Do you want to start a blog but have no idea where to begin? Well, the web is full of information and so is this article. How do you start your blog? What should you do first? This and more will be answered right here.

Blogging is a popular platform to communicate all that’s on one’s mind. You can express yourself, share your expertise and if interested, also earn!

While it may seem difficult, starting a blog from scratch isn’t all that hard. The only equipment you need is your phone or laptop and of course, a stable internet connection. For this, we’d recommend you head over to CenturyLink skim through their plans. They offer different CenturyLink speeds for you to choose from. You’ll find a high speed package at a budget-friendly cost.

With that out of the way, let’s start with the blogging guide!

• Choose a blogging platform

The first thing you have to do is choose the platform you want to build your blog on. One of the most popular names in the industry is WordPress. You’ve most certainly heard of it at least once in your life. It’s a massive platform boasting more than 80 million active users. The reason it’s the biggest platform is that it offers countless plugins, layouts, and add-ons.

While WordPress is the most popular choice, there’s also Blogger, Tumblr, Scoop, Wix, Drupal, and many other platforms you can try.

• Free or self-hosting?

This is where you decide if you want to start a blog for free or pay for it. WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr offer free blogs, but you won’t be able to have your domain name. There will be limitations with the pictures or videos you upload and your blog will not be your property on these platforms since they’re hosted by a third party. This means they can be deleted anytime.

If you choose to self-host and pick a custom domain, then you need to come up with a domain name first. This domain will be the URL of your site. Since you’ll be hosting the website, you should search for a web hosting services to back your website.

• Designing your blog

You want to make sure your blog represents you and what your aesthetic is. For a WordPress blog, choose a theme that looks easy to customize since you’re a beginner. Then you can go ahead and change according to your mood board. You can always switch to another template without losing your precious content. You can choose themes from WordPress’s huge theme library or buy one from premium theme websites and upload them.

The blog should reflect what it’s really about. Make sure navigation is easy and fun. You don’t want to lose followers just because your website is hard to navigate and understand.

• Select a niche

Whether you’re a beginner or not, there’s always room for mistakes and learning. People from all walks of life join the blogging industry. Everyone has different content to offer and different experiences to share. Being confident in your niche is important. You can make your blog about everything and anything you want. But the point is, you have to stick with it.

Identifying your niche can be scary at first, but there’s something to share about everything. Figure out your passion, your hobbies, your knowledge, and work on that.

Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Blogging

Now that you know the basics, let’s polish your blogging skills a bit to avoid some rookie mistakes.

• Never use a theme or layout with a dark background and add light text to it. It’s hard for your readers to grasp what’s written
• Don’t add loading music. The music annoys the reader while waiting for your website as it’s sudden
• Don’t plagiarize content. Always be original, even with images. If you haven’t asked the owner permission to use it, don’t upload it.
• Unnecessary sidebar clutter. Don’t add a countless number of links on the side and leave white space for your content to stand out more.

Final Words

Starting a blog isn’t difficult. Only the first step is. It’s remaining consistent and active that becomes a challenge. Create meaningful content that you’re passionate about and engage with your followers. You’ll’ be surprised to learn how fun blogging can be!

Author Bio:

About Caroline Eastman:

 

Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.

 

Now that people are spending more time at home than ever before, men the world over are desperate to spend some time on their own where they can relax and participate in the things they love to do at home. And while most of these things can be done in other rooms of the house, having a designated space to unwind can make being home feel much more enjoyable.

If you’re ready to put a space like this into your house, here are three tips for creating a man cave in your home.

Pick The Right Placement

The placement of your man cave should be well thought through before you start bringing in furniture or painting the walls.

According to Terri Williams, a contributor to Freshome.com, it’s usually best if the man cave is situated away from other common spaces within the home. Especially if some of the activities you’ll be participating in will be loud, like watching sports or playing games with friends, you’ll want a little buffer of space so no one else is being disturbed. For this reason, many people put their man cave in a basement or garage. However, if you don’t have this space available, you can always do things to make the room you’re using a bit more soundproof.

