Way back in September I announced the intention of shifting the focus of this blog a little, more towards conscious living and less towards consumption.

I have never believed that hygge needed excessive consumption to be really enjoyable. I have posts dating back to the start of this blog saying that Hygge is the enjoyment of simple pleasures, that it’s perfectly possible to save money and hygge and especially that Danes (see Meik Wiking in his blogtour for The Little Book of Hygge) don’t see having stuff as a necessity for hygge.

I haven’t blogged much about it since making that declaration. I’m reminded of Amy Dacyczyn of The Complete Tightwad Gazette (and how I love that book: if you want lessons in thrift and still having a family life, this is it) saying that press publicity for her newsletter and book struggled to find photo oportunities: here we are pinning out the washing, here we are not buying the ice cream, here we are walking to school instead of using the car…. somehow writing again and again that I didn’t buy X and used my old one instead doesn’t seem to have the deep impact I’d be after.

That’s not to say that I have done nothing. Having made the recommitment to a greener life, I find I’ve been more mindful of my life since then.

I have been using up as much as possible before buying new. I’m getting rather good at getting every drop of toothpaste out of a tube before finally giving in and getting rid: I’ve been looking at replacing the plastic purchases I used to make with reuseable and environmentally friendly options: I am slowly shifting to zero waste or eco friendly make up (again, as I run out or use up the ones I have) and looking for refillable or zero waste items rather than straight replace (like toothpaste tubes are). I’m currently trialling Georganics Natural toothpaste, which comes in a dinky glass and metal pot, and we are as a family moving over to bamboo toothbrushes rather than one-use plastic.

It’s become second nature to carry a metal straw in  my bag. I don’t do a bundle on take out coffee anyway, so sitting in and having a ceramic mug while relaxing suits me better, but if I were addicted to my takeout, I have a fold down coffee mug that works well and takes virtually no space in my bag. Shopping, too, has benefitted from my commitment. We’ve used reuseable bags for our main grocery shopping for years anyway, but I always make sure to carry a small foldable cotton bag with me, either tucked away in my backpack or squirrelled away in the boot of my car.

My big green purchases since I started have actually been make up. I needed a new blusher, so I researched the brands that did low or no-waste packaging. I chose Zao, which do a full range of organic, vegan-friendly make up with bamboo refillable packaging and a commitment to the environment. I purchased a bamboo compact, blusher and two shades of eyeshadow in September and I am delighted to say that, despite daily use, they look fit to see me through most of 2020 as well. I’m not a big make up wearer, though, so my minimal morning routine may not provide the coverage some people expect. I do have perfect skin, though, so I think I might be doing something that suits my skin…

And back to that Green Hygge quest? Well, I am more conscious about who I spend my time with and what I spend my time doing. Within reason, I spend more on experiences than things (tickets to events formed the majority of my gifts from the husband this year) and I have a mental list of free or close-to-free activities that I can do with friends instead of excessive travelling, eating or spending. More on that another day.

If you’d like to support me….

My new book, Cosy Happy Hygge is available as an ebook or a paperback on Amazon now. As you know, I do the whole kit and caboodle myself, from writing to proofreading to designing and I’m very proud of this one. It’s about using rhythm and ritual to make your life a gentler, kinder place. Writing it has been an important part of my mental health recovery.

I don’t monetise my blog. I don’t run adverts, take sponsorship for writing posts or use affiliate links. I want everything I do on this blog and in my hygge life outside to be truthful. If I promote a book it’s because I’ve read it and like it, if I  point out an item it’s because it’s impressed me on its own merits and not because the publicist has talked me into it. It does mean I don’t run giveaways and I’m not chasing followers, but the drawback is that I need to find a way to support myself.

That’s why I write books. My thoughts are that if I ask you to buy a book not only does it support me, and let me keep writing as an independent writer, but you get something back for your bucks. I’ve written several books, some on hygge, some on Christmas. If you like what you read here, or in the Hygge Nook, and you’d like to support a struggling writer, would you please consider buying a book? Ebooks give you the best value, since for 2 or 3 pounds you get the whole content of the book without paying the extra for paper production, but I’d be a pretty poor writer if I didn’t appreciate the beauty of a real book in the hand. If you buy just one book, it all adds up in the end to support me, and I’d be so grateful.

If you already have my books, or just want to support me as an independent writer, you can always just send me the price of a cup of coffee as a friend, to paypal.me/HyggeJem . I tend to use a lot of my spare cash on books that I review for the website, so every penny donated goes towards building my happy hygge life.

My first three books are hygge related, 50 Ways to Hygge the British Way  was my first book, and is available in Paperback and Kindle version. It’s a simple look at ways to feel more hyggely in life and at home even though we’re not Danish and don’t have it in our DNA.

How to Hygge Your Summer, in Paperback and Kindle form, has lots of good ideas for the summer months. I strongly believe that hygge is so much more than throws and warm drinks.

Happier is my fourth book. It’s about how I boost my own happiness levels. It’s full of hints, tips and ideas for you to use and adapt to suit your own situation. It is available in ebook and paperback version from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

I have three Christmas books,

Have Yourself a Happy Hygge Christmas was released in September 2017 and is available again in paperback and ebook version. It looks at keeping the Christmas season warm and cosy, with ideas for activities and routines to keep Christmas happy.

A (Hygge) Christmas Carol is my look at Dickens’ immortal classic and the many lessons we still learn from it today. It contains the full text of the book as well as hyggely thoughts on the story.

Enjoying a Self Care Christmas is only available in ebook version. It’s about keeping Christmas simple enough and healthy enough to keep you sane in the process.

If you buy any of the books or some of the items through the links on this page, I get a couple of extra pence per copy, as an Amazon Affiliate, in Amazon vouchers which go towards buying more books to review for the blog. I’d really love it if you’d support me monetarily, but I quite understand that cash is tight for many people, and I just love having your support via reading and commenting as well.

Truthfully, I’ll probably never make a living as a writer, but I do make a little extra income that gets ploughed back into books and magazines. One obsession feeds the other…