What is hygge?

Have you seen the word hygge all over the internet? Do you know how to pronounce it? (We didn’t either.) What’s the deal?

Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) has several definitions + no direct English translation, but it’s a Danish term that describes the feeling of cosiness and comfort that leads to a feeling of contentment and well-being. It was a finalist for word of the year last year, and the idea of it has spread internationally since 2016.

It’s the •feeling• of a knitted blanket, soft candlelight, a hot cup of tea, a bowl of homemade soup, ceramic-potted succulents, sitting next to a loved one + a crackling fire. Get it?

Some even call it a cure for SAD (seasonal affective disorder) – and you can implement it at home and in your workplace to help de-stress and enjoy your setting more.

Earlier this week, we learned how to hygge our desks with Richland Library. A few tips:

Declutter | put papers, biz cards, pens, etc. into drawers + containers to free up more counter space
Bring in nature | outdoor elements like succulents, houseplants and flowers purify the air + calm us down
Lower lighting | if you can, turn off bright/fluorescent overhead lights and use lamps + candles, instead
Get comfy | Bring in a big cozy sweater, scarf or blanket to wrap up in, or stash slippers or wool socks under your desk to change into

Watch the #LibraryDIY video on Facebook or Instagram later today.

How can I hygge in Cola? These local things are the definition of hygge:

A glass of wine with a friend in a warm-lit local restaurant

This sleeping fluffball at the cat cafe

📍 Catitude Cat Cafe | 📷: @heather.marie.f

Cozy couches in a coffee shop

📍 Wired Goat Vista | 📷: @rachellaurenjohnson

A steaming bowl of handmade pasta

Pasta Fresca makes its pasta and sauces from scratch each day. |Photo via @streetsandeatsofsc

This outdoor living space with a fireplace

📍 Greenbriar neighborhood | 📷 via The Moore Company

A hot latte with a foam heart

Bundling up to go pick out your holiday tree with family

📍 Hollow Creek Tree Farm | 📷: @thefarmers_

This tree in its fall sweater

Layering up for a Sunday hike + hammock session

📍 Sesquicentennial State Park | 📷: @merethescare

This vintage homegoods shop

This holiday storefront

📍 Immaculate Consumption | 📷: @immaculateconsumption

Here’s the before shot of the desk we hygge-d at Richland Library (note the clutter, busy desktop + junk food) ⤵️

And here’s the after shot (we put clutter away, cleaned up the desktop, added a plant, replaced the junk food with a cup of tea + fruit, and brought in a warm scarf + pair of slippers) ⤵️

After we filmed, our team immediately started brainstorming on how we could hygge the COLAtoday workspace at SOCO BullStreet – including evergreen candles, string lights + maaaaybe a mini Christmas tree.

–Chloe + Sam