Top 8 Hygge tips for more Danish coziness

How do the Danes live up to their reputation of being the happiest people in the world? We’re having a closer look at the Danish way of hygge life, and how you can take a page from their book to spend your winter evenings in hyggely, homely comfort.

Hygge is a Danish word that describes an idea of coziness that’s currently conquering the world. This lifestyle is all about the simple things in life: coziness, togetherness, candlelight, good food and a freshly brewed cup of tea. What’s more, the way you furnish your apartment is just as important as your activities. All of this is hygge!

We’ve put together 8 top hygge tips of how to breathe some Danish life into your home. It won’t take much to prepare your home for a super snug winter – here we go:  

Tip #1: Minimalism

Hygge is minimalism. Everything in your home has a function – it’s either about going easy on the eye or fulfilling a purpose. Your mind is a mirror of your surroundings, and vice versa. Now’s the time to open up spaces and free yourself from things that distract you!

When you look at all the things you’ve accumulated in your room and ask yourself “Do I really need it? And do I really like it?”, you may be able to throw out a lot of your dust catchers. Less is more! You could, e.g.:

• Make your bed in the morning and throw a nice bedspread over it
• Stow small utensils in boxes, drawers or baskets
• Place neat-looking items such as books, vases or boxes in prominent places

Tip #2: Comfy corners

Hygge is also about relaxation and concentration on the essentials. At home, you achieve this by creating activity zones. You can e.g. set up a meditative corner by placing a comfy armchair with many pillows for reading in one corner, and a shelf or an easel for your painting in another corner. Or devote an area for meditation in one corner of another room. You can visually separate the different corners with room dividers, shelves, carpets or wall paint. Get creative and design your environment according to hygge principals.

Tip #3: Candles

Available light and soft candlelight create coziness. The Danes are all into cozy candles. What else makes a room homelier in the evening?

Candles with lavender or vanilla scent bring even more relaxation to your home.

Tip #4: Natural appearance

Hygge is inspired by nature. Plants and decorative articles made of natural materials such as wood, mash, fur or pinecones bring naturalness to your home. Furniture and walls are often white or painted in muted colours. The result is a room that has a calming and natural effect on the eye.

Use decorative articles consciously. As always, less is more!

Tipp #5: Comfy clothing

Wear comfy clothing when you’re at home to chillax. Thick woollen socks, cuddly sweaters and comfy joggers will make you feel right at home.

Tip #6: Relaxing activities

Some activities of the Hygge lifestyle fit the cold season perfectly! Create mashups, knit or paint something to put your mind at ease.

Set up a cozy corner for your hobby (see tip #2). Arrange everything in a way that you already get into the mood to for your project at the sight of your hobby corner. The way you design your environment ultimately has a big influence on your well-being.

Tip #7: Tea

Even if you live in Denmark – all hyggely throughout the year – winter is the time when it gets even cozier. Keep warm with hot chocolate or a cup of tea. Relish your nice and hot drink from your favorite cup. And – most importantly – take your time.

Tip #8: Get together

You’ve seen that hygge let’s you take the time to concentrate on the important things in life. It’s all about preparing slow food instead of ready-made meals, cooking together instead of ordering pizza, and inviting your friends and taking out time for your children. Preparing a yummy meal or delicious desert are ultimately gratifying activities. And when you wash the dishes together afterwards, this annoying activity will become a lot of fun for everyone.

As you can see, bringing Hygge home can easily be achieved with just a few moves. A handful of deliberately placed decorative items, blankets, pillows and candles (as well as plants) will make all the difference.

Make yourself comfortable at home this winter, and take your time for relaxing. Things like eating, reading or being with friends are precious. The Danes have shown us how a hyggely life makes us happy and content.