Choose A Theme For The Space

Designing and decorating a man cave can be hard for some unless there’s a main theme or idea to bring everything back to. With this in mind, T. Lacoma, a contributor to The Family Handyman, suggests that you think about a theme for the space as one of the first things you do.

While you can make your theme about the materials you’ll use, like metal or wood, you can also have your theme be about your favorite things. For example, if you love to hunt, you may want to have that be the main theme of your space. Or, if you’re really into sports or superheroes, that can be an anchor for the theme of your room as well.

Know Your Bar Options

Most men feel that their man cave won’t be complete without some kind of bar. However, not every man cave will be equipped to have a wet bar space. Because of this, it’s good to know what some of your other bar options might be.

According to Lucia Tonelli, a contributor to Elle Decor, you can create a bar from a built-in or other piece of furniture, could keep your alcohol contained in an upright cabinet, or use a rolling cart to house everything you’ll need to make the perfect drink for yourself or your guests.

If you’re wanting to devote some space in your home for your man cave, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you set up the perfect place.

People nowadays are looking forward to building a house in a perfect neighborhood. Realistically speaking, it is not that easy to find one. Every community has its upside and downside, but homeowners would always choose to settle for the best option. Living in a beautiful house plays a significant role in your happiness and peace of mind. What others do not realize is that having a good relationship with your next-door neighbors matters a lot. Whether you just acquired a new home or you have been living in your community for quite some time, it is still essential to invest in healthy and lasting relationships with your neighbors. Here are some ideas to make your life happier and less stressful.

1. Keep your property clean at all times

Some of your neighbors may not be that vocal when it comes to expressing or voicing their thoughts about your surroundings and living conditions. Seeing a backyard that is full of unnecessary stuff like old cars and broken appliances can be an eyesore to your neighbors. Do not wait for them to talk behind your back or, worse, file a formal complaint. Be a responsible homeowner and take the initiative to get in touch with companies providing Fort Myers junk removal services to seek help in removing all the clutter in your area. Doing this will make your neighbors happy.

2. Make an effort to spend time with your neighbors

If you want to build a good relationship with your neighbors, you need to treat them as your friends. It is necessary to take some time out of your busy schedule to spend time with them. You can invite a few neighbors to your house for dinner over the weekend. You can either cook your favorite dishes or do a potluck. If you do not have much time to entertain your neighbors, you can always stop by for a quick chat or greet them from the car when you are on your way to work.

3. Show that you care

It does not take much effort to show your neighbors that you care about them. You can do little favors for them once in a while, like grocery shopping or babysitting. If one of them is going on a vacation, you can offer to look after their home to ensure that it will remain safe from burglars. Your neighbors will appreciate these simple gestures and reciprocate them in their little way.

4. Sharing is caring

One way for neighbors to like you is by showing them your thoughtful side. For example, if you happen to have a couple of fruit-bearing trees in your backyard, you can give some of the fruit to your neighbors. You do not have to give a lot; just a few pieces will do.

Lastly, pay extra attention to elderly neighbors. Some of them opt to live alone and unsupervised. It would be nice to check on their condition from time to time to see if they are doing well.

Birthdays are special days, which comes only once in a year. What makes it more special is when it is your favorite person’s birthday. Here are some birthday gifts that you can buy for your special one.

Personalized accessories

One way to make your special person’s birthday great is by gifting him/her personalized accessories. This can be a coffee mug, a phone cover, or a laptop case. Customize it with a favorite picture or beautiful quotes that show the depth of your relationship. It can also be customized couple watches or soft pillows that add aesthetics to his/her room.

Gift cards and custom cakes

Find a way to bring a smile to your favorite person’s heart by giving them a gift card. Let them fulfill their dreams come true with this gift. Make the birthday cake custom. Include her/his favorite character or go for beautiful and unique cakes that stand out.

Traveler kit

It is your special one and you into traveling. There are so many options to choose from. You can get him/her a world map, a travel planner for the trips you have planned to take together, or even a travel kit that can come handy. Go ahead and buy that can give her/him the hopes for traveling the world together.

Birthday hamper

Cannot pick up just one thing for your favorite’s birthday? Throw it all into a cute little hamper and gift him/her. This gift idea multiplies the surprise and is sure to make her/him feel how special they are to you. It can, for example, include skincare products, essential oils, or even scented candles, books, and flowers.

