My story probably sounds very similar to many other bloggers: started blogging as a journal, and then–gasp!–realized that people were making money it! But it took many years to realize that blogging was profitable.  I had started blogging back around 2006 on a family blog (you can read it HERE), and later started blogs for crafts, goals, and a home/do-it-yourself blog in 2010 that used to be called “From House to Home.” Those blogs were purely for the joy of documenting my life. I’d been journaling since age 15, so blogging was a natural progression as it became easier to record everything electronically.

I first started on the free site called Blogger, which is how many blogs started. The URL for my free blog was http://FromHousetoHome.blogspot.com. It was fine for getting started, didn’t cost me a dime, except my time, and I loved documenting the progress and nasty wallpaper removal of our newly purchased 1973 single family home after the sale of our smaller 2-bedroom condo. I think I have no readers except for a few friends! LOL. But I didn’t care. I just wanted to document.

But in 2012, I started hearing other home/DIY blogs post stuff about “How to Make Money Blogging” and my ears perked up.

HUH??

Wait.

You’re telling me, the very blogging I had been doing so consistently since 2006 could have been earning me an income for the past 6 years??!!

DAGGONIT!!! Okay, it’s on now!!!!!

I had been on maternity leave at the time with my youngest son, and had still been posting regularly on From House to Home. Much of my posting was about the amazing stuff I was finding at the thrift store for our house, which was still largely undecorated. After reading about bloggers making money, I knew I needed a good .com domain name. But what??

I remember it so clearly: lying in bed around 3 a.m. after having woken up (probably from nursing my newborn), and pulled out my phone to text myself some possible blog names and domain names. I wanted a cool, memorable, non-cutesy name. Something that would stick out in people’s minds….be unforgettable, with a little “edge” to it.

Then it struck me: nearly every day of maternity leave I was hitting up my favorite thrift stores…so much so that when hubby would call to see where I was, I would respond, “I”m going thrift diving, baby! I’ll be back soon.”

Yes! That’s it! I was going to be THRIFT DIVING!

That next day, I purchased the domain at Blogger for $10, which would allow me to use ThriftDiving.com for a solid year on Blogger. I started making blog changes, and here’s what my very amateurish, non-designer self created, with horribly dark pictures, lol:

1-how thrift diving used to look

But I was excited!

Since graduating from the University of Maryland College Park in the mid-nineties with a useless degree in Psychology, I have dreamed of finding a career that would allow me to be creative and earn money, but many times, came up empty when trying to find that career option. Finally, I had found it: blogging….a career where I could express myself, write, inspire others, educate others on how to make their homes beautiful on a budget, etc. And I couldn’t wait to dig in!

This was going to be my new business!

UP NEXT: Read how I earn money blogging

Download the 5 freebies!

Thrift Diving inspires women to decorate, improve, and maintain their home themselves...using paint, power tools, and thrift stores! Use these 5 printables, checklists, and ebooks to get started!

Now go check your email for those freebies! Powered by ConvertKit