By: Marcia Francois
Blogging is so much fun and the reading is even more fun. But if you don’t have a system, it can get overwhelming very quickly. Especially if you’ve made lots of friends and you’re in a blog community.
I always recommend that you use a feed aggregator like Google Reader (my first choice) or Bloglines. It is very easy to keep adding more and more feeds until you have over 100 and don’t know whether you’re coming or going anymore!
To keep yourself sane and keep a decluttered feed aggregator, I suggest the following:
1. Start with a goal in mind
When I decide to add blogs, I ask myself if they are aligned to my values, principles, etc. Stay with me! I like blogs that are uplifting but real, not fluffy, organising blogs, photography blogs, some humour and some parenting blogs.
Part of this goal-setting process should be a number that you will not exceed, whether it’s 50 or 100 blogs. Because when you have a goal, you have something to aim for.
2. Categorise your Google Reader or Bloglines account
I’ll give you an idea by sharing my system. My current categories are Blog Love, Urgent but not important, Friends and Still Deciding.
Blog love – I must read these every day
Urgent but not important - mainly business resources although I also subscribe to some coaching blogs so I can see what other coaches are up to. You need to know what’s out there and what your niche is talking about!
Friends – this is an obvious category although I have only met 1 blog person in my life and I am the only one of my real life friends who blogs. But I like to think I have lots of bloggy friends.
Still deciding - obvious too. If I click through a link and like what’s there, I add the feed to Google Reader to monitor it for a while. Some of these eventually transition to one of my other folders or otherwise, I unsubscribe from the feed.
I find that when I put feeds in this folder it doesn’t feel like I’m committing to them and swearing undying loyalty. So it’s easier to unsubscribe from the feed.
3. Maintain
If you decide that you want to have x number of feeds (for me, it is 50 at the moment but remember I am ruthless - I have to be otherwise I’ll go crazy), then stick to it and schedule some time every week to go through and declutter.
Link it to something you do regularly (like menu planning) so that it becomes a habit.
When you declutter the feeds, ask yourself these questions:
• Do I look forward to reading this blog every day?
• Is this a blog I tend to just “mark as read” without reading?
• Is this aligned to my values? If something obviously goes against my morals and ethics I don’t read anymore. I’m only reading 2 of the 30 blogs I started reading 18 months ago - all the rest I found too crude, mean, etc.
• Do I enjoy relating to this person? I think this is where many of us get a bit lost. There’s nothing overtly wrong about the blog or the person so we feel uncomfortable if we don’t want to read them anymore. Just as in real life, with blogs, you may be friendly with many people but usually only have a few close friends.
I have a happy medium with this last point. I will unsubscribe easily but if I see a comment or a link from that person on another blog I read regularly, I click through now and again to see what they’re up to. So I’m sort-of in the loop (oh, so-and-so had her baby, or whatever) but not involved on a daily basis. This seems to work best for me.
And with that, I’m off to declutter my Google Reader 
© 2007 Marcia Francois
About the Author
Marcia Francois is a time management and organising coach who teaches small business owners and other busy people how to get at least 5 extra hours every week. Visit http://organiseyourbusiness.com for a free copy of Marcia’s book, 100 Surefire Ways to Organise your Busy Life.