Johanna Sabaliauskas looked at her wardrobe full of beautiful designer dresses from events she had attended and knew she could do something more with them.
The 34-year-old nurse had worn each outfit only a handful of times to weddings, spring races and cocktail parties.
That’s why she decided to rent out the dresses for a fraction of the retail price in 2021 The Volte.
‘I had all these dresses in my wardrobe that I didn’t want to get rid of, so I thought: why not give it a try?’ the single mother of two from Bendigo, Victoria told FEMAIL.
Now, 18 months later, her part-time job is on track to earn more than $60,000 this financial year.
Nurse and mother Johanna Sabaliauskas (photo) started renting out used clothing in 2021. Now she is on track to earn more than €60,000 this financial year
‘I had all these dresses in my wardrobe that I didn’t want to get rid of, so I thought: why not give it a try?’ the single mother of two from Bendigo, Victoria told FEMAIL
In 2021, she started with 10 high-end dresses, ranging from size 10-12 – but now she has more than 250, ranging from size six to 16, in constant rotation.
Shoppers can rent a dress for a weekend and then return it by mail and Johanna will have it dry cleaned for the next customer.
If you want to purchase one of the outfits, it will cost you between $450 and $1,500, but rental prices vary between $75 and $220 depending on the brand.
Johanna admitted she ‘wasn’t expecting anything straight away’, but the bookings started pouring in for six months.
“I’m a regular mom – I’m all about it – I don’t have a business plan, but I’m so passionate about this,” she said.
‘I never expected it to turn out this way. I am so grateful and passionate about helping women look and feel their best.”
The wardrobe is full of top brands from Aje to V Chapman and Elliot. One of the most popular items is the Alemais Phyllis Twist Dress, which retails for $495 but rents for $145 including shipping.
Johanna uses The Volte to list her dresses – all she has to do is caption photos of her dresses with the item name and then wait and accept booking requests
Living 153km north of Melbourne, Johanna’s hustle has not only helped her earn some extra money every week, but has also contributed to the local economy.
She spends thousands of euros every month at the post office and hundreds of euros at a small family dry cleaners.
“Last year the owner said to me, ‘Your clothing rental company paid my staff member’s wages’ – it’s the biggest compliment I’ve ever received,” Johanna recalled.
After seeing the demand, she decided to launch a Facebook page to promote the side hustle and also offer a trial service at her home for locals.
“Women can come and book, come by and try on different dresses that suit their body type,” she said.
‘It’s a nice extra for the customer and I enjoy helping women find what they are looking for.’
The busy mom then decided to expand the collection to offer more sizes, and even stocks the same in-demand dresses in the same size.
Living 153km north of Melbourne, Johanna’s hustle has not only helped her earn some extra money every week, but it has also contributed to the local economy (pictured with her two daughters)
October to April are usually the busiest months of the year, with up to 40 dresses available for hire every weekend.
‘I still can’t believe it. I’m really proud of myself for taking a risk that paid off,” said Johanna.
Her business also has a positive impact on the environment, as hiring an outfit helps reduce the scourge of fast fashion.
Although Johanna says the side hustle can be “quick, easy and stress-free,” she spends a lot of time and effort on her customer service.
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