These are the ABC's of cozy living, according to me...settle in with a cup of cocoa or tea, some fuzzy socks and a blanket and make yourself comfy whilst you read along.
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No cozy life should be without its delightful scents. Whether it be a delicious smelling candle, a peaceful blend of essential oils coming from the diffuser, light and breezy scented room sprays or even something homemade being prepared in the kitchen, or a stovetop potpourri, a cozy home should always, always smell like bliss.
Baking
Baking is essential to a cozy life. Bread baking for the week, preparing a special cake or dessert for a holiday or birthday, or putting together a small selection of baked goods to share with a friend or neighbor, all of these things just ooze coziness.
Comfort foods
I'm thinking soups or stews simmering for hours all afternoon long into the evening and being dished up in old bowls that you've used for years. A table full of all the good foods your family loves and sitting around and passing bowl after bowl to one another as you share and feast together. I'm thinking about mugs of something warm when it's chilly outside and tall glasses of iced tea on hot, sticky summer days. There are comfort foods for all seasons and types of weather.
Drives and earth roaming
Packing up the car with drinks and snacks (or a picnic) and taking off for a few hours to who knows where is just the ticket for a cozy afternoon and evening away. If it's chilly out, pack some blankets and a warm drink in a thermos. Take along some fun music and blast it to your heart's content. Open the windows and breathe in that earthy air. Pull off at neat points to take pictures of nature's beauty or to simply stretch your legs a bit. Maybe even wander off a bit on a path through the woods or lay the blanket on the ground or back of your car and enjoy a chat and snack with your dearest roaming buddies.
Escaping for the day
Unplug for the day and escape. It could be a day at home with no connection to the outside world...just you and all the things you enjoy. Whether you are alone or if you prefer the company of others, like I do, escape for the day at home. Spa days at home, crafting afternoons, tea parties, movie marathons, a few hours of reading or just some peace and quiet are just a few ideas. You don't have to leave home to escape for the day, though you could totally do that too. Just see the ideas above about taking a drive.
Feasting by candlelight
Candlelight brings a special-ness to ordinary moments and events. Simply lighting a candle or two at dinnertime makes an ordinary meal magical and special and extra sweet. Loved ones lingering at the table long after the meal has been finished, candles flickering, laughter filling the air, stories being told and hearts being held. If folks did this more often, imagine the difference we would see in our world.
Gentleness
This is perhaps the secret to a truly cozy life. Gentleness. Gentleness towards yourself, towards others, towards your home and work and daily tasks. Gentleness towards the earth and all the creatures who dwell on this planet with us. While we are often more willing to show gentleness towards others, maybe we need to practice showing ourselves some gentleness, too?
Happiness matters
Don't let the muggles get you down, as they say. Don't listen to the naysayers who tell you that happiness doesn't matter or that you have to "choose joy" instead of happiness. Friend, your happiness matters. Listen to your heart and follow its gentle leading. Dream of things big and small and chase after them. Believe in magic and seek after it. Realize that being happy is crucially important and don't let anyone tell you any different.
Immersing yourself in story
Stories come in all shapes and forms. The thing about stories is that they are all art. So surround yourself with art in all its various forms. Books of all kinds...picture books, children's stories, mysteries, fantasies, magical tales, legends and myths, heartwarming tales of beloved characters, adventures to faraway lands- whether real or make-believe, romances that make you believe in love all over again. Movies and shows that invite you into a world all their own and allow you to find a bit of yourself there. Art pieces and paintings that draw you into someone's imaginings. Music that whisks you away and plants you gently back on your seat again; music that makes you cry and smile all at once; music that is otherworldly and wonderful and inconceivably good. These are all stories...fill your life and home with them as much as you can.
Journal keeping
Journal keeping can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish. This is all about personality and unique taste and style. Journal keeping allows you to be creative and hold onto memories and things that you want to remember. It's like putting a bit of your soul onto paper for a later day. Quote journals, reading diaries, travel journals, junk journals and more are out there for you to explore and delve into. This hobby also allows you to slow down and bring peace and calm to your day as you create and make your journal.
Keeping traditions
Traditions range from being simple to grand. They exist for holidays, birthdays, seasons and even seemingly ordinary days. And they are as unique as the people who create them and live them out within their families and homes. I am a lover of traditions, especially ones for days that aren't special on the surface. Making the first day of autumn extra lovely with a cozy dinner and homemade dessert; watching certain movies at different times of the year; homemade pizza nights on the nights when we have a show on TV we want to watch; having seasonal tea parties; and going to concerts whenever a favorite musician comes to town...and even travelling to favorite cities to see them play.
