March 2, 2021

SCHOOL UNIFORM SOURCING + LUNCH BOX CONTAINERS

I talked about this on stories as Clayton started school but I wanted to put it here so you could share and reference it more easily!

The real takeaway here is ASK QUESTIONS!

Even if nothing changes for you in an area, you might be part of things changing down the line. Explain why you care and see what workarounds you can find, uniform or any area. Yes it can be uncomfortable to be the one who asks if something can be done differently, but you’re not doing it to be difficult, you’re asking to bring needed change. So ask away!

For Clayton I first dug into what was listed by the school. Called the companies, looked at what they made clothes with and where. It wasn’t awful, there was some idea of supply chain but I knew I wanted to be a bit more sure on sourcing and materials. Sadly second hand wasn’t an option with 2020. So a few tips for starting out:

Ask about second hand sales: This is probably the best way to give uniform a longer life and spend less without using more resources!
Check local charity shops: sometimes local charity shops will have uniform basics or even specific pieces for local schools. This will be an ongoing thing – if I see something in a larger size I’m grab it before it’s needed!
Ask if there are facebook groups or online reselling options for your school: In the era of COVID some schools are doing more online methods of clothing reselling, find out what you have access to.
See if you can start something! If your school doesn’t have anything, ask if you can start something! A google doc with available pieces and email address? An appointment only second hand sale? A coordinator who people can check in with who handles it all with no contact – there could be so many options!

HERE’S WHAT WE DID!

UNIFORM BASICS

Ethical superstore (UK/ROI)

SHOES

Giesswein (US/UK/Europe)

GYM KIT

Ethical superstore (UK/ROI)

GYM PLIMSOLES

Trotters: not overall a brand I choose but they have one great plimsole option.

OUTDOOR SPORT SHOES

Second hand FB marketplace

SCHOOL COAT

Mini Boden Used via eBay

LUNCH BAGS

Used via eBay

LUNCH CONTAINERS

Eco lunch box (UK LINK)

Eco Lunch Box (US LINK)

Planet box – much less worth the cost to me but we do use it cos we have it! (US LINK HERE) (UK not available)

Stasher Bag (UK LINK)

Stasher Bag (US LINK)

Hydroflask Water Bottle (US LINK)

SCHOOL COLOURED SWEATER

OrBasics THIS sweater which they currently have in lots of great school basic colours.

SCHOOL COLOURED GYM SHIRT

Hope that helps!

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📍West Sussex 🇬🇧
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You know what used to be my most repetitive stress

You know what used to be my most repetitive stress moment of the week? ...this! 👆
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100% of shops I felt like I’d failed, and overspent. And now I love it. You know what changed? We actually made. a. budget. 👏 😆 SO MANY people think they’re chronically “overspending” on food, but they don’t actually have a thought through number to stay within! .
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To find your food budget, it needs to fit within wider income and spending. Don’t just guess a number think you ‘should’ spend! We take our average income, take out all the fixed numbers like rent and then play around with the rest until the numbers fit for the other expenses. Some areas might be less than you want, we’re there 🙋🏻‍♀️, but there’s so much peace in knowing we’re only spending what works for us! Saying no is much easier when you know what it’s doing for you! 💸
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Then, that number for food spending helps me make (and feel GOOD!) about my weekly choices. There are some things we just can’t have all the time. That’s ok!! But I feel good not choosing them because I know it’s getting us to a good place with spending. Each week we can then evaluate if we’d like more of something and know something else has to go to allow that, and we’re powerful to make the choices in the direction we want.
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We centre lots of our meals around bulk bought (cheaper) grains and pulses and the fruit and veggies we can get at a lower price per KG/LB or grow/forage ourselves. But if there’s one key to stretching a food budget it’s this: use ALL the food you buy! Buy everything with a purpose for it (hi meal plan!) and then do a fridge/pantry check every few days to make sure it’s all being used! Leave space for “leftovers” meals to eat up that last serving of pasta and the other random bits. And don’t be afraid to do “odd” things like eating the leftover oatmeal for lunch or serve it for kid dinner when you know it otherwise won’t go! 😆 If you do find yourself throwing any food away just ask yourself what you could do differently next time to use it up!
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What are your other questions, struggles or solutions for grocery budgeting? And tell me - do you have a thought through number or is that still on the to do list?! 📝

About two years ago when we moved to England, I be

About two years ago when we moved to England, I began to ask, “If I didn’t “work” in social media, what would I do?”

