One of Rachel’s explorations is being more purposeful when it comes to her fashion consumption. On her instagram page (@gardencatalog), she highlights sustainable and small businesses with her classic, super wearable outfit shots, shares her experiences with swapping and mending items, and something quite novel, exploring the use of an excel sheet to spur herself to learn more about her buying habits and style preference in order to gain insight on how to make more mindful purchase decisions.
We’ve heard about this excel sheet that you created to help guide conscious buying. Tell us more!
I'm obsessed with cataloging my clothes with an Excel sheet as a way to track styles and colours that I enjoy wearing. It's my way of minimising regret purchases and craft a strong sense of personal style, one that works for my body and lifestyle.
When I shared about my template on Instagram, many women asked for a similar version so I am excited to have just completed a video tutorial to teach them how to use simple Excel formulas to catalog their closet!
You can find Rachel's excel template and accompanying video tutorial behind these links! If you are planning to reorganise your wardrobe soon, why not kill two birds with one stone - Get organised and learn more about your style and buying habits at the same time.
Most of us get a little antsy when we aren’t sure where we’re going. You however, think of it as a bit of an adventure, could you share a little more about the beauty of getting a little lost?
I occasionally enjoy getting a little lost, whether it's finding my bearing in a new location or working on a new project. It's refreshing to have the confidence that you may not know what you're doing at the moment but you'll eventually get to your destination. And the surprise that awaits is always a pleasant one!
Any advice for when the uncertainty gets a little too much?
What keeps me motivated is being able to learn everyday, whether it's discovering something new or being exposed to a topic from a different perspective. I also love the adrenaline rush of being challenged and creating something from scratch.
Sometimes doing these can feel overwhelming so I would break down large tasks into smaller ones and tackle them one at a time. The best advice I've received is to let go of what you can't control so I often remind myself to live in the present instead of getting hung up in a future that I can't control.
It seems like you really enjoy taking every day as a new adventure and accepting the present for everything it is. What else inspires you?
I like to think that we are made of the people around us, and I'm most inspired by those with qualities that have changed another person's life. I would collect these good qualities and try to practice them so that they become a habit in my daily life. Lately I've been inspired to be kinder to others, to put myself in their shoes before making a judgement or decision.