Layer, layer, layer
Coziness just equals layers in my book. Layers, layers, and more layers. When it's cold outside, layer up that clothing! Sweaters with T-shirts underneath; scarves and knit beanies; thick, fuzzy socks (sometimes two pairs) and a warm coat. The coziest beds are the ones with layers of blankets and comforters and lots of pillows...at least to me. In the winter, I love having flannel sheets, two blankets and a thick, warm comforter on my bed. I always have a few extra pillows on my bed as well for those late-night reading sessions. Blankets draped over the backs or sides of chairs and sofas are incredibly inviting, you just want to sink down into the cushions and put your feet up and stay awhile. Layers also come into decorating. A cozy home is layered...this is what makes it warm, inviting, homey, quaint, charming and cozy. Honestly, anything other than that, at least to me, is cold, sterile and dare I say it, ugly. Color on the walls...I personally love actual color, not a variety of white, beige or other neutral-only colors. Pictures or art pieces hanging on the walls. Windows where the natural sunlight can come in, perhaps with some cute curtains or other covering. Knick-knacks filling the shelves and mantle and every nook and cranny. None of that minimalism crap...that isn't cozy in the least. Your home should be a collection of things that say "you"...people should feel like they get to know you when they walk into your home. Layer, layer, layer.
Movie marathons
There are few things cozier than cuddling up on the couch on a chilly night, with a fuzzy blanket, thick socks on with your warmest pjs, a cup of something warm, perhaps some buttery popcorn and a favorite movie. As it goes with books and foods, there are just certain movies that I simply must watch in the autumn and winter. (And other favorites for summertime and spring, too.) So movie marathons...or watching a few episodes of your favorite show...is coziness at its finest.
Nature ramblings
There is no such thing as bad weather. That's something that my sister and I just grew up with. No matter how it was outside, my mom would dress us accordingly, and we would venture out into the grand world of our back garden. My childhood home, which we just moved from three years ago, had a forest behind our house. There was an old, rickety fence that you could open and walk through and when you did, it was just like you stepped into Narnia. Especially in the snow! At our current home, Shady Cottage, the gardens are a bit more wild and untamed, which I personally love. There is ivy growing up the trees and along the ground like a carpet of deep green. The trees here are old and nearly reach the sky. And every season boasts its own beauty in our garden. We are also surrounded by a number of small parks, along with a few large ones a bit further out. Some have trails and paths, others have ponds or a lake, and all of them are filled with different plants, trees, flowers and tons of seasonal beauty. I love taking my camera along with me and trying my best to capture some of the beauty whenever I step outside. Even if it's just for a quick walk down the block.
Over-the-top celebrations
When it comes to celebrations, whether it be a holiday, birthday, or some family tradition, I am of the "go big or go home" mentality. That's how I was brought up and it honestly created the most magical childhood. As I've gotten older, sadly and quite absurdly, so many folks have walked away from that sort of thinking. They've got a giant stick up their butts that need to be removed! And please hear me out: I am not talking about some rich and glamorous and fancy sort of lifestyle. We did not have lots of extra money when I was growing up, and yet every holiday, every birthday, every special occasion and many ordinary days, were made magical and memorable beyond imagination because of special touches and lots of love and creativity that went into them. So many folks, in the name of righteousness or intentionality or some other reason to kill, steal and destroy the magic in life, have said NO to things that bring magic to life. Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Halloween, the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost's first visit of the year, etc. My mom worked hard to protect my sister and me from those kinds of people growing up because she didn't want them to steal our childhood or the magic and fun that she thought was so important. I'm thankful she did because as I've gotten older I've seen what a gift that was and still is. Santa Claus came to our home on Christmas Eve and left a pile of presents under the tree. We would leave our homemade cookies and a tall glass of milk, and sprinkle sparkly reindeer food out for Rudolph and his friends. On birthdays, a special meal and homemade cake were prepared according to the birthday person's favorites. As my sister and I got older, we've adopted a few new traditions. One of my very favorites is our "autumn celebration dinner" which we enjoy every year on the first day of autumn. Cozy, comfort foods make their return for the year and a seasonal dessert is prepared. We light candles and sit around the table, lights dimmed, and feast til our heart's content. Do things up big and make life special. Pull that stick out of your butt if you need to. And for goodness sake, have some fun and bring some magic to your days!
Protect your peace
Toxicity and party-poopers and negative Nellies. These need to go. And ASAP! Seriously, why do we put up with all this crap when we could actually have peace and happiness. Sometimes you've just got to put on your big girl pants and not be so afraid to tell people that they are no longer welcome in your life if they bring negative energy, toxicity or make you feel like garbage about yourself. You don't owe anyone an explanation for how you live your life. And if there isn't respect, they've got to go. Protect your peace. Only you are the gatekeeper of your peace, so own it. Learn to say no and have some respect for yourself and the family within your home. You deserve peace, dear one. Please protect it! (I shared some more thoughts about this HERE if you want to check them out.)
Quirky details
This is one of the most fun aspects of cozy living, if you ask me. And that is being quirky! Whether it be in your clothing, home decorating style, how you keep your garden, or even your personality and hobbies. Quirky is authentic and authentic is best. So embrace all your quirky ways and let your magic shine!
Romantic living
Romantic living and cozy living are one and the same for me. I believe you can't have one without the other. Bringing romance to ordinary life is simply seeing the beauty in every little thing and making ordinary moments whimsical and special. Lighting candles, using pretty glasses or mugs, slowing down to notice the flower blooming or the change of color in the leaves, making things pretty and lovely instead of just choosing a basic or utilitarian style. Wearing a cute headband or clip or flower in your hair. Playing music while you go about your day...and stopping to twirl and spin here and there in the midst of your tasks. You get the idea. {{smiles}}
Sentimentality
I feel that our world could do with more sentimentality. If folks were a bit more sentimental, maybe we'd see more value placed on the important things. Sentimentality is about both tenderness and gentleness as well as nostalgia and valuing the past, whether it be things, values, memories, moments, etc. Being sentimental is something that both men and women should be; it is far from being something only for women, though so many men get mocked or belittled for their sentimentality. I, for one, think our world needs more men who are sentimental, tender, soft and gentle, who value and cherish the sweet things and moments in life.
Teatime
Teatime doesn't need much explanation. Whether it's tea for one and a good book on a rainy afternoon or before bed, or a grand tea party for a crowd, teatime just can't be beaten. Teatime invites beauty, slowness, romance, and lots of fun...along with peace, calm and happiness with a good dose of magic and whimsy thrown in, too. And tea is much better enjoyed when served in a pretty mug or teacup...there's just something about it.
Unwind your mind and body
Your mind and body deserve a bit of time each day to unwind, preferably before bed, at least. Creating a gentle and simple nighttime ritual allows that unwinding to take place. Also taking breaks throughout the day when your phone is nowhere near you is also a must in my opinion. The world doesn't need you to be in connection with it 24/7...it can wait, your well-being cannot.
Venture into crafting and creating
One of the best parts of cozy living is venturing into a variety of hobbies. Crafting and creating are so much more than painting or sewing. This can be photography, cooking or baking, embroidery, knitting or crocheting, quilting, jam making and preserving and canning foods, gardening, decorating, journal keeping, the list could go on forever. The point is, cozy living should be filled with fun and enjoyable things such as hobbies. So pick one, give it a try and have fun. If it's not for you, pick another one and go from there! There are no rules to this!
"Wasting" time
Wasting time is such a lie. Sure there are times when wasting time really is wasting time. But in our hustle and bustle world, where nonstop go-go-go is praised, wasting time is a lie. Taking time for yourself or going on holiday or playing with your kiddos or pets, those things are not wasting time. Reading a novel, having a cup of tea, taking a leisurely walk. Those things are not wasting time. We would do well to rethink the whole "wasting time" thing because much of what we might call "time wasters" are actually lifegiving soul fillers.
eXciting adventures
Seeking out exciting adventures is one of life's greatest gifts. These adventures can be simple or grand, near to where you live or far away in a land across the globe. They can even be in your own backyard or living room. Making time for fun on a regular basis, no matter your age is crucial to a happy life. In our kitchen, we have a little decoration that says, "We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." And how true that is!
Yes to good vibes
Again, don't let those muggles get you down. Good vibes only, people. Protect your peace. Not everyone needs to be allowed to your party called life. Negativity. Toxicity. Discouragement. Harassing or mocking comments. Those looking to bring you down. They don't have a place in your life. Good vibes only. Positive thoughts. Following your heart. Chasing your dreams. Believing in magic. Trusting fate. Being happy. Those are the things that have a place in your life.
Zen atmosphere
A zen-like atmosphere is a peaceful, calm atmosphere. Make your spaces that way. Make your home a place you want to be, a place you long to be. Take a walk through your house and make notes of things you want to change or add to make it that haven you deserve. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy or difficult, just use your creativity and imagination and make it yours.
What are some of your ABC's of cozy living? I'd love you hear your thoughts!
*This post was inspired by an article I read in The Cozy Issue of Bella Grace magazine in 2019.*