My friend Donna at What the Redhead said has written a post today about the monochrome trend which seems to be everywhere you look at the moment. This isn’t a post about that but it got me thinking about how much my blog, my instagram feed, and the thoughts and pictures I share on Facebook and Twitter actually differ from the reality of my life.
Now I don’t hugely edit my life for the blog and social media but I wonder how much other people do. When I scroll through my instagram feed in the morning and see flat lays of coffee and croissants on rustic wooden trays with a posy of flowers for good measure, being eaten on pristine white sheets…is that what life is really like for some people? If it is then I am hugely envious, but I suspect the flat lay is so popular because it cuts out all of the surrounding chaos!
I’m not saying I’m innocent of this – you may have noticed I’m a fan of close up photographs of my kids. Apart from the fact I just like pictures of their faces it also means I can crop out all the mess in the background. I’ve even been know to Photoshop out a bogey hanging from Toby’s nose before now. I’m sure we all know that a carefully chosen instagram filter can hide a multitude of sins but like I said I don’t think my online life is overly edited.
That doesn’t mean the online representation of my life tells the whole story though so I thought I would share a picture that actually captures the reality of my life…
So here it is – this is my reality. There are toys, bibs, clothes and bags all over the floor, along with a selection of cushions from the sofa. We are sitting on a towel because Gabe could be sick at any moment, he really can’t be trusted to lie on the rug. I’m trying to change the baby while my own personal toddler-limpet clings to my side. And if you could smell the picture it would have that distinctive odour of nappy changes because with two children to look after it’s much easier to get them both changed and dressed on the living room floor than drag them both upstairs.
There you have it; when I’m not hiding behind instagram filters and careful cropping this is my reality. How much do you edit your online life? I’m sure I can’t be the only one…
I love that. Our house looks loke many a time! I think bloggers have an amazing talent of putting so much detail into their posts without revealing too much. Hope Gabe is better very soon xx
I edit mine, although maybe hardly blogging at all now is a very big edit?! If anyone asked me I’d happily describe mess and chaos but I just don’t want to share images of it.
Also, the monochrome trend makes me sad…
Pahaha. I try not to edit my insta too much. The ‘perfect’ lives of some people are impossible & pi$$ me off quite frankly. I don’t know how they’ve got the time for it! My house is generally a tip & the kids are often screaming but that’s real life. That’s what I like to see so I don’t feel alone!
I will often share a corner of life rather than the whole picture. Your reality looks a lot like mine when A and T were younger! x