A trip to their dream place

Now, this is something that you need to consider if your budget fits. Take him/her away from all the busy work life and spend some time together. It is, for sure refreshing and perfect time to bond over talks, nature, and much more. This can be very overwhelming and very thoughtful of you to do something like that. Take the opportunity and make it a memorable one.

A personalized mug

Make your favorite person start their day thinking about you. Get her/him a personalized coffee mug. To someone who loves their daily morning coffee, this means a lot. There is also other stuff that you can get like couple bands and passport covers with name engraved in it. These things find a close place in heart than anything picked up from a store.

Handmade gifts

You can gift your special person handmade gifts. This gift shows you have put your time and effort into this, and that makes it more special. You can make anything from a scrapbook to jewelry. It is a beautiful gift you can give to your special one. They are personal, and that adds a lot of meaning to it.

Accessories

You can give your special one things that he/she will need in their home or at work. Giving essentials is a good way to impress him/her as it takes more burden out of their shoulder. Laptop sleeves, wallets, bags, key chains, and many more. You can even get a voice recognizing chatbot that can play music and even dim your house lights when you need it.

A spa coupon

Get your special person a day of relaxation and pamper her/him with a spa coupon. Make it a couple spa day if you want to make it more unique. A day at the spa with soothing massages and jacuzzi is a good way to spend a day to relax and fix your mind and soul.

These simple birthday gifts can bring much happiness and feeling of being special to your loved ones. So go ahead and start making your favorite person happy by giving him/her something that warms their heart and cherish those moments forever.

 

Buying a new vehicle is going to be one of the biggest purchases you make in your life. Aside from your home, most people spend the most amount of money on buying a car. Because of this, you’ll want to be sure that you’re making the right purchasing choice and getting a car that will fulfill all of your needs.

To help you in making these decisions, here are three things to think about when buying a new vehicle.

The Performance Of That Model Of Car

One of the first things you’ll want to decide is what model of car you’re going to buy. Depending on your wants and needs, the model of car you choose will vary.

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to a few models, Dan Collins, a contributor to CarBibles.com, recommends that you do some market research to see how these types of cars have performed in the past. As a part of this research, you should learn how well these cars have done on safety tests, how well they stand up to abuse from being in an accident on the road, if they have certain parts that tend to wear out faster than anticipated, and more.

By learning about these specifications for each car, you’ll be able to better decide which pros and cons you’re willing to work with when buying your new vehicle.

That Specific Car’s History

Now that you’ve been able to narrow your search down to the specific type of car you’re wanting to buy, it’s time to find the exact car that you’ll end up purchasing.

As you look at specific cars, Trae Bodge, a contributor to USA Today, advises that you look at the specific histories associated with each car that you look at or test drive. You should be looking to see if they’ve been in any accidents in the past, what type of maintenance or repairs they’ve had done, and if there are any issues that you’ll have to address within a short time frame after buying the car.

How Car Insurance Will Affect You

Before you make the final purchase decision on your new car, John M. Vincent, a contributor to U.S. News and World Report, suggests that you speak with your insurance agent to see how getting this specific car will affect your insurance rates. Some cars will result in you paying a lot more for insurance, while others won’t have such a big impact on your insurance costs. But to make sure you’re not surprised, it’s wise to find out this information before you buy the car you’ll be getting.

If you’re in the market for a new car, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know what to think about and consider when making this large purchase decision.

For more lifestyle tips from Meme Bucket, click here!

If you’re lucky enough to be engaged to the love of your life, you may be planning your bachelorette and looking for the best place to have it at. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Simply continue reading to discover a simple guide to the best private event venues in Scottsdale which you can hire out for a wild or classy bachelorette party. As Scottsdale features a wide variety of bachelor party venues to suit different personality types.

The Best Private Event Venues in Scottsdale:

Riot House Scottsdale:

Riot House is located in Scottsdale’s trendy Old Town and is a purpose-built tropical nightclub that boasts a huge central bar, a sidebar, a spacious dance floor, and multiple private VIP booths. If you love the idea of drinking and dancing the night away with your bridal party and close friends, it’s well worth seeing what types of packages Riot House has to offer for bachelorette parties. As a bonus Riot House also features a state-of-the-art audiovisual system.

