How To Live The Hygge Life: The Secret To Staying Cozy And Happy At Home

Grab a warm cup of something and cozy up as we chat about living the hygge life; what hygge is and how do we bring more hygge into our homes!

Hygge  Pronunciation 

First things first, how do you pronounce hygge? Because it’s not like it looks.

When I first started hearing about hygge I had no clue how to pronounce it. I just pronounced it phonetically — hi-gee. Well, that pronunciation was waaaay off. It’s actually pronounced “hue-gah.” or “hoo-gah”. 

Now that we know how to pronounce hygge, what exactly is hygge?

The Definition of Hygee

Hygge is a word that comes from Denmark, a country that has been touted as the happiest country in the world. 

However, defining Hygge is hard because there is no direct translation. It’s a Danish word that represents a quality of coziness and comfort that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.

In other words, hygge is all about enjoying the simple things in life. It is a state of inner contentment or wellbeing, something that is felt. While there is no direct translation or English definition the word is engrained in Denmark’s culture. They know how important it is to find a way to enjoy life during their long, frigid winters. Their focus is on getting the most out of life!

In order to do that hygge by definition takes advantage of all 5 senses. Hygge is meant to help facilitate a sense of peace and calm in your living space by using the five senses – sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. By creating a cozy atmosphere, hygge can help us feel less anxious and give us a sense of safety and well-being.

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The Origins /Rise in Popularity of Hygge

While hygge only began gaining popularity in the U.S. and Europe around 2017, the concept has long been a part of Danish culture. In fact, it’s often attributed as the reason Denmark routinely lands on top of the World Happiness Report. 

But in Denmark, hygge is far from a trend, it’s an essential part of their life. ” According to Meik Wiking, author of The Little Book of Hygge, it’s central to social life in Denmark.

Starting around 2017, many books on the hygge lifestyle began hitting the shelves. The popularity of these books brought hygge to the mainstream. Images of people snuggling by a roaring fire on a cold winter’s night; an intimate hosting of friends for a candle-lit dinner and conversation, cozy cardigans, and flickering candles had us all longing for a little hygge in our own life.

The list of best selling hygge books has continued to broaden and include Hygge: Discovering The Danish Art Of Happiness — How To Live Cozily And Enjoy Life’s Simple Pleasures by Olivia Telford; Hygge: Unlock the Danish Art of Coziness and Happiness by Barbara Hayden; How to Hygge: The Nordic Secrets to a Happy Life by Signe Johansen; Living The Danish Way Of HYGGE: Thе Sеcrеts of a Happy and Healthy Life by Brenda Hannison, to name just a few. 

The increasing popularity of these books has us hearing about hygge quite often and with good reason! After all, who doesn’t want more cozy and comfort in their life, especially these days! More and more we are longing for ways to enjoy the simple things in life. 

If this is you, learning how to live the hygge life may be the answer you’ve been looking for. 

So now that you know the basics of this Danish secret to happiness, let’s explore ways to incorporate hygge into your life and home.

How to Create the Hygge Life

The hygge life is all about atmosphere and experiences rather than things. It’s about being with people we love. And creating a feeling of home where we feel shielded from the world and able to let our guard down.

As we talked about above, an essential part of hygge is using the 5 senses. So when creating hygge it’s vital to think about your senses and lean into them. 

Sight 

Your sense of sight is at the heart of hygge. This means paying attention to your lighting is integral to creating hygge.

Lighting in your home makes such a difference. The lighting you use can either be garish by being obtrusively bright, think florescent light bulbs here. Or it can foster feelings of coziness and comfort with lighting that resembles an open flame or a beautiful sunset. 

One of the reasons lighting is so important to hygge is that it does much more than we realize. Lighting impacts our health. It is well known that bright light and blue light disrupt our sleep. A lack of lighting has been attributed to increased or seasonal depression. At the same time, warm lights can improve our moods by making our environment feel more welcoming and relaxing.

 When it comes to hygge lighting, you want to go low rather than high, which means shutting off overhead lighting. And whatever you do, avoid fluorescent lighting in your home!

Lamps

Because you want to avoid overhead lighting when creating hygge in your home, having a sufficient number of lamps is important. When picking out your lightbulbs look for warmer bulbs. 

You’ll want to purchase soft white light bulbs that give off a warm yellow tone. This lighting will give you a warm and cozy feeling.

Also, consider adding a salt lamp or two. I really do love mine, it gives off a naturally warmer glow. Plus, as an added bonus salt lamps claim to help purify the air in your home.

Twinkle/Fairy Lights

I am slightly obsessed with my twinkle/fairy lights. They are draped across my fireplace mantle, wrapped in plants and decor items, and placed on a few shelves. They are arranged throughout my home and create an instant feeling of cozy and relaxing vibes.

My biggest recommendation with the twinkle lights is to purchase the ones that have timers. What I love about the timers is you don’t have to think about turning them on or off. Mine is set to turn on right after dusk. When they go on, it triggers our brain that it’s time to start winding down. It automatically puts you in that cozy relaxing mindset!

Candles/Firelight

In The Little Book of Hygge, which was written by the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, the author states that “no recipe for hygge is complete without candles.” In fact, when Danes are asked what they associate with hygge, 85% say candles.

