Making repairs is a lost art. Instead of repairing our shoes, holes in our leggings, and fixing our buttons, we would rather toss it and buy something new.
We have lost value in our possessions. We don't buy things to last. When we buy things, we don't think about what happens after they stop working.
I really want to encourage you to think about the lifespan of your products. Focus on purchasing goods that can be repaired. I keep this in mind even when second hand shopping.
buy less:
Instead of filling your home or closet with everything, focus on filling it with a few key pieces you really love.
buy well:
Focus on buying things that you truly love! If you just feel OK about it or like it - it's not good enough. You need to spend your hard earned money on things that only make you excited!! I've been building my wardrobe this way and everything I put on makes me happy. If you don't love it, don't buy it.
buy to last:
When making purchases, think about their lifespan. Think about their quality. When I buy second hand I always look to see if something is real wood, how the stitching looks, what is the fabric; because, I'm thinking about repairing it in the future. Any amount of money is an investment in something I want keep forever.
the challenge:
I want you to focus on basic repair techniques. I challenge you to learn two from the list below, and you don't even have to do it yourself! It's becoming more difficult to locate tailors and cobblers, but they're out there.
You can prevent good items from winding up in the landfill.
- Sew a hole
- Fix a button
- Get to know a tailor
- Find your local cobbler
- Go to an electronics repair shop
- Locate your local fixers vacuum, sewing machine, etc.
- Darn a sock
- Fix a leak