Paris of Scottsdale:

Paris of Scottsdale is an intimate nightclub that offers talented DJs a packed dance floor as well as comfortable booths and outdoor seating. If you love Latin music you’re also in luck as Paris of Scottsdale is known for its Latin nights. As you’ll be able to request fun, upbeat Latin tunes that will get your friends off their seats and onto the dance floor.

Orange Tree Golf Course:

If you’re looking for a private venue to host a sophisticated bachelorette party, you may be interested in hiring out Orange Tree Golf for a night. Orange Tree Golf course is a luxurious private venue where you’ll be able to enjoy fine dining and top-shelf champagne in a stunning that. Where you’ll be able to take gorgeous photos of your party to post on all of your social media accounts.

Maya Day and Night Lounge:

If you’re looking for a venue that you can enjoy before with your girlfriends before the hot Arizona sun goes down, you may want to add Maya Day and Night Lounge to your shortlist of possible bachelorette events. As you’ll be able to arrange your very own pool party where you’ll be able to listen to the hottest drinks while sipping on fancy cocktails and enjoying a VIP level of service. Better yet when the sun goes down, you’ll be able to continue partying the night away in the club’s lounge.

Pretty Please Lounge:

Pretty Please Lounge offers a stylish lounge which boosts dark mood lighting and has been decorated with plush sofas and oversized mirrors and is an ideal venue for a bachelorette party. Pretty Please Lounge is one of Scottsdale’s most popular nightclubs as it attracts some of the country’s hottest up and coming DJs. So, make sure to let your hair down on your big night out and dance till you drop with your closest gal pals.

Hopefully, you’ve now found the perfect private venue to host your upcoming bachelorette party. So that you’ll be able to celebrate your upcoming wedding with your bridal party and your closest female friends.

 

The relationship between humankind and the environment is a strained one. Especially with new technological developments and post-industrial processing, it can be challenging to establish a personal or business relationship with the world around you. Keeping that in mind, what can you do to comply with sustainable environmental needs on these two levels?

Think of a few reference points to get you started. There is pollution compliance when it comes to business matters. There is your personal carbon footprint that is an essential function of your relationship with the external environment.

And then there is the level of business ethics that you and your company are willing to adhere to. Beyond what the law regulates, your ethical decisions regarding sustainable environmental needs via a business perspective are in an entirely different category.

Pollution Compliance

It’s important to eventually curb the amount of pollution that we put out into the atmosphere. At some point, mother nature will fight back. So, regulations are in place to try to curb some of humans’ enthusiasm for industrial waste before it’s too late. There are power plant pollution reduction technologies that are in place.

There are several different types of technology to help cars reduce their emissions. Putting out anything into rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans is becoming a problem, so companies are now doing more to filter out the worst waste. Sometimes pollution regulations are federal requirements; other times, they are simply smart suggestions.

Personal Carbon Footprint

What are you doing on an individual level to create a sustainable relationship with the earth? Are you reducing your carbon footprint? Are you doing everything that you can to avoid wasting precious nonrenewable resources? Are you investing in cleaner energy?

Are you getting rid of the consumer culture aspect of your personality and replacing it with a more minimal version? All of these things can help you sleep better at night, knowing that you are trying to be a better person in the grand scheme of things.

Levels of Business Ethics

Finally, there’s the matter of business ethics. If you own a business, what do you do to go above and beyond sustainable earth regulations? Do you set up appropriate recycling for your company? Do you buy energy-efficient appliances?

Do you suggest to your employees that they do things that are better for the environment? By having this higher degree of business ethics, you can transparently show the public at large that you care. This is a great business endeavor because it will give you an excellent return on your investment as well as saving the earth. Especially as concern over pollution gets worse, ethical business leaders will be revered.