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Over the years Instagram for me has gone from small passion project outlet to the cornerstone of a few full time jobs from (paleo 🍩baking to B Corp skincare affiliate 😆) and the truth is... I know we need some changes. I’m still (with joy) the breadwinner and I love working and so the conversation about the next season of motherhood is on the blog, including some thoughts on social media, and what I’m surprisingly finding myself not actually saying about it.
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👩‍💻 Read the whole thing at thewholefooddiary.com/blog
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Find someone who looks at you the way I look at... my food deliveries 😏😍But really, they’ve saved us in this season. And there’s a post on the blog breaking down the major U.K. ones, showing what we use and why, with thoughts on budget and who they’re options good for (and some discount links). I really hope it helps because they’ve saved us but also they’re all doing really GOOD things through their businesses and that’s where we want our money going.
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www.thewholefooddiary.com/blog/uk-veg-box-review/
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Hellooooo FRIENDS! 👋 If you’re one of the peo

Hellooooo FRIENDS! 👋 If you’re one of the people who hit follow while I was away for the summer or if you’re always here... this is my face☝️(hi, I’m Kezia!) and the other face 👶🏻 is the reason I took a summer away from screens, work, notifications and social media!
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Friends who get my “The Whole Week” Friday notes to your inbox 📨 you got an email last week catching up on the summer, and there’s a little chat on the blog about how we’re doing, what life looks like, what my dreamed out slow 40 days post partum turned out to be like, and what I’m eating, wearing (two outfits on strict repeat!), and giving my time to currently. Find it at the thewholefooddiary.com/blog.👩‍💻
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Now at 8 weeks post partum I’m tip-toe-ing back into a little bit of nap time working, thankful I can do it while bouncing a baby in a bouncer, cos she’s vocal if she doesn’t get that 😏. Currently work is mostly just getting back to my @beautycounter world and team and all of you who use me in that world - but work from here with three is going to be a bit different and that’s for another blog post later!
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And how are YOU? I’m back in my DMs now and my auto responder is coming off my email soon, so shoot me a message in either spot to say anything at all, or on @whole.beauty if it’s something Beautycounter related! I can’t say I’ve missed the gram buuuuut connecting back in reminds me how thankful I am for this slice of online world where we get to share part of life and learn so much! .
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I look forward to sharing other bits of the summer as we go forward but this is me just checking in and saying hi. Hit thewholefooddiary.com/blog for a more in-depth chat about the time away, birth and life. ❤️
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Photo #4 by my brilliant sister @jrlees - should I post the rest of the shoot?!

FOUR slow weeks with her away from work and social

FOUR slow weeks with her away from work and social media and the world. 28 days post partum and we’re learning each other. We’ve had some set backs to the Traditional Chinese Medicine inspired 40 days I planned but these have still been my slowest post birth days of the three kids and I’ve massively needed it and I’m so grateful I planned it! My body is healing well but still needs lots of rest.
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Emotionally, 4 weeks on I’m still playing through each Friday hour by hour thinking about what was happening the Friday she was born, it’s not the easiest thing to remember and each time there are tears as the feelings of different parts of the day hit me and I remember, replay and uncover new pieces. Her entrance to the world wasn’t easy or the best day of my life like the other two, but that’s ok, it will get easier, and she’s here. Not everyone gets that. Families we love didn’t get that.
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I can still feel the wirey stitches of my incision and every time my fingers touch them I’m glad they’re still there - I’m not ready for them to dissolve. Physically I don’t know if my body is ready but my heart definitely isn’t ready to not feel them. Not ready to not feel connected to that moment. Not ready to feel a smooth scar in place of a stitched wound. And the same for my bump. My c section bump post birth is different from after my vaginals delivery in shape and feel and I’m not ready for this bump to go. Not just because there’s healthily no rush to jump back to my body pre baby but more because the stitches and scabs and bump all feel like connection to a moment that still feels raw and painful, but also that I know will be beautiful in time. I don’t want to move away from it yet.
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Yet today is Jared’s last day of paternity leave and on Monday life will be one step closer to our new normal as a family of 5. But I’m also staying put here in this slow, introverted and at home routine for a few more weeks as we heal and rest and keep learning this new life, slowly. #islafranciswren

We’re home. ❤️ It’s taken me a while to fe

We’re home. ❤️ It’s taken me a while to feel ready and able to share after a week we’ll be processing for a while, but thank you to everyone who’s checked in and asked if we’re ok. ❤️
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Meet our Isla Francis Wren. ❤️ She arrived late Friday night by emergency C section, 10lb 4oz and we’re all falling in love with this perfect little human we get to welcome into our family.
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I’ll share more and a birth story down the road but for now, we’re resting, healing, and soaking up some slow time together away from the world. ❤️

I can’t not thank our parents and my brother for caring for us and the kids over the last week, my sister for talking me through some of the toughest moments over text and voice memos all the way from New York, and to the medical team at Worthing Hospital who cared for us through circumstances that I know were challenging this week. ❤️ Thank you. ❤️ #islafranciswren#motherdaughter

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