Winter Homesteading, the New Year, & the Hygge Phenomenon

If you're anything like me, it seems that you can't look at a flyer or open any social media during the month of January without getting inundated with organizational tips, tricks, and tools.

This used to drive me crazy. I'm not a naturally neat person. Though I appreciate a well-ordered home, a part of me cringes at what seems like over regulation. I'm the person who can find exactly the piece of paper I need in the mound on my desk, but would never be able to find it once I "tidy up."

This year has been different, though, and I think it's the case because I am finally seeing organizing through a new lens.

Along with all the organizational stuff that comes out of the woodwork at this time of year, lately there has been a huge hygge movement. In case you haven't heard of it, it is basically the Danish tradition of celebrating everything cozy during the winter months as a way of beating the harshness of the bleak northern winters. (Read more about it here.)

Without even realizing it, I have always been a hygge person. I've always loved winter, sweaters, hot drinks, blazing fires in the fireplace or wood stove - all the things that you are encouraged to embrace as part of a hygge approach to winter.

Now as a homesteader too, I think that you can't help but turn your gaze to the interior of your home as the temperature drops outside and you have to put off any outside projects. Might as well make the inside as homey as you can because you will be spending an awful lot of time there for the next few months!

I think it has been in fusing hygge with tidying up that I've finally come to be at peace with the "new year purge and organization" culture of January.

After recently reading Joanna Gaines' new book, Homebody, I've been looking at my home with a new perspective. In the book, the reader is encouraged to look at the way he or she lives and make their home work for the way they live, to look at their spaces, not for what's there, but for how it can serve the way you live. I highly recommend the book. She has a great way of explaining how to make each room in your home, well, homey!

And that brings us back to hygge.

This new year, I've been looking at our home's unused or misused potential. The ways that some things are stored, or displayed, or used. Storing, or in some cases getting rid of, some things in order to make more room for other, more useful things. Making our house more our home, which is really a continuous process.

But this has meant tidying and organizing, and finding better homes for things. And I've made my peace with that. While I'm still not a fan of tidying for tidying's sake, I can definitely get on board with making my house more homey, especially if i can enjoy a warm drink while I'm at it!

While none of my efforts warrant a post of their own - at least yet- keep your eyes open for a post or two soon that are the direct results of my hygge organizing! In the mean time, if you follow me on Instagram (which you totally should!), I've started giving little behind the scenes looks at the spaces I've started to tackle. You can follow me here.

So whether your the neat and tidy type, or the curl up by the fire type, or somewhere in between, I pray this winter finds your enjoying the best this season can offer!

Stay cozy!

~Cheryl