethically. After the meeting ended (it was via teleconference), I turned to my coworker and said, “That’s not something we can do.” She shrugged her shoulders and we both went about our days. I knew what was going to happen though: we would do one month of social media, he would get mad that he hadn’t gone “viral”, and he would refuse further services.

Which is exactly what happened.

The person i am now knows that, during that phone call, when he first made that statement, I should have said: “that expectation is unreasonable. Here are some better goals.” Or I could have talked him through the purpose of why he wanted to do that. Eventually, though, I would have adjusted and managed his expectations so we could provide a better service without burning a bridge entirely. However, I didn’t know that at the time.

Managing expectations is an important part of running any marketing services; your clients need to know what is realistic and what isn’t. Most likely, a furniture company in the midwest isn’t going to go viral—and if they do, it probably won’t be a good thing. The same goes for literally any business in any sense. Managing their expectations of social media, what they want, and what it can do is a critical part of your job—and unfortunately, it just takes practice and experience.

3. Social media is an on-going, rapidly changing business.

What worked for a client last year might not work this week. What was popular a few weeks ago no longer is. The things you expect to perform well suddenly won’t.

Social media management can be very frustrating in this way: you never actually know what’s going to take off and what will succeed. It’s always a bit of guessing game because things change constantly on all platforms.

Here’s an example: in March, many of my clients pulled all their social media when COVID19 shut downs hit. This just felt responsible. Most of them shifted to a week-by-week basis of social media content creation, which increased my stress and the amount of time I worked with each client. However, it was the responsible thing to do with so much changing.

We were just starting to get back on track when BLM protests erupted. Again, clients pulled their social media and social ads. It seems that every single week, something is changing on social media, requiring brands and businesses to reassess what they’re doing on social media. This requires me to be on my toes and able to pull posts at a moments notice. It also means that, in terms of community management (a huge part of being a social media manager), I have to work with their PR (or if they don’t have PR, be their PR) to provide the best possible responses.

A lot of “social media gurus” (again, these are people who grew large personal followings then tried to transition to being a social media manager in the loosest sense of the word—without being too harsh, they are charlatans and much of their advice for businesses is bad) offer these kits or services where you plan your social media months in advance. I can’t begin to explain to you what a bad idea that is.

Yes, plan your calendar out in advance; yes, have an idea of your plan for the year. But I’ve begun to realize that scheduling an entire month’s worth of content for a month or two at a time is a good way to make it so your client finds it challenging to pivot should anything need to change. And now more than ever as social media managers, we need to be able to guide our clients in a way that is ethical and responsible.

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Whew! I think that’s everything! Are you interested in social media management? I’m always up to chat about how I got into the industry, how I get clients, and more over on Instagram. Send me a note—I’d love to talk!

5 Steps for Getting Organized Fast

Happy July! This month, I’ll be posting a series called Let’s Get Organized!, all about organizing your home, your business, and your life. Organization is not about perfection; it’s about having the tools and systems in place to make your life easier, whenever you need it. I can’t wait to share my tips and tricks, and much more. If you’d like to see May-June’s series on Daily Routines, click here.

Here’s something I famously said to a professor: “Sometimes, I’m so organized that I feel like it holds me back.” I can still remember the way she looked at me, her head slightly cocked, and her expression of puzzlement. It didn’t make sense to her.

I’m a naturally organized person: I tend to always put things back where they came from, I love having a place for everything, and it’s very easy for me to get, and stay, organized. But in many ways, having that rigid of a way of thinking can be incredibly restrictive for, say, writing research papers (where sometimes you need to let your mind and interests wander!) or baking cookies with a 4-year-old (who doesn’t understand where anything in the kitchen is).

When it comes to organizing, I have found that it’s not a case of organizing a space and having it stay there. Living spaces are static: they evolve and change, just like we do. A system that worked when you first moved into your home or apartment might not make sense 6 months later, or after you have kids, or whatever!

