How to be hygge, scandinavian cozyness (hyggelig for those who care about grammar)
There are hundreds of guides on how to change your style, your life even the way you communicate with your cat. This one is about * how to be hygge* actually it would be hyggelig but outside of scandinavia people only use the word hygge.
hyggelig is more then a decoration style, it impacts every part of your life. It`s the concept of being mindful, organised, kind, coming together and living a meaningful life.
1- Stop the stress I know you can`t just stop stressing about work, or problems with your loved ones, but maybe small steps will help. Put your phone aside, delete social media apps that only distract you. If you spend more time on your phone then with real friends, and have more friends online then in real life. It`s time to look outside of the bubble. We are social beings and conversations over messenger, skype, whats app, we chat etc can never beat the experience of coming together, and enjoying time with people in real life. Don`t isolate yourself, as tempting as it sometimes is to just be alone, in the long run you`re not genuinly happy alone if you fill the void with online people.
2-Declutter and minimize, less is more. Your home should be the place you look forward to after a long stressy day at work. It`s supposed to comfort you and make things easier, not stressier. If you have to much stuff, try a declutter challenge. I found it very helpful to ask myself, „Do i want to own this piece“? Instead of asking myself if i could need it. Pinterest has many decluttering challenges, to help you get your home organised. It doesn`t matter if you live alone, witgh your parents or as roommates, you can create your space with the things you have on hand.
3-Make your bed every morning, make your bed. So no matter how the day will go, you will have achieved one success of the day and go to sleep in a made bed.
4-get a colour pallette Seek out a colour pallete that you really like, and which you want in your home. I know most hygge styles prefer whitish grey palletes but if you`re a fan of green and yellow, go for green and yellow. Sort out what you don`t want to own if it`s not fitting in, or repaint it. It also helps you to avoid impulseshopping for decoration if you stick to your colour pallette.
5-clean up every day. Do dishes, vaccuum, sweep the floor, whatever it is. Take at least 15min everyday to complete some tasks, if you have a family it´s probably more time, but if you focus on only this for 30min you can do so much. Put your phone aside, turn the internet off, put some music on and keep going.
6-Music and reading. Be mindful, take time for yourself, read a book. Create a reading nook, maybe it`s just a corner on your sofa or you can put an armchair in a nice spot. Create a place where you want to sit down occationally and read something, focused on that only. Reading is a good brain exercise, not skimming through the internet, only reading headlines. Try the masterpieces of literature, educate yourself. Listen to some music, it`s all about creating an atmosphere that will charge your batteries and not stress them even more.
7-daily routines The human being in itself is an animal driven by routines, we enjoy certain rituals, some are a bad habit, some are good habits. Try to focus on good habits, add new good habits to your life and put yourself through the process off adapting them as good habits. I.e.i wanted to get up earlier in the morning so i would have more time for me, i live with 2 teenagers and it`s often a bit stressy during the day and rarely ever really quiet. Except in the mornings, so i set my alert an hour earlier. The first week i failed completely, my body was refusing to wake up so early but over the time i got used to it. Because i kept going, now i can sit relaxed on my computer, drink my tea and write my blogs and work on the social media presence of my art and jewelry. I achieve more in the hour between 5 and 6 am then i would after my work around 7pm. Everything i do after my normal job now is just purely creative, no stress, just letting my creative mind work, or sometimes just falling asleep on my sofa. But the work is done, and this makes it way more cozy.
8-Candles and light A big part of the hygge style is the right light for your space. I use candles and small light strings to make a nice atmosphere. Light strings are perfect for places where an open candle fire is a potential danger. Never leave candles unattended, or with kids.
9-Meet friends avoid the toxic ones Spend time with your friends, invite them to your home, cook together, have movie or boardgame nights. If your friends rather go out and party all night that is fine aswell, do what gives you the most beneficial comfort. Personally i rather have a bbq with friends over a night in the city but everyone is different. Avoid the toxic friends, we all have people in our life who are toxic. And sometimes we can`t choose if we want to have them in our life, like a boss or a family member, but we have control over our personal life. And those friends who will make you feel more stressed and negative after meeting them, shouldn`t have that big presence in your life. Everyone has friends who are temporarily having a bad time, or go through a tough phase and if they have been there for you during your bad times you should return the favour. If not, reconsider who you spend time with.
10-go to bed when tired Go to bed when you`re tired, wake up when the sun rises. Many people like to tell themself they are nightowls and that they perform best during the night, that might be true. But ask yourself, do you want to be a nightowl or are you just having a hard time dropping bad habits? Make your bed a place you look forward to, get a new madrass or new sheets. Most people aren`t night owls and will benefit greatly from going to bed early and waking up early. It takes some time to get used to it but it`s worth it. I have a hard time waking up early in the winter because it`s cold and dark outside, then i force myself to get up. Turn some lights an candles on while i wake up with a tea in my hand. It only takes a few minutes longer then during summer until i am fully awake.
I hope this little list helps you to become more hygge.