HYGGE: Tips For Cozy Contentment During Quarantine

Hygge is, as we traditionally know it, the Dutch + Nordic answer to Winter.

It’s the art for making life cozy; or as defined by the dictionary:

“a created quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.”

And while that definition was born out of short days and long nights and the chilly Northerly winds that drove everyone inside. . . right now it lends itself to the situation we as humanity are going through together — how to socially quarantine, social distance and isolate, and maintain our sense of peace, comfort, and solace while we endure all the uncertainty that COVID-19 has unearthed while staying put indoors.

So at least for me in the here and now, Hygge is my answer to social distancing and making sure that while I quarantine safely at home and wake up to day number twenty-something of leave from work, that I’m surrounded by things that bring me peace & joy and help keep me happy, safe, cozy, occupied. . . and sane.

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So now that we’re entering into week three+ of our Oregon statewide stay at home/social distance order, I like to think that my Hygge game is getting strong.

Twinkly lights +

cozy socks +

stack of blankets +

books/my sketchbook + fireplace +

music/movies

= a snuggled and very happy me on the couch.

And if I’m really feeling crazy?

I’ll put the Fireplace app on our apple-TV, too.

double fireplaces = double cozy.

Snuggle Supplies, broken down:

(I’ve linked my favorites throughout and again at the end for easy shopping!)

COZY SOCKS.

I’m a huge fan of these two:

Smartwool Mountaineering Socks- which I wear EVERY SINGLE DAY almost year-round as my slipper. They’re incredibly chunky and warm without feeling overly bulky. They wash and wear well (no high-heat dryer settings) and last for years. They’re literally on my feet as I type this.
United By Blue’s Bison Wool Sock - I wanted to see if they would hold up against my beloved Smartwools and they do - made from bison hair which wears and washes like a merino wool, I'd say I like both equally.

SNUGGLE BLANKETS. At LEAST one per person, if not more! We usually like the giant double-lined fleece/Sherpa-fleece backed blankets that you can find at Target, Kohl’s, Marshall’s, TJMaxx, Ross, etc. (so does our fur baby)

BOOKS + SKETCHBOOKS.

Thankfully I got a few new books I’ve been wanting to read for the holidays that I’ve stacked up to conquer. I’ve also been trying to spend at least a few minutes every week in my sketchbook. During our normal day to day routine I have a hard time stopping to let myself get fully absorbed in a book - so I’m relishing this opportunity to slow down, snuggle, and read. I just finished reading “City Of Girls” by the gloriously talented Elizabeth Gilbert. As soon as I finished it I got online and ordered two more from her that I haven’t devoured yet. (I hadn’t read anything by her since “Eat, Pray, Love” when I was in college) Her writing style is simply magical. While I’m waiting for them to arrive I’m diving into Jenny Slate’s book next!

Shop my current quarantine reading list:

GAMES AND CRAFTS.

For two people in their mid-thirties with no children, our game game is strong. We’ve collected lots of jigsaw puzzles, board games, Legos, a vintage Lite-Brite, old Nintendos, and other cool toys that weren’t getting enough attention until COVID-19.

So the other day we dug everything out and reverted to our childhood selves. (Which our adult selves definitely relished.) My fiancé spent hours playing Goldeneye, Starfox, and Star Wars Rogue Squadron on our old Nintendo 64, while I spent more hours playing our Nintendo NES classics: Dr. Mario, Tetris, and Super Mario Bros 3. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m very good. (We have old Sega, Super Nintendo, and Classic Nintendo games, so we bought a Retron Adaptable Gaming Console that can play all of our old games. If you’re an 80s baby and old school video game nerd it’s a must-have.)

I’ve also pulled out all my art + crafting supplies and have spent several days here and there doodling in my sketchbook or on index cards and spreading my mess all over the house, much to Kevin’s chagrin; fiddling with paints and supplies I haven’t touched for years, and chewing on projects I’ve wanted to undertake for awhile. I even dug my sewing machine out of the garage and am convinced that if I stare at it long enough I will understand, through knowledge osmosis, how it operates.

LIGHTS. (This is a huge one for me.)

The Happy Light. While my fiancé and I don’t feel it as much as some people I know, Season Affective Disorder is definitely a true side-effect of losing the sun for weeks at a time behind gray winter skies and missing the warmer days. We don’t have a Happy Light now because thankfully the apartment we’re in gets tons of natural light - but that hasn’t always been the case. I’ve read awesome reviews about it, which is worth checking out if you’re not familiar with Seasonal Affective Disorder; or you are suffering from the Winter blues, or know someone who is. Vitamin D deprivation isn’t something I ever expected as a Florida kid but it’s a real thing!
3D Moon Lamp. We have one and love it. It comes with a little wooden base so it doesn’t roll away. I keep it by the bed, I put it in the bathroom when I’m taking a bath, and take it upstairs when I’m doing yoga. Ours is touch-powered and lets you control the brightness in either warm or cool light modes.

Copper Wire Fairy Lights. These come in lots of different lengths, plug-in styles, and even colors, and are a total must-have for me. They look beautiful everywhere, whether strung up, stuffed in a glass display case like shown below, wrapped in a plant or behind your bed. We have a giant 100’ strand that criss-crossed throughout our living room in Richmond Virginia one year for Christmas. We ended up liking them so much we never took them down. Now in our Oregon apartment they wrap around the railing of our spiral staircase and add a nice twinkle year round.

COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE. THEN TEA, TEA, AND MORE TEA.

There’s no such thing as too much - of either!

A few years back we invested in this coffee bar/maker by Ninja because they built a Starbucks right next door to our apartment in Virginia. Let’s just say the Ninja paid for itself in not very much time at all — and being able to make myself lattes from home became a magical and daily luxury. Right now our quarantine favorite has been cardamom lattes. So yum!

As soon as the coffee’s done we switch to tea. We’re currently loving Yogi Tea’s Honey Chai with Turmeric and Yogi Tea’s Tangerine Positive Energy tea. (The latter is sweet but not overtly sweet, which is perfect for my picky palate.) Our absolute favorite though is a local tea maker Metolius’ “North” tea which you can find here in Oregon (or shop online)! Regardless of how crazy our day has been or what’s going on in the world, a cup of tea always slows us down just the perfect amount. Though we have an instant hot water tap built into our sink, I love the electric tea kettles they make now; they remind me of using teapots and kettles growing up. (I’ve got my eye on this one by BELLA because the design is cute and the price is right!)

Source: Me/my insta! (Follow me + let’s be friends)

YOGA + LIGHT EXERCISE + NEIGHBORHOOD WALKS.

While we’ve been stuck inside these past few weeks we’ve been trying to spend at least twenty minutes a day doing interval workouts for ten minutes and then ten or fifteen minutes of yoga. Short neighborhood walks, even for ten to twenty minutes just around our few blocks to try and get some fresh air and vitamin D have been a huge necessity for me, too. And I’m not saying I’m here to get ripped, but I did order some 3lb hand weights. So watch out world.

SHOP MY HYGGE ESSENTIALS:

Traditional Hygge:

I have spent most of my life truly detesting daylight-savings time. When the time changes mid-Autumn and we’re plummeted into darkness by 4PM I feel like the day is over when it’s still midday and for many years I would soon thereafter turn into a grumbling, tired, hibernating bear.

Hygge has been my answer lately to the onset of that Winter darkness, and the lens that I now try to look through to get more enjoyment out of the short days and the chilly season. Because the way I see it: who doesn’t love to snuggle? Who doesn’t want the space around them to be cozy, twinkly, and beautifully restful? Maybe being a hibernating bear sounds actually kind of awesome?

The Winter season has become my new go to season to indulge my hobbies, curiosities, and self-care routine a little more. I’ll purchase a few books I’ve heard good things about or been wanting to read. Or carve out time in the late afternoon and early evening darkness to paint, doodle, needle felt, write - or just draw a bath and soak in silence.

We’re also super lucky to have in this apartment. . . a gas fireplace! It is a game-changer. See the Shutterstock image of the amazingly cozy-looking people above? That’s pretty much my life during the Winter.

So nowadays when the time changes I begin to anticipate that time with much more excitement than I used to. And as the days get shorter we pull out the lights and candles and gradually make the house more sparkly and bright. (In a tiny and quiet way it marks my start of the holiday season.)

Looking for more resources about Hygge?

Check out some books and reads here that dive into everything Hygge: the history and background of Hygge in Danish & Norwegian culture, and the ways its been adopted by cultures worldwide.

It’s no surprise that people around the world love the idea and lifestyle of keeping their hearts & homes extra warm & cozy, and bringing an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness into their daily life.

Shop Books On Hygge:

Or do you want to go jet-set somewhere that has Hygge dialed?

Check out this infographic and article for some cozy-inspired travel destinations!

Top Ten Hygge Cities In the United States:

Check out this article on Top 10 Hygge Cities in the U.S.

When I’m hunkering down in snuggle-mode, I like to treat myself. . . ‘nuff said.

Maybe that means buying a new snuggly fleece blanket, robe, or pair of slippers for myself. And don’t even bother tempting me with new pajamas - it’s too easy. Probably why I get instagram ads for “cute matching lounge sets” everyday.

Another fun idea for treating yourself (or other members in your family) is with a subscription box.

There are so many to choose from now, and lots of them are customizable to a degree, so you can curate your box to your meet your likes and needs. Birchbox, Fab Fit Fun, Yogi Surprise (and even Barkbox for your doggo) are some really popular ones out there - and that just covers goodies! I’ve never tried one but I’ve always been intrigued by them. A food, produce, or cooking subscription box would be pretty awesome to try out during Winter (or your covid-19 quarantine) just to keep things interesting and fresh, too!

It’s always nice to have little things to look forward to. . . Especially when the weather turns crummy. Even more especially when you’re stuck inside social-distancing in a wacky time.

But for real — my Smartwool snuggle socks are already on, and all this talk about snuggling and treating myself makes me want to curl up, eat a cookie, then take a snooze… Just me?

Whatever your personal Hygge tricks are to keep the cold out or to help keep yourself happy and healthy while you’re staying inside, I’d love to hear them. . . And whatever you, your family, or loved ones are going through - remember we’re all in this weirdness together. I hope you’re finding a few ways to help make your heart full and your space cozy.

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