Here are my 5 steps to organizing your space—whether it’s your office, living room, kitchen, closet, or whatever you need it—fast. (By fast I mean, in the space of 1-2 weekends!)

1. Start with one small place to organize first.

When it comes to getting organized, take it one step at a time. When we moved into our home a year ago this weekend (!!!), I wasn’t focused on organizing. I just wanted our stuff in the house. It didn’t matter where it went. As a result, we have a ton of messy closets, a messy garage, and much more. I still haven’t found my glue gun, which I misplaced at some point during the move.

However, I know if I tried to tackle every single closet and the garage and the living room and the kitchen all at once, I’d get overwhelmed, stressed, and burnt out on organizing. Just yesterday, I told my husband: my goal for this summer is to get our garage organized into a functional space, not just a bunch of stacks of boxes of stuff that we probably don’t even need.

Pick one space to start organizing and stick with that space, and that space only, for your first round. Don’t move outside of that space; don’t let yourself start thinking about those laundry room cabinets while you’re working on this space; don’t deviate from the plan. Pick one space, seriously.

2. Buy what you need for the space—not what’s available.

I was recently listening to the A Beautiful Mess podcast with Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman (it’s seriously really good!) and Elsie had a tip that I had never thought of before: if you need to buy something to organize the space, buy the perfect thing, not just what’s available. I have always just gone to the Dollar Store and bought whatever organizer bins or storage containers I can find. Sometimes, the options are just not great—but I didn’t really worry about it, even if they didn’t look how I wanted them to or even work in the space.

However, I realized that if I’m going to invest the money, rather than buying 3-4 rounds of different organizers at the Dollar Store or Target because they’re all that’s available… why not just save my money and buy the bins that look cute and fit the space and are functional? Why not buy the right size bin organizer, or the right entertainment center, instead of settling? Thanks, Elsie, we needed that one!

3. Focus on function.

If you search “pantry organization” on Pinterest, you’ll get a lot of super cute pantries: cereal emptied into gorgeous glass jars, Oreos stacked Khloe Kardashian-style, spices in teeny tiny glass jars, all organized 1.5 inches apart from each other in a perfectly clean pantry. If there are brand packages available, they’re boujee brands. And there is also this trendy thing going around where you put up a tension rod and use clips to hang individual bags of chips or crackers or whatever.

I can’t begin to tell you how impractical I think all of that is. Yes, while rushing home from Costco, I’m going to put my box of chips on teeny tiny hangers in my pantry, which my son won’t be able to unclip on his own—he’ll pull the whole thing down, repeatedly. The glass jars of Oreos, oatmeal, flour, and spices? Those will get gross. Better to put all those things where they go: the spice cabinet, the baking cupboard, in storage containers that are functional. The glass jars are cute, but they’re not functional. Those Oreos will get stale. Those spices will be exposed to more air and light than they need to. They’re all at risk of being knocked down at any point.

Your organization should be functional, not focused on what looks cutest on Pinterest. Please don’t feel like you have to buy little hangers for your bags of chips.

4. Declutter as you organize.

It goes without saying, but, I will say it: you should declutter in the process of organizing. That’s just kind of the point.

I recently organized my pantry a little bit. We have 4 Halloween buckets, at least 2 of them full of various holidays worth of candy since… 2018? I don’t know why I moved these from one house to another, but I did and, gosh, I am a little embarrassed about it! I threw them away. And I threw away the box of fruit snacks that we’ve had for a year, the boxes of cereal we opened once and didn’t eat, the mac and cheese that we haven’t touched… there are so much I was just holding onto because I didn’t think about it.

Declutter, declutter, declutter! It’s as important, if not more important, than organizing. Even if you don’t have the time or energy to redo the space you want to get organized, you probably have stuff you can toss or get rid of. That will make the space feel new with hardly any effort.

5. Remember that it won’t be perfect.

Taking on the space of your choice isn’t about making it perfect or Pinterest-worthy. It’s just about getting a system in place that works for you and your life! It won’t be perfect immediately. You’ll find ways to keep improving this space the more you use it and interact with it. And you might also find that the needs of the space changes over time. These are all fine things to have happen! We’re aiming for developing a system for a space, not a set-in-stone piece of perfection.

Boost Your Immunity with Easy Salmon with Summer Salad Featuring Hungryroot x Hilma*

If you’re like me, the last few months have been eye-opening when it comes to groceries. I feel like I’ve never saved so much money (spending less on takeout, not going to restaurants, not going to TJ Maxx every weekend) and, at the same time, like I’ve never spent more on groceries. 

We get weekly grocery pick up orders from my local Fred Meyer (my favorite grocery store, hands down!)—but even though I love Freddy’s, it’s hard for me not to be able to pick up my own produce. Just this past week, I got a completely moldy pack of strawberries and out of the 4 sweet potatoes I ordered, 3 were completely rotten and mushy. The day of my pick up! 

That’s I’ve started using Hungryroot more than ever. If you don’t know what Hungryroot is, let me help you: it’s an online, grocery delivery service that helps you stock your fridge with your favorite groceries. They partner with Beyond Meat, Elizabeth, Joolies, and tons more, plus have their own range of groceries. I’ve written about them a ton before; you can read more here. 

With Hungryroot, I can get some of my favorite staples (like my preferred oat milk, vegetables, and more) delivered to my door. 

Hungryroot recently paired up with Hilma. When they reached out to me for this post, I was so excited. More than ever, I’ve been working to boost and take care of my immune system. While there is a lot of misinformation out there, I truly believe that doing all you can to eat healthy and take care of your body is beneficial. 

What is Hilma?

Hilma is a new brand on a mission to upgrade your medicine cabinet: they focus on natural remedies that are also backed by science. With Hungryroot, they’ve curated a selection of immune-supporting groceries. 

Hilma sent me their Immune Support to try. It has six essential nutrients in one little packet that you mix into hot or cold water. (It’s delicious both ways, but on these hot summer days, I’ve been mixing it with cold water and adding it to my morning smoothie!) It contains Vitamin C, Echinacea, Zinc, Ginger, and Turmeric with no fillers. 

If you’d like to try Hilma, you can take 20% off using my code MICHELLE20! I love Hilma’s Immune Support and I can’t wait to see what you think. 

Easy Salmon with Summer Salad

When it comes to dinners during the summer, I have a few requests: 

• Contains my favorite things about the season (corn!)

• Easy clean up

• Tastes good

• Doesn’t make my kitchen 400 degrees

This summer salad checks every single box! 

Plus, it contains a few of my favorite Hungryroot ingredients—and even better, they are all immune boosting! Here are the ingredients: 

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of Hungryroot’s Hot Smoked Roasted Salmon (or 2 salmon fillets)

• 1 package of Hungryroot’s Superblend Salad

• About 1/4 cup of Hungryroot’s House Dressing

• Garlic Salt

• 1 package of Sweet Baby Broccoli from Hungryroot

• 1 cob of corn

Salmon is so good for you and your immune system because it contains vitamin D, which helps keep your immune system working. Not getting enough vitamin D can actually increase your risk of infection. It also has protein and omega-3s, two nutrients that are vital for a strong immune system. Alongside baby broccoli (so much vitamin C!) and Hungryroot’s Superblend Salad (kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and more), this dish packs a one-two punch of immune boosting nutrition. 

Here’s how I made it: 

1. Start heating up your barbecue or grill. 

2. Cut the kernels off your cob of corn. Cook them in a pan over medium heat with a little bit of garlic salt and nonstick cooking spray until they are done and slightly charred. 

3. While your corn cooks, add 1/4 wish cup of Hungryroot’s House Dressing (so good!) to your salad bowl; I added a pinch of garlic salt and some pepper, but this is totally optional. Add your bag of Superblend Salad and toss. 

4. Once the corn is done cooking, toss with your salad and set aside. 

5. Create 2 separate foil packets. In one, add your baby broccoli, a drizzle of olive oil, and some garlic salt. Wrap it up. 

