7/23/13
Labels:
Decision making
,
Deprivation
,
Emotions
,
frugality
,
overspending
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Why Do I Overspend When I Have No Money?
I’m going through a quiet patch at work at the moment. It’s always like this in July, presumably because of the end of financial year. But it makes me a bit panicky – part of me thinks the slow pace will never pick up.
Yet I’m noticing a tendency to spend as if the quiet patch wasn’t happening. On a logical level this doesn’t make sense. If there is less money coming in, it should be easy to spend less, right?
Wrong. Humans are emotional creatures, and it’s for emotional reasons that we overspend. I was curious as to where my own urge to keep spending came from, and came up with a few theories. Along the way, I thought of some other motivations that can lead to overspending just at the very moment when you should be pinching your pennies. I’ve listed them below.
Once you know what’s really going on, you don’t have to beat yourself up about spending. Instead you can deal with the source of the problem, not just the symptom. For this reason I’ve provided some suggested solutions to the different reasons for spending when money is tight.
Scarcity – If you’re telling yourself you don’t have any money, that alerts your brain to a fear that you won’t have enough. Your unconscious may decide that it’s better to spend what you’ve got, and to ‘stock up’ on consumer goods because there’s no more money coming in.
Solution: Sooth yourself. Tell yourself that you’re in charge, and that you’ll do your best to spend wisely the money you have access to, even if it’s limited.
Giving up – if you’re already in debt then it’s easy to think ‘one more little thing won’t make any difference’. Your financial situation feels so hopeless that you may as well spend that little bit extra.
Solution: Start a budget, so that you know where your money is going. Keep checking it, and try to stick to it; if you go off track, simply adjust the budget and get back on the wagon again.
Treating yourself – If there’s not much work coming in and you’re worried about the situation, it’s tempting to spend in order to feel better and give yourself a mood boost.
Solution: Treat yourself with things that don’t cost anything, like a nice warm bath, a walk in the park, a nap on the couch, or just sleeping in on the weekend.
Boredom – If there’s not much work coming in, or you’re simply at home a lot, life gets boring. You may find yourself browsing your favourite shopping sites, or going to the mall, seeking visual stimulation; the human need for novelty is a classic reason why people shop.
Solution: Plan your time so that it’s quite structured. Include activities that are mentally stimulating and challenging. Seek visual stimulation in ways other than shopping, like going to a gallery or listening to some music.
Guilt – if you’ve been an overspender for a while, it’s easy to slip into a vicious circle. You feel guilty for overspending, and the guilt makes you feel bad about yourself – so you go out and spend in order to feel better.
Solution: Practise self-love, even if you don’t believe you’re worth it (you are!). Seek the support of a self-help group for overspenders or a therapist who specialises in spending issues.
Power – Not having much money can make you feel powerless. In contrast, finding a bargain, or choosing a tasteful bag, can make you feel very powerful. Ironically, this kind of spending is also disempowering because it’s preventing you taking control of your finances.
Solution: Look at ways you feel disempowered in your own life, and fix them. Work on your budget, and look at any issues you are having with self-discipline, motivation and changing habits. Learn assertion skills to use at work and in your personal life. Join a community group that works on a social issue you’d like to change.
Drop us a line!
I hope this helps. I’d love to hear of any experiences you have of overspending when you’re broke, and how you keep your spending in line. Meanwhile here’s a couple of resources if you have serious spending problems.
I hope this helps. I’d love to hear of any experiences you have of overspending when you’re broke, and how you keep your spending in line. Meanwhile here’s a couple of resources if you have serious spending problems.
Help for overspending
Online discussion group: Shopping Addicts Support
Debtors Anonymous
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Things You Get for Free: Making the Most of Free Events in Your Area and Three Frugal Tips So Obvious You Probably Haven't Thought of Them.
7/18/13
Labels:
Going green
,
Recycling
When I first investigated going green, I truly believed I knew it all. Boy, was I wrong. Since the last time I’d investigated recycling back in the nineties (I know, I know), there’d been a transformation in the services available. There are now hundreds of social enterprises, and government and private programs, recycling everything from tin foil to computer keyboards.
There are also programs that collect and dispose of toxic items in the most environmentally responsible way possible.
You’d never know this if you relied on the mainstream media alone. Sadly, they aren’t that interested in recycling. A lot of interesting developments are going on behind the scenes, but unless you search them out on the internet, you probably won’t hear about them.
Even local councils, who offer many recycling services, don’t always do a great job of promoting them.
The following is a list of items that are recyclable in my local area, Malvern, in Melbourne, Victoria. It’s mainly meant as inspiration for you to seek out services in your area, because recycling services tend to be localised, often at the local government level. However, a few of the services listed here are Melbourne or Victoria-wide.
A great place to start if you’re in Australia and want to search out recycling services in your area is the Recycling Near You website.
Of course, these kinds of recycling services are no substitute for government action. As well as doing our bit, let’s tell our MPs that the excessive packaging and over-reliance on plastic has to stop, and that recycling toxic items like batteries must be mandatory (as it is in Europe).
Recycling is better than throwing out, but in the case of plastic especially, it’s equally important to try to use less in the first place, and there are some tips for doing that here.
The list below isn’t exhaustive. This website provides information on items that can and can't be recycled throughout the UK, and it runs the gamut from spectacles to eggshells. Also, I haven't included paper and cardboard because unless you've been living on Mars you will know about these.
Another option is Batteryback™, a free service run by the Victorian Government that recycles old and used household batteries. The batteries can be dropped off at some Bunnings, Coles, Michaels Camera and Officeworks stores. The list of stores can be found here.
The list of batteries they recycle is impressive, and includes batteries for:
Local councils differ in the extent to which they allow you to put plastic in the recycling bin. I’m lucky in that my local council recycles plastic, but I had no idea the kinds of hard plastic I could throw in my recycling bin. I knew I could recycle yoghurt containers, but apart from that I was pretty ignorant. In fact, I can put in my recycling bin:
If your local council doesn't enable plastic curbside recycling, pressure them to provide it!
Read More
What Can I Recycle? An Inspirational List
There are also programs that collect and dispose of toxic items in the most environmentally responsible way possible.
You’d never know this if you relied on the mainstream media alone. Sadly, they aren’t that interested in recycling. A lot of interesting developments are going on behind the scenes, but unless you search them out on the internet, you probably won’t hear about them.
Even local councils, who offer many recycling services, don’t always do a great job of promoting them.
The following is a list of items that are recyclable in my local area, Malvern, in Melbourne, Victoria. It’s mainly meant as inspiration for you to seek out services in your area, because recycling services tend to be localised, often at the local government level. However, a few of the services listed here are Melbourne or Victoria-wide.
A great place to start if you’re in Australia and want to search out recycling services in your area is the Recycling Near You website.
Of course, these kinds of recycling services are no substitute for government action. As well as doing our bit, let’s tell our MPs that the excessive packaging and over-reliance on plastic has to stop, and that recycling toxic items like batteries must be mandatory (as it is in Europe).
Recycling is better than throwing out, but in the case of plastic especially, it’s equally important to try to use less in the first place, and there are some tips for doing that here.
The list below isn’t exhaustive. This website provides information on items that can and can't be recycled throughout the UK, and it runs the gamut from spectacles to eggshells. Also, I haven't included paper and cardboard because unless you've been living on Mars you will know about these.
