I’ve been thrifty and resourceful my whole life. It started out as a necessity. As one of 9 kids in a large family we shopped second hand for all our clothing. We were taught not to waste anything. We watched our parents repurpose and DIY almost everything in our home to save on cost. Because of how I was raised, thrifting became second nature to me. Over time it became part of my identity and is now my calling card. 

 

But I didn’t grow up thinking of these practices as sustainability. Honestly I was more concerned with not overspending. I wanted to use my limited resources wisely, and be able to save my money for college and a car. I successfully made it through my higher education thrifting clothing and yard sale shopping furniture and household items, all the while developing my eye for style and ability to spot a deal.  As I pursued a career in the performing arts, and faced the reality of being a “starving artist,” these habits became even more important.

 

Little did I know that setting these habits early on would lay the groundwork for educating myself later on in life. One day it all connected for me. My desire for better health, my thrifty mentality, and my passion for saving money and not contributing to the consumer culture took on a new reality as I began to learn about how each of these tied into living a more sustainable lifestyle. 

 

At the same time I had come to love researching and reading ARTICLES on being thrifty and living a healthier, sustainable lifestyle, I also started reselling clothing ARTICLES from my own closet.

 

And that was the start of The Article.  I started my instagram account, @thearticlenyc, in 2018 out of a desire to document my own journey with sustainability. It was the combined desire to share what I already knew, what I was learning, and what I hoped to learn with my circle of friends. I was compelled to share what I was discovering in hopes of inspiring others. I felt in my heart that one person really could make a difference—and the thought of inspiring a few more people to make a difference filled me with a lot of excitement.

 

Here on this blog I will continue what I started by sharing what I’m learning and what I’m doing as a resource for friends, family and my followers. Thank you for joining me on this next leg of my journey.