What is going on with this whole Instagram life???

[Ladycsparkles]

I just popped to my neighbours house as she invited me for a cuppa.

While I was sat drinking a cup of tea she was running round (to the point that she was actually sweating) taking things upstairs- a battered coffee table, some toys and various other things. When I jokingly asked her if the Queen was coming over to join us she said no, she's taking some photos for Instagram of her house.

Turns out she did the upstairs the other day and removed anything not photo-worthy downstairs and is now doing this in reverse- apparently her followers are expecting her home to be perfect despite her having 4 children. She said that she frequently makes the children change clothes if they have so much as a speck of dirt from playing outside in case she needs to take a photo.

I was quite shocked as she a generally a fairly level headed person, she'd transformed into a total wreck, all for a social media app.

Is this what people are aspiring to?

AIBU to think its all a bit ott?

[JonnaSilvie]

Does she have enough followers that it's worth doing? Is she getting sponsorship deals? Unfortunately, Instagram is purely an exercise in "aesthetics", so if she is aiming at a career based on displaying her home on Instagram then it would pay to have a perfect home. Woman is mad if it's not worth doing, though.

I post for "Bookstagram", a subset community of Instagram, and when I am photographing books for a post, especially if it's a paid promotional, I will clear a nice area and plan a co-ordinating flatlay. Thank god I don't have to rearrange my house though!

[Ladycsparkles]

I just checked as I do have instagram but rarely use it- she has 1000 followers- is that a lot? I have 7 :D

[meltingmarshmallows]

If she’s taking photos for a reason it’s less about portraying the perfect life and more using her home as a kind of set. There’s money to be made from Instagram, albeit not megabucks if you’ve only got 1000 followers. So it may not be as vapid as it sounds.

Although the kids clothes is a bit sad.

[JonnaSilvie]

I'm afraid 1000 followers is a very small amount of followers in terms of "professional" instagrammers. Your influence generally won't be enough that it's worth paying you to advertise anything, unless your interest is very niche. She may be being offered some free products from smaller brands of homeware goods though, if that's what she's getting into. I wouldn't bother if I were her though, from what I know of home and lifestyle instagrammers, the site is already saturated, and she's have to have some extraordinary content to compete.

[Ladycsparkles]

I had a little scroll down my feed or whatever you call it- there seems to be an awful lot of people doing this now.

Ah well, if she can make a bit of cash or get free stuff good luck to her.

[ZaphodBeeblerox]

Meh, I have 1,000+ followers for just posting photos of my packed lunch boxes. It isn't a high number at all, and not something I'm looking to monetise in any way. I just do it for fun.
The serious Instagrammers I know who are "brand ambassadors" etc seem to have 10-15k subscribers. And it does seem like a time consuming thing. Many are "mommy bloggers" who are forever advertising uber cute reusable diapers and baby slings and baby books and things using lovely photos of their kids which probably take ages to set up.

Sounds like your friend is trying to break into that league. I'm not sure it's worth it tbh, but then again many of these people seem to make decent money from it.

[TabbyMumz]

My neighbour does this, she constantly posts a picture perfect life on Instagram. Lots of photos of perfect views of her sitting room and embarrassing hashtags saying stuff like #bestfamilylife, and #happiestkidsintheworld and #datenightwithmyman......I'd be jealous except for the fact it isn't the perfect life she makes it out to be....most nights I can hear them screaming at each other through the walls.

[CalamineLotion]

....... most nights I can hear them screaming at each other through the walls.

And therefore anyone who actually buys into the whole ideal life as shown on insta and actually believes it, is stupid

[Kenworthington]

Ds2 who is 14 , and a girl MAGNET, has 5000 instagram followers. He mainly seems to post moody looking pics of his jaw and his abs. They seem to like it .

[bbpp]

I bet those followers aren't just teen girls ^

[Kenworthington]

Haha no prob not though most of them ‘seem’ to be.

[Ladycsparkles]

Well he's clearly filling a niche Kenworthington

Maybe I should start taking photos of my children in serene poses and putting the pictures on Instagram to see if anyone wants to send me free stuff.

What am I thinking, my children are never serene