Batteries
My local council, Stonnington, runs a battery recycling service. Malvern Library has a box on the loans counter where you can deposit batteries for recycling.Another option is Batteryback™, a free service run by the Victorian Government that recycles old and used household batteries. The batteries can be dropped off at some Bunnings, Coles, Michaels Camera and Officeworks stores. The list of stores can be found here.
The list of batteries they recycle is impressive, and includes batteries for:
- mobile phones
- video cameras
- digital cameras
- hearing aids
- cordless phones
- portable electric shavers
- cordless power tools
- laptop computers
- palm pilots
- remote controlled toys
- portable video games
- portable disc players.
Hard plastic
- pen cases and lids (not the ink tube)
- takeaway containers
- plastic bottles for household items – eg, cooking oil, shampoo, vinegar – including the lids
- bits of hard plastic that often come with groceries, eg the plastic clipper used to secure plastic bags on bread.
If your local council doesn't enable plastic curbside recycling, pressure them to provide it!
Floppy disks
I managed to find somewhere in Melbourne that would recycle my obsolete pile of floppy disks! I had to search around a bit, and as the group I found were a volunteer outfit I happily gave them a donation of five dollars. They are Computerbank, based in Victoria Street, West Melbourne, a not-for-profit group that refurbishes donated computers for low-income people, students and community groups. If you have a laptop you’re ready to let go of, speak to them first.Plastic bags
Most of us know that supermarkets recycle plastic bags but this is still worth a mention. My local Coles and Woolworths have bins in which you can place plastic bags for recycling. You can recycle supermarket plastic bags and the heavier store bags, packaging film (eg plastic packaging for paper towels, toilet paper and junk mail), as well as drycleaning plastic. However, cling wrap, compostable bags and prepackaged food bags, including frozen food bags and prewashed salad bags, normally can’t be included. Remember to ensure the bags are clean before you put them in.
If you like to shop at supermarkets other than Coles and Woolworths, individual IGA stores seem to do their own thing when it comes to recycling, so you may need to contact your local store to see what they offer; my nearest store, Ashburton, doesn’t provide the option of recycling plastic bags.
(While ALDI doesn’t appear to offer plastic bag recycling, it’s only fair to mention that they are the only supermarket not providing free, single-use plastic bags to customers.)
Food markets may also have their own sustainable plastic bags policies. Victoria Market, for instance, is phasing out free, single-use plastic bags. Alternatives include biodegradable bags, ‘green bags’ designed for multiple use and paper bags.
My local council offers its residents free recycling of whitegoods, TVs PCs etc, if dropped off at the waste transfer station (or ‘tip’ as we used to call it!).
Borondoora Council, a few suburbs away from me, runs a free e-waste recycling service at its Riversdale Recycling and Waste Centre (they wouldn’t take my floppy disks, hence the previous search). Items that can be dropped off for recycling free of charge, for non-residents as well as residents, are:
My local Officeworks store has a drop-off bin for recycling old mobile phones and printer cartridges.
Cansmart is an Australia-wide industry body that promotes the recycling of steel. This page has a guide for preparing tins to place in the recycling bin.
Victorians can take their household chemical products to a Detox your Home drop-off point at a permanent site or through the mobile service. The Detox your Home mobile drop-off service accepts a wide range of household chemical products; check the webpages for details. However, I rang the information number and they couldn’t tell me which hazardous chemical products are actually recycled.
Pharmaceutical drugs Pills and medicines that have been sitting in the cupboard too long pose a potential risk to children, and can cause harm to the environment if flushed down the toilet or poured down the sink. The Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) project enables consumers in Australia to take their unwanted medicines to their local pharmacy for safe disposal in an environmentally responsible way.
Until next time!
If you like to shop at supermarkets other than Coles and Woolworths, individual IGA stores seem to do their own thing when it comes to recycling, so you may need to contact your local store to see what they offer; my nearest store, Ashburton, doesn’t provide the option of recycling plastic bags.
(While ALDI doesn’t appear to offer plastic bag recycling, it’s only fair to mention that they are the only supermarket not providing free, single-use plastic bags to customers.)
Food markets may also have their own sustainable plastic bags policies. Victoria Market, for instance, is phasing out free, single-use plastic bags. Alternatives include biodegradable bags, ‘green bags’ designed for multiple use and paper bags.
Computers, televisions, printers and computer parts
When it comes to e-waste, there are a number of options available to me.My local council offers its residents free recycling of whitegoods, TVs PCs etc, if dropped off at the waste transfer station (or ‘tip’ as we used to call it!).
Borondoora Council, a few suburbs away from me, runs a free e-waste recycling service at its Riversdale Recycling and Waste Centre (they wouldn’t take my floppy disks, hence the previous search). Items that can be dropped off for recycling free of charge, for non-residents as well as residents, are:
- televisions
- personal computers
- laptops, notebooks, palmtops and tablets
- computer monitors
- computer parts: hard drives, motherboards, cables, internal power supplies, DVD and CD drives
- computer peripherals: mice, keyboards, joysticks, game-pads, scanners, web cameras
- printers and scanners.
- game consoles
- video and DVD players
- radios/stereos
- power tools
- kitchen and household appliances
- whitegoods
- universal power supplies.
Printer cartridges, mobile phones, light globes, car batteries and car parts, scrap metal
Stonnington Council specifies that light globes can’t be put in the recycling bin. However, the waste transfer station does recycle light globes and fluoro tubes free of charge if you live in Stonnington. They also provide free recycling of car batteries, automotive oil, scrap metal, car parts and mobile phones and batteries if you drop them off at the transfer station. Contact your local council to see what they offer.My local Officeworks store has a drop-off bin for recycling old mobile phones and printer cartridges.
Garden waste
My local council offers the option of hiring a green waste bin, emptied every two weeks, for around seventy dollars a year. They will also provide free recycling of garden waste, including tree branches, that is dropped off at the transfer station.Cans, tins and aluminium foil
Some local councils, mine included, offer curbside recycling of aluminium, aerosol and steel cans and tins, as well as aluminium foil. Contact your local council to see if they do.Cansmart is an Australia-wide industry body that promotes the recycling of steel. This page has a guide for preparing tins to place in the recycling bin.
Chemical and hazardous waste
Detox your Home is a free service for householders to dispose of potentially dangerous household chemical products safely and easily without harming the environment. It’s run by Sustainability Victoria in partnership with local governments.Victorians can take their household chemical products to a Detox your Home drop-off point at a permanent site or through the mobile service. The Detox your Home mobile drop-off service accepts a wide range of household chemical products; check the webpages for details. However, I rang the information number and they couldn’t tell me which hazardous chemical products are actually recycled.
Pharmaceutical drugs Pills and medicines that have been sitting in the cupboard too long pose a potential risk to children, and can cause harm to the environment if flushed down the toilet or poured down the sink. The Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) project enables consumers in Australia to take their unwanted medicines to their local pharmacy for safe disposal in an environmentally responsible way.
Until next time!
7/11/13
Labels:
Bargains
,
Fashion
,
Op shops
,
Thrifting
Latest Thrift Store Finds - Jacket City!
I was going to call this blog entry just 'latest thrift store finds', then I realised that most of the finds recently have been jackets! Which is just as well, because Melbourne has been going through a chilly winter; the days are often pleasantly sunny but it's freezing.
First in the parade is my ten dollar birthday jacket below. I found it on my birthday in the Vinnies store in Ashburton. It is doublebreasted so I was a bit doubtful at first as it seemed too fitted to be comfortable when buttoned - but it's fine, and looks great buttoned up. Love the cherry red colour. The label is Just Jeans and it is surprisingly good quality considering.
Still in need of winter clothes, I found this trench coat in the Don Bosco store in Sydney Road, Brunswick. It's not particularly warm though, as the fabric is cotton drill, but I feel like a fifties detective in it. I must to something about the right lapel, which flops a bit.
Just to vary things a bit, I pounced on this amazing pair of trousers - eighties if the incredibly high waist is anything to go by - a couple of months ago at the Brotherhood store in Bentleigh. They are warm and in great condition but the waist is just a tiny bit small, and I don't know how people put up with those high waists - quite uncomfortable! For $1.50 you can't complain - they were on the bargain rack, which is unusual for a store that is usually aware of vintage trends:
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First in the parade is my ten dollar birthday jacket below. I found it on my birthday in the Vinnies store in Ashburton. It is doublebreasted so I was a bit doubtful at first as it seemed too fitted to be comfortable when buttoned - but it's fine, and looks great buttoned up. Love the cherry red colour. The label is Just Jeans and it is surprisingly good quality considering.
Still in need of winter clothes, I found this trench coat in the Don Bosco store in Sydney Road, Brunswick. It's not particularly warm though, as the fabric is cotton drill, but I feel like a fifties detective in it. I must to something about the right lapel, which flops a bit.
I picked up the retro-style jacket below only yesterday - by far the best bargain I've found in a while - for fifteen dollars, it's Jigsaw no less! I found it in a little op shop in Caulfield that I peruse frequently, but am rarely lucky in. The woman who served me said she had had her eye on it - I don't blame her! It's quite formal, but may be useful for meetings with clients:
I wasn't really looking for another jacket because half an hour earlier I had picked up this little beauty from the Vinnies in Auburn Road, Hawthorn, for the same price:
Just to vary things a bit, I pounced on this amazing pair of trousers - eighties if the incredibly high waist is anything to go by - a couple of months ago at the Brotherhood store in Bentleigh. They are warm and in great condition but the waist is just a tiny bit small, and I don't know how people put up with those high waists - quite uncomfortable! For $1.50 you can't complain - they were on the bargain rack, which is unusual for a store that is usually aware of vintage trends:
I would dearly love to buy more sweaters and trousers from thrift stores, but good quality items in these categories seem harder to come by. Perhaps the quality of jackets is higher because jackets tend to be sturdier and don't get washed as much, and possibly people tire of them before they become worn out.
What do you think - do you find jackets easier to buy at thrift stores, or do you have any tips for buying sweaters and trousers?
Until next time!
What do you think - do you find jackets easier to buy at thrift stores, or do you have any tips for buying sweaters and trousers?
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Great tips for successful op and thrift shopping.
7/6/13
Labels:
Bargains
,
Emotions
,
frugality
,
Secondhand goods
,
Thrifting
Chipped Thrift Store Treasures: Celebrating the Beauty of Imperfection
Do you ever buy chipped things? I used to have a horror of anything that wasn’t perfect and whole, but now I embrace the odd chip, scratch or dent as long as it doesn’t detract from the look of a piece.
I bought this picture from the Brotherhood op shop in Bentleigh. It was very shabby chic when I bought it (shabby being the operative word) but is now even shabbier after a piece of the frame on the lower left-hand side fell out a few months ago. I suppose I could mend it with suitable glue – I tell myself the missing piece simply adds to the olde worlde appearance.
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Herewith, a showcase of some chipped things I love.
I bought this large ceramic vase for ten dollars at my
local thrift store / op shop. It’s very heavy – it’s been fired
in a kiln, and has a lovely glaze. I’m not sure of the level of skill of the
person who produced it – there is no identifying signature at the bottom – but
the glazing and colour are very soothing. I discovered there were chips on the
inside of the rim when I got it home, but they’re not that visible so I’m not
too worried about them.
I bought this decorative vase from an op shop for about ten
dollars, but didn’t realise the sculpted flower on the top right was chipped; it's difficult to notice. Still I love the detail so much I
don’t really care.
This cement (I assume) pot was bought at a garage sale for a
couple of bucks – I really should keep some sort of record of prices I pay for
things – and the sculpture that makes up the rim is chipped. It’s really
supposed to have a plant sitting in it but instead it sits happily enough in
the corner of my bathroom to the right of the vanity basin, slowly accumulating
black mould (which I recently scrubbed off it so it’s not looking too bad). It
has a kind of decadent Roman, neoclassical feel to it.
I bought this picture from the Brotherhood op shop in Bentleigh. It was very shabby chic when I bought it (shabby being the operative word) but is now even shabbier after a piece of the frame on the lower left-hand side fell out a few months ago. I suppose I could mend it with suitable glue – I tell myself the missing piece simply adds to the olde worlde appearance.
This little birdie sits on my front porch. Because its tail was already chipped it cost about four bucks at a local garden centre. It sits precariously on narrow little toes and I chipped its little beak once, when I tipped it over accidentally. I feared it would be useless but somehow it still retains its birdiness.
It’s easier to accept imperfections in something that has
always been imperfect. When a possession we’re invested in gets chipped or
dented, it’s as if the ego itself sustains the injury.
Then gradually the change becomes incorporated, and we stop seeing it and feeling it. It's like a tiny scar, reminding us of all the injuries, bruises and deeper wounds we ourselves have sustained. It also reminds us that imperfection is the essence of beauty, life and growth.
Then gradually the change becomes incorporated, and we stop seeing it and feeling it. It's like a tiny scar, reminding us of all the injuries, bruises and deeper wounds we ourselves have sustained. It also reminds us that imperfection is the essence of beauty, life and growth.
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry you might also like: In with
the Old and Out with the New - Shopping and the Search for Perfection.
11/10/12
The Smock - A Classic Style that Never Goes Out of Fashion
This year as I've browsed the chain stores – one of my
favourite shopping habits – I've noticed something surprising. The smock top is
back. Well, not exactly, because it's never really been away.
How long has this fashion been around in its current
incarnation? Was it 2006 or 2007 that I first noticed a distinctive new,
untailored style that appeared initially in the form of what was called the sack
dress? It wasn't quite a smock, but was inspired by a similar concept of
unstructured fullness.
Simple smock tops became huge that year. Soon everything was
smocked, even short cropped jackets and sports hoodies. By today's standards
the smock tops of the mid-2000s were a bit dull, in uninspiring
colours and with not quite enough gathering at the seam running across the
sternum.
The smock evolved gradually from its 2006-07 incarnation,
with a number of variations, from the peasant style to the flowing top with
lots of gathering at a scoop neck. Present incarnations continue to play with
gathering and draping, and have been influenced by fashion's move to stronger
colours and abstract patterns; the peasant version is still prominent.
But
some things don't change: there is always something leisurely about the smock
that perhaps harks back to its rural origins, and makes us imagine sunning ourselves in
rustic pastures.
