How Creatives Live In Singapore: Objects Store’s Najwa Jumali
Najwa tell us about life after quitting her corporate 9-to-5 to run her vintage homeware store, Objects.
She’s the name to hit up if you’re after quirky, one‑of‑a‑kind vintage homeware – meet Najwa Jumali, the founder of the four‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old store Objects and arguably one of the most popular curators of such wares in Singapore, if its follower count on Instagram (some 12,000 at the time of printing) is anything to go by. While Objects got its start during the Covid‑19 pandemic as an Instagram store (@objects.re), Najwa soft‑launched a studio space for it in an industrial building along Tannery Lane this August to expand the business. Here, she tells us all about life as a vintage homeware curator, the costs of running a business, and what motivated the switch from her corporate job.
Najwa (pictured above) runs the whole show at Objects herself – she sources, restores vintage finds, packs the orders, manages the store’s social media and handles the logistics. The money? It comes from her past life as a corporate data analyst. Everything she earns now goes straight back into Objects, which has been quietly gaining momentum with the opening of its first studio space this August. The plan is to turn it into something more than just a workspace – think a venue for small events, collaborations with other creatives she loves. Case in point: the space soft‑launched with an exhibition by fellow small biz Art Again, a secondary art marketplace.
Share with us, Najwa: how did your interest in vintage homeware start?
“This may sound a little cliched, but objects are a way of life for me! It’s my personal lifelong project of picking only second‑hand or handmade pieces, and it requires a sort of patience in order to build something great. I extend this to other areas of life, including fashion. Who knew that sprucing up my rental home (when she was studying abroad) via Indiana’s Facebook Marketplace would lead to a launch pad for this business?”
Was there a piece that started it all?
“To be honest, no, not really. There are definitely pieces I miss, but there isn’t a defining piece. The memories I hold dear, and that keep me going, are really when my customers tell me how much they love the pieces they’ve bought from me in their space.”
What’s your design philosophy – spoken or unspoken – that guides every decision?
“I’m biased towards functionality and literally anything that pleases my eye.”
Najwa has an eye for picking quirky and stylish vintage homeware pieces.
You started Objects as an Instagram store more than four years ago and soft‑launched your first bricks‑and‑mortar space for it this August – tell us about this big moment for Objects!
“It was a long time coming! I knew I needed to get a physical space if I wanted to expand and take this business more seriously – having to pay rent is a good motivator, trust me. I see it more as a space to engage with my community and partners. I have plans to host small events with friends and other small businesses that I align with. Of course, if anyone would like to purchase any of the pieces on display, sure!”
What’s the financial reality of running a business like yours here in Singapore?
“It differs from person to person… For me, I’m personally funding the business entirely with the money I’ve made in my five years of full‑time corporate work as a data analyst, so it can get a little stressful. For context, shipping in a container internationally for my business can cost about $15,000 to $20,000 – and this doesn’t include whatever is inside the container.”
What made you decide to switch from corporate girlie to full‑time entrepreneur?
“I just wanted to give doing this business a chance! I knew I had something promising with Objects and that if I didn’t give it a proper go, I’d probably regret it later. Now’s the best time to do it, as I have no big commitments at the moment, so I feel like I can take some risks.”
What’s your workload actually like?
“Objects is largely a one‑woman operation – I source, do social media, refurbish and clean, package, organise deliveries, think of new projects … the list goes on. Logistics is the most draining to me, especially because all my items come from various locations. I also have some larger and fragile pieces, which adds to the difficulty. Doing this alone sometimes sucks; you don’t have colleagues or teammates to share your struggles with. That said, the most joyful parts are, of course, meeting other business owners and my customers!”
Objects hosted a live-drawing event held by fellow small biz Art Again, a secondary art marketplace when it soft-launched last month.
Do you work for passion or pay – and what’s more important to you right now?
“I mean, the pay here isn’t as good as my data analyst job, that’s for sure! But I couldn’t see myself slogging it out for the next 40 to 50 years for something I don’t care about. I don’t want to dread the workweek. Maybe I wasn’t lucky and didn’t find the right companies to work for, but that led me here – doing something I’m definitely more passionate about. I believe everything happens for a reason.”
How do you cope with day‑to‑day costs?
“I’ve lived frugally all my life. For reference, I take Grab less than 10 times a year and only when I really need to – for example, if it’s too late and there’s no public transport, or if I’m carrying too much stuff. I also thrift everything I have. That said, I definitely eat out less these days and try to maximise meals. I’m living in a rented place, but it’s shared with six other people, so rent is manageable. Don’t worry, we’re good friends and we get along! My biggest concern is whether or not I can afford my dream house in Singapore. If it’s not possible, my partner and I have been considering moving abroad eventually.”
Are you able to share how much you earn monthly?
“To be completely honest, I haven’t been paying myself – I’ve been getting by on my savings. Everything I earn goes back into the business. This has been the case for about one and a half years, maybe? Hopefully, soon I can pay myself just enough to cover basic expenses!”
The one-woman-show, in action.
How much do you spend on average per month? Give us a rough breakdown of your monthly expenditure pie.
“I spend maybe about $500 to $600 a month on groceries and food. Transport is about $100 a month. Maybe $200 on entertainment – movies, participating in a creative workshop and so on … Sometimes I shop, and that’s the biggest variable for me. So for bare necessities, it’s about $1,000 a month.”
How much do you save in a month? And what are you saving for?
“Since I don’t earn, I technically don’t save. As I mentioned earlier, I don’t live extravagantly and that’s how I make up for not saving. If anything, I’m ‘saving’ to buy a place! And to pay the bills … or not have to worry about money when my cats need emergency treatments.”
And what have been some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learnt from heading up this one‑woman show?
“As much as I am a one‑woman show, I couldn’t have done everything without the support of so many others in my journey. So I’ll always be thankful for them and support them back in whatever way I can! Also, just generally be a nice person – that’s my mantra.”
THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR BREVITY AND CLARITY.
This article first appeared in Volume 2 of F Zine.
TEXT & COORDINATION KENG YANG SHUEN PHOTOGRAPHY ATHIRAH ANNISSA ART DIRECTION JONATHAN CHIA HAIR EC TAN/KIZUKI+LIM MAKE UP IHARU