Making our New House Feel Like Home

I know that once you and your family live in this home for awhile you will learn exactly what you want to do once those needs become more and more apparent and I will be here for all your videos!!

I love the unfitted look of the room you made into the pantry! That’s my favorite room of your house so far. I’m also in the “relax and live there for a year” tribe. Get your cortisol levels down and build your strength, all while noticing and musing quietly. Be kind to yourself, you’ve been through a lot the past few years! The less you do, the more time and energy you’ll have for creative pursuits. Let yourself play! Sometimes that can be hard for moms to do, but we need it.

Here’s the deal…your previous home was nice. It was Pinterest perfect in every way. But your new home exactly as it is shown in this video is ABSOLUTE PERFECTION to me. It looks like a home. It looks perfectly “imperfect” just like every family is. It looks like it tells a story of people and their life, not perfection. Quite honestly, I’m EXTREMELY tired of perfect homes. The majority of us do not have a Pinterest home. This home, to me at least, makes you more relatable and interesting. Like you have better things to do than keep a perfect home perfect… like be with your family outside, like growing through walking barefoot in the grass, like watching the sun set… because you have better and more life giving things to do than keeping a perfect looking home looking perfect. We can be amazing homemakers without perfection as a part of our job description and calling. Everyone I personally know that keeps a very perfect looking home struggles with anxiety and I would be willing to bet money the two are connected. Much love to you! Enjoy this fresh new space in life and breathe deeply in and of it. 💜

Summertime is here and you can enjoy the beauty of the outside. Just take time to enjoy your family with some much needed downtime, after all the work you all have done to the home you were building. Let this be a time to recharge and you can work on the inside when winter comes. You have a lifetime and your family time, while the kids are younger comes by so quickly. Enjoy your beautiful home. ❤️

What a cute cozy cottage. 2 years ago my husband and I felt we should sell our home that we built, from milling our lumber to the final stages. We, like you put everything we had into it. I never dreamed of leaving it. But when God calls you to make a move He always goes with you. We now live 1600 miles away in a very small cottage. I can tell you it is wonderful. God is so good!! Enjoy your new chapter!!😊

Love all you are doing and I can say, that in some ways and as life changes I seem to be changing areas in my home. I think if you spend years there will always be something to change. Enjoy your home, it is so wonderful.

I am so excited to see how you make this flow and work for your family. I love old homes.

I’m sure that you’re going to make this house a home where you and your family fit, function and flourish. God blessed you!!!!❤

Wow ! I was just catching up since I haven’t had time to be on YouTube for sometime. I loved the style and design of your old home. But I totally get what and why you have made the changes you did. I enjoy your video’s so much. I always gravitate toward Christian bloggers. I wouldn’t watch anything else. So I love your content. Your Blue Cottage is beautiful in its own right. Enchanting and Charming. Once you take the time you need and make it your own , you will absolutely love it and be just as comfortable in it as you were in your old home. Many Blessings to you and your family. I also Just ordered a T-Shirt , they are adorable. I just wanted to show my support for your family. Thank you for sharing tidbits of your life with your viewers. Love from Wisconsin, Sincerely, Dawn Dahl

I love the shingles on the chicken coop!