When I was researching this story, it was difficult to find
examples of recent smock styles among organic and fair trade brands, either in
Australia or overseas. Perhaps some of us are sick of the smock because its initial popularity was so over the top (pardon the pun) and we wore our smocks to death. Yet there are ethical styles out there - the smock above, from nixie clothing, is made from vintage silk scarves. The gorgeous smock dress below is by 3Fish:
And this extremely cute smock top is from odd molly:
But the beauty of smocks still being fashionable – or at
least not unfashionable – is that you can dig your old ones out from the back
of the cupboard and brighten them up with up-to-date neckwear. And because they
are a relatively recent style they're easy to find in op shops and thrift
stores.
Of course, there are still lovely vintage specimens around from
the 70s, like this one, from shinyredthings on Etsy.
I'm not a sewer but I imagine the smock style would be
relatively easy to make as it's less tailored than conventional shirts and
doesn't have a collar.
This enterprising blogger refashions men's work shirts into
smocks by cutting off the collar and gathering the neck, and replacing the original
sleeves with a puffy sleeve in a contrasting fabric. The results have a distinctive
crafted elegance.
History of the smock
top
Early smocks were worn by male peasant farmers in rural
Britain from the early eighteenth century onwards. They were made from heavy
wool or linen, and were more or less dresses – some a kind of 'shirt dress'
with buttons down the chest, as per the example below – or coats, with buttons all the way down. Embroidery
was added to the design in the nineteenth century (all of this illustrating
that gendered fashion is a cultural construct!).
The male smock had in turn been inspired by the chemise, a
loose undergarment worn by both men and women in Europe from the Middle Ages
onwards.
Yoked cotton smocks were popular with pregnant women from the 1940s (and possibly earlier), and of course there was the popular swagger-style
coat of the 1950s, which was loose and untailored.
But smock tops for women really hit their stride from the
late 1960s as part of the first wave of hippie chic. Hippie, or 'gypsy', chic
was inspired by traditional folkloric dress and smock tops were originally embroidered
peasant blouses, often made from cheesecloth and worn with blue flared jeans. Hippie
fashions like the peasant blouse were sometimes worn in direct defiance of
corporate culture.
Kirsten Dunst shows a modern take on this look below (though I suspect she is making a fashion statement rather than a political one!).
Kirsten Dunst shows a modern take on this look below (though I suspect she is making a fashion statement rather than a political one!).
As for the smock dress, brands as different as Mary Quant
and Laura Ashley made it their own. The Mary Quant example below is something
I'd be glad to wear today with a bit of fake tan on my white legs.
But I completely fell in love with this vintage smock dress, of unknown brand:
Back in the 70s (I am in fact quite ancient) my first
smock dress – or chemise as we used to call them – still creates a feeling of
fashion happiness when I think about it. It was made of cream calico, with
puffed short sleeves and brightly coloured embroidery on the chest. On the cusp
of adolescence, it made me feel like a fashion star. I adored myself in it.
The beauty of the smock dress is that you can belt some
versions of it. And you can also tuck your smock top into your jeans for a
blouson effect.
Not only that, but Alison DuBois from the hit TV show Medium convinced me that you could wear
a smock top under a jacket for a more tailored look while solving the odd murder. Perhaps she was also
psychic when it came to fashion!
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Wanted – An Annie Hall Look for the 2000s or The Tuck-In – A Versatile Look for the Frugally Fashionable.
9/19/12
Labels:
Clutter
,
Families
,
Hoarding
,
Relinquishing
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Hoarding and Decluttering: The Temptations of Memory
A while ago I wrote a blog entry about whether the two mega-trends
of thrifting and decluttering were compatible. Did a love of thrifting
inevitably lead to hoarding, I wondered. Could a scourer of op shops (like me,
for instance) actually lead a minimalist lifestyle?
My preoccupation with hoarding comes from the fact that my
parents display totally opposing tendencies in this area.
My father is a hoarder of sorts. This trait took years to fully
reveal itself, and remains limited to a few rooms in the house because my
mother is a tidiness freak.
While I was growing up my dad’s hoarding hardly
impacted on me – except as an exemplar of untidiness – apart from the garage
and garden shed, both almost unusable because stuffed with useless junk,
including a canoe that to this day hangs upside down from the roof of the shed like
some bizarre art installation, and is purported to have a hole in it. Oh, and
my dad's huge glass-topped mahogany desk, whose surface was even then obscured
by papers, that my mum had to suffer in their bedroom for many years. As she's
gotten older, it's become harder for her to control my dad's messiness.
When we kids grew up and moved out of the house, Dad inherited
a bedroom that became his 'office'. He used to complete his watercolour paintings
in there, but it's so full of junk now, apart from a small space cleared for a
computer and chair, that he’s abandoned it for this purpose. With its boxes of
obsolete papers, discarded canvases, painting materials and plastic bags of electrical
cables taking up most of the floor space, and the desk obscured by nests of manila
folders stuffed with papers, it's a safety hazard.
Ominously my father has been 'given' another room for his
painting, a tiny room at the back of the house that was formerly a
spare-cum-sewing room. So far it's sufficiently free of junk that my dad can
paint again but I predict that in a few months this room too will be unusable.
He will occasionally create messy outposts in the rest of the house – for example,
spreading his tax return documents around the dining room table, completing a
painting project in the sunroom – but these are always temporary and are soon shooed
back into the general chaos by my mother.
Dad is in some ways not a typical hoarder. Hoarding is often
associated with compulsive shopping; Dad hardly ever shops for non-necessities
unless he has to. Nor does he actively accumulate material objects in other
ways (although he used to buy the odd broken-down car that he would tinker with
on weekends). It's the past he hoards: religious pamphlets, old copies of
journals, financial and administrative documents, and anything to do with his
political battles with his teachers union, the local council and government
bodies. He still has papers from at least fifty years ago.
While hoarding didn’t impact much on my childhood, its roots
were present in subtle ways. For example, I knew one thing that would always
garner my mother's approval (the usual things didn't really cut it with her):
'cleaning the kitchen' at night. What this meant was not just doing the dishes,
but sorting, filing and taming the accumulations of junk that regularly spread
themselves around the kitchen benches (this wasn’t just Dad of course – we are
a family of seven). Organising this assortment of mail, torn pieces of envelope
with phone numbers written on them, tiny miscellaneous toys, coins, sets of
keys and so on, and creating sweet if temporary order, was something that my
mother and I could both rejoice in.
Has Dad passed down his hoarding tendencies to me? Not at first glance. I'm a tidiness freak and I like to
think I’m a great declutterer, but in that regard I’m fooling myself. I'm good at getting rid
of some things but not others.
I hold onto clothes for longer than many, but I can
get rid of the most treasured garment once I’ve made the decision; I actually
enjoy the process of weeding out my wardrobe and dropping off a bag of goodies at my favourite op shop. Once it's time for a piece to go, I don't give it another
thought.
But the fact is I do have my own hoarding weakness – books. I have five bookshelves if you don't count the one in my office that is
stuffed with folders of edited educational materials.
I find it very hard to let books go. I have thrown the odd
few out, but my decisions are extremely conservative. And I still have many
books that I won't read again and that bear little relationship to how I live my
life these days. Do I really need my secondhand copies of Emotional Intelligence and Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People? (These books were both written before the financial crisis – if they
were so influential, why didn't their sage advice for corporate types stop the
Goldman Sachs executives plundering the USA and destroying the world economy?) To
me the knowledge these books hold represents security, and a link with past
versions of me, and I can’t let them go, not yet anyway.
Another thing I hold onto is appointment diaries. Mine go as
far back as 1994. I keep them in my bookshelves so it doesn’t feel as if I’m
hoarding them. I tell myself they’re useful as primary sources for memoir
writing and so on, but they’re really just another link with earlier versions of my life and myself. In the rare times I go through one, trying to discover
when some long-ago incident occurred, I’m strangely comforted by the mundanity
of the various lists I was so fond of making. Whatever my emotional and
material struggles, I continued to go to the supermarket, have my hair cut,
drop my books back to the library and pay my rent.
Flyers relating to arts and cultural events – exhibitions, readings,
films, plays – are another weakness. It’s so easy to forget the details of
these experiences, and while there’s enough room in my filing cabinet, I can’t
bring myself to throw away anything that jogs my memory.
In fact, the things I hold onto suggest that I’m like more
my father than is comfortable to contemplate. Like him, it’s reminders of the
past that I cling to. In the absence of a photographic memory, these refugees
from my past testify to my changing life and the things that continue to
sustain it.
Do you find it easier to let go of some things and not others?
Are there mementoes of the past that you struggle to throw out?
Do you find it easier to let go of some things and not others?
Are there mementoes of the past that you struggle to throw out?
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Clearing Out Clutter: A Goodbye Ritual for a Loved Object.
9/10/12
Labels:
Budget shopping
,
Buying green
,
Ethical shopping
,
Food
,
Organics
,
Saving money
Since moving south of the Yarra I’ve been buying my free range chicken from the supermarket. But it’s vacuum-packed and far from fresh, and I’ve recently started a new shopping habit -- buying organic from a stall at my local food market. I made the change not just because organic chicken is healthier but because the animal welfare standards are higher.*
In the meantime, here I am, fronting up yet again to the organic meat stall. It’s not at all like the market’s organic groceries store, which has an unpretentious, down-to-earth atmosphere. Here, the whole look and feel goes against organic as earthy and embraces organic as superior tasting, premium meat, for the comfortably-off that have long gentrified this area, and Melbourne’s army of foodies.
The all-male staff are dressed in spiffy blue-and-white butchers aprons. On busy Saturday mornings a couple of them hover in the tiny shop floor area, which has a cash register so they’re not serving you from behind a counter.
I make my way to the stall, past the conventional slabs of meat set out on their antiseptic white trays, past the live lobsters in their tank that I feel so sorry for. The staff always ask me awkward questions, such as what I am planning to make the family for dinner (I live alone!). They sometimes overcharge me, as if so few people buy the chicken drumsticks that they’ve forgotten that they’re actually half the price of the thighs.
Budget for the change. If the change is going to cost more money, especially in the short term, you may need to budget for it by foregoing another expense.
Until next time!
Read More
Become a Fearless Habit Breaker - Tips for Changing Your Shopping Habits
Since moving south of the Yarra I’ve been buying my free range chicken from the supermarket. But it’s vacuum-packed and far from fresh, and I’ve recently started a new shopping habit -- buying organic from a stall at my local food market. I made the change not just because organic chicken is healthier but because the animal welfare standards are higher.*
In the meantime, here I am, fronting up yet again to the organic meat stall. It’s not at all like the market’s organic groceries store, which has an unpretentious, down-to-earth atmosphere. Here, the whole look and feel goes against organic as earthy and embraces organic as superior tasting, premium meat, for the comfortably-off that have long gentrified this area, and Melbourne’s army of foodies.
The all-male staff are dressed in spiffy blue-and-white butchers aprons. On busy Saturday mornings a couple of them hover in the tiny shop floor area, which has a cash register so they’re not serving you from behind a counter.
I make my way to the stall, past the conventional slabs of meat set out on their antiseptic white trays, past the live lobsters in their tank that I feel so sorry for. The staff always ask me awkward questions, such as what I am planning to make the family for dinner (I live alone!). They sometimes overcharge me, as if so few people buy the chicken drumsticks that they’ve forgotten that they’re actually half the price of the thighs.
Still, it’s convenient and I know that if I keep at it this,
too, will become routine. The market is close enough to home that if I’m organised
enough I can tram it instead of driving. I’ll learn to bat off the silly questions
that I know the stall managers have told the staff to ask, replying with a witty
remark that will defeat their formulaic responses.
I’ll stop feeling guilty that I’m buying the cheaper cuts. I’ll resign myself to the fact that with my frugal ways and holier-than-thou questions about the origins of the meat, I am not their target market. And a new, more positive shopping habit will become second nature.
I’ll stop feeling guilty that I’m buying the cheaper cuts. I’ll resign myself to the fact that with my frugal ways and holier-than-thou questions about the origins of the meat, I am not their target market. And a new, more positive shopping habit will become second nature.
We know deep down that shopping isn’t trivial even though it’s
often portrayed that way. How we shop has massive effects on our budget, our
wellbeing and the producers of the things we buy, and also reflects our ethics.
Consumers make the world by what, how and how much we buy.
Sometimes we get stuck in our ways when shopping. We’re
stressed and busy, and it’s easier to do what we’ve always done.
Whether you’re trying to save money, go green or simply spend
less time in recreational shopping, changing a shopping habit isn’t easy. It
means getting out of your comfort zone when so much else in life is uncertain.
Here are some tips that can help.
Recognise how habits
work. The brain is very adaptable, and habits are sticky things. It can
feel uncomfortable and take some willpower to change the way you do things. However,
simply persevering with a new habit will mean it eventually becomes a seamless
part of life. Recognise that you are going to feel uncomfortable for a while when
you change an ingrained habit, and try to sit with the discomfort until the new way of doing things becomes a part of your routine.
Don’t make too many
changes all at once. This could lead you to feel overwhelmed. Make one
small change at a time and see if you can stick with it.
Don’t let small
slip-ups stop you. If you backtrack on a goal, don’t worry. Just try again.
If it doesn’t feel right to continue with the change, drop it (this is not the
same as feeling uncomfortable).
Budget for the change. If the change is going to cost more money, especially in the short term, you may need to budget for it by foregoing another expense.
Learn from the
experiences of others. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. There is a ton
of information on the internet about new ways to shop and live.
Don’t compare yourself with others. This is an easy mistake to make when starting to change the way you shop. Dramatic change garners attention. Social media means we know right away what everyone else is doing and it’s human nature to compare ourselves with others. People who produce zero waste, have stopped using plastic, or no longer buy new clothes or takeaway food are setting a fantastic example, but doing something, especially at the start, is still better than doing nothing. Start from where you are and use the experiences of others as inspiration for your own unique journey.
Don’t compare yourself with others. This is an easy mistake to make when starting to change the way you shop. Dramatic change garners attention. Social media means we know right away what everyone else is doing and it’s human nature to compare ourselves with others. People who produce zero waste, have stopped using plastic, or no longer buy new clothes or takeaway food are setting a fantastic example, but doing something, especially at the start, is still better than doing nothing. Start from where you are and use the experiences of others as inspiration for your own unique journey.
