6 Ways to Get Cozy

Yes it is October but my friends in the Twin Cities already had snow and technically it flurried in Chicago today. So we’re going to talk cozy.

Psychologists believe that when we want to be cozy, what we are actually looking for is the feeling of a hug. And weighted blankets went viral for the way gentle pressure calms and soothes the nervous system.

Danish Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) is one of my favorite lifestyle options available. S.L.O.W. living is life driven by specific values but Hygge is a lifestyle. The two coexist for us. I aim to create a Hygge-full home with sustainable, local, organic and whole items and ingredients.

Author of The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, Meik Wiking says; “Hygge is the sensation you get when you’re cuddled up on a sofa, in cozy socks under a soft throw, during a storm. It’s that feeling when you’re sharing comfort food and easy conversation with loved ones at a candlelit table. It is the warmth of morning light shining just right on a crisp blue-sky day.”

Yes please!

As an Anglophile (and also Francophile) I have to mention that Brits have coined “cosy” as theirs.

I am a homebody. What helps me from staying inside all the time is that we live in the city and I walk for most of my errands. I think the dream situation for me would be a cabin on a lake in the mountains where I can cuddle up between reading, baking and my one nature walk a day with the ability to teleport to my city home for some hustle and bustle.

Interestingly, I had my seasonal color analysis done and I am an Autumn, another reason why I love this season more than your average girl. To me, Fall is a reminder that every phase of life is a chapter; that change is the only constant. After a time of activity and growth there is time to retreat and rebalance.

And, there’s no other way to put this, it gets cold!

While I will delay getting out all the snow gear until it is absolutely necessary, I was ready the moment the temps dipped below 60 to bust out all the cozy items below. The dipping temperatures and sunshine help force us indoors.

The core of Cozy, Cosy and Hygge (and I’m sure there are similar sentiments in most languages) is comfort and safety. I’m all for more of those feelings in my life, and yours, so here are the ways I create the cozy vibes for myself.

1. Slippers

My favorite is my M.Gemi Shearling Lined Felize Loafers. I wear them almost every day. They’re insanely comfortable. And since I strive to put on real clothes every day these slippers are more like house shoes and they elevate my look. (Which is important, especially if I’m the only one seeing it.)

To keep the cozy feeling going strong when I do have to leave the house I have the Shearling Lined Cerchio Sneaker and the Shearling Lined Sandal. (I also have a Shearling Lined lace up sneaker that isn’t available anymore but here’s a similar one). Oh, and a pair of hidden wedge Uggs.

2. Candles

We have a beeswax candle maker a few blocks away. All our unscented candles come from him. A few times a fall and winter we will have a candle light dinner with our kids. We light the tapers and the votives in the center piece and enjoy anything from grilled cheese (cheez for me) to quinoa with peanut sauce over the low glow and flicker of the flames.

For scented candles my go to options are:

  • Nicolet Candle – my favorite scents are Olive Blossom, Bergamot & Tarragon and Forest Pine in the winter.
  • EMO Candles – my favorite is, ironically, called Hungover – it is a blend of grapefruit, mint, tomato leaf, rhubarb, basil, apple, lavender, moss, thyme, lemon that brings a smile to my face. I discovered these at a local shop, Love, Charlie.
  • P.F. Candle Co – Golden Coast, Black Fig and any seasonal scent. I discovered these at a local shop Winnie Cooper Boutique.

3. Screen Free Activities

I am always a little shocked by the daily average screen time report. Man these little devices are magnets! So when I feel like I’m getting dizzy from scrolling or my thumbs are getting sore I reach for one of these:

  • Embroidery – I get a project complete with design and floss from Cozy Blue Stitch Club every month. I am way behind and my new years resolutions the last few years has been to catch up and I will someday. Embroidery falls into “busy hands, quiet mind” for me and it is prettier than your average fidget toy.
  • Reading – usually a rom-com that could easily become the next made-for-TV Hallmark movie. I haven’t figured out the best way for me to share the books I’m reading but every woman should read Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan.
  • Baking – it is time to get the sourdough starter out of the fridge and feed her again. I named her Nelly. (Nell means “shining light” and that is homemade bread IMO). I also reach for my vegan cookbooks and find baked goods to make for snack time. Many of them are also refined-sugar free and so I use maple syrup, honey (ikikik not “vegan”), dates and coconut sugar which are all better for the body that white sugar.

4. Warm Drinks

Coffee. Either from my French Press or at the press of a button with my Nespresso. (Get $40 off your purchase of a machine code YYR653). I have switched to half-caf to help with my anxiety. And somedays I go without (see my favorite teas below). But the fact remains that I like the taste of coffee and I enjoy the smell of coffee and the process of preparing it and the way it warms my hands through the mug and

hold on, i’ve gotta got make some coffee

Okay – back. Nespresso half-caf Volluto Lungo in hand.

I do also drink tea and Yogi Honey Chai Turmeric Vitality is one of my favorites. A girlfriend dropped it off last Christmas when we were trapped inside with COVID (and we had some symptoms) and I have loved enjoying it on chilly days since. Plus the Yogi brand puts inspirational notes on the tags of the tea and that makes me smile. Plus the tea bags are compostable. And they’re a B Corp. So many reasons to love Yogi Tea. Lemon Ginger is also delicious as is Purely Peppermint (which the kids love).

Our local coffee (and beer) shoppe is serving a Chaider Drink which is a combination of chai and cider and just the thought of it makes me drool. Warm cider is amazing and warming up a batch is an easy way to slow the whole family down. Sometimes you can find a pumpkin spice cider at the grocery store so eyes peeled!

Mulled Wine is one of the drinks I do miss now that I am alcohol free. My favorite recipe used pomegranate juice with the wine and spices and it was slightly sweet, syrupy, but not overly so. I will likely whip up the recipe again this year with a NA red wine or using a bottle of cranberry juice instead of the wine.

5. Sweaters & Quarter Zips

I think my favorite type of shirt is a quarter zip. Slash button. There’s a collar which makes me feel fancy and the v-neck shape is flattering. Everlane has a sweatshirt version I’ve been eyeing. And while I went back to eye it again for this article I noticed a half zip merino wool sweater! Perfect.

I recently acquired the Spanx Air Essentials quarter zip and I will be living in it for the foreseeable future (the pants too).

I also have added the Jenni Kayne Cotton Cocoon Cardigan (Dan, if you’re reading… color: sage, size: medium) to my cart several times for the last few months. I know I would wear it every week I just haven’t bitten the bullet… yet.

6. Blankets

I was at a dinner sponsored by Kendall-Jackson Winery several years ago. It was June but we got hit with a cold front and the temps were positively March like. Our dinner plans were on a hotel terrace in Streeterville so Kendall Jackson and The Everygirl bought blankets from Crate & Barrel on their way to the dinner and I fell in love.

We have the Tepi blanket in Natural and seeing it again now has me thinking I want to get Moss for our bedroom. The other blanket hanging on the ladder is a plush lined sweater style that is no longer available at Target but this one is similar.

What helps you bring on the cozy vibes?

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