I'm always looking for what's next, keep busy. Should I plan my décor for Spring? Should I embark on some new project for Summer? We have become so accustomed, conditioned even, to chase the next big thing. With my intention to live more mindfully, I wondered:
‘What would happen if I didn’t chase it? What if I didn’t beckon the next season? What if I just enjoyed the season that it is now?’…
…And I realised that it would still happen… In its own time, Spring would come, followed by Summer and there would be time to revel in those seasons. For now, I’m hyggelig.
What is Hyggelig?
Hygge (pronounced ‘hoo-gah’) is a Danish and Norwegian word which doesn’t have a direct translation in the English language, but has been described as a cosy mood, a warm atmosphere and feelings of comfort, safety and contentment.
I was introduced to Hygge many years ago when my husband bought me a book about hygge. Only a few pages into this book and I was hooked! There is something so appealing about hygge and, as I was already smitten with Scandinavian influences in interior design, I fully embraced it! And I wasn’t the only one. Hygge swept the world and the term spread to many countries where, although the concept probably already existed, the popularity of the term brought a new awareness and trendiness to it.
To me hygge is a way of intentional living and being with others. Slowing down. Appreciating the simpler things in life and including things in my life that have significance and meaning.
Hyggelig is the adjective of hygge. Used in a sentence it would be: ‘We had such a hyggelig time at your house at Christmas’.
Below are some of the things I am doing right now to conjure up hyggelig vibes…
Getting up Early
Ha! Not in the slightest what you would expect or associate with the more popular beliefs about hygge! But that’s just it - Hygge isn’t just about being cosy by the fire. It is a sensory-driven experience and what gives me the hygge feels is getting out for exercise, early in the morning, before the world wakes up.
At this time of year, some birds have already started to migrate back to the UK. As I walk, a flock of Blackbirds takes a chance in the dim light of the dawn to get close to my feet. I don’t notice them, until I am upon them. They collectively chirp as they fly up and out of my way. Their chorus rings out in the quiet, cool morning air.
I feel like I am alone in nature. Like I have been let in on a secret that no one else knows - THAT is hyggeligste to me!
Creating a hygge-friendly bedroom
Not surprisingly, to regularly get up early requires decent sleep. ‘Now that’s more like it’, I hear you cry!
Everyone is different, but unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) I am one of those people that need at least 8 hours sleep a night to function at any decent capacity the next day. I used to see sleep as a thief of my time, but the overwhelming health benefits that enough sleep provide, has changed my mindset. I now see catching some ZZZ’s as an investment in my future, not just for the next day, but for my long term health as well.
The following makes my bedroom hygge-friendly and helps me sleep better:
No TV in the Bedroom
For me temptation to ‘watch just one more episode until you can barely keep your eyes open and then just roll over and nod off’, is too great to withstand, so I removed it completely. Also, being more intentional about sleep while in bed, lets my body know, it’s time to sleep as soon as I get in it.
Reading ‘light’
A bedside light that is not too harsh, but provides a good quality of light to read by is essential for not disturbing the circadian rhythm in my body. Reading something that doesn’t require a lot of concentration (like an interiors book wit lots of pictures) is a sure way to make my eyelids feel heavy too.
Lights out
Any light that filters into your bedroom can disturb your sleep, even artificial light. Doubling up on your window treatment, for example using a blind as well as curtains, using thick curtains or curtains with blackout lining can prevent light filtering in from the outside. Turning your alarm clock to face away from you and shutting off the ‘little red eye’ of the standby light on electronic devices will help too. I wear an eye mask when staying away from home to create complete darkness, if it is not possible to shut out the light from the room.
That First Sip of Steaming, Hot, Fresh Coffee...
A warm drink is synonymous with hygge. I am a HUGE coffee lover however, I don’t indulge in my love of the stuff nearly as much as I’d like for fear that I’ll never sleep again!
Therefore, my first and only coffee of the day is something I cherish.
Hyggelig mornings
I make coffee as soon as I’m done with my exercise - as a reward for good behaviour - and although I am soooo ready for a coffee by then, it is no cause to rush.
Being mindful while performing a mundane task like making coffee, is what hygge is all about.
Make a ceremony of it
There is something ceremonial about laying everything out while you wait for the kettle to boil. Cups. Spoons. Sugar jar. Milks. Coffee press. Coffee grounds. Then you perform the same ritualistic steps as you would every day and at the end you are rewarded with a satisfyingly, bitter, yet creamy drink.
Tasty coffee
Instant just won’t do for such an occasion. My favourite coffee is the Espresso House Blend from CruKafe. It has a delicious, chocolatey aroma and is organic and ethically sourced too! We buy the whole beans and enjoy the process of grinding them and especially the wonderful aroma they release.
Company
Of course, the company makes the coffee taste all the sweeter. Myself and my husband have our morning coffee together, discussing news articles or general things we have planned for the day while sipping. It is little carved out space in time for us to share something we both enjoy.
Bring Nature Inside
Being in nature or by just looking at images of nature, can produce a whole host of benefits which include reduce stress, improve your physical health, reduce anxiety, decrease depression, increase creativity, enhance productivity, reduce the effects of dementia and provide a general sense of greater happiness and life satisfaction. What more reason do you need to get outside? However, if you are unable to go outside regularly, you can still get the health benefits that nature provides inside your home.
Hygge naturally
One of the key practices of hygge is the appreciation of nature and its elements. You can experience hygge by stimulating all the senses through various natural elements in your home. Here are some of the ways I have brought the outdoors indoors to do just that:
Indoor plants
Having indoor plants is an obvious way to bring nature inside. Surprisingly, the benefits mentioned above is also brought on by faux plants! However scientific studies have found that interacting with plants can provide additional benefits of reducing physical and mental stress and providing improved self-esteem through nurturing. The colour green is furthermore considered to have a calming effect in colour psychology, due to its short wavelength.
Other things from nature to bring inside
I fill my pockets with things while out walking or jogging all the time. In the past, I have collected (much to the embarrassment of my husband) pine cones, twigs, shells, stones, feathers, grass, leaves… the list goes on. Having reminders of our natural surroundings around the house makes me feel connected to nature.
A collection of things I have dragged in from outside. Photo Credits: All me
Throw those windows wide
The air quality in our homes worsens as we eliminate every draft in an attempt to make our homes more energy efficient. We are also spending more time indoors, making it even more necessary to circulate fresh air at every opportunity. With the windows open, sounds from birds, trees swishing in the wind or the ocean (if you are lucky enough to live close to it) will fill your ears.
Flowers
With so many varieties of flowers, there is bound to be a type for everybody. Their fragrance and colours are a feast for the senses. I also have a multitude of vases, but you don’t have to buy any. Get creative with various containers, like condiment, oil and vinegar bottles, jam and mason jars and smaller bottles like those used for perfume or medicine. They can be striking on their own or as a whole collection!
Nourish your Body and your Soul
Sharing food with loved ones is the ultimate hygge experience. And it doesn’t have to be a Michelin Star meal or anything fancy. In fact, the simpler the better, but it must be tasty and is must be nourishing.
Hygge om food
You will certainly find no takeaway dinners in front of the TV when it comes to hygge and food. To be able to provide comfort through food is any good hygge-host/hygge-hostess’ dream!
Cooking
You don’t need to provide a 5 course meal or even be a great cook! Create a meal consisting of only ONE main course that is comforting to you and that you can easily cook yourself, with guaranteed success. Being at ease when your guests arrive is part of providing a hygge experience. Your fiends won’t mind if you make the same meal when they visit, they are there for the company (and they are getting fed for free). As you become more comfortable cooking for others, you can add a desert or a second main course that you can alternate. Source some local produce to make or compliment your meal, like a freshly baked sourdough loaf that you can serve with lashings of butter… Mmmmm…
Tableware
I love our hand-finished plates and bowls and adore seeing some imperfections in the glaze or a difference in the thickness of the rim… it makes me appreciate the artist’s skill and the time they took to so beautifully finish each piece.
Setting
Enjoying food with friends and family is the ideal way to hygge om food, however you can still experience hygge while eating without company. Turn off the TV and settle somewhere different, like near a window where you can watch the watch the world go by or if the weather allows, why not eat outside? No garden, no problem – while living in London, I had many a picnic in the parks at the weekend of during my lunch break.
Mood Lighting
Nothing helps to set the mood like a wash of warm illuminance to envelope everything like a cosy blanket…
Hygge glow
Google images of ‘hygge’ and you are bound to see a crackling fire in nearly every image that comes up, but you don’t need a fire to create a hyggelig glow.
Light a candle
Or many candles. There is something primal about fire and dancing flames and it still mesmerises us. Candlelight creates an instant intimacy, added with the scents (there are so many of them now), you can create the perfect ambience. And don’t spoil the atmosphere, a natural wax candle won’t release any nasty chemicals.
Other lighting
Fairy lights are a great alternative to candles or turn on a lamp for low-level lighting. Pointing a desk lamp at a wall instead of into the room can create a soft indirect mood light.
Reminders
No, not the type you set on your phone to remind you of your dentist appointment, the cat’s flea treatment or to pic up the kids from school!
Mementos of hyggelig times
Visual reminders of hyggelig times will have you relive the moments and transport you to that place in an instant…
Holiday souvenirs
The sale of souvenirs is a significant part of the tourism trade, yet how many things bought on holiday are tossed in a drawer as soon as we get home. We buy a fridge magnet from every place we visit and display them on our fridge. They server a double purpose. In addition to being reminders of wonderful holidays, they cover up the dents and scratches on our fridge, which we bought from a graded reseller – a reminder of its own of tougher times – but we wouldn’t swap it now, because where would our fridge magnets go?
Photos of loved ones
I find that printed photos age so quickly (or is it that we age and the photos stay the same…?) With us taking so many digital photographs now, it makes sense to have digital devices that you can display more photographs on. We have a digital photo frame that you can e-mail pictures to, and they appear on the screen. The Amazon Echo Show also allows you to upload photos via Amazon photos or link it to your Facebook account to show the photos you have uploaded. I still have printed photographs too, like the gallery wall I created with all the frames that were wedding gifts and photographs of our wedding day - like freezing that day to preserve it exactly as it was - picture-perfect.
Greeting cards
We always display greeting cards for weeks following a birthday and even longer over the festive period. Nothing says ‘I’m thinking of you’ quite as much as receiving a greeting card from a loved one – literally nothing! They are the ultimate reminder of love and care being sent your way and we want to soak up every last bit of it.
Some of these things may seem really simple. And like you’ve heard it all before. But too often we don’t believe that the solution can be that simple. Or because it is a simple solution, we put off doing it, because it is easy to do, so we can do it anytime and end up doing it … NEVER. Or we simply (pun intended) underestimate the benefit that something so modest can bring.
Kan du hygge dig!
Links provided throughout my blogs are not affiliated but based on my personal research and what I would use or recommend. Any other products shown are not intended as a recommendation for a specific product, but as examples of what is available and to provide ideas and inspiration.