Find support. If you have friends who are making similar changes, become a motivator for each other. You could arrange to meet or talk regularly to compare notes, cheer each other on and affirm your goals. Start a blog or Facebook group, or join a group that has similar goals to yours; for instance, the Meetup website includes groups with goals of saving money or living a greener lifestyle, or you could start your own meet-up group.
Are there shopping habits you are trying to break?
What techniques have worked for you?
Are there shopping habits you are trying to break?
What techniques have worked for you?
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Three Frugal Tips So Obvious You Probably Haven't Thought of Them.
* I’m vegetarian at heart, but because of food intolerance and low blood sugar, my diet’s so limited I have little choice but to eat meat.
* I’m vegetarian at heart, but because of food intolerance and low blood sugar, my diet’s so limited I have little choice but to eat meat.
9/4/12
Get Your Copy of the Inspired Shopper for Free!
For a few days only, The Inspired Shopper is totally free!
That's right, downloading the book won't cost a cent! Here's the page on the Amazon UK site.
You don't have to register separately - Amazon sets up an account for you when you buy for the first time.
You can also download a free Kindle reader.
Why am I doing this? I believe in the ideas in the book, and I want as many people to gain from them as possible.
I'm also looking for feedback on the book, and hope that those who read it for free might take the time to submit a short review.
This offer will only last a few days so grab it while it's hot!
Read More
That's right, downloading the book won't cost a cent! Here's the page on the Amazon UK site.
You don't have to register separately - Amazon sets up an account for you when you buy for the first time.
You can also download a free Kindle reader.
Why am I doing this? I believe in the ideas in the book, and I want as many people to gain from them as possible.
I'm also looking for feedback on the book, and hope that those who read it for free might take the time to submit a short review.
This offer will only last a few days so grab it while it's hot!
5/30/12
Labels:
Fashion
,
Vintage
As far as twenties fashion goes, it seems that the unassuming Dot Williams is not the only one in for a fast ride in the next few months – I can’t wait!
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Wanted – An Annie Hall for the 2000s.
Read More
Fashion Gets Set for Return of the Roaring Twenties
‘Put another pin in
your hat, Dot. You’re in for a fast ride!’
– Phryne Fisher
Television can sometimes have an explosive effect on the
fashion industry – witness the rage for all things sixties created by Mad Men. The
phenomenally successful Downton Abbey has introduced a new generation to high-end
Edwardian couture and jewellery, setting off a number of global trends.
Another era is currently receiving a much-deserved boost. The Roaring Twenties – the extravagant period that came before the long slog of the Great Depression – changed fashion forever. It’s being brought to life for a whole new audience in recent and forthcoming movies and TV series showcasing the sheer larger-than-life glamour of the era.
Another era is currently receiving a much-deserved boost. The Roaring Twenties – the extravagant period that came before the long slog of the Great Depression – changed fashion forever. It’s being brought to life for a whole new audience in recent and forthcoming movies and TV series showcasing the sheer larger-than-life glamour of the era.
‘The
twenties was the most revolutionary decade for fashion in the 20th century’, says Nicole Jenkins, owner of Melbourne vintage fashion store Circa. ‘This era has reverberated through the years since.’
Nicole, also a costumier and collector, points to revivals of twenties styles in the 1960s and 80s, as well as current revivals by Prada and other design houses.
‘The twenties has [also] been a perennial favourite for dress-up parties, as the look is so distinctive and easy to put together.’
Two recent Australian television series have already showcased, to great acclaim, Roaring Twenties pizzazz. Underbelly: Razor (pictured below) is a 13-part Australian miniseries set in Sydney. It depicts the‘razor gangs’ who controlled the city’s underworld between 1927 and 1936 and features truckloads of glitzy, gaudy twenties glamour. According to Wikipedia, the first episode made the show ‘the highest rating drama in Australian history’. The Daily Telegraph ran a competition giving readers a chance to play extras in the series, and was inundated with entries.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is a detective series set in Melbourne, Australia, in 1928. Oozing glamour and sensuality, wealthy amateur sleuth Phryne Fisher swishes through the staid drawing rooms, foggy back lanes, grimy docks and smoky jazz clubs of the city with her sleek chestnut bob, toting her pearl-studded pistol as she brings murderers to book aided by her handsome colleague Detective Inspector Jack Robinson.
The series has just completed its first run in Australia and a second series is in the pipeline. I couldn’t find information about overseas sales, but I’d be very surprised if Phryne doesn’t make an appearance on the BBC and possibly North American screens at some point.
Nicole, also a costumier and collector, points to revivals of twenties styles in the 1960s and 80s, as well as current revivals by Prada and other design houses.
‘The twenties has [also] been a perennial favourite for dress-up parties, as the look is so distinctive and easy to put together.’
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is a detective series set in Melbourne, Australia, in 1928. Oozing glamour and sensuality, wealthy amateur sleuth Phryne Fisher swishes through the staid drawing rooms, foggy back lanes, grimy docks and smoky jazz clubs of the city with her sleek chestnut bob, toting her pearl-studded pistol as she brings murderers to book aided by her handsome colleague Detective Inspector Jack Robinson.
The series has just completed its first run in Australia and a second series is in the pipeline. I couldn’t find information about overseas sales, but I’d be very surprised if Phryne doesn’t make an appearance on the BBC and possibly North American screens at some point.
Phryne – superbly brought to life by the elegant Essie Davis – is a style icon with a conscience, a glamour girl from humble origins who strives
to achieve justice for the underdog. She resides in an elegant two-storey Victorian
mansion replete with iron lace balconies and wonderful art nouveau decor, supporting a household
staff of three, a foster child and a dedicated lady companion, Dot Williams, who assists
in her investigations. With a series of exotic suitors and a simmering sexual
tension between her and DI Robinson, she epitomises the new sexually liberated woman
of the twenties. Her superbly tailored wardrobe delights the eye with its intricate designs, bold
patterning and deliciously luxuriant fabrics.
The series is based on the bestselling novels by Australian solicitor Kerry Greenwood. An intellectual heavyweight with a yen for crime, Greenwood has created a larger-than-life heroine, a period female superhero who speaks several languages and is as adept at flying a plane as she is at dancing the tango. Yet Greenwood strives for authentic period settings, and only agreed to the TV series because she was given a say in the design. She was thrilled with the results.
The series is based on the bestselling novels by Australian solicitor Kerry Greenwood. An intellectual heavyweight with a yen for crime, Greenwood has created a larger-than-life heroine, a period female superhero who speaks several languages and is as adept at flying a plane as she is at dancing the tango. Yet Greenwood strives for authentic period settings, and only agreed to the TV series because she was given a say in the design. She was thrilled with the results.
The odd cloche hat makes an appearance, but Greenwood wanted to distinguish the distinctive style of the late twenties both
from the flapper fashion that
marked the early part of the decade and the very fitted styles of the thirties. At the
time, costumes were designed as whole ensembles, with everything matched from
underwear through to coats, and fabrics were incredibly fine and embellished. While purists have pointed out historical anomalies in some of the props, the
gorgeous locations are apparently in the main true to 1928 and the years
before it.
Nicole concurs that the fashions in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries are distinctly‘fashion forward’, and not always recognisable as classic twenties. She goes on to suggest that these days original twenties fashion is not always replicated ‘in its true form’ because styles aren’t always flattering – yet the era has still been highly influential.
