Upon entering Klaire Timmins’ apartment, I find myself feeling a sense of awe and jealousy. Her abode is decorated to the likes of some of the most popular pins on Pinterest. The rooms are colorful, modernly decorated, cozy, and to top if off, the apartment smells of fall.
But although Klaire’s apartment gives me the impression that her life is totally put together, she claims that her life is anything but.
“My life is really up and down,” she explains. “The only real set routine I have is that every day I eat breakfast, drink coffee and see my friends.”
Klaire is a sophomore student at Stephen F. Austin State University. Like most students, she is occupied with the daily stresses of school and homework, work and her social life. But one thing that Klaire has going for her is something that causes her anything but stress— her blog. And her blog is on the steady rise to success.
Pictured is Klaire in her Pinterest-esque bedroom, blogging her fingers away. In her free time you can find her here in her comfy pj’s updating her website.
Klaire’s site consists of all things that makes Klaire, Klaire— her daily struggles, successes, travel experiences and the most popular part of her site: her sense of fashion and ways of shopping.
“Since I was little I have always liked shopping,” Klaire reminisces. “I like to online shop a lot, too. Every night before I go to bed I look at my top favorite clothing stores online and check out their new arrivals.”
Klaire was initially inspired to do a blog after her sister showed her one, whose owner was working the blog as a full time job. Klaire started her blog small, not completely sure how to go about it, on Google’s blogging program, Blogger. It wasn’t until this past summer that she really began getting into her blogging journey by doing her own research on how to expand her site, make money through it and gain more followers.
In the span of just a few short months, Klaire now has over 2,000 followers and counting.
With the rise in popularity of Klaire’s blog, Keeping Up With Klaire, she has recently switched from using Blogger to the website creator, Wix. In the midst of doing research on how to upkeep a blog with a steady flow of traffic through her site, Klaire has stumbled upon opportunities to advertise and work for separate clothing and Internet companies through her blog.
Currently she is a Brand Ambassador— in which she wears clothing as advertisement— for local Nacogdoches shop, M&S Pharmacy, and for the online store, Rage Boutique. She is also an Affiliate— the person in between the customer and the company— for Kristin Smucker and online store, BoHo Betty. Outside of clothing, she also allows Internet companies such as Google Adsense to advertise on her site as much or as little as they choose.
In addition to the shopping aspect of the blog, Klaire also incorporates her Instagram account to advertise the items she is sent to wear for the companies she works for. Klaire keeps her Instagram consistent by posting two to three times a day.
Klaire models a faux suede, red romper from Nacogdoches clothing shop, M&S Gift Shop and Pharmacy, whom she is a Brand Ambassador for.
In the coming months, Klaire plans to continuously update her blog by keeping her followers up to date with the latest trends and her every day life.
“Any posts aside from my fashion posts are inspired by what I’m going through.” Klaire explains.
In the “blog” tab of her site, you can find posts in which Klaire explains the hecticness of her life, tips and advice and even a simple and mellow, “this is what’s on my heart,” kind of piece.
Klaire’s ultimate goal with her blog is to be able to work through it full time by the time she graduates. She intends to continue her studies to receive her bachelor’s degree in hospitality, and it is her hope that she will be earning a sufficient amount of money through her blog and companies, current and future.
On her blog, Klaire so appropriately quotes, “Allow your passion to become your purpose, and it will one day become your profession.”
We’re rooting for you, Klaire!
If you’d like to check out Klaire’s blog and help her reach a second goal— to reach 5,000 followers by December— we’ve provided links to her super cute site and aesthetically pleasing Instagram.
BLOG: http://www.keepingupwithklaire.com
INSTAGRAM: @klairetimmins
FACEBOOK: Klaire Timmins, https://www.facebook.com/klaire.timmins?fref=ts
And some last minute advice for those interested in starting a blog of their own: “Don’t wait to do your research. Find connections; ask questions. Many of the bloggers I follow, and have gotten in contact with, are all super nice!”