Candles are such an essential part of hygge that according to the European Candle Association, Denmark burns more candles per person than any other country in Europe. So much so that the average Dane burns about 13 pounds of candle wax each year.

As you can see if you want to bring some hygge into your home you must get yourself some candles. Candles instantly make any space feel more hygge. The nice thing about candles is they also help you lean into your sense of smell.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should stalk up on Glade scented candles at your local Walmart. The Danes are all about organic, natural candles, so you’ll want to avoid candles with overly artificial scents. Amazon actually has a good variety of naturally scented soy candles, they cost a little more, but they also last quite a bit longer.

If you have a fireplace it is also a great way to bring in the warm flickering light. Nothing says hygge like sitting before a cozy roaring fire with your favorite warm beverage. 

If your home does not have a fireplace no worries, these days you can just stream one. Seriously just search fireplace on Netflix or youtube. They even have the crackling sound. Where I live, they occasionally have what’s called  “no burn days” where we are not allowed to burn wood in the fireplace. On these days I either load the fireplace up with candles or just stream the fireplace on Netflix. 

Sound

The sense of sound is also an important part of hygge. Loud alarms or sirens grab our attention however they are anything but calming. You want to lean into sounds that bring comfort. 

I have one of those white noise machines that I turn on while working. Usually, it’s turned to either the sound of the ocean or a rainstorm. They both bring me a sense of calm and peace as I am working

Music is another sensory thing that defines comfort and coziness. Certain songs have the ability to bring back so many memories. If you don’t believe me, play your playlist from high school and watch your mood change. 

Perhaps the most calming sound for you may be silence. If that’s the case, create a special quiet area or time in your home.

Touch/Textures

Hygge is very tactile. This means you want to bring in a lot of warm and comfortable textures. When choosing clothing comfort should be a priority. Think of things like cozy sweaters and, sherpas. Pick fabrics that are soft rather than coarse or itchy.

You also want to consider your bedding. Invest in a set of flannel sheets. Think about adding a weighted blanket and a soft squishy blanket as well. The goal is to have all the textures to wrap up in. 

This also applies to the blankets or throws on your couch and chairs. I recently made one of those hand-knit blankets and can I just say I am so in love. It is so cozy we all want to snuggle up together and watch a favorite movie.

In fact, this is an additional way to bring hygge into your life through touch, get creative. Do something with your hands. There is a satisfaction of creating in an otherwise barren time that makes it feels warm and cozy.

Taste

Food is at the center of hygge. Certain foods can bring so much comfort, in fact, we call them comfort foods. These are things like warm soups, chili, and cornbread, or mac and cheese. Bake bread or your favorite cookies. Whatever food brings that sense of comfort to you make sure to regularly include it on the menu.

But really the main reason food is at the center of hygge is simple, food brings people together. And gathering is an important part of hygge. To cultivate a hygge lifestyle press into people. Invite friends over for a book club and set out a beautiful charcuterie board. Consider hosting a cookie exchange or a neighborhood get-together. 

Put in extra effort to make sure you gathering and connecting. This is why the holidays are special, they are all about connecting. 

Smell 

We touched on this a little bit above, but the sense of smell is another area of hygge that you want to lean into.

Certain scents do invoke that feeling of calm and cozy.  Candles are an obvious way to do this but you can also simmer some cinnamon sticks,  clove, and orange slices on the stove.

One of my favorite ways to bring pleasant scents into my home is with my diffuser. Simply add a few drops of your favorite essential oils. My diffuser also has lights that give off a nice warm glow. 

Hygge Decor

Because Hygge is so much about atmosphere your decor can play a big role in adding more hygge to your home. The main idea of hygge decor is to create a peaceful, serene space that is free of clutter.

Bring in Natural Elements

When picking out decor you want to bring in natural elements as much as possible. Since the Danes do not go out much in their harsh winters, they bring the outside in.

This means the essential elements of their decor are wood-based neutrals, baskets, and seasonal greenery. All of this will make you feel naturally centered and grounded. 

Even adding a few houseplants can go a long way. 

Use a Neutral Color Scheme

When decorating you want the things in your home to contribute to an atmosphere of comfort and peace.  This means sticking to a neutral color palette. You want to avoid any color scheme that is overwhelming to the senses.

Adding pops of color with some carefully chosen accessories is fine as long as you have a good neutral base.

Focus on Coziness

Coziness is key when it comes to hygge decor. Layer the couch or your favorite chair with soft blankets and pillows for a warm place to relax. Have a candle or other soft lighting nearby.  

Less is More

The main idea of hygge decor is to create a peaceful, serene space that is free of clutter. Keeping things simple will have a greater impact on helping your home feel peaceful. Make sure you are regularly decluttering as you go about your day!

A Final Word on The Hygge Life

Hygge isn’t just about the look and feel in your home, although that is part of it. In a culture that puts too much emphasis on busy, hygge is a welcoming way to create a greater sense of peace and comfort at home.

However, ultimately Hygge is about simplicity. Its focus is on being content with what you have and enjoying life’s moments. Living the hygge life takes intentionality because it requires being purposeful with the things you own and how you spend your time.

When you do this and focus on the people in your life, you’ll be living that hygge life and feel that sense of contentment, peace, and wellbeing!