The older I get the more I have come to appreciate what it takes to earn money and how important it is to spend that money wisely. In my 20’s I just assumed I would keep making more money as I got older. This is 100% coming from a place of totally privilege that I never really had to think about. I assumed I had worked extra hard to have everything that I did, but that honestly wasn’t always true. I knew people that connected me for jobs, I had resume and interview prep in college, and I entered an industry that was hiring white women by the dozen. I really mean that. A few months after my first advertising agency job I heard that the president of the company preferred to hire blondes. Cool.

Now in my mid 30’s I’ve realized that making more money comes with a cost and that cost is my time. But honestly, it’s my time to really just make someone else more money.

It’s meeting time, commuting time, work time, waiting for something from someone else so then I can do my job time. I realized while it seems I have no control over those things, I can make adjustments to get my time back. A shorter commute, or a job that allows some working from home would greatly improve my livelihood and give me my time back.

I’ve also started to look around and truly appreciate people that have struck out on their own to start a business. Why use my hard earned money to buy things run by all white male boards? Why not use those dollars to buy directly from a woman, a family owned business, immigrant family, or people of color or any other marginalized group that hasn’t been handed a life of privilege?

Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite home decor items that are made by real people that run independent businesses.

No affiliate links or commissions, I just love them.

Seek & Swoon

Swoon is right! I am obsessed with these knit throw blankets. Jala Smith-Huys started Seek & Swoon in 2015 after looking for a way to preserve memories of travel with her family. Each blanket is made in the USA out of recycled yarn, and she has partnered with a second generation, family-owned knitting mill to bring thoughtfully designed blankets into our homes. Did I also mention you can get a custom throw made too? Obviously a great gift idea for a wedding or newborn baby.

A quick word on what recycled yarn is, because its awesome. Plastic bottles are shredded into flakes, melted into pellets, then blended with apparel clothing scraps and made into beautiful soft knit throw blankets by Seek & Swoon!

Check out more by clicking on each product and head over to Seek & Swoon!

Photo cred: Seek & Swoon

Jowdy

I stumbled upon AJ on Instagram and instantly popped over to his website to see more of his work. He makes bowls, plates, tumblers, vases and more fun home decor all by hand in his shop in Pittsburgh, PA. Maybe it’s the Clevelander in me, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Pittsburgh peeps.

He has his MFA in poetry that you can absolutely feel in his work. Every line, shape and color looks so intentional and yet completely organic and natural.

Check out more by clicking on each product and head over to Jowdy!

Photo cred: Jowdy Studios Instagram

MINNA

If you are looking to mix & match patterns, colors and texture to your home MINNA is the place to get started. MINNA is a queer woman-owned and majority queer or woman operated business based in Hudson, New York, founded by Sara Berks.

These home decor products are created with master artisans in Central and South America which ensures craft preservation and job creation in these regions. A lot of companies leverage the skills of people that have been honed for centuries, but MINNA actually works with family-run workshops and independently-run cooperatives that set their own wages. Which is a huge difference in terms of providing good working conditions and fair wages. They also use natural and sustainable materials such as cotton, sheep wool, and alpaca wool that are colored with natural or toxin-free synthetic dyes.

Check out more by clicking on each product and head over to MINNA!

Photo cred: MINNA website

MI COCINA

I’ve seen Ubi’s work all over San Francisco and had no idea what his story was until recently. My husband has a thing for denim, so we both definitely noticed how unique it was to see raw selvedge denim placements. At first we thought, '“wow we are taking this obsession a bit too far”, but now it all makes a bit more sense. Ulrich "Ubi" Simpson designed for brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Diane von Furstenberg, Nike, and Coach for 25 years before he ventured off on his own.

His inspiration came from the joys of parenting and needing to split nights and early morning care for his daughter. He spent a lot of his mornings cooking and prepping meals for the family and realized there was a need for durable, versatile kitchen products for cooking, camping, and gardening that are functional and look nice.

Check out more by clicking on each product and head over to MI COCINA!

Photo cred: MI COCINA website