The Art of Slow with The Simple Folk’s Bohannah Gerritsen

WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH CLARKE

Bohannah Gerritsen has mastered the art of slow living and shares her “road-tripping, coffee-roasting, day-dreaming, creative” lifestyle on her Instagram page, The Simple Folk.

As a mother of three, the self-described ‘image-maker’ has established sponsorship deals with global brands such as Rover, Uniqlo, Adairs, Tourism Tasmania, and Lululemon.

Sharing glimpses of her young family's simple yet picturesque life, whether they are in their caravan or at home in Western Australia, she has garnered a worldwide fan base that love and aspire to her cool, simpler way of living and effortless style. 

Bohannah, tell us about your husband and children. 

Bohannah Gerritsen (BG): I’ve been married to Tye for eleven years, and we have three kids together: Indiana (Iggy), who will be eleven this year; Archer, nine; and Olive, seven. Tye is kind, generous and loving. He works away, week on/week off, and when he is home, he is entirely present, loves to cook for us all and takes us on fun adventures. I always tell the kids they won in the dad department. Our children are a wonderful blend of us both. I see so much of us in them but seeing them grow into their own people is exciting. They’re more self-sufficient these days, and I’m so grateful their childhood was slow and full of time spent together because now their weekends are mostly spent with their friends - ha!

 

How did The Simple Folk start, and what is its mission? 

BG: I changed my Instagram handle from indi.and.arch to thesimplefolk in 2016 when I wanted a name that encapsulated our essence. The word ‘simple’ signifies our world perfectly, from the uncomplicated and simplistic way in which I create to how we raise our children and reflect our own personal style. The Simple Folk has become much more than I could have imagined and continues to echo our values and ethos. I’m grateful to have worked with brands aligning with this messaging and staying authentic to myself in this noisy, online world. My mission was simple: create and share from love and joy!

Mini GlamSwag in Light Blue Chambray

 

Have you always been adventurous?

BG: As a child, I spent a lot of time in nature as we grew up on a property surrounded by bushland. As I grew more independent, my adventures stretched further, and Tye and I explored a few countries before settling down. In the early years of starting our family, our adventures were of a smaller scale and closer to home. Beach adventures began at sunrise, and sometimes, we road-tripped for four hours to get to our favourite spots in the Southwest. A particularly memorable road trip was taken when I was eight weeks pregnant with Archer. We travelled quite a few hours away to Bremer Bay so I could board a boat to watch killer whales for the day. When Olive was born, our road trips were amped up, and we drove across Australia for almost three months. A few international trips were also taken, such as exploring Mauritius with the girls and then taking on Europe for six weeks. Australia will always have our heart. I hope our love of adventure has set a strong foundation for our kids to explore and discover more often.

Linen GlamSwag in Coral Stripe , Linen Bedhead Cushion in Coral

 

What was the moment you realised your Instagram had the potential to become a thriving business? 

BG: I’m not sure there was an exact moment; it was more a culmination of ongoing, exciting opportunities. I never had a strong ambition to turn my Instagram into a business. Sharing photos always came from passion and creating content brings me joy. I still pinch myself when I’m offered particular gigs but I’m continually growing and fine-tuning my art. Instagram is ever evolving and I’m grateful to still be riding the wave

@thesimplefolk

 

Your imagery is so beautiful. Have you always been drawn to photography? 

BG: Thank you! Yes. I got my first proper camera when I was seventeen (not that I knew how to use it) and would take it to school to photograph my friends. Even before then, my girlfriends and I would create little photo shoots and take photos of ourselves on shabby little cameras at home. I feel dicky calling myself a photographer as I never had proper training in the field, and even after years of experience, I still tell people that I ‘kinda take photos for a living.’

 

What is it like camping as a very young family? 

BG: I never went camping as a kid, so it was all new for me when we started. Everyone will experience their own set of challenges, whether it be long car drives, sleeping arrangements or unexpected weather issues. The biggest challenge for us to this day is insects and unwanted animals - mice, possums, and hungry kookaburras - some of which are impossible to avoid but we always recommend researching an area before choosing where to camp for a while. 

GlamSwag Quilted Linen Throw in Marine Stripe & Mustard

 

Which GlamSwag products are a must for your travels? 

BG: GlamSwag Quilted Linen Throws would have to be my favourite for our travels. They are perfect in the summer months as a light blanket, or as an extra cover on cooler nights. They make a great addition for the mornings when we go sunrise fishing or at the beach for sunset, as a blanket in the car on sleepy drives or wrapped around us on a camp chair by the fire. We love how versatile they are and how easily they can be machine washed! 

 

How does GlamSwag elevate van life for you?

BG: I think it’s important to create a homely space when on the road and bringing our beautiful linen GlamSwag pieces helps us to achieve this. One of the biggest things we missed when we lived in a tent for a year was having a couch to laze on, but our linen GlamSwags came a pretty close second.

Outback GlamSwag in The Bangalow , Outback GlamSwag in The Flinders

 

What are your best tips for living as a family on the road? 

BG: I believe the biggest tip is to have zero expectations! Absolutely anything goes when on the road, and it’s not always rainbows and pretty skies. It’s about being present, staying calm when things don’t go to plan and having a good mind-set.

 

What is your go-to recipe when you are travelling?

BG: One of our family favourites is a sweet potato and chickpea curry. With a few pantry staples like coconut milk, tomato passata and rice, a hearty and filling dinner is created in 30 minutes or less! 

GlamSwag in Olive , Quilted Linen Throw in Pinstripe and Sage Green , Linen Bedhead Cushion in Pinstripe , Linen Bedhead Cushion in Antique White

 

What are your most memorable trips to date? 

BG: Our first ever Australia road-trip in 2018 in our 1980s vintage caravan Sunny when Olive was six months old is a fave! Tye had never towed a caravan before, and we had zero experience in the field of crossing borders. With three kids under the age of four, that time in our lives is a bit of a blur. But that adventure sparked something in us, and while we evolved as a family so did our passion for travelling.

Linen GlamSwag in Mustard , Linen GlamSwag in Coral Stripe , Linen Bedhead Cushion in Coral , Linen Bedhead Cushion in Mustard

 

What’s next for The Simple Folk, and where are you going on your next trip? 

BG: With all three kids in school for the first time ever this year, things look a little different for us. Our kids are growing up fast and we are soaking up all the little (big) moments. We still look forward to creating and adventuring as we always have. No big trips planned just yet, but Tye and I head to Thailand for a wedding this week which we are excited about. Our first-time overseas sans kids in over 11 years. Wish us luck!