21 Springtime Hygge Tips That Really Bring Joy

It's easy to feel stuck in the fast pace of life, as we rush from one season to the next, gearing up for graduations, weddings, and staying on top of a relentless work schedule.

We could all benefit by taking a lesson from the Danish people, who boast of being the "happiest people in the world." Their concept of hygge" (pronounced "hooga"), is a cherished part of their culture. It celebrates being cozy, slowing down, and enjoying the simple things of life with those you love.

Hygge is so much more than a comfy blanket with a book by the fire. Here are 21 practical ways we can embrace this holistic way of being, even through the busy springtime months.

1. Celebrate Rain

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Lean into those rainy days of springtime, and everything that comes along with them. Puddles, mud--it's all part of Nature's joyful transition to the growing season.

Enjoy the sound of rain on the roof, keep your rain jacket handy, and if you can, invest in a good pair of cute rain boots! After all, March winds and April showers bring May flowers!

2. Add Some Whimsy to Your Garden

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When it comes to spring gardening, it's easy to get focussed on pragmatic things like garden bed rotation, last frost dates, and getting vegetable plants into the ground at the proper time.

Bring the concept of hygge into the garden by adding elements that make you want to linger. It's amazing what a difference a little cobblestone path, some solar lighting, or a simple bird bath can make. Put a bench in the garden, and it just may become your new favorite spot to enjoy your morning coffee.

3. Get Out the Grill

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Celebrate the return of warmer weather by doing some of your cooking outside. Get out the grill and give it a good cleaning, then try out some sure-winner grilling recipes.

While you're out there tending dinner, don't forget to give yourself a moment to breathe in the fresh air, listen for the birds, and enjoy the change in scenery from the kitchen stove.

4. Grow Something On Your Windowsill

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Even if you live in the tiniest apartment, it's easy to invite springtime in, by growing a few fresh herbs on the windowsill.

Keep it simple enough to be enjoyable. Even just a few little pots are enough to brighten up the kitchen. Just sharing your space with growing plants is good for mental health, and the ritual of gathering a small sprig or leaf to garnish your dinner brings a simple and satisfying joy.

5. Birdwatch

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There's no better time to take up birdwatching than in the spring. Exciting things are happening everywhere.

Such a sense of joy comes with observing robins returning to lawns, hopping along to gather worms, and then build their sturdy nests. Colorful songbirds return to feeders, and the air is filled with songs of chickadees, catbirds, orioles, and cardinals. A good bird book and a feeder or two really let you lean into the joy of it all.

6. Open the Windows

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There's nothing like that first day of spring that's warm enough to turn the heat off, and you realize you can fling those windows wide open.

Fresh air is so healthful, and benefits our whole selves. If you live in a place where the outside air is fresh and clean, embrace that and let it in!

7. Moving Water

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Just being near moving water makes a space feel fresh and renewed. The sight and sound of water tends to bring a sense of peace and calm.

Consider adding a tiny tabletop fountain in your living area, or a solar fountain to the garden.

8. Spring Cleaning

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This may sound more like a chore, than embracing the cosiness of hygge, but there's a sense of well-being that comes with seasonal rituals. More importantly, it's easier to rest, and feel both mentally and physically at peace, in a clean space.

Consider tackling spring cleaning one room or task at a time. There are so many great resources online to help simplify the process of cleaning your living space.

9. Springtime Cooking

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After a long winter of casseroles and crock pots, it feels so good to embrace lighter tastes and fresh flavors at meal times!

Consider grabbing a few cookbooks at the library to lighten up your recipe repertoire. If those beautiful spring rolls look like something you'd like to try, you can grab the recipe here.

10. Hang a Hammock

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Make it easier to relax outdoors and enjoy the fresh air, cheerful bird sounds, and warm breezes of springtime, by giving yourself an easy spot to settle in.

A hammock can be a great place for reading a book, sketching that picturesque robin's nest, or even taking a nap. I like the lightweight nylon hammocks that can stuff into a little bag and easily be set up anywhere.

11. Declutter

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There's spring cleaning, and then there's decluttering. Spring cleaning makes the whole house feel fresh and deep-cleaned. But decluttering frees up space to really enjoy that clean house.

Consider starting with your clothes closets, as you pack away the sweaters and get out the tank tops. Are there winter clothes you haven't worn all year? It's probably time to let them go. (If you're wondering what to do with them, this guide is helpful.)

There's a real sense of well-being that comes with simplifying, and spring is a great time to lean into it.

12. Gather Pussy Willows

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Gathering pussy willows was always one of my favorite early rituals of springtime, when I was a kid. It was so much fun tromping through the last remnants of snow, to gather branches that were just covered in soft little catkins.