 

The year 2019 is accelerating towards its final months with every day, as a PlayStation gamer, you may ask yourself whether there’s anything left to expect this year in regard to gaming. Are the titles we’ve seen being released so far will remain everything that 2019 had to offer? Not at all! 2019 still offers reasons to boost your own or your friend’s PSN account savings with a PlayStation gift card and get set for the promising games that are going to release by the end of the year. In this list, we offer to take a look at the top 5 PS4 games that are yet to come out in 2019.

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (October 18th, 2019)

The age-old over the top battle between aggressive flora and the brainless walking dead is coming back as an energetic, cartoony third-person shooter in another instalment of the Plants vs. Zombies franchise. Get a PlayStation gift card to boost up PSN profiles of your friends and get them to join you in online modes harbouring up to 24 players. You’ll be able to choose from 20 unique characters between both factions and form a 3-player squad, explore the outskirts of Neighborville in engaging PvE mode, customize your classes or share your experience with buddies through split-screen local co-op.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (October 25th, 2019)

The long-running Call of Duty franchise returns this year yet again with another instalment that aims to recreate the fun factor to the legendary series marked with the Modern Warfare title. If you get a PlayStation gift card yourself, you’ll also be able to enjoy the multiplayer mode as Call of Duty franchise is known for its focus on competitive online gaming. Newest CoD will reintroduce many killstreak rewards from past games such as the legendary Tactical Nuke from 2009’s Modern Warfare 2! At the same time, the campaign will witness the return of such characters like Captain John Price, the guy is basically the Chuck Norris of Call of Duty franchise at this point.

Death Stranding (November 8th, 2019)

Death Stranding is an ambitious third-person open-world game with science-fiction elements, neat looking graphics and a heavy focus on storytelling. The upcoming release of this game is another good reason to take care of a PlayStation gift card since this title is presented by the legendary Japanese video game designer Hideo Kojima, the person behind the Metal Gear series and many other notable titles. So far, little is known about Death Stranding. The trailers seem to be purposefully made in a way to avoid revealing anything specific about the game but knowing who’s working on the title it’s hard not to get excited about it.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (November 15th, 2019)

The new Star Wars game coming from the developer Respawn Entertainment is set in the time period between Episode III and Episode IV of the films. Boost your PSN account with a PlayStation gift card and get a game that puts you in the shoes of a young Jedi named Cal Kestis who survived Order 66 and is persecuted by the Empire. The gameplay is of a third-person action-adventure format. You’ll wield Force powers and engage in lightsaber combat as you battle the imperial Sith assassin named Second Sister – you’ll be on a relentless pursuit. The game runs on Unreal Engine 4 and will give you vast freedom to explore different planets and other locations of the Star Wars galaxy.

Shenmue III (November 19th, 2019)

Now’s a great chance to get a PlayStation gift card and take care of your PSN wallet’s funds, as the game from another legendary game developer Yu Suzuki is coming to the PlayStation console. This year will see the conclusion of Shenmue trilogy which started on Sega Dreamcast way back in 1999. The game will continue the story of a young martial artist Ryo Hazuki who seeks to take revenge for the murder of his father. Shenmue III will feature a rich open-world experienced from a third-person perspective and its overall aesthetic will seem quite familiar to those who had the chance to play 2012’s Sleeping Dogs. Gameplay will include RPG elements, a variety of minigames, a highly fleshed out fighting system and an engaging story.

There are still great things to look forward to!

PlayStation gift card is definitely worthy of consideration as 2019 is far from over for PlayStation fans. It’s time to make sure you and your friends will have enough savings on PSN accounts for these ambitious titles as they will be coming out later this year. That holds especially true for those who wish to enjoy the multiplayer modes of these upcoming games. If you haven’t yet bought a PlayStation card before, visit one of the digital video games marketplaces on the web, and benefit from your purchases even more!

To read more on topics like this, check out the lifestyle category.

 

In the era of fancy theme and decorations, you probably have a lot of expectations from your dream wedding to the cake, isn’t it? Decorating your wedding cake can be so much fun! With multiple ways to make your cake extremely impressive & eye-catching, there are innumerable ways to make it perfectly gorgeous!

