Find A Previous Post Faster: Blog Tweaks

Welcome to the 226th Metamorphosis Monday!

Rain, rain go away!  Have you been coping with what seems like endless days of rain?  If so, you’re probably about as sick of rain as I am. Thankfully, the rest of the week is supposed to be a lot nicer here.

The weather kept me from working on an outdoor project I had planned on tackling and posting about for Met Monday. Since I was stuck inside I decided to work on another project, one you may find helpful when you’re looking for a particular blog post from the past.

Several times a month I get an email from a reader asking how to find a specific post regarding a room or project I’ve worked on here in my house. Before today, room updates or makeovers were all grouped together under the category at the top of the blog called, “My Nest.”  That was better than nothing, but it wasn’t a very efficient way to find a previous post since all the posts were thrown into that one big category.  If you wanted to find a previous post about an update in the kitchen, you had to scan through 5 pages of thumbnail pictures, with 30 picture links per page, to find that one post.

My Nest

This weekend, I spent the better part of a day separating those 140+ posts into different subcategories based on the room or area where the project or makeover took place.  You can get a preview of the drop down menu in the picture below.  Or, better yet, take it for a spin by clicking on “My Nest” at the top of the blog.

If you wish to refer back to a post that was about a specific room, you’ll be able to find it a lot faster now.   I really hope this helps to locate an older posts when you need it.  I absolutely LOVE being able to find something right when I need it!  Totally floats my boat!

My Nest Menu

 

Speaking of house projects, several folks have left comments or e-mailed to ask when I’ll start back to work on the room I’ve been affectionately calling “the library.”  I’d really love to finish that room, too but unfortunately there are always expenses that seem to come along and soak up my renovation funds. This year it’s been Max’s medical bills….he is so worth it, though!

Probably more critical than finishing the library are my three, thirty-year-old bathrooms.  They are begging for makeovers and are really more important for resale value down the road.  I have a feeling my practical side will win out and my next project will most likely be a bath. Do you have a long list of projects all vying for the number one spot on your priority list?

As I take on these projects and post about them sometime in the future, those posts will be categorized under the appropriate “My Nest” subcategory so it will be super easy to find them again when needed.

You know, it’s a little scary how much I love and get excited about organizing “stuff.”  Are you an organization nut, too?  If so, check out some of the ways I got the office a bit more organized in this post:  Organization Freak!

 

Looking forward to the Before and Afters posted for this Met Monday!

Metamorphosis Monday:

One on sidebar

If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday you will need to link up the “permalink” to your MM post and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name, then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top of your blog, into the “url” box for InLinkz.

In order to link up, you’ll need to include a link in your MM post back to the party so the other participants will have an opportunity to receive visits from your wonderful blog readers.

Please observe these few rules:

Only link up Before and After posts that are home, gardening, crafting, painting, sewing, cooking, DIY related.

Do not link up if you’re doing so to promote a website or product.

Do not link up a post that was just linked last week since a lot of readers will have already seen that post.

Do not type in ALL CAPS.  It spreads the links waaaay out.

Let’s try something fun today! Please visit the person who linked before you and after you…that way everyone will get some visits.


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Comments

  1. Susan,
    Thanks so much for hosting each week…

    Hugs,
    Debbie

  2. So glad to know the weather will be much nicer here later in the week. The rain stopped me from getting a lot done outside as well. We always seem to have a project in the works here too. Wishing you luck as you update your bathrooms.

  3. Thanks for hosting Susan! I linked up some muffins that you can munch on while waiting for that pesky rain to go away.

  4. Good idea on the blog organization! I always like when a blog has a search function to make it easy to find things, too. Thanks for hosting, Susan!

  5. I need to do some organizing like that too! Thanks so much for hosting!
    xx
    Anne

  6. Thanks for the party! Life to the full! Melissa

  7. hi Susan, thanks for the tips and organization ideas, I do consider myself an organization freak, but never seem to have enough time to do it as thoroughly as I want to! I did make a yearly plan in January and divided my project list into months which has really helped, I have accomplished a lot with this little motivation organization list. You are always such a great project inspiration source. I will be organizing my recipes this week, thanks for the push!
    Jenna

    • Jenna, that is brilliant! I wish I had the foresight to plan a year out. My recipes aren’t very organized, except for those I used during the holidays and the ones I have here on the blog. I love the “Easy Recipe” Plugin for that.

  8. Pam ~ Crumpty Cottage says

    Yes, Susan, I am an organization nut as well! I even wrote a couple of books about it. But I have to admit, you probably have me beat even still. My biggest challenge is sharing a house with folks who don’t share my fanaticism, lol. That has actually made me step back a bit and try not to be such a nut about things. (If I lived alone I’d be dangerous, lol)

    Anyway, I’m with you about the rain! But my friend in Alaska was reporting snow this weekend, so I guess I shouldn’t complain! Have a wonderful, sunny week. 🙂

  9. Hi Susan, Organization is so time consuming, and your hard work will be to our advantage. Thanks so much for doing all that blog work for us! And thanks for hosting!
    Liz

  10. Susan, it’s still raining here in SC this Monday morning! I have always been impressed with your organizational skills, and I need to do some things on our blog to help readers find posts more easily. That’s a good, rainy day activity! Thanks for hosting!

  11. You are so tech-y! I wish I could figure out how to do half the stuff you do on your computer. Thanks for the party1

    • Not as much as it seems. I just had someone help me set it all up initially so now I just have to do the work to create the categories. It’s like reinventing the wheel every time, though. Had to write it all out so I could remember half how to do it. Mental gymnastics every time! Thanks, Ellen!