When we downsized and moved into our forever retirement home (3,000 sqft to 1250 sqft) the home was dated, it actually was as it was when built in 1938. Besides tearing out the 50 year old carpet, the only other thing we did immediately was paint all the walls and ceilings. Over the past 10 years, we have gradually renovated the only bathroom in our home, this summer is the kitchen- which is one empty 14x14 room with just one wall of cabinets and sink and the other blank wall (it’s like a huge galley kitchen as there is a door in the middle of the other opposing walls) is the freestanding range and fridge which I have a moveable island between the 2 and a stainless steel shelving unit for my pots and pans and bakeware and microwave and spices and oils and other items. This year with this Reno, we are moving the range to the sink wall, leaving the fridge where is is but putting a double pantry unit at one end, to the left of the fridge will be a single pantry unit for small appliances and in between all that will be lowers and glass uppers and my coffee pot, electric kettle and KitchenAid mixer with a small prep sink, the lowers will be drawer units- the moveable island will be in the center of the kitchen. All this being done slowly because we are doing it with cash only. We are also having storm windows and screens made this year for our original wood, single pane, single hung windows and new stucco. We have lived here long enough to know what our daily flow is in our home and we have done things that works with that flow. Next year is the laundry room and overflow pantry combination- time for a new washer/dyer (we are saving or an all in one- remember- minimal space here ) and in floor heating for this thick cement slabbed area (the room was an addition in 1962 as the laundry room and heated enclosed back porch area). We did redo the electrical and plumbing several years ago and kept the same footprint but made sure we had plumbing readied for a dishwasher later down the line. Honestly, downsizing was the best thing we did and realized that the big home was more a burden, both in mortgage/taxes and in maintenance, on a smaller lot, now our small home is on more land which now allows for a vegetable garden, fruit trees, flower beds, multiple seating areas throughout the property where our big house limited all of that, especially the garden.

YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS! So glad so many people have been encouraging you to live in your house for a while first before renovating or updating! When we moved into our house 12 years ago, I absolutely couldn't stand our avocado green laminate countertops in our kitchen. It wasn't in our budget to update them, so we left them. After a few years, they completely grew on me to the point where I couldn't bear the thought of taking them out now. They aren't everyone's cup of tea, but they make my heart happy! Also absolutely loving the unfitted look of your pantry! <3 Your house has such great bones (those fireplaces!); I can't wait to see how you continue to make it your own! :)

Some people can take an old outdated space and manage to turn it into such a cute, inviting space. It's a talent and I think you have it! You've already done an amazing job. I'm excited to follow along on the journey. It's the process that makes it fun.

We just went through this a few years ago. Sold everything and moved to the mountains. It’s taken three years but our home and land is exactly what we envisioned when we first pulled up and saw the overgrown property and little cottage we were told needed to be torn down lol. It’s a journey for sure! I love that quote you read and am going to keep that in mind from now on. One thing that did help me was to celebrate every project as we completed it instead of just rushing forward to the next. Can’t wait to see what you do! I’m sure it will be amazing!

Just started watching your channel as I recognised you from a video with vloggers from Pine and prospect home, Farmhouse on boon and Kirsten Hoffman. You’ve already made your new house a home 🥰 I agree with living in the home for a while to get a feel of it and seeing how the light changes throughout the day in each room. Look forward to see what changes you make in the future 😊

Love how you have used the room off of the kitchen. What a blessing yo have .

You're doing great job. I appreciate your willingness to be open to change. I just wanted to stress that making a home is not always on the mother as some don't have the blessing of one. A keeper of the home can be anyone with the inhabitants' best interest at heart.

Your new home is beginning to reflect your personal touch as the keeper of the Home. Your chicken coup is beautiful. And enjoying time with your family is essential. Being a retired pastors wife, I’ve moved far to many times to share… LOL but I’ve learned how important it is to cherish the moments with my husband and children. When you’re in the midst of all of the challenges it truly isn’t easy. Time goes by far to quickly. There will be a day that you’re so grateful that you listening to your heart and let the Lord bring the peace and calm. I’ll continue holding you and your family up in prayer as you make precious memories during this time of transition. Blessings sweet friend! 🙏

Praying for your peace during this transition. I know it is overwhelming. You all are doing great! Getting the place pulled together! And we all know those sweet animals have to be care for first. Your place and your home is lovely. You do such a good job, and it will be pulled together in no time! Then the fine-tuning journey begins! The fun part...

What a blessing for your family in your new home. Breathe in the good work God is doing in all of your family as you rest and rejoice and enjoy the work God has for you in establishing your new home.