There is trend now called the “100-yen store DIY (Do It Yourself),” where products from 100-yen stores are used to do home projects that range from making little accessories to renovating rooms. It is especially popular among women who want to make their living space more comfortable but save money at the same time. It is easy even for beginners.
Yumi Sato, a 40-year-old housewife living in Okayama Prefecture, has been doing 100-yen store DIY for five years now. She has always loved making things, and has done more than 300 pieces of original DIY work in the living room, kitchen, and children’s bedrooms.
Sato has four children. “Even if the kids mess things up or break things, it doesn’t make me as mad because it’s only 100 yen. So if I fail at making something, it won’t bother me too much either,” she said.
For example: “It would cost a fortune to get the walls done professionally, but by using wood or brick patterned Remake Sheets (that can be easily pasted over the wallpapers), it will only cost around 2000 yen,” she said.
She has colored a simple plastic draining dish with oil spray, and turned it into a fine quality enamel-style bread basket.
“I’d rather combine affordable materials to make something or decorate the house in a way that I like than having to buy anything expensive. I’m going to use the money I saved on my children’s education,” she said, laughing.
Sharing on Social Media
“Kurashinista” is a website where housewives post and share their cooking recipes, handicraft, and storage techniques. It is jointly run by Willgate, Inc. (Tokyo), a company that handles information websites, and Shufunotomosha (Tokyo). So far, there have been over 27,000 posts.
There has been an increase in the number of posts related to 100-yen store items and they are mainly posted by women in their 30s and 40s, mothers of children still in school.
The website’s editor-in-chief, Mirai Murai, pointed out, “With the rise in membership social websites (SNS), there are more people who want their work to be seen and to share their work.”
Out of Stock Due to Popularity
A manager of Seria, a 100-yen store based in Ogaki-shi, Gifu Prefecture, said, “We are unable to keep up with the orders, and for some of our products, we are out of stock. We see this as a business opportunity to capture demand in a wider category.”
A manager at Daiso Sangyo Inc. (Higashihiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture), the company that runs Daiso, said, “We often learn from customers new ways to use our products, such as making a bookshelf out of duckboards.”
(Click here for the original article in Japanese.)
