![]() It only took that very first market for me to catch the 'Market Bug' (closely related to the 'travel bug' ). I wanted to do it again, I loved the excitement of it all! The clothing chaos at the start when people arrive with cars full of baskets and piles of colourful materials, to then watch it all transform into this beautiful and organised pop-up shopping experience. I wished I could share this experience too! I was on a life high for days after the market concluded, and I was bursting at the seams to share it with Hannah -my travel companion that had listened to me brain storming ideas about this day for months! Hannah was following her own dreams on the stunning East Coast of our little state and sadly missed the debut of my first market. So after travelling down to visit her and scoping out the town, I thought to myself why can't I bring this experience here? Why can't The Clothing Cupboard go on a seaside adventure to sunny St. Helens? The town didn't have a market that was entirely devoted to pre-loved clothing, but they did have markets that the community seemed to enjoy! And people were wearing clothing -so they obviously enjoyed that too! So all I had to do was find a venue.... I cast my line out to the town to see if I could reel in somewhere to hold the event... but unfortunately I hit a snag! The main hall in town was occupied and the other large enough space was a community based project that ran by the funding of an Op Shop.. I didn't want to take away their customers, donations or profit.. they were doing amazing things for the community! I needed to find something that worked for both of us. It was this snag on my line that got me thinking. At the end of the market there were still many unsold clothes that people were packing up and taking home again.. to sit in their wardrobes unworn? And there were places like the Op Shop in St. Helens wanting to collect unworn clothing to give back to the community. LIGHT BULB moment! No one wants to pack up these clothes and put them back in their freshly cleaned wardrobe space! Why don't they donate them to the Op Shop?! Then I remembered last time I donated clothing it sat in my car for weeks because I kept forgetting to drop it off! It would be amazing if someone could collect everything and donate it for you - no packing it up, no driving around with it in your car, no forgetting to drop it off and no stress! I COULD DO THAT! I could announce it at the market and take it to the op shop straight after... they would benefit from the market by receiving donations, it would be a win-win for everyone! So on the 15th of August I held my first market at St Helens, we had an awesome turn out and a great reaction from the community. Plus we filled both the donation bins at the Op Shop!! My bump in the road turned out the be a bump in the right direction and I planned to make donating to great causes a regular thing.
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The Clothing Cupboard Blog
There is just something so inspiring about markets and re-loving clothing. I love seeing the diversity of clothing when it is re-loved & peoples personalities spill out through their wardrobe. Previous Posts
October 2016
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