  12. Thanks for hosting! Little Bit

  13. Thanks so much for hosting!
    KC

  14. crappy days here too…the sun peeks out just long enough to miss it if you blink..I wish I was organized..I’m a procrastinator…I wish I wasn’t..seems like no amount of wishing I was different changes me either…I was wondering if its hard to set up a..search this blog feature…just a thought…looking forward to seeing whatever that outdoors project is the weather has put on hold…kiss Max for me…hope your crappy day isn’t too…crappy!!

    • Wende are you blogging on Blogger? If so, I think Blogger has a gadget that’s a search function that you just add from their gadget list. When I had a developer move me to WordPress, she see up the Tabber Tabs widget thingy at the top of my blog that has the search box built in. The search function doesn’t work that well, though. If I do a search on my blog, what I want is usually way far down in the results it returns or a page or two over, even when I type in the exact wording in the title of the post. Blogger’s search gadget does a better job for sure, if you do blog on Blogger.

      • I use it at…the graphics fairy…I’ve thought about blogging…I recently opened a shop on etsy…no time now…sewing my little heart out….taking care of this place by myself is like a full time job in the summer as well…so i’ll just enjoy having you come visit daily…
        sun has been out for a while now…hope your day is looking brighter =^)

  15. Oh dear Susan, you are such a computer savvy lady, that is great, wish I knew half you know and I will do so much better, lol! Right now it’s pouring around here too, great idea for this kind of weather too! Thank you so much for the party, honey. Have a great week.
    FABBY

  16. thanks Susan for the Party

  17. Thanks for hosting! Hope you have a wonderful day! Blessings, Gloria @The Resourceful Gals

  18. Hi Susan, I appreciate the organization instructions as I have just finally moved from blogger to word press so that I could have the categories and a better way for people to search! If blogger had them, I could never figure out how to install them! LOL You are very tech savvy as someone here said! I’m still writing mostly about gardening and genealogy with a few other things thrown in, hope you’ll stop by. I love your blog posts as I’ve told you before, still stands true! Furthermore, your listing other blogs on Monday and Thursdays esp. let me browse for hours! Thanks for all you do! Helen, http://heartofasouthernwoman.wordpress.com

    • Yep, as I remember, Blogger will let you set up some basic categories across the top but you can’t have subcategories underneath and I really wanted that. There are a number of ways to do it in WordPress, I think. The system I use is a bit involved to set up but great once it is set up. Helen, if you need any help, email me and I’ll give you the name of the person who helped me get my categories initially set up. So glad you are enjoying MM and TT. So much talent in Blogland! 🙂

  19. Thanks for hosting! Have a pretty week. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

  20. Just linked up, Susan. We’ve had thunderstorms over the last couple of days here in Colorado. Today it is wet and misty..sigh. Thanks so much for hosting each week!

    Jeanette @ Creating a Life

  21. I love your blog. I thought it was pretty organized as it was, but now even better. One note to the person that had search issues. I read if you tag as you blog, search can do a better job of finding what readers are looking for. She may already know this, but if not this may be helpful.
    btw, we would love some of your rain. It is a shame we can’t make a trade. No matter how well I water, if we get just a little shower my flowers just perk up.

  22. Hi Susan, aka “Monkina” (do you remember?), aka “My hero” 🙂
    You are such a doll! Thank you very much for simplyfing our reader’s life! 🙂
    Susan, crazy weather here, too! Yesterday it was lovely and sunny here in Germany… we had “springy” temps, 23°C – 24°C (75°F), there were fluffy little clouds here and there floating in the blue sky, beautiful and colorful butterflies flying between our grass and little cute birds chirping and singing in our trees… I thought “life is good” and enjoyed the day so very much, I even got a tan 🙂 listening to one of my favorite songs “What a wonderful world” for hours, and… today? We have had some rain today, only 55°F and no cute little birds or butterflies in sight… but you know what, Susan? I re-listened to Louis Armstrong for hours… 😉
    ~Hugs to you~
    Cecilia

  23. Thanks so much for hosting! That is totally something I would too, organization freak right here!
    Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com

  24. Wow, your organization of the blog posts is very timely. In all this rain, I decided to paint my eat-in-area “redbud” and I wanted to take a look at the red walls in your dining room to check out how you brought so much light into the room. I found the post in three clicks! Thanks so much! I’m going to copy your sideboard idea with the mirror and two lamps, if you don’t mind. My house is 106 years old, so there are always projects going on and something will click in my head that I want to check out. Sure will be easier with your great orgainzational and computer skills!
    Thanks for what you do!!

    • Mona, you just made my day and my night. 🙂 I’m so happy you were able to find what you needed so quickly. Yay! I’m so jealous…love those wonderful old homes! I bet it will be beautiful! You may have seen the post where I ultimately painted the walls under the chair rail in white. That really did help to lighten it up a lot since my dining room is so tiny. Good luck with your dining room projects…can’t wait to see how it turns out!

  25. Hi Susan,
    I always enjoy popping in to view your world and all the fun creativity shared.
    It’s a hundred times more fun than organizing blog posts for me!
    I truly am in awe of, and admire people like you who are so organized, and we really appreciate all you do for us as readers.
    I have to agree with A.A. Milne who said, “One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.” I think he and I are kindred spirits that way.
    Thank you for hosting and being such a blessing!

    • Thanks, Paulette! I love that quote. I know someone who needs to hear that…will have to send it to them. 🙂 Thanks for sharing that. Have a wonderful evening!

  26. I Love Love this idea, even though I don’t tablescape.
    I do read you everyday and subscribe to Saturday Post Cards.
    Your blogging tips and how to’s are the best on the net.
    I am in the middle of learning to “watermark” my photos.
    (not that I have anything exciting to protect)
    Thank you for your expert instructions.

    Linda

  27. Thank you so much for hosting each week! I love how your blog is so organized!

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