From food blogs and travel blogs to craft blogs and cat blogs, the internet is saturated with pages upon pages from regular folks who care to share their passions through the written word. The word “blog” wasn’t coined until the late 1990s when blogs were generally used as a kind of online diary. Blogs have since evolved as a platform for folks to share information and network with those who have similar interests. Whether you’re a writer by trade or for fun, lifestyle blogs are a great way to get inspired and motivated to keep going (plus they can serve as a nice little distraction from your writer’s block!).
With millions and millions of blogs to peruse, I’ve curated 21 top lifestyle blogs you should be reading.
1. Gretchen Rubin’s Pursuit of Happiness
This Kansas City, Missouri native now lives in New York City where she blogs about her “experiments in the pursuit of happiness and good habits.” Rubin is a New York Times Bestselling author; her book, The Happiness Project, hit #1 on the list and has sold more than 1.5 million copies. The book follows Rubin’s journey through a year where she seeks to find and embrace happiness in her life. Rubin also has a podcast which you can access through her blog (she recently interviewed Drew Barrymore!). If you’re looking for little ways to make big changes in your life and overall perspective of life, Rubin’s words are worth reading, and also the reason why her site makes it onto this list of top lifestyle blogs.
2. Little Miss Katy
Based in London, Katy is a self-proclaimed Libra, feminist, foodie and eternal optimist. At just 23 years old she has garnered a following of 5500+ on Twitter and she uses her blog as a platform to post everything from restaurant and beauty reviews to travel stories and recommendations. What’s unique about her blog is that she has a page called “Happy Monday” where visitors will find uplifting posts and suggestions to get their week off to a wonderful start. Katy reminds readers to appreciate all of the little things in life like burgers and beer and chatting with loved ones. She uses her “Happy Monday” posts as a way to reflect on her previous week, ultimately showing us that a “case of the Mondays” can be a good thing!
3. Apartment 34
Erin Hiemstra started blogging about decor, fashion and style back in 2007. Based in San Francisco, Hiemstra’s blog now has quite the following and she’s active on all of the most popular social media platforms. Her blog is worth checking out for its streamlined look and beautiful photos. Hiemstra works full time as a content strategist and leads a busy life complete with her infant son. Yet she still manages to serve as a featured styling and decor expert in San Francisco Magazine, Good Housekeeping and Marie Claire – just to name a few!
4. Tracy’s New York Life
Tracy is an Upper West Sider and is married with an adorable dog and a lovely cat. She is a ballet dancer turned interior designer turned blogger with over 7,000 ‘likes’ on Facebook and nearly 3,000 Twitter followers. Her blog is very New York centric with advice for both locals and tourists alike. With features on people, food, style, culture and several posts added each week, visitors to this blog are sure to fall in love with the city that never sleeps. If you’re planning a trip to NYC, or just want to live vicariously through her blog, you’ll be sure to find all the local gems and you’ll quickly learn the city offers much more than Times Square.
5. Champagne Lifestyle Blog
Ever wonder how to live a ‘champagne lifestyle’ on a beer budget? Hannah’s got you covered! With over 19,000 Instagram followers, this blogger knows how to look the part without sacrificing her wallet. Hannah not only shares her financial advice and knack for getting the best deals, but offers a look into her life as she navigates a new career path in Southern California. Did I mention her adorable dogs, Zoey and Archie? Check out their Instagram page, here. Hannah’s page is worth checking out not only for the content but because it’s streamlined and easy to navigate (plus, her photos are gorgeous!).
6. The Blonde Abroad
If you enjoy a lifestyle filled with travel and adventure, check out this California native’s blog. Kiersten is a prime example for all of us to be true to ourselves and chase our dreams. She left her career in corporate finance to become a world traveler and has since been to 40 countries, including Bolivia and Thailand. You may wonder how she can afford her current lifestyle and you’ll find she addresses this question and many more on her blog. Kiersten has sacrificed many common luxuries to gain a plethora of adventurous experiences and from the looks of her blog, it’s been well worth it. She offers tips for solo travelers (specifically women) as well as tips on top destinations to visit, what to pack and where to grab the best grub. Visitors will also find a ‘shop’ tab on her blog where they can purchase all the travel essentials.
7. The Dainty Squid
With over 35,000 Instagram followers, Kaylah Doolan is a full time blogger who lives in Cleveland, Ohio. She describes herself as a “ridiculously shy person,” yet her ever-changing bright hair colors would have you think the opposite. Her blog is a positive haven and 25-year-old Doolan aims to ultimately inspire her visitors. The beautiful photos on her blog are alone worth visiting the site!
8. Sarah Sarna: A Lifestyle Blog
First of all, is Sarah Sarna not the most fun name to say? Sarah Sarna! I just want to shout it from a rooftop. Sarna’s blog focuses on four main categories: beauty, home decor, fashion and, my personal favorite, food. Sarna spent over a decade working as an interior designer after studying Interior Design at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. She currently lives in Virginia and has been cited as a lifestyle expert on ElleDecor.com and Lucky.com, among others.
9. Sparkling Footsteps: A Life and Style Blog
Lynzy started this blog as a creative outlet when she wasn’t working in the ER. She writes on everything from motherhood (she has two girls) to entertaining and travel. With posts like “Farmhouse Bathroom Makeover” and “Things I Wish I Knew Before Our Baby Arrived,” visitors are sure to be inspired by Lynzy’s words of wisdom. She’s also posted about a “bacon wrapped chicken appetizer” and based off of my experiences, anything with bacon is good. So give Sparkling Footsteps a visit!
