I don’t know about you but I try to stay away from the middle aisle in ALDI.
As good as this supermarket is for bringing down the cost of my family’s weekly grocery shop, it’s also fatal to wander off task while in ALDI and find yourself perusing that dangerous middle ground – the ‘Special Buys’ aisle.
Special Buys is a clever name for a place you end up buying stuff you never thought you needed, and probably don’t.
Pneumatic pump for the airbeds next time you go camping with the kids? Yes, great (although no harm if we never go again after last trip’s washout, I can hear my wife muttering from here.)
Robot vacuum cleaner? Sure it’s super cute and looks like something George Lucas might have put in Star Wars PLUS it’ll provide hours of entertainment for our cats
And how about that 34 Bottle Wine Cooler? Yes, yes because let’s face it, every wine gulping adult loves the idea of having their own chilled vino on tap, if only you didn’t keep drinking it.
There was one ‘special buy’ in the Special Buys aisle recently however, that literally pulled me up short. A 50 centimetre high side table, round or square with a pull out drawer for $AUD 49.99.
My immediate reaction, to paraphrase the great John McEnroe, was ‘YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS” #ShareTheMoment
However, with a 12 month warranty on the ticket, (and after I’d let out a few other choice McEnroe expletives aisle side) it made me wonder how much store ALDI puts on these items lasting. And why I needed to write a blog (the first from Fitch Fine Furniture) on
Is Custom Made Furniture Worth it? So, IS Custom Made Furniture worth the investment?
Well, YES.
But conversely, first let’s look at 7 reasons why buying a table for $49.99 is a bad investment for you, your own grand designs and most importantly the deteriorating state of Australia’s environment.
Why Buying a Cheap Table Hurts Your Wallet and the Planet
1. Landfill lifeline
According to a recent report, in Sydney alone the equivalent of 1.65 million dining tables, 3.4 million coffee tables and 6.85 million chairs are thrown away every year. That’s millions of tonnes of furniture going into landfill every year. And the situation is even worse in the US
2. Quality, durability, rubbish
These pieces are what’s called fast furniture because while they are affordable and might seem like a good investment at the time, their quality, durability and originality is questionable.
3. False Economy
Ever heard of a false economy? This table is no investment for your hard earned money because in 12 months you may have to buy another one.
4. Can’t fool quality
It’s the same old adage when buying anything really – you get what you pay for – and no matter what any marketer tries to tell you, German or otherwise and yes, I’m looking at you here ALDI, you can’t fool quality.
5. Originality zilch
Where is the uniqueness when millions of others have the same table? Save yourself $50 and blag an empty French wooden wine box and a bottle of something vintage from your friendly bottlo. It’ll do the same job as this table with more individuality, and you’ll have a nice drop to enjoy too.
6. Hard to repair
With such a low price point, fast furniture is often made from materials like fibreboard or laminate which are hard to repair, and thus get turfed rather than fixed.
7. Workforce conditions
I’m sure ALDI looks after its making workforce in whichever part of the globe it is in, but you can be sure some fast furniture manufacturers use third world sweatshops and do not.
So that brings to me why you SHOULD look at talking to an Australian based furniture maker like Fitch Fine Furniture and having a custom made piece of furniture created.
7 Benefits of Buying Custom Made Furniture:
1. Custom design
Another word for bespoke or tailor made, custom made furniture delivers exactly what you need for your life and space. Need a new table that will last your lifetime and become a family heirloom? How about a side table that won’t fall apart after 12 months and find itself outside your home waiting for the tip truck? Bingo.
2. Quality
The handmade furniture I make is always created with quality, durability, and cost effectiveness in mind with the highest level of craftsmanship thrown in for good measure.
3. Investment
The idea of paying someone to make something for you may seem extravagant, and it is true that making something beautiful and bespoke takes time. But think of it like this …. would you prefer to spend $50 on a side table that you’ll have to chuck out soon or $2000 on a side table that will definitely last 50 years but probably go on for 100 years plus, and which your children and grandchildren will cherish it. Bottom line, based on 50 years that’s $40 a year or 100, $20 a year.
4. The Circular Economy
Contact a nearby furniture maker and your money goes back into the circular economy to help support local craftsmanship and sustainable consumption. Shop fast furniture and the only pockets you are lining are international multinationals.
5. Heirloom
Like that Birkin bag from Hermes you are hoping your Mum will pass down to you one day? Well, a beautiful sustainable furniture piece that moves with you across your lifetime is also a true collector’s item.
6. Personalisation options
Like working with your own stylist, a furniture maker will work with you to create whatever it is you need or desire; call us your personal home design problem solvers.
7. Sustainability
Just as luxury brands LVMH and Prada are using blockchain technology to trace the lifecycle of their products, as a customer, your piece of furniture’s provenance begins with you; will age with you but will not end with you.
Experience the Difference of a Fitch Fine Furniture Investment
If you are interested in chatting about getting a piece of furniture custom made for you and your lifestyle, get in touch.
Fitch Fine Furniture: Created to Last Lifetimes.