HELEN EDWARDS - Creator of Recycled Interiors & the Sustainable Home Hub
Creator of Recycled Interiors and the Sustainable Home Hub, Helen Edwards, has used her passion of sustainable living and created an extensive community where she shares DIY projects, stories of other people who share the same values, how to create a happy and healthy home and much much more. It was an absolute pleasure having the opportunity to interview Helen and learn more about her story...
Hi Helen, introduce yourself: Who are you, what are your interests and where are you from?
I am a writer, blogger, stylist, speaker and advocate for people and planet at Recycled Interiors and the Sustainable Home Hub. I am a Mama to 3 sons and also completing my PhD in psychology.
"We believe in beauty in nature, in your home being perfect the way you want it, in family, spending time with each other. We support the makers and the shakers who are making, creating, offering us ways to be green. We believe in making choices easier for us all through moving away from the poorly made, the unethical, the fast and the thoughtless.
We believe in blending old with new, doing it yourself, sustainability, a good cup of tea, health and happiness. We stand for our planet, for people of all types, for animals, trees, for difference being fabulous, for ordinary being spectacular, for old being cherished, for community, for stories and for love of people and planet. We believe that every step counts and that if all of us take many small steps, we will make big changes. We know that there are better ways and better choices and we want to help you change the world".
What is Recycled Interiors and how long has it been running?
Recycled Interiors is your green home and living hub, helping you create a beautiful sustainable home, one step at a time. Recycled Interiors is your go-to resource for being sustainable, healthy and happy at home. We are all about encouraging and inspiring you to create a home & life you love, that is better for you and the planet. We want to support you to take small, simple, actionable steps at home and in your everyday life, to be more sustainable.
We are all about breaking down barriers to this, making it as easy as possible, and reducing your eco-anxiety. We know that growing your sustainable, eco, green, handmade or fair trade business is tough. We understand that navigating social media and selling your messages is hard. We are here to help you grow because we believe that by offering more sustainable options to people, it will be easier for them to make the best choices. We are about speaking out and standing up to drive bigger picture changes to policy and systems, so that we can all be more sustainable in the way we live our lives.
Where did the idea and inspiration stem from to create this community full of likeminded people wanting to have a more sustainable home?
I am an ex-social worker and counsellor, turned writer, blogger, stylist, speaker and advocate for people and planet. I am an award winning charity founder and Australian of the Year and Telstra Business Woman's Awards state finalist; and a Psychology PhD Candidate. I also have a certificate in Design and am an Ambassador for 5 Gyres. I am also an Ambassador for the Orangutan Alliance. A passionate and genuine lover of people and planet, I am here to help you feel good about yourself, your home and your everyday, while we talk all things health, happiness & sustainability.
So many people are yearning to go back to a slower pace of life, to appreciate difference and connect with what matters in life – and so Recycled Interiors was born in April 2013. I am a genuine tree-hugger and passionate about living a life that leaves this beautiful planet in a state that allows future generations and other creatures we share the world with, to live long and well. I have spent many years decorating my home in my own unique style and cherishing the stories that lie behind old stuff. I grew up with bohemian parents who valued the environment and were passionate about people and planet. I have also lived with depression and anxiety in my past, and I saw so many people also getting stressed about life, it made me want to do more. I strongly believe that mental health, wellbeing and sustainability are closely connected.
First and foremost I am mama to these 3 gorgeous boys and wife to the wonderful Mr Recycled. I love creating, designing, homes and interiors. I am also passionate about your health and wellbeing and believe these things can not be separated. From when I was a little girl being banned from watching Lassie (yes really!) because I was too worried about her being left behind during the opening credits (yes that was before the show even got into the multitude of crises she faced!), to my career as a social worker, my founding of a national diabetes charity, my research, and my work at Recycled Interiors - helping people and making a difference to the world is really what floats my boat. I have 3 sons which is pretty amazing considering my type 1 diabetes which I have lived with since 1979. Pregnancy with type 1 diabetes is tough. I am damn proud of these 3 kids, and myself. I am an eternal optimist, and lover of colour and nature.
What is your favourite aspect about your business? (ie. connection, creativity, community)
I love all of these things and the ability to work from home around my family. I love being inspired by all the amazing people out there creating businesses and ideas to make the world a better place.
What are some of the challenges you have faced throughout your business journey and how have you overcome these?
Building income streams is always hard. It is a more than full-time job but there is only one of me! I also live with multiple chronic conditions that can take their toll. Coming from a not for profit background I have to make sure I don't just give everything away so I can feed the kids! But at the same time this is not just a business, it is my life and so there are lots of reasons to keep moving forward.
Do you have a morning routine, and if so what does your morning routine look like?
Yes I get up and check my blood glucose as I have type 1 diabetes, deal with that, take insulin and multiple medications, have breakfast and a few cups of leaf tea, check emails and social media, share the day's blog post everywhere, get lunch for my 9 year old, get him ready, walk him to school and have my walk in the nearby conservation park, back for morning tea and work!
What do you love doing in your spare time?
I love to care for my potted plants, watch quality movies and series on streaming, do some DIY projects, write, read, paint, play with my son, go on roadtrips, listen to music, go for long walks, cuddle my cats.
What is one thing most people may not know about you?
People who follow Recycled Interiors may not know that I founded a national not for profit - a diabetes counselling service which was groundbreaking, I won a few awards and travelled overseas to talk about it and was a state finalist in the Australian of the Year Awards for this work.
Thank you Helen xx
Connect with Helen:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/RecycledInteriors/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/recycledinteriorshub
The Sustainable Home Hub: https://recycledinteriors.org/join-the-sustainable-hub/