‘The drop waist styles are loose and comfortable and particularly flattering for ladies with slim, boyish figures. Unfortunately, they’re not suited to curvy figures, which most of us have, so interpretations usually involve adding a bit more shape.’
Nicole concurs that the fashions in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries are distinctly‘fashion forward’, and not always recognisable as classic twenties. She goes on to suggest that these days original twenties fashion is not always replicated ‘in its true form’ because styles aren’t always flattering – yet the era has still been highly influential.
‘The drop waist styles are loose and comfortable and particularly flattering for ladies with slim, boyish figures. Unfortunately, they’re not suited to curvy figures, which most of us have, so interpretations usually involve adding a bit more shape.’
More twenties glamour to come
Cloche hats, concave bobs and sequinned, feathered headbands will certainly
be on display in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming extravaganza The Great Gatsby. I’ve
only seen the trailer, but that alone suggests that the film will make Chicago look like a Sunday picnic. It’s to be released in 3D, and will be playing in US cinemas from 25 December and in Australia from 10 January.
Nicole is looking forward to seeing how Luhrmann portrays the fashions of the time. ‘It promises to be very swish
and stylish, stylised even, as his creative team like to produce
a hyper-real and creative version of history.’
The forthcoming third series of Downton Abbey is also set to provide sartorial thrills. The show has become a cult hit in the USA, with Sunday night viewing parties and themed merchandise. MSNBC’s Today show has given fans advice on how to dress like the Downton Abbey ladies and produced a collection of unauthorised Downton Abbey jewellery that it was later forced to pull.
The third series is already creating plenty of buzz. Airing in the UK from September, it will be set in the post-war era and will feature twenties fashions. Below are some examples of the Edwardian styles that have made such an impact.
The third series is already creating plenty of buzz. Airing in the UK from September, it will be set in the post-war era and will feature twenties fashions. Below are some examples of the Edwardian styles that have made such an impact.
As far as twenties fashion goes, it seems that the unassuming Dot Williams is not the only one in for a fast ride in the next few months – I can’t wait!
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Wanted – An Annie Hall for the 2000s.
5/14/12
Labels:
Compacting
,
Families
,
frugality
,
overspending
,
Saving money
,
Secondhand goods
Read More
Three Frugal Tips So Obvious You Probably Haven't Thought of Them
Getting serious about saving money can seem like an
onerous task. But it starts with simply changing your attitudes to money and
the way you approach spending it. Here are three new frugal tips that are so
obvious you may not have thought of them yet!
1. Assume you don’t need
anything
Apart from the basic necessities (food, housing, energy,
transport) we often say we ‘need’ new items. What we really mean is that we believe our lives would be easier, happier and better overall if we had those items.
When we go shopping for a particular non-basic item we start
from a default position that’s so drummed into us we don’t realise it – that we
must buy whatever it is we’re looking for. We feel deprived and somehow inadequate
without the item.
One way to decrease your spending is to assume that you
already have everything you need apart from basic necessities. Then, when a fresh need comes to your attention – a new smartphone; a pair of Mahno Blahnik shoes – you start from the
assumption that you don’t need it and
work backwards.
Assuming you don’t really need it, ask yourself if there’s anything you already
have that could substitute for it.
Alternatively, could you borrow it instead? Find it secondhand? Swap something
to get it? Or, when you give yourself time to think about it, do you really
have enough of that kind of item already?
Of course, at any one time there’s a fair chance that you don’t have everything
you need. I often recommend people write a list of things that they intend to
buy to put some boundaries around their spending.
The beauty of starting from a default ‘no needs’ position is that you exhaust every other possibility before buying the item. Then if you decide you do really need it, you can buy it without guilt. The real,
genuine needs will emerge from the dross of your many wants like shining
diamonds, and you’ll find the right items easily at the right time.
2. First things first
I used to be in a 12-step program, and if there’s one thing that is
plentiful in these programs it’s wise sayings. Some might argue there are too many, but they can sometimes be quite
profound. One of the sayings that has stuck with me over the years is ‘first
things first’.
There are two useful ways you can apply this to your
spending. The first one is simply allocating enough money for the basic necessities of
life (food, housing, energy, transport) before buying non-necessities. Of course, there are many ways you can reduce your spending on
these necessities so that you can save more money or buy something you really
need.
The other meaning of the saying is even more straightforward, and involves how you spend your time. Shop for the necessities first, and
then do any leisure shopping you want to do. If you’re prone to overspending, getting
your priorities right in this regard could help you reduce the amount of
leisure shopping you do, and therefore your spending. Instead of tacking your food shopping onto the end of a
spending binge, take the time to think about what food you’ll buy, where you’ll buy it, and how you can buy the healthiest food to look after
yourself. Changing your priorities in this way is a signal that you’re
looking after yourself, and this could also have benefits for your spending.
You could also look more carefully at other basics like the transport you use to get around, and how you use electricity and gas. Putting time and energy into thinking about those things that you might otherwise spend, say, shopping online could not only reduce your carbon footprint but give you a more mindful experience of life.
3. Look at your family’s money history
You’re not stuck with the spending habits that were instilled in you – it is possible to change your attitudes, and looking at how you came to develop them is a great way to start.
A useful exercise is to sit down and write a history of your family’s attitudes to money. Ask yourself:
How did my parents and grandparents spend money?
What were the attitudes to money that lay behind their
spending habits?
What are my attitudes to spending?
How have the attitudes and habits of my family helped form my own attitudes?
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be able to look at your spending habits much more objectively and start to get some distance from them. And you’ll begin to understand that you don't have to be stuck with them!
After taking a serious look at my parents’ attitude to
money, and those of my maternal grandparents, I now have a completely
different approach to saving and spending from the rest of my family.
Have you found that you gained more control over your spending after changing some of your basic attitudes? What were your original attitudes and how did you go about changing them?
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Are Any of These Negative Beliefs about Money Holding You Back? and Be a Creative Stinge – 12 Great Tips for Cutting Your Spending and Saving Money.
5/3/12
Labels:
Children
,
Ethical shopping
,
Online retail
,
Organics
,
Sustainable design
Liane is now the Creative Director of Master and Miss, an Australian children’s fashion label that offers clothing made from certified organic cotton from size 0000 up to size 5.
‘My earliest memories are of my mother at her sewing machine making clothes for our family, and following in her footsteps seemed like the natural thing to do.’
As well as being organic, Liane was determined that all the clothes would be designed and manufactured in Australia.
Read More
Search for Organic Kids' Clothes Leads to Online Business
When Liane Shannon had her daughter, Emma, she was concerned about the effects of synthetic and non-organic fabrics on her skin. But finding children’s clothes that were made from natural fibres and also fashionable and vibrant was much harder than she’d anticipated. So she decided to create them herself, and founded an innovative company in the process!
Liane is now the Creative Director of Master and Miss, an Australian children’s fashion label that offers clothing made from certified organic cotton from size 0000 up to size 5.
‘My earliest memories are of my mother at her sewing machine making clothes for our family, and following in her footsteps seemed like the natural thing to do.’
As well as being organic, Liane was determined that all the clothes would be designed and manufactured in Australia.