If you’re looking for the best ways to personalize your cake, there are many simple, fun and delicious tips for dressing up your dream wedding cake and impress your guests. As it is not just about the taste of your tempting sweet delight but also about how it looks. Here’s how you can do wonders! So, stay tuned for delicious surprises:

The Cake Stand:

It is true! If you want to garner the compliments of your guest for your incredible looking cake, you first need a foundation to stay rigid. It starts with the choice of perfect support. As for the final touch up of your dream wedding cake, you need a place to lay your cake! Styling your stand with the theme and wedding decor is a perfect option. A rustic stand or, even a gold-plated stand is the trendiest that matches any theme and looks magical.

Edible Toppings:

Adding edible fillings on your wedding cake is simply the best way to decorate in a tempting way. Delicious stuff on your cake like macron, cookies, chocolates just above the base of each level enhance the overall beauty of your wedding cake. Style the toppings differently, sprinkle with nuts, biscuit bread crumbs and coconut with your favorite fruit topping, add a bonus point and overall this will look great! Opt for the best cake shop in Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, etc, you instruct them and they will get it done for you exactly as you’ve dreamt it to look.

The Goodness of Fruits:

For an appetizing and inviting look, a touch of fresh fruit is a real savior! Think outside the box, add berries not only on the top but place them differently, more like sprinkling it around the tiers. Seasonal fruits are magical, so be sure to put them as a bonus. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and some mint leaves make the link. Get creative and cherish the look of your dream wedding cake.

The Classy Table:

Since you have put too much effort to decorate your wedding cake, the wedding cake table is the next important goal. Precisely, not only the cake is important, but its attractiveness makes it work wonders. Keep some flower vases, sweet, and delicious cookies to top it off. Shiny crystals to add a sparkling touch to your memorable day diaries.

Number of Tiers:

Try to tie a ribbon around each layer because it simply enhances the appearance of the cake and gives it a royal and elegant appearance, exactly the way you want it. Colour ribbon assorted bridal cake and bridesmaid dresses as well as flowers. You can also create shine on each level or create artificial flowers that fit the theme. For the glittering effect on your wedding day, this crazy idea will be an extraordinary match.

Search for the Best Online Cake Shop:

Your stress over the wedding cake is now over, so grab on these ideas and implement right away on your magical day. Next is to focus on the 2 most important things, one is to search up a place for your wedding day; there are multiple luxury wedding locations that would be a suitable spot for your D Day!

The next important thing is to opt for the best online cake delivery outlets that accept an order for your wedding cake. These tips will surely help you dress up your dream wedding cake!

 

Something which I had always wanted to do since being a teenager was open my own record store, something which I never had the confidence or money to really make happen. I entered the world of work and left that dream behind me but when my grandfather passed on he left me a little bit of money, and I decided that this would be my chance to do something that I had always dreamed of, and something that would make my grandfather proud. I quit my job the next day and launched Soul Quest Records. The first year or two was hard but 10 years on I now know that this was the best decision which I have ever made, and here is why I love it.

Passion

Whenever people talk about launching a company they tell you that you should do something which you are passionate about because if this is the case then you will work harder towards success. This is something which I can absolutely agree with and I know that if I had launched any other type of business, there is no way that I would have worked as hard and for as long as I have on this project.

The other point I want to make on having passion is that every day that I walk through those doors I do so with a smile on my face, and this has benefited my life away from work in so many ways. I am happier and more energetic than I have ever been, and this is because I love what I do.

Community

Because of the nature of those who buy records, normally passionate collectors and aficionados, I have been able to build up a really cool community around the record store and this is something really rewarding for me. I have regular customers who come in for a chat and they will spend hours in the store talking and playing records. I have made a great many friends from being in this business and the store feels more like a community hub rather than a business.

Profits

Speaking honestly I never really looked to make big bucks from the store, my goal was always to make a decent living and to commit to a job which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was however absolutely over the moon when vinyl once again became popular, prices went up and more and more people were coming into the store on a daily basis. The market improving like this has meant that this business love has also become a very successful one and this of course has also improved my life. My wife and I have zero debt, we take vacations and we spend plenty of time with the kids, and most importantly she has a happy husband who loves what he does.

If you have a passion then I would really recommend that you do all you can to turn it into a business.