6. in the second foil packet, place your roasted salmon with a little more garlic salt. (Since this salmon is already cooked, you are just warming it up and creating a crust!) 

7. Cook on the barbecue for about 10-15 minutes for the broccoli, and under 10 minutes for the salmon. 

8. Serve! 

So easy and delicious, light for the summer and the clean up can’t be easier. 

Want to try Hungryroot? 

I’m so excited to be able to offer you FREE Black Bean Brownie Batter for life from Hungryroot. Their brownie batter is one of my favorite things—I always have a tub in my fridge for emergencies!. Just use the code PAUSES40 to get 40% off your first order of Hungryroot.

Don’t forget to use code MICHELLE20 at Hilma to receive 20% off your order as well. With both Hilma and Hungryroot, you can have delicious, immune boosting supplies for your pantry and medicine cabinet. 

Disclaimer: Per my disclosure policy, the asterisk (*) in the title of this post denotes that I was provided product for free to review and post on my blog and Instagram channel. However, all opinions remain my own—I created this simple recipe on my own! Posts like these help me keep the lights on here at Writing Between Pauses. I do receive a small commission from use of my Hungryroot and Hilma code. To learn more about my disclosure policy, click here.

Starting My Morning with Cacao Tea Instead of Coffee*

Nothing starts my morning like a cup of coffee.

But I’ll be the first to tell you that I know I need to break my coffee habit. (Just typing that sentence hurt a little bit!) Migraines are a huge issue for me and while I’ve gotten way less migraines in recent months, I know that my coffee habit plays a huge role.

I also know that caffeine doesn’t do a lot for my stress level: it can leave me aggravated and on edge.

But… I love coffee. And starting my morning with coffee is a huge part of my routine. And you all know I love routines! Breaking the habit is a hard one.

When Cacao Tea Co. reached out to me to review their product, I was instantly interested. I love chocolate; I love tea; and I love starting my morning with something slightly sweet and delicious. Was this the answer to my prayers?

What is Cacao Tea?

Cacao tea (which is also known as chocolate tea or cocoa tea) is a 100% natural tea which is brewed from cacao husks (also known as cacao shells). The tea is a loose-leaf style tea which, when steeped in boiling water, results in a delicious tea which tastes like chocolate.

It’s a great alternative to coffee because it wakes you up without containing caffeine. It’s also super gentle and not super stimulating like coffee can be. If you’re in need of something a little more gentle to wake up with in the morning (but don’t like tea!), this is a really great alternative.

Here are a few more benefits to cacao tea:

• Natural sweetness

• Heavenly chocolate taste and aroma

• Delicate stimulating effect, making it the perfect healthy alternative to coffee

• High in antioxidants

• Completely sugar-free, caffeine-free, gluten-free and dairy-free.

• No artificial flavouring, additives or preservatives

How to Brew Cacao Tea

The first time I made cacao tea, I used my tea strainer (a standard metal ball for loose leaf tea) and while I liked that first cup, I knew I needed something better. I checked out Cacao Tea Co’s instructions and they recommend using something covered (like a French press or simply covering your cup). I use my French press to make some for both Danny and I and the difference was huge.

It was so. darn. good. Slightly sweet, chocolatey, and delicious. I was hooked, immediately.

For more information on brewing cacao tea, check out their blog post here.

My Final Thoughts on Cacao Tea

I’m so glad I got to try cacao tea! It’s definitely provided me with an alternative on days where I know coffee is just going to aggravate a migraine or increase my stress. Plus, it just plain tastes good—so if you, like me, often need that afternoon pick-me-up (but you know coffee is going to keep you awake all night), this makes a great afternoon beverage.

I’m excited to try it iced as well! I think it would be delicious as a cold tea on a hot, summer afternoon.

If you’d like to try cacao tea yourself, check out Cacao Tea Co!

Disclaimer: As indicated by the asterisk (*) in the title of this post, I received product in exchange for this review. However, all opinions remain my own! If you’d like to learn more about my disclosure policy, click here.