When I first learned of Hygge I was immediately drawn to it. Everything about it just embodies what a home should be, in my opinion. These practices bring more joy and comfort into my home and I’d love to help you create a hygge home too.
No need for my life’s story . We’ll just get to it y’all!
Let’s start with “What is Hygge”?
This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission (at NO COST to you), should you chose to buy anything after clicking a link to a retailer. Rest assured, I would never recommend anything to you that I wouldn’t recommend to my own Mama.
Meik Wiking, the author of The Little Book of Hygge says
“Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than things. It’s about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feelings that we are safe that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down. You may be having an endless conversation about the small or big things in life- or just be comfortable in each other’s silent company- or simple just be by yourself enjoying a cup of tea.”
This post is here to help you figure out how to Hygge your home.
Here are my 8 Tips on How to Hygge your Home
- BLANKETS
- Too often I see these beautiful blankets that are more for the aesthetic on a ladder than comfort. Conversely, a raggedy ugly blanket probably doesn’t bring you joy when you see it draped across your couch. You don’t need to break the bank on anything fancy, just try to marry the beauty with comfort.
- My family’s favorite blanket in our living space is this cute little mustard one. It’s affordable and so comfy.
- We are trying to move towards more natural fibers in our home. The next blanket I buy will be organic cotton, I’m thinking this one. Comment to let me know what you think, or if you have some good suggestions.
- WARM LIGHTING
- Hygge is very big on candles. Seriously, the population of Denmark buys more candles per capita than any other country. We don’t do very many candles in our home, due to the nature of having two curious toddlers who love to climb on literally everything.
- Also, many candles are hazardous to your health, both for respiratory reasons and the synthetic fragrances can harm your endocrine system. Some candles from overseas have a lead core in the wick and you can literally get lead poisoning from these if you burn them enough.
- When I do use candles, they are clean burning and have natural fragrances-like these amazing, crackling wood wick candles, or these gorgeous ones made inside an acacia bowl. These Finnish candles are made from Stearin which is the highest quality wax, as it is clean AND more sustainable than soy, parrafin or palm waxes. They also emit the lowest CO2 of all the wax products.
- We love warm, (more yellow in tone then blue) lightbulbs in our home, they really give off a more relaxed energy. We have lots of lamps of all different styles and heights all around the house but they all provide a warm cozy atmosphere.
- For other ideas, try fairy lights, fake candles, and nightlights.
- PRESENCE
- Your home should be a place where you and your family and friends gather. Be present in the moment. Put down the phones, and have some face to face interactions with the people you love. One way Hygge has been described is “cozy togetherness”.
- In this phase of our lives, that often looks like pillow and blanket forts or snuggling up on the couch together with some good books. This is our current favorite.
- PLANTS
- Okay this isn’t like officially in the hygge handbook y’all, but the entire idea is to create an inviting, calm, and homey space, right? And what provides that more than some really gorgeous foliage?
- Really drive it home with a little macramé plant hanger!
For more planty goodness checkout all my plant posts.
- PEACEFUL MUSIC
- Also not something I’ve seen anyone else talk about when it comes to Hygge, but I think they are completely missing out on a key element. Throw on a Spotify playlist like “Jazz in the Background”, that relaxes you and sets the tone for a peaceful hang.
- REFRESHMENTS
- Make a snack platter of your favorite finger foods- cheese, crackers, fruit, salami etc. My husband and the kids love to make popcorn on the stove together and experiment with different seasonings.
- Pour a cup of herbal tea or a hot toddy if you’re feeling fancy. My kids love a surprise cup of hot coco with mini marshmallows.
- DECLUTTER
- If clutter brings you anxiety- as it does my husband, then go ahead and declutter your primary living space. I know that’s easier said than done, especially with toddlers, but do your best. Decluttering your space will help to declutter your mind. As someone with ADHD, this does not come easily to me, so I joined a FB group on minimalism and I get so much motivation from these people. I put these cubbies behind my couch so we don’t have to look at all the toys and they make it easy for my daughters to clean up.
- I plan to write a post on how we accomplish this in our small house, but for now here’s a little tip. Take a laundry basket, go around the room and anything that doesn’t belong… THROW IT IN THE BASKET. The room will feel so much better in 30 seconds, and you can walk around the house putting everything back where it belongs, when the time is right. Don’t spend your relaxation time drowning in Magnatiles and toddler socks. A peaceful home is a hygge home.
- COZY HOME DECOR
- This will totally depend on what your style is. For me- I love all the cozy styles like Scandinavian, Farmhouse, Boho, etc. So, I love me some natural warm wood elements, hints of gold, neutral tones paired with earth tones for pops of color. Macramé wall hangings, hints of rattan (I have this in my stairwell and I am so inlove with it!- PS it’s prettier and cheaper than the IKEA one shhhh), decorative mirrors, stylized shelving.
- Whatever your style is, and make sure you are adding elements of décor that bring you joy and make your living space feel like somewhere people want to get comfortable and share their lives with one another. That is what having a hygge home is all about.
So, those are my tips on how to hygge your home y’all. Now set the atmosphere. Lamps on. Playlist playing. Tea steeping. Grab your favorite person, and blanket, and live in the moment with them.
