Winter's Hygge
Today The Bird & Bear Collective is glad to welcome our good friend, and Queen of Organization, Julie Poole of "Poole Your Resources" to the blog. We think you'll enjoy her cozy, contemplative and creative approach to this season of "hygge."
I may be a little late to the game however I have recently discovered the word hygge pronounced (hue-gah). The dictionary defines hygge as “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).” Those who know me know that I describe myself as “not a happy winter person” which means the medical professionals in my life have given me the diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder. I have learned many coping strategies over the years to help me thrive and not just survive the winter months, and bringing coziness and comfort, hygge, as well as organization into my home is my best defense to stave off the winter blues.
Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays is behind us and the temperature is beginning to drop, it is the perfect time to do a little “nesting” and make your home as cozy as it can be by editing your surroundings to create the peaceful retreat that you have always envisioned.
Take a quick scan of your environment and focus on the area that causes you the most stress. You know the one that at the end of a long day you come home and think “ugh, I really have to clean up the _______!” Now imagine how you will feel when you come home from your long day and that space is no longer crying out for you to clean it up.
Begin by ‘shopping’ the space with a laundry basket or box in hand. As you touch each item ask yourself “does this serve me?” I love this particular question because it allows me to consider whether the item is something I want/need or is it something that I have been holding on to because I ‘thought’ it was going to serve a particular purpose when I acquired it. More often than not the most difficult part of letting go of an unused item is letting go of the ‘idea’ of the item. For example ‘these silicone cupcake liners will be great for baking cupcakes’ but you rarely have time to bake and there are only 6 and you need 24!
Now that you have streamlined your space you can consider whether the items you removed need to be relocated to a secondary storage spot or removed entirely from your home. You can either sell or donate and let the unwanted items find a new home where they will be utilized.
You are now on your way to creating a home that is cozy and comfortable. Why not bring more hygge into your home?