10. Stay Gold Rebecca
Rebecca is a 21-year-old student in New York City who writes for NYLON and Bustle. Her blog is a myriad of fun fashion, good eats and an overall great life. Stay Gold Rebecca is a simply charming blog with beautiful photos from a young woman continuing her life journey in the Big Apple. She has regular posts which include “outfit of the day,” “do it yourself,” “vegan recipes,” and “week in photos.” Stay gold, Rebecca.
11. Papery Rain
Ramie, who sometimes goes by Bambi, is a wife and rescue puppy mom who resides in Chicago. On her blog she writes that her dream job would be to work at Disney World as Minnie Mouse — Ramie is clearly a fun person! She explains Papery Rain as a premise she came up with for when life decides to throw you a curveball. “This lifestyle blog was created as a reminder for myself (and any sweet visitors) of how much joy can come from enjoying the ordinary occurrences of everyday life, even ones that come from the unexpected…. like a papery rain,” writes Ramie. On her blog you’ll find a tab to a page called “Swoon” where the photos will make you do just that. She also has a page dedicated to rescue pups, each accompanied with stunning photos and fun facts about each dog. Papery Rain is well worth a visit.
12. A Taste of Koko
I’ve never been to Austin, TX but it’s on my list. For now I’ll live vicariously through Jane (more commonly known as Koko) who launched the site in 2010. Jane works professionally as a social media and community manager. She also hosts the largest food crawl in Austin during SXSW — with over 20,000 participants! Her blog features restaurant recommendations, travel tips and recipes, as well as a style and living section. Easy to navigate and chock full of delicious photographs, Koko’s blog is a must visit for any foodie.
13. Hello! Happiness
Natasha is a thirty-something who was born and raised in Nashville; she is a wife and mom to two girls and, as if she’s not busy enough, she is the owner of Sugar Bit (an online children’s clothing, gift and accessories boutique). She is a self-proclaimed “addict of all things happy” who is young at heart and passionately optimistic. Over the years her blog posts have transformed from tales of a single lady to wedding prep and, now, married life and motherhood. Natasha’s an inspiring woman who offers fun stories and advice for those who stop by.
14. Ready Set Happy
This blog is a health, fitness and love blog created by Aimee who writes happiness is her calling. She’s a hopeless romantic, power yogi and social media enthusiast with a zest for life and a passion to share that with others. Her blog offers tips for those who wish to seek a happier mind, body and soul. Her advice for a more mindful 2016? Turn off your phone more, say thank you more and read every day.
15. The Wild Hideaway
This is a wonderful lifestyle blog started by Shannon Clarke who lives down under — in Melbourne that is! Clarke describes herself as a SEO manager by day, freelance writer, karaoke queen by weekend and lifestyle blogger in between. The Wild Hideaway is just that – a hideaway for Clarke to share her favorite stories and adventures for whomever stops by. She offers readers ideas for blog posts, books to read as well as interior design ideas.
16. Poppy Loves
Poppy loves and I love Poppy! She is a London-based lifestyle blogger and brand consultant who also teaches piano. She covers an array of topics from beauty and travel to craft and designs. There’s certainly a lot going on at her site, with everything well organized and easy to access. She even has a “just for fun” page where most recently she posted her top 5 haunted pubs in London!
17. Denver Darling
From snowshoe adventures and yoga poses to style and health advice, Denver Darling is Abby Miller’s platform to share everything about the city where she was born and raised. She loves skiing, Charlie Brown and gummy candies and has an absolute fear of static cling! Abby’s blog also features a “shop” tab where she lists her favorite stores and links to sites where you can purchase some of her favorite looks. The photos on her website are absolutely stunning, making life in Denver seem like a dream.
18. Dinosaur Dances
Frankly, I just love the name of this blog. It’s fun, quirky and light-hearted – a great place to visit if you’d like to see anything related to beauty, food, fashion and general lifestyle. The site is run by 19-year-old Lucy who is a Management student at the University of York. Lucy is active across various social media platforms and simply seeks to share with the world some of her favorite things. I’m excited to see where this blog goes in the future.
19. Whole Healthy Glow
Dorit Jaffe is a holistic nutrition counselor and food blogger. Her passions include cooking, fitness and overall health. Her blog includes delicious recipes and helpful tips to lead a healthier, happier lifestyle. I’m an avid dessert and sweets lover and yet I find Jaffe’s site appealing and informative. She does a great job not to preach or criticize folks, but rather to simply recommend healthier options. Some of her favorite snacks include carrots and hummus, pumpkin seeds and roasted chickpeas.
20. Sweet Potato Soul
Jenné Claiborne is a Georgia Peach who now resides in NYC and offers tons of delicious, vegan recipes on her blog. She has an “insatiable” love of sweet potatoes as well as a love of travel, animals and chocolate. She also runs a culinary and wellness company in NYC called The Nourishing Vegan. I’m definitely not a vegan, but I love Jenné and her blog. Her videos are fun and informative and her recipes are easy to make and yummy to eat (yes, even for us carnivores!). Try out her recipes for banana mocha smoothies or black bean hemp burgers – you won’t be disappointed!
21. The Classy Cloud
The lifestyle of a flight attendant is one I find most intriguing and Ji-Young Kim offers a glimpse into her life as one. She started The Classy Cloud back in 2014 as a platform to share her own adventures and also inform others about what it’s really like behind the scenes as a flight attendant. Her blog is streamlined and fun to look through; she also always has her current location and upcoming destinations on a sidebar. You can find blog posts on her travels, sorted by airport code at the top menu of her page. Kim has over 36,000 Instagram followers! Her photos look as though they belong on a glossy magazine page – simply incredible!
Image credit: Pixabay
An avid dog-lover, coffee-drinker and self-proclaimed “professional wanderer,” Jackie has a B.A. in Journalism from Northeastern University. She hopes to inspire others through her writing and, ultimately, make this world a better place through positive social change.