Simplicity and minimizing feel like second nature to me.
I can go through a room or closet quickly and pare down items.
But my slow, calm, and cozy need some work.
I often forget to breathe.
I got a massage last month and the massage therapist was frustrated at my inability to relax my shoulders. He had to coach me through deep breaths and remind me to breathe.
I often move too fast.
Kevin can attest to this one. I knock things over a lot when I get going too fast. I try to do too much and somehow end up doing nothing well.
I forget to make my space cozy.
A clean space is different than a cozy space. They can coexist, but I tend to focus on clean more.
My daughter is the cozy queen, so she is teaching me that blankets, pillows, and lighting all matter.
So, in an effort to accomplish slow, calm, and cozy, I read “The Little Book of Hygge” by Meik Wiking.
I have heard of this “hygge” concept before and wanted to dive into it more.
What did I discover???
First, I really want to visit Denmark!!!! The booked talked about their pride in frugality, the love of candles, and homemade treats.
Yes to all of that.
Bicycles everywhere….yes!!! It sounds so utopian to me and I feel like I would fit in.
But, since I cannot visit Denmark at the moment, I decided to spend this month bringing hygge to our apartment.
Small doses here and there, within our budget.
We bought a $10 blanket we had our eye on for about 4 years. (Yes, we can take 4 years to buy a blanket).
The other night Kevin draped our new blanket over the patio table and made a pot of tea for two by candlelight.
Hygge.
Now we are slowly adding little solar lights. Maybe in time a patio rug and a few extra cushions and blankets inside.
Homemade treats, board games, tea and coffee.
Slow, calm, cozy.
My “challenge” this month is hygge.
Not just creating it, but doing it in a frugal way. Building up to our “winter.”
Giving back our slow pace and adding cozy.
Less stress and more hygge.
-Brittany
**I would love to hear your ideas for hygge and what it means to you in the comments ❤️
Less Less More 
As soon as the days start getting shorter, I string my fairy lights through a few of the plants in my apartment. They’re all on timers, so they turn on as the sun is setting and bring little winks of coziness to the early darkness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this Katie! “Winks of coziness” is a beautiful description! I am excited to add more lights to our apartment as well. Thank you for reading.
LikeLike
Denmark is lovely. Love all the candles in the shops and how many people buy flowers to brighten their space when it is overcast and dark in winter. I used to travel there often for work and cannot wait to go back.
We love blankets and slippers in our house. I have blanket on lap while working, reading, watching tv, etc. In our northern culture, we don’t wear shoes indoors, so a pair of slippers are a must. Slippers keep your feet cozy and spare your floors from dirt, snow, etc.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I might need to find a good pair of slippers this year, thank you for the idea! Also I love hearing your firsthand experiences from Denmark…it makes me want to go even more!!! 😊 Thank you for reading!
LikeLike
I love how you wrote about doing hygge! I haven’t thought about this before. I’m thinking… walks, picnics… Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love walks and picnics. For those of us in Arizona, “winter” is definitely picnic season!! Thank you for reading 😊
LikeLike
Hi Brittany – I LOVE your posts!
Here in the UK at this time of year , hygge – for me – means making apple and blackberry crumble , with the hedgerow fruit I’ve picked on my daily dog walks, then curling up under vintage wool blankets (handed down from my husband’s family) to eat it!
I really look forward to your messages in my inbox – thank you so much! You are a 🌟 x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tracie, thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words…it means a lot to me!! That Apple blackberry crumble you mentioned sounds SO yummy!! Enjoy! Thank you for reading!
LikeLike