While we are tucked up at home with nowhere else to be, this is the perfect time to adopt some hygge practices.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Hygge is both a noun and a verb and there is no specific definition but we know it’s related to feelings of cosiness and comfort, contentment and wellness. All of which sound ideal right now.
Here are some ways you can be more hygge during your lockdown inspired by Meik Wiking’s The Little Book of Hygge:
Candles: As soon as the daylight starts to fade, rather than popping on the lights in your home why not light a candle instead? Seek out some candles from your space, whether they are already on display or tucked away for a rainy day and put them to work. Try reading, talking or being intimate by candlelight and channel your inner hygge.
Fireplaces: If you are lucky enough to have one in your home- pull up a chair near your fireplace and rather than watching TV, use this time to talk with the loved ones who live with you or if you live alone, simply listen to the crackling embers and process the day that has just passed.
Throw blankets: When the weather gets a little cooler, be sure to have a throw blanket to hand to pop over your lap while you read or enjoy a nice cup of something hot. If you don’t have one at the ready, search your home for the snuggliest blanket you can find and you will be well on your way to hygge.
Good food: The thing that sets apart hygge food from normal food is the love and attention that has been invested in making it. Fast and freezer food is not hygge, more effort is required for it to get this status so make all your own food from scratch and you will reach the hygge sweet spot. Extra points for if you share the preparation and cooking with someone else. Then sit down together and savour every bite!
Stylish comfort: Hygge is about being effortlessly stylish yet comfortable. A simple well made sweater, leggings and a pair of Moccis* is hygge, but sweatpants, a stained t-shirt and bed hair is not. The key is to look presentable enough for visitors even when you are not expecting any so don’t skip the shower and dress for the day.
Simplicity: Hygge is synonymous with simple living. Simple surroundings that contain only things that bring joy and that are useful is the key to achieving this state of mind. If your space is crowded, try to pare down to the things that you use and that you find beautiful and you will find yourself closer to hygge.
Togetherness: Hygge is about doing things together as opposed to apart so think about the things you currently do alone and make an effort to do them with someone else. For instance, eat together at the table, read side by side, watch a movie while cuddling on the couch, take a walk hand in hand or share a bath. It’s important to come together right now, rather than letting the circumstances drive us apart in our own homes.
*Loved by celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Rita Ora, Sienna Miller and Claudia Schiffer, Moccis are the most comfortable slippers you will ever own!
Moccis are beautiful hand-sewn moccasin slippers, made ethically in Sweden. They have soft leather soles and can even be put in the washing machine. They come in lots of different designs and sizes available for babies, children, women and men.
www.moccis.co.uk