How to Hygge and Enjoy Cold Weather
It's very cold in London at the moment so it's the perfect time for me to talk about something I discovered recently that has really spoken to me. The Danish term Hygge is a ritual where you introduce simple pleasures to make the harsh colder months of the year as enjoyable as the Summer. Simple things like inviting friends over for a pot of tea and a catch up, popping to your local pub to sit by an open fire, going out for crisp walks will all help you to welcome Winter with open arms.
Here are my ten ways to introduce Hygge to your life
1. Go into a book shop and randomly pick out one book to buy. Go home, make your self a hot drink and begin reading for a few hours. Choosing a book haphazardly like that may just introduce you to your new favorite author, and if you don't like it you can give it to a friend or donate it.
2. Invite a group of friends round to your home that you haven't seen in a while and enjoy an afternoon of chatting and tea drinking. If you're creative or crafty it would also be fun to do a craft project together like book binding.
3. Learn a new skill that helps you appreciate being indoors more, a great example is knitting, furniture painting or cooking. This way you can create something new that will also create a cosy atmosphere in your home.
4. Bring the outdoors in by introducing some beautiful plants. There's nothing like adding life into your space and my flat would look so dull and empty without all my plants. Why not pop into a garden centre like Wyevale? There's hundreds in the UK so there's bound to be one near you.
5. Grab all your blankets and cushions and snuggle up on the sofa watching old movies, my favourites are "Rebecca", "To Catch a Thief" and "How to Marry a Millionaire".
6. Spend time outdoors by going on a long walk. I have never regretted going for a stroll, no matter what the weather is like you always enjoy it in the end. Plus you can't beat the feeling of coming in from the freezing cold into your nice cosy house.
7. Try looking after an animal for a day. If you don't have pets yourself offer to look after a friend's four legged friend, it will help them out and you'll experience the joy of spending time with a fun, happy and cuddly animal. I joined Borrow my Doggy a few years ago and I love it.
8. Clean out an area of your home. You'll want to spent time in your space in you clear out the clutter and clean up a little. Even just making the bed and getting your bedroom in order will immediately improve your mood and clear your head.
9. Bake something delicious to share with whoever you live with. I don't eat wheat and one of my favourite things to make are vegan and gluten free dark chocolate brownies, they taste so indulgent but aren't half as bad for you.
10. Enjoy a long hot bath and create a home spa day using your favorite products. Pop on a face mask, add some essential oils to your bath and use a homemade exfoliant made using oats, coconut oil and brown sugar.
Personally the biggest change that I like to make in the Winter is to bring in flowers and plants into my home, I cannot begin to explain how much plants have improved my mood and helped create a sense of calm. It's such good practice to care for a living thing, connecting with nature is so important for mental health. All the supplies you could possibly need to create a herb garden, succulent paradise or pretty window box can be bought from Wyevale Garden Centres. I also know a lot of my readers live in the US, if you're one of them take a look at Bloom Nation for wonderful local floral bouquets to bring in some colour and life to your home.
Have a look at my Plant Life Pinterest board for my favorite ways to include greenery (and happiness) in your home.
This post was sponsored by Wyevale Garden Centres. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Hello Nancy what it is.
This post was shared on the Wednesday Showcase and the Home Etc link ups.
Here are my ten ways to introduce Hygge to your life
1. Go into a book shop and randomly pick out one book to buy. Go home, make your self a hot drink and begin reading for a few hours. Choosing a book haphazardly like that may just introduce you to your new favorite author, and if you don't like it you can give it to a friend or donate it.
2. Invite a group of friends round to your home that you haven't seen in a while and enjoy an afternoon of chatting and tea drinking. If you're creative or crafty it would also be fun to do a craft project together like book binding.
3. Learn a new skill that helps you appreciate being indoors more, a great example is knitting, furniture painting or cooking. This way you can create something new that will also create a cosy atmosphere in your home.
4. Bring the outdoors in by introducing some beautiful plants. There's nothing like adding life into your space and my flat would look so dull and empty without all my plants. Why not pop into a garden centre like Wyevale? There's hundreds in the UK so there's bound to be one near you.
5. Grab all your blankets and cushions and snuggle up on the sofa watching old movies, my favourites are "Rebecca", "To Catch a Thief" and "How to Marry a Millionaire".
6. Spend time outdoors by going on a long walk. I have never regretted going for a stroll, no matter what the weather is like you always enjoy it in the end. Plus you can't beat the feeling of coming in from the freezing cold into your nice cosy house.
7. Try looking after an animal for a day. If you don't have pets yourself offer to look after a friend's four legged friend, it will help them out and you'll experience the joy of spending time with a fun, happy and cuddly animal. I joined Borrow my Doggy a few years ago and I love it.
8. Clean out an area of your home. You'll want to spent time in your space in you clear out the clutter and clean up a little. Even just making the bed and getting your bedroom in order will immediately improve your mood and clear your head.
9. Bake something delicious to share with whoever you live with. I don't eat wheat and one of my favourite things to make are vegan and gluten free dark chocolate brownies, they taste so indulgent but aren't half as bad for you.
10. Enjoy a long hot bath and create a home spa day using your favorite products. Pop on a face mask, add some essential oils to your bath and use a homemade exfoliant made using oats, coconut oil and brown sugar.
Personally the biggest change that I like to make in the Winter is to bring in flowers and plants into my home, I cannot begin to explain how much plants have improved my mood and helped create a sense of calm. It's such good practice to care for a living thing, connecting with nature is so important for mental health. All the supplies you could possibly need to create a herb garden, succulent paradise or pretty window box can be bought from Wyevale Garden Centres. I also know a lot of my readers live in the US, if you're one of them take a look at Bloom Nation for wonderful local floral bouquets to bring in some colour and life to your home.
Have a look at my Plant Life Pinterest board for my favorite ways to include greenery (and happiness) in your home.
This post was sponsored by Wyevale Garden Centres. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Hello Nancy what it is.
This post was shared on the Wednesday Showcase and the Home Etc link ups.