If you're blessed with a grove of pussy willows, or access to one, enjoy bringing some indoors. You might also really enjoy sharing some with an older neighbor, or the residents at your local assisted living home. Those simple signs of spring do so much to lighten hearts and bring joy!

13. Update Your Go-To Hot Beverages

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If you've been sipping earthy, cozy teas and chais all winter long, it can feel joyful to switch over to lighter and more floral flavors.

Consider trying some teas with citrus and floral notes. It's also a great time to give your heavy, hand-thrown coffee mug a little time off, and enjoy your morning coffee in something that feels a little brighter and lighter for a while.

14. Bring Some Bulbs Inside

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It's such a joy to watch daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips, erupting in the front yard, creating splashes of bright color.

Double down on that joy by grabbing a little pot of bulbs for the kitchen, while they're cheap in the markets and grocery stores.

You can also sometimes find bulbs that were intended for Christmastime indoor forcing on clearance sale in the early spring, and they're usually still ready to grow and bloom. This is a great way to start plenty for yourself, and some friends.

15. Update Your Market Bag

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Hygge is all about the simple things. These days, we've mostly embraced the switch from disposable plastic and paper bags, so more sustainable reusable ones. So those market bags are a daily part of life.

Breathe a little joy into your shopping trips by packing away some of the heavier looking bags for fall, and keeping out only your favorites. Add a couple of new, brightly colored bags to freshen things up, or let yourself invest in a nice woven straw one.

A few weeks ago I was gifted a reusable bag covered in butterflies, by an older woman behind me in line. She noticed I'd forgotten to bring one, and that I was stubbornly trying to finagle my groceries into my backpack. "Please, I have plenty," she said, as she carefully picked out her prettiest, and most brightly colored bag, and gave it to me.

That bag has brought joy to every single grocery run I've made since. Let yourself lean into those little things.

16. Start Seeds Inside

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Nothing says "springtime" like a flat of soil on the windowsill, with little seedlings emerging. Early spring is a great time to start your own tomato and pepper plants indoors, as well as many different types of flowers, like dahlias.

Definitely let the kids get in on the fun, because the whole process of poking seeds into the soil and them watching them sprout, is just so magical.

17. Press Flowers

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Capture the joy of those first little spring blossoms, by pressing them in a flower press, or between a couple of heavy books.

If they happen to be edible flowers, you can actually use them for topping cookies, like these shortbread cookies.

Or, once they're fully dry, use them to decorate simple notecards, and send some springtime joy through the mail to a friend.

18. Dry Your Sheets on a Clothesline

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The feeling of crawling into a bed that's freshly made with sheets that have been dried on the line, is unmatchable.

There's a fresh scent to line-dried sheets that no fabric softener can ever match. To me, simple pleasures like this are the very essence of hygge. (Here are tips on building a really usable clothesline if you need to put one up.)

19. Let Yourself Get Lost in a Garden Center

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Even if you don't have a big garden or patio to buy plants for, a garden center is just a happy place to be in the springtime.

Let yourself wander through the aisles of bright colored flowers, blooming away in their six-packs. Breathe in the scent of those flats full of tomato seedlings. Enjoy the water feature if they have one. Dream. Plan. Even if you leave with nothing more than a tiny geranium or bonsai, garden centers are places that fill up a soul in the springtime.

20. Bake Something That Tastes Like Spring

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Baking something delicious is often one of the first things that comes to mind when we think of the term, "hygge". It doesn't have to be a heavy chocolate cake or chocolate chip cookies, though. Consider trying some new baking recipes for spring, with lighter flavors and textures.

You can get the recipe for those lemon raspberry cookies here.

21. Read Outdoors

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For any bibliophile, there's no wrong place to read. Reading outside though, with sounds of birds offering a subtle background soundtrack, is a springtime joy that's not to be missed.

This can be a nice time of year to revisit a favorite novel or a classic that you haven't read in years.

23 Beautiful Blossoms You Can Grow and Eat

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Edible flowers offer so much joy and whimsy to any dish, it's easy to save this fanciful touch for only special meals. If you have plenty of edible flowers growing right in your own garden or backyard though, it's easy to add a bright touch of whimsy to even weeknight meals.

Here are 23 of my favorite edible blossoms, that add bright splashes of color to both savory or sweet dishes.

What to Plant in a Pollinator Garden

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Bee gardens can serve as a wonderful haven for honey bees and many other pollinators.

Here's a list of easy-to-grow, beautiful flowers for a garden that will attract and benefit bees of all kinds.