Fellow Minimalist: Christie Thompson of Fibre Craft

Being a minimalist means something a little different to each person. To me, it’s not about a certain style — the aesthetic is just a result of the mentality. In my definition, minimalism is about finding happiness through eliminating the unnecessarium in life, therefore becoming the most true version of oneself.



For our new series “Fellow Minimalist”, I’ll be interviewing local Richmonders who are living life well — or “winning at life", as I like to say. They have found a way, often in spite of obstacles, to do what they love. Here, I share their secrets.

Christie Thompson is a 20-something working as the Marketing Director at BCWH Architects and simultaneously running her own hand-made shop. She’s also a veteran Minimalist writer!

How does organization play a role in your entrepreneurial success?

“I essentially juggle two full time jobs, so organization is a necessity. My side business, Fibre Craft, is my hobby and I love it — being well organized allows me to keep loving it (and hopefully keep growing it!)”

With a fabric based craft, there can be a LOT of materials. Any tips for keeping track of everything?

“Something new I’m trying in my sewing studio is keeping visual logs of all my fabrics with small swatches on a white bulletin board. (I’m currently just re-using scrap foam board and stick pins). This has allowed me to easily see all the fabric I have available, organize them into categories (like colors, textures, or themes), and once I’m ready to work all I have to do is take a look at my board and then pull out the material. It’s helping me save time by making smart decisions about what I want or need to work on. Not to mention, it’s a lot less messy than searching through box after box.”

Juggling two jobs plus personal life can’t be easy. What’s your secret?

“Trello — it has revolutionized my list making. It’s an online to do list in board format that has allowed me to organize to do lists for all of my projects in a simple and accessible format. Sometimes I have trouble not thinking about one job while I’m doing another. Trello gives me the ability to quickly jot an idea down on a specific board (Fibre Craft versus marketing job versus personal projects) and return to it later when I have time to flesh it out. It’s really helped in my marketing job to keep multiple priorities in my mind but also organized based on urgency, importance, strategic, or other miscellany. Anytime my boss comes by with some new ideas, I can show him the list and we can immediately prioritize its importance and even give it a deadline. Oh, did I mention it’s free? And there’s an App for your phone? It’s pretty awesome.”

And finally, what’s one minimalist step you’ve taken recently?

“I’ve been purging my clothing and was having a really hard time donating pieces that didn’t sell on consignment. I thought, I spent money on this, it has value, but then realized it wasn't making me money sitting in my closet. I love Diversity Thrift, so I looked at each piece as a monetary donation to a place I want to support. Seeing it that way helped me let go.”

Find Christie and Fibre Craft this Saturday from 6 to 10p at The Artisan Cafe art/fashion event at Plant Zero. A $5 cover gets you into the event which will also have bands, wine and beer! RSVP on Facebook here.