How to Hygge - Simple Ways to Live Cozy Like the Danes

May 28, 2024

How to Hygge - Simple Ways to Live Cozy Like the Danes

source: thatscandinavianfeeling.com

In this article:

What is hygge?
Hygge Elements: Light - Food - Home
Hygge and Happiness

*scroll down to the top-picked items you shouldn't miss!*

What is hygge?

Hygge ("hoo-gah") is a Danish concept of creating a warm, cozy atmosphere and enjoying the simple pleasure of life.

In this article, I would like to pick one of my favorite books of all time written by a Danes author - Meik Wiking. The book tells a story about how we can simply find happiness. It's just around us.

Light

Candles
A day without lighting candles won't be complete. 85% of the Danes buy about 3 kilos of candles per year, and 31% of them light more than 5 candles a day! The common place they like to decorate with candles is a dining table, giving a meal coziness. All in all, don't forget to air out the room after 😉

Lamps
"The lower temperature of the light is, the more hyyge" I'm someone who is obsessed with the lighting as much as the Danes. You might want to try putting some small lamps at home, such as in the kitchen, over a dining table, a living room or by a windowsill. The orange-ish light can really create cozy ambience :)

Food

Cakes, chocolates, confectioneries together with some tea, coffee or hot chocolate? I'm drooling already 🤤 I have noticed myself lately that when I'm stressed, a piece of chocolate or a slice of cake and a cup of coffee seriously make me happy. Don't feel guilty to eat sweets as long as you remain healthy diet 😉

source: Skandibaking

Home

Things made out of wood
"The smell of burning wood from a fireplace, or even a match...the soft creak of a wooden floor as you trip across it to have a seat in the wooden chair...Wood makes us feel closer to nature, it is simple and natural, just like the concept of hygge"

source: Fifi McGee l Renovations + Interiors

Nature
Danes like to bring the entire forest home. Collect some nuts, twigs or flowers to decorate a corner of your house. Find out more about how nature could heal.

source: pinterest

Books
I like reading books - romantic, self-improvement and even mysterious thriller. Having one corner of the room filled with books can bring hygge. I have tons of books kept in the drawer and hope I will have a nice bookshelf one day 😊

source: DIYBunker

Ceramics
A nice teapot, a vase or your favorite mug - they are all part of little happiness. I have written some interesting ideas of ceramics that could be a good help to creat hygge.

Hygge and Happiness

There were some days I was down, encoutering sadness and depression, "hygge" really lifted me up. This book shows me that happiness is closer to us than we thought. It is how we look at it.

"Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasure that occur every day than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom" - Benjamin Franklin, in The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking