7 minute read
The new work Hustle at home
H u s t l i n g i n o u r h o m e
As more of us find a side hustle – whether it’s to keep our creativity or our bank balances flowing – just what is the impact on our day-to-day living? Jennifer Morgan explores…
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We’re increasingly becoming a nation of side hustlers, it seems, as many of us turn our hobbies and passions into ways of earning extra cash. But our homes – which have had to deal with a lot since the pandemic – are morphing into studios, offices and distribution depots. How many times have you seen a homeware brand on Instagram showing the Insta reality of boxes piled high in a hallway, waiting for collection?
Of course, we can trace this back to the pandemic – over 800,000 new businesses launched in the financial year to 2021 – although there were signs we were getting itchy feet before this. ‘Many people lost their main source of income overnight during the pandemic, or were given reduced hours or furlough,’ says Laura Jolly Yan, head of consultancy at TrendBible (trendbible.com). ‘This had a two-fold effect: firstly, people had free time on their hands to pursue hobbies and creative pursuits, or learn a new skill; secondly, the employment crisis rocked people’s confidence and financial stability, leading to many seeking side hustles and second – or third – income streams, so as not to “put all their eggs in one basket”.
‘The great “slow down” allowed people to reassess their lifestyles and analyse what was – or wasn’t – working for them,’ continues Laura. ‘Now we’ve returned to a new kind of normality, 68 per cent of people prefer a hybrid working model, according to a Future Forum survey, while 95 per cent of people want flexibility over the times they work. So it’s no surprise that many are looking to be their own boss or create income from their own home, which allows them to structure their day in the way they choose.’
Hustles can be all-consuming. Holly Tucker MBE, founder of Holly.co, believes that if it’s not taking up most of your brain space, you should be concerned – especially if you plan to move it from sideline to mainline. ‘You need to be obsessed with your idea, have a clear vision and absolute belief in it,’ she says. ‘When your head is spinning and your dreams are packed with excitement, you know you’re really onto something.’ And yes, there are practicalities that will throw you off course. ‘When you’re growing a business, especially if it’s one selling products, then it’s hard to contain it at home,’ says Holly. ‘Certainly, every inch of my house has been an “unofficial office”.
I’m about to make my son’s old room my second office! Many of the businesses I work with have started in the spare room, then taken over the living room, kitchen table and hallways. Jo Malone even stored her products in the bath!’ Holly advises keeping your space clutter free where possible. ‘It sounds simple, but keeping your space clear and organised could give you an additional six months in your current space, saving you half a year of potential costs,’ she says. ‘In the same vein, staying in a space you’ve clearly outgrown can hinder and stifle you, and as the founder of your company, it will be down to you to “call it” at the right moment and take that next step to ensure you can continue to fuel your growth.’
Ysanne Brooks (ysannebrooks.co.uk) turned her passion for pottery into a business, although it’s been a slow process that has threatened to overtake her home multiple times. Eight years ago, she started taking pottery classes at the local adult education centre. ‘It was just a fun hobby, but in the past couple of years I’ve realised it’s a passion, and it’s slowly, and rather surprisingly, become a business of its own. It’s grown from friends
and family buying pieces to selling through a website, craft fairs and even holding small evening workshops in my local town,’ she says.
Ysanne is a journalist, although she’s put this to one side over the last year to focus on her ceramics. She has a studio in the basement, but wishes she’d thought harder about how her side hustle would impact the rest of her house. ‘It’s not just the separate areas needed for making, drying, firing and glazing the pots that I need; it’s also space for storing clay, glazes and equipment, as well as room to photograph a product and pack it when it’s sold. The office where I write has slowly been taken over by a packing table, boxes, bubble wrap and tape, with props for craft fairs also vying for space.’
Millennials and Gen Z hustlers are also finding the home-work-hustle balance a challenge. Illustrator and designer Sophia Clahar (sophiaclahar.com) lives with her parents, working for design agency Steele & Stovell (steeleandstovell.co.uk) by day and her own projects by night. ‘I’m lucky that I use my iPad for a lot of my illustration, but when I’m making physical pieces, like art prints or cards, then the dining room table is my go-to, as it’s rarely used for meals and gives me the biggest amount of space,’ she says. Sophia says she tries not to put too much pressure on herself: ‘Illustration is something that I love and I don’t want it to become a chore.’ She also recognises how supportive her parents are. ‘Yet I’m sure they’ll be happy to have their dining room table mess-free when I move out,’ she laughs.
‘In the coming years we’ll see householders creating more adaptable and transient spaces within their homes,’ says Laura Jolly Yan. ‘Rooms will need to function for multiple activities at different times of day, so furniture, equipment and even partitions will need to be moveable and multifunctional.’
The ultimate dream is to have a home studio, a place where you can contain the creativity and then close the door. Jacqueline Dawson of Alba Jewellery (alba-jewellery.co.uk) has always had side hustles alongside her main teaching job. ‘It was a way of satisfying my need for more creative outlets,’ she explains. ‘I didn’t want to teach until retirement age and so began focusing on making my jewellery more of a viable income source. I did this gradually alongside teaching until last year, when I felt I was able to take the plunge and work on Alba Jewellery full time.’
But it’s brought big changes to her Suffolk home. ‘I began Alba from a small room in our
house that wasn’t used much, but I outgrew it and moved into a studio in our garden, keeping the room in the house for all of the admin,’ says Jacqueline. ‘Trying to keep overheads as low as possible is really important, especially at the beginning, and using space you already have is a good way of helping with this, but it is a compromise, and everyone needs to feel on board with it.’ Jacqueline knows how lucky she is to be able to close the door at the end of the ‘making’ part of her day. ‘All laptop work takes place indoors and often on the sofa,’ she says.
As Laura explains, ‘It’s a case of finding those clever hacks to draw a line between work and play – like a foldaway office solution, or using smart home tech to switch up the mood once you’re ready to relax again, saying, “Hey Google, activate chill mode!”.’
Holly believes we need to embrace the kitchen table. ‘Many of the businesses I mentor are what I describe as “Good Life Businesses”, who are looking to balance purpose and profit, to build a company as part of their lives – their children might get involved – and one in which the product or service they’re selling is a passion. It makes sense that they start at the kitchen table. It doesn’t require extra budget, can be very much part of family life and means everyone around you is coming on that journey.’
