As a kid, do you remember that feeling of getting a letter in the mail? The excitement to rip it open and see what was in there. Today we’re taking 5 with Millie from Millies Mailbox.
This is exactly what she does, sends fun mail to kids. So grab a cuppa and read about how Millie’s bringing back snail mail for kids.
Can you tell us a bit about who are you and what do you do?
I have recently left stable employment as an Accountant to pursue my idea of providing personalised fun mail to children via good old fashioned snail mail.
I grew up in Central Victoria and have been an Accountant for 22 years. I have 2 children. A daughter aged 9 and a son aged 5 and a half. I am very involved with my children, their school and even their classrooms.
How did you get started sending snail mail to children?
My own children kept asking me why they did not get any letters in the mail box. I joked that they could have my bills, but I realised that it was a valid question. This day and age we are moving away from good old fashioned snail mail.
So I started sending things to my kids or getting my parents to send things to the kids and they absolutely loved getting their very own mail. Made all the more fun, by adding in a small toy or activity.
I decided to “test the market” and started sending the children of my good friends some good old fashioned snail mail too. From there the idea grew.
Why do you do what you do? What makes it meaningful for you?
I do it for the kids. Kids get so much out of this experience. They practice their reading, their ‘penmanship’ and they learn about the postal service.
They also get to experience new ideas, new activities and new toys. All this brings them excitement and fun while they are also learning. As a parent what more could you want for your child?
What’s your process for creating and sending the mail?
I have so many ideas of what I could do for the kids but unfortunately I have only 12 mail outs a year so I have to reign in my enthusiasm.
I have a process of making sure that each mail out has a letter, an activity and a small gift/toy. All of my mail is personalised – the letter is addressed with the child’s name and the activity will include their name in some way too.
If there is an occasion within the month of my mail out I will incorporate that into my mail – such as Australia Day, Easter, ANZAC Day etc.
What’s your workspace like?
My office is cluttered to the rafters with craft and filing to be done. There is no room left for my laptop and me.
So my workspace is whatever space i feel like on the day. It could be my dining table, or i head to the local library to work. I have also been known to just work from the couch.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated to continue creating?
I think of the kids that are waiting with anticipation for their mail. I only have a few subscribers so far but I do not want to let them down. So this motivates me to do things on time and make sure that I come up with some cool stuff for them.
In what other ways do you express your creativity?
I have always been one to create my own greeting cards. So the kids and I have been known to have card making sessions.
As a mum i have also had to come up with ideas and craft for the kids entertainment. So there was a lot of experimentation along the way. I have to admit I am a very ‘Keep It Simple’ kind of person.
Simple for the kids and simple so that i do not lose patience doing it.
What’s one non-techy thing you can’t live without and why?
Chocolate. It is always there for me. It helps keep me awake, it makes me feel better when i am down and it tastes so darn good. You can not get that same great taste from technology.
What’s the greatest piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Put money into your savings bank account before you pay yourself – because whatever you pay yourself you will spend – there is the Accountant coming out in me!
What is a skill you’d love to learn?
I am thinking maybe photography would be handy. To help get some nice shots of my family and so I can do my own photography for my marketing and website.
Where can we find you?
milliesmailbox123@gmail.com
PO Box 322 Strathdale VIC 3550
Thanks to Millie for spending 5 minutes chatting to us about her exciting new business. My little one looks forward to her monthly mail from her friend ‘Billie’, she just can’t quite grasp ‘Millie’. If you’ve got a little one who wonders why they never get any mail, sign up for Millies Mailbox and bring them the joy of receiving a letter ‘just for them’.