Charming 90-Year-Old Farmhouse Minimalist Home Tour

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Elisabeth, who has kindly offered to share some images of her home with us:

Currently, we have 1100 square feet for two adults and our three living children. We plan to expand a bit as our family grows.

Our minimalism journey began about four years ago when I found myself continually exasperated by the excess, unwanted stuff that kept ending up in our house. I remember feeling like a light bulb when on when I realized that I didn’t need to keep every toy or outfit we had ever been given, that we could say “no thanks” to stuff from relatives’ basements, and that shopping the clearance rack for cheap clothes that I didn’t really like wasn’t a good bargain. Eliminating extra possessions and being intentional with what we own kicked into high gear three years ago when we moved from a four-bedroom home in the suburbs to a 90-year-old farmhouse that was half the size and had only one real closet.

We feel like we own what we have – it doesn’t own us. I have grown in gratitude and contentment. Eliminating unneeded items has forced me to go through a lot of emotional growth, and I’ve chosen through that process to keep a few sentimental items (such as my grandma’s cookie jar in my kitchen) and let go of others.

Maybe most importantly, I have applied those principles elsewhere to develop self-discipline and healthy boundaries in my relationships and calendar. I don’t want to be so busy cleaning a big house and organizing stuff that I miss out on the short time I have with my children!

I am always struggling to find the balance of graciously receiving gifts while also expecting our family’s values to be respected. Sometimes it is difficult to let go of possessions that we don’t need or want, when I know there will be disappointment or unmet expectations from extended family members.