I interviewed Liane about why she started the company, the state of play with sustainable clothing in Australia, and what the future held.
While Master and Miss does not have any overseas
distributors we ship internationally. If you're looking to place an order and
want confirmation of postage or shipping rates, please email enquiries@masterandmiss.com.au
When did you start Master and Miss? Was it a solo venture?
Hopefully BRIGHT! As I mentioned before, I really think people are much more aware of the decisions they make. With brands such as Master and Miss providing consumers with more choices and at reasonable prices, I’m confident that consumers will choose a locally made, organic cotton garment over an imported mass-produced one.
Do you sell your clothes internationally?
I founded the company in May 2011, but had started doing my
research about six months earlier. Master and Miss is a solo venture but I do
have some great support from a friend who is very experienced in web design and
SEO. Without his help and guidance I would have been at a total loss as I have
no experience in this area.
Could you describe the situation you found when you
started looking for organic clothes for your daughter, and how you responded?
As a baby, Emma would get red spots all over her skin that weren’t
food related. I found that organic cotton
and clothing made from natural fibres reduced this. When
I started looking for organic cotton clothes I just couldn’t find what I
wanted, ie good basics that had a bit of style to them. I could find lots of
clothes that I loved but they weren’t organic, so I decided to make my own.
I sourced plain organic cotton, which is what I’ve used in
my first collection, but moving forward you will start to see a lot more prints
and patterns. One of the aims of Master and Miss is to be able to provide mums
with key pieces, like leggings and skirts, that they can buy year after year
and then pair the latest T-shirt with, so that customers get lots of wear
options.
Has Australia been
slow to take up the promise of sustainable clothing?
I think that more people are becoming aware of the impact
that we are having on our environment. Just look at how far recycling has come –
we all have recycle bins now, but when I was a child this was not common practice.
Solar energy and water-saving devices are becoming standard in new homes. I think
all this has a knock-on effect – sustainable clothing will only continue to get
more exposure and this will hopefully lead to more companies looking at organic
and natural fabrics. It’s all about educating people and giving them good
quality choices that are not three times the price.
What was most
satisfying to you about the process of designing the clothes?
I get such a thrill in seeing a design that has been in my
head become a reality, and then when I get to dress my own daughter in one of
my designs, the thrill is doubled!
What were some of the
challenges of setting up a sustainable clothing business in Australia?
The lack of choice of fabrics available in Australia. I would
love to add more details like trims and ribbons, but this would mean using non-organic
or importing from overseas. The dilemma I face is: will consumers mind if I add
these non-organic features, and will it take away from what the brand is all
about?
What were some of the
advantages of setting up the company, eg ability to sell clothes online without
a middle person?
The main advantage of selling online is being able to reduce
overhead operating costs like renting premises, electricity and insurance. Plus
I can increase my customer base to include not only the whole of Australia but
the world. The disadvantage is that people don’t get to feel the quality of the
clothes and see how well they look on.
Why was manufacturing
the clothes in Australia important to you?
I love the fact that I am creating jobs in Australia, and I
love being able to deal face to face with people and be hands-on. If I
manufactured clothes overseas I would not be able to do this. I would also be
helping another country to prosper when we should be looking after our own backyard
first.
Is there any particular highlight or landmark that stands out for you
in the process of setting up or developing the company?
People had told me how hard it is to have your own business,
and how costs and so on can get blown out or not go to plan. I thought I had
covered every eventuality, but there were so many UNEXPECTED teething problems
that I seriously thought that this was all going to be too hard. But you have
to believe in yourself and back yourself all the time and I have surprised
myself at how resourceful and driven I have been. I LOVE Master and Miss, I am
so proud of what I have achieved in such a short time and I can’t wait to see
where it will be in five years time.
How do you see the future of sustainable clothing in Australia?
25% discount offer to
all Inspired Shopper readers!
Master and Miss have kindly offered a 25% discount on their entire range for Inspired Shopper readers. To receive your discount you need to login to the website or register as a user. When you reach the checkout, you need to enter the code INSHOP. Hurry, as this offer expires 30 June!
Master and Miss have kindly offered a 25% discount on their entire range for Inspired Shopper readers. To receive your discount you need to login to the website or register as a user. When you reach the checkout, you need to enter the code INSHOP. Hurry, as this offer expires 30 June!
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Shop with Your Children without Having a Nervous Breakdown: Nine Great Tips.
4/29/12
Labels:
Bargains
,
Op shops
,
Secondhand goods
,
Thrifting
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Read More
Treasure Hunting: Five Brand New Op Shop (Thrift Store) Tips
1. Visit stores that are far away from where you
live. It’s easy to get used to the prices and kinds of stock in your local
op shop, and to assume that it’s all the same wherever you go. Explore further
afield and get a new perspective on prices and the stock available. Not
only that, but a new store is a novelty that gives you a fresh eye to hunt out the bargains with. I found the navy cardigan pictured above at a Salvos store in Bentleigh, a suburb I hardly ever visit. It was half-price so cost only a few bucks. I just love the ruffled sleeves. The pendant in the picture was also an op shop find, from Salvos in Camberwell.
2. Don’t make
assumptions about how the geographic area affects stock quality and prices. Stores in disadvantaged areas don't necessarily have poor stock, and those in well-heeled parts of town aren't always overpriced. There’s
a tiny op shop opposite Fitzroy’s high rise housing estate that obtains some of
its donations from the pupils of an exclusive boys grammar school in the
south-eastern suburbs. A couple of months ago I visited a Vinnies store in Kew, a prosperous inner eastern suburb of Melbourne, and found it was cheaper than the Vinnies in Malvern. This cute shirtdress was waiting for me -- it was only $8 and brand new. An independent op shop I
visited in Kew on the same day also had great prices.
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3. Visit op shops
when business is quiet. Any day when there’s less competition for the
stock is a good day to go op or thrift shopping! Long weekends are a great
time to visit; most of my suburb seems to go AWOL if there's a public holiday either end of the weekend. Cold rainy days are also great for secondhand treasure hunting.
4. Leave something
behind. On most of my best op shop visits I'll find at least one treasure that wasn’t meant
for me. On a recent visit I bought what appeared to be two brand new cushions (Ikea?) for $5 each (pictured above). On the back wall of the same shop I found a gorgeous
kitsch print for only $19, but I left it behind because it just didn’t feel right to buy it. That print was meant
for someone else, and whoever they are, it's probably looking fantastic in their loungeroom as I write!
5. Wait for prices to
go down. As op store mavens know, ‘chainstore’ op shops like Salvos
and Vinnies have a ticketing system that involves reducing the price of items that haven't sold after a certain time period. Independent op shops will often
overprice their stock for much longer, but eventually they'll reduce the prices on items that aren't selling.
I waited about two months before I nabbed this gorgeous
picture at my local op shop. It has a lovely carved frame in gold-coloured metal and is in great condition, but at $70 it was beyond my budget; about $45
would have been my limit. Luckily it was hanging quite high up on the wall so it was easy for shoppers to miss. One morning I dropped into the store and noticed that the
price had been halved to $35. I snapped it up immediately! My patience had been rewarded.
Happy hunting!
Happy hunting!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Inspired Thrifting: What Makes a Good Find at the Op Shop or Thrift Store? and Great Tips for Successful Op and Thrift Shopping.
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