What Are Hygge Habits?

By Hayley Morgan •  Updated: 11/10/16 •  7 min read
Housekeeping & Cleaning

Well, winter is coming. Which, to be totally honest, I am dreading. It’s not possible to fully express my dislike for cold, dark, slushy winter. But, I know there is a way to cozy in and snuggle up this cold season. I have heard of the idea of Hygge, but what are the habits of Hygge?

But, over the last years, I’ve managed to embrace this horrible season because I’ve embraced the Danish idea of “hygge”. That crazy-looking word hygge is pronounced “hoo-gah”.

I’ve heard that this word loosely means a couple of things:

In my life, it has come to mean the period during the year defined by coziness, preference, and comfort. It is the time of the year that I unabashedly fill our home with our preferences, I eliminate as much irritation from our home life as possible, and we cozy in.

Winter can be a tough time for so many people. The days are shorter, the nights feel darker, the weather is colder, and it can feel like you’re stuck inside all the time. It’s no wonder that so many people experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) during the winter months. But there is hope! If you can establish some good habits of Hygge (pronounced “hoo-ga”), you can cozy up, snuggle in, and experience the cold season with a sort of candlelight glow.

What is Hygge?

Hygge is a Danish concept that can best be described as “coziness.” It’s been said that it is the “purposeful absence of irritation”. Hygge is all about creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in your home, eliminating anything that might frustrate you or make you uncomfortable, and enjoying the beautiful, simple things in life. It’s about slowing down on purpose and taking the time to make your life lovely. Some might call it “romanticizing your life”.

When you think of Hygge, think of candles, blankets, soft lighting, comfort food, and quality time with family and friends.

How to Establish Good Hygge Habits

There are a few simple things you can do to start establishing good Hygge habits in your life.

Take some time to declutter your home.

I think late fall is the perfect time for a garage sale. Let me set the vibe: you in a cozy scarf, warm coat, and snuggly boots. Great signs that advertise your event. Warm, spiced cider to sell or just give the people who stop to browse. See, even your garage sale can be hygge’d. Get rid of anything that doesn’t bring you joy or serve a purpose. You want your home to be a haven from the outside world, not a reflection of it. Walk around your house and see if there is anything that makes you feel any bad feelings. Guilt, shame, frustration, anger, or even just blah…those are all feelings to pay attention to when it comes to your house.

Next, invest in some cozy blankets and pillows.

Take some of that sweet, sweet garage sale cash and head to your favorite store. If you can, go shopping in person and make a date of it. Get yourself a warm drink, and enjoy the twinkly experience of being in your favorite stores. Choose a couple of pillows that feel inviting and some throw blankets to cuddle up under when it gets cold. Pay attention to the kind of fabric the blankets are sewn from. So many people like fuzzy blankets, but I prefer my blankets to be thick cotton quilts or knits. I get clammy under synthetic blankets, and sticky, clammy skin is the polar opposite of the hygge vibe. Don’t just buy something that’s so-so, even if you go home empty-handed. At least not you’ll know what you like and don’t like, and you can continue your shopping online.

Add some soft lighting

Turn off your overhead lights, or install warmer bulbs on a dimmer switch. Candles are always a good choice, but if you’re worried about open flames, there are plenty of LED options that will give you the same warm glow. My friend even bought a set of LED candles that are set to turn on at sunset every evening, which is the perfect way to practice the habit of hygge.

Stock your pantry with comfort foods that will warm you from the inside out.

Soup, chili, hot cocoa—whatever sounds good to you! If you have room, you could even try to lengthen the time between your grocery trips by stocking up your pantry. In the summertime, I shop more often because we’re cooking with fresher foods that spoil quickly. However, traditionally, cold weather foods are heavy on root vegetables that last forever and canned goods, too.

Invite your friends in.

This year, I’m going to try to get my friends obsessed with a card game. I’m not sure which one yet, but I have this vision of my friends coming over when it’s already dark out and stomping the snow off their boots. We’ll line up all the boots by the heater and they’ll be toasty by the time the evening is over. I’ll invite them into my glowy house, feed them deliciously warm food, and we’ll share raucous laughter while the snow blows around outside.

However, it actually goes, make sure to invite your people in–even (especially!) if it’s just for some DoorDash or a pizza you had delivered. One of the key tenets of hygge is spending quality time with the people you love. Whether you’re playing games, watching a movie, or just chatting around the dinner table, spending time together is a great way to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

Indulge in your favorite activities and romanticize your life.

Think of your favorite indoor activities. Even if it feels indulgent, remember that part of your job right now is to survive winter, to rest, and to prepare your heart and mind for when life speeds back up again when the world thaws. Think of the olden days. Many people worked on farms, and their work slowed dramatically when the harvest came. After that point, they entered a time of rest where they participated in the simple joys of life they might have missed out on during the breakneck speed of planting season. They played games, visited with friends, and slept when it got dark. This is all still possible today, you just have to slow down enough and be purposeful of your mission.

By following these tips and incorporating some Hygge into your life, you can make the cold winter months much more bearable. Winter doesn’t have to be a tough time—not if you know how to Hygge! By taking some time to declutter your home, investing in cozy blankets and pillows, adding some soft lighting, and stocking your pantry with comfort foods, you can create a warm and inviting space that will help you get through even the darkest days of winter. So light a candle, curl up under a blanket, and establish some cozy hygge habits that will make your cold months much better.

In preparation for my own season of hygge, I asked my Instagram followers how they practice the habits of Hygge. I heard all kinds of great ideas: