During this period, Amy realised that while her clothes were sus-
tainable, the way she was running her business was not. She knew
in order for Vege Threads to thrive she would have to make some
changes and consciously prioritise a healthy work–life balance. “It’s
a real personal struggle for me to find that sweet spot between work
and personal life, and it’s something I constantly have to focus on,”
she admits.
This shift in thinking was the catalyst behind Amy leaving life in inner
Melbourne for the outer suburb of Eltham in 2017. She lived here for
a year before she moved back to the city when she took on the lease
for Vege Threads’ first bricks-and-mortar shop in Northcote. Along
with the new store, Amy also hired her first employee, Leona – both
of these steps offered her a new level of responsibility and freedom
in the running of Vege Threads. “Opening the store enabled me to
get through the tough growing pains of the business, and now Leona
and I have found a great balance sharing the roles,” she says.
Once the shop was operating smoothly, the call of the hills came
back. Amy and her partner Mike were keen to relocate, but road-
tested the idea first. “We spent a lot of time over summer swimming
and going on bush walks in the area and wondered if we could make
a life work up here,” she says. A few cruises down the highway later,
and they found the Warrandyte treehouse they now call home.
Although Amy and Mike have only lived in their three-bedroom
1960s rental for a few months, it feels like they are longtime resi-
dents. They’ve quickly settled in and created a space filled with
warmth and personality. “Our home reflects our creative side, our
life, our travels and our past,” says Amy.
The couple, who are still adjusting from apartment life to a full-sized
house, are embracing a minimal footprint. “As we moved from a
small flat we don’t have many belongings in this house, but I like
it that way,” she explains. “I’ve always been drawn to a minimalist
approach to a home and Mike lived in Japan for some time, so we
both like keeping the space simple.”
Amy has built a business on being sustainable and the same can be
said for how she lives her life. “I try and apply my values to both my
business and home life and live as consciously minded as possible,”
she says. “Our house is filled with things we’ve bought from op shops
and Gumtree, keepsakes from our travels and mid-century pieces
we’ve collected over the years. We like that our home is full of things
that have lived many lives and have their own stories.”
One of the couple’s most prized possessions is their rattan and
velour vintage Fler sofa that was made locally over 40 years ago,
which they found while secondhand shopping. “We found it at an
old trash and treasure store for a fraction of what it’s actually worth- it’s our dream find to date,” Amy reveals. Amy has also traded Vege
Threads garments for ceramics, artworks and homewares from local
makers and artists. “It’s been such a nice way to accumulate special
pieces,” she says.
It’s early days, but Amy is already lapping up the perks of Warran-
dyte life. “We’re enjoying waking up to the trees and walking by the
Yarra to balance our weekday work lives in the city,” she explains.
The move has also helped Amy finally reach a healthy work–life
equilibrium, where both she and Vege Threads can operate at full
capacity, calmly.
“Moving to the hills has allowed me to really switch off and bring the
things that brought balance – such as yoga, bush walks, journalling
and just being still – back into my life,” she says. “I’ve discovered
allowing myself to sometimes do nothing and being okay with that is
my greatest personal achievement.”
”
“
It’s a real personal
struggle for me
to f ind that sweet
spot between work
and personal life,
and it’s something
I constantly have
to focus on