My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place by Meik Wiking

My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place Reviews

• 
  Emiliya Bozhilova

  Най-много ми харесаха картинките. Няма никаква нужда да се чете задълбочено, не казва нещо, което всяко дете да не знае. Хубаво ни е, когато има много естествена светлина, топлина в зимните дни, меки възглавнички, късче зеленина наблизо из сивите улици, добри приятели и малко вкусна домашна зимнина.
  
  Хюга всеки си я прави сам, и стига да е постигнато минимално ниво на материална осигуреност - оттам нататък Хюга е възприятие, отношение и поведение, а не покупка на нови вещи или твърди правила.
• 
  Alissa

  Welcome to mid-November in Michigan, where the majority of the days are cold, damp, and overcast, and the near-nonexistent sun sets around 5 p.m. Where Seasonal Affective is already raging and we're still more than a month away from the maximum darkness of the Winter Solstice. And where thoughts of those long, dark, frigid months ahead are enough to make even the most Pollyanna of the population want to curl up and cry...or at least go into hibernation mode.
  
  Therein lies my motivation (desperation?) for checking out this book. Even when past experience warned me otherwise.
  
  
  The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well came across as an endorsement for owning (and lighting) more candles than the average Catholic Church during the Holiday Rush. While this likely had the Yankee Company singing praises of gratitude for the financial/stock boost, I found it quite impractical due to the fact that I have pets. Plus, no one should light up THAT much Pumpkin Spice. No one. Not even Starbucks. It also endorced unhealthy eating habits and spent countless pages promoting a cookie-cutter version of "Coziness." And, to add insult to injury, had the balls to suggest that no one but the Danish could truly experience said quality. Which led me to wonder...does this author even really know anything? Or is he just spouting narrow stereotypes? To be honest (and unmerciful?), it read more like one of those novelty books you find in over-abundance on the Holiday Sale table at Barnes & Noble than anything with substance.
  
  I admit it: I gave the book quite a bit of beef. And I was fully prepared to viciously tear into this one as well, much like Homer Simpson would tear into a dozen donuts. I was even mentally wring the review in my head as I held the pre-read book in my hands. And I had all sorts of snarky witticisms prepared too.
  
  But *shock!* I was actually pleasantly surprised!
  
  I'm not complaining. I love when this happens. It's the exact opposite of a "Hyped And Excited For" book being the Disappointment of the Year (or at least the moment).
  
  Whereas
  The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well had about as much nutritional value as Homer's aforementioned donuts,
  My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place actually had something of value to say. Rather than hyper-focusing on a very narrow and stereotypical (not to mention materialistic) definition of Hygge, this book actually delved into the Science and Psychology of happiness and what one needs to do/change in their life/environment to achieve that elusive state even in the dark depths of the coldest, nastiest winter. Or pandemic lockdown, if you rather. And this time around, the author even freely admitted that Hygge is NOT an exclusively Danish thing (see pg. 19), a falsely presumptuous (and rather pretentious) assumption he flaunted in his previous book.
  
  Overall, Mr. Wiking's most recent book presents a more broad view of Hygge and leaves the concept open to individual interpretation. It does mention some general basics one needs to lead a happy life, but backs that up with scientific sources. It was what the previous book should have been.
  
  True, there was still some New Age-y mumbo-jumbo. And I did roll my eyes a couple times.
  
  True A LOT of info about lighting, placement of stuff, and general energy flow/vibe comes directly from the much older practice of Feng Shui.
  
  And there was STILL that obsession with candles, which the author plugged at every opportunity. To which I say, "Dude, I have cats. And I wouldn't even trust those curious little buggers around a single, heavily-supervised birthday candle, let alone a whole housefull of potential fire hazards." Not to mention that lighting candles, or anything that produces smoke and ash, in an enclosed space isn't really the healthiest thing one can do for their body. And since Good Health = Happiness, candles and their environmental fallout seems kind of counterproductive to the end goal. But if candles make the author happy... Hey who am I to judge. I probably have some happiness triggers that would cause him to scratch his head and make the WTF face.
  
  I will substitute the candlelight with fairy lights, however. The LED variety of which the bulbs don't heat up to scalding and that use up far less juice than their traditional counterparts.
  
  So yeah. I liked this one.
  
  And I give it a solid 3.5 stars.
  
  p.s. I totally vibe with the "Viking Proof" seating concept. Like a (Mafia) Boss!
• 
  Sandra

  If you are looking for a wonderful December, end of year or Christmas read look no further
• 
  Briana Kelly

  The Hygge Home by Meik Wiking
  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  
  📚Overview: Research and suggestions on how turn your house into a home, with a Hygge (Danish way of life) influence.
  
  📖 Genre: Lifestyle | Wellbeing | Non-Fiction | Health
  
  👍Likes: This book is just fabulous! I was gifted it at a time when I was going through a reading-lull! It’s easy to read, simplistic, inspiring, mind numbing and cosy!
  
  👎Dislikes: I enjoyed the whole process of reading this book so am struggling to fault it. Admittedly, I adore (and am a little obsessed with) the concept of Hygge so this may be a biased review, as a result!
  
  📘Format: Hard Copy. I would highly recommend the physical copy of this book- The pictures are beautiful throughout.
  
  🎁 Recommend For: The perfect gift for anyone who likes warmth and coziness (Hygge).
  
  ✨Fun Facts:
  🏠We spend 90% of our time indoors, 69% of which is at home!
  ☀️People who are outside in daylight 2 hours have 40% lower risk of becoming depressed.
  💼53% of people want to work from home at least 3 days a week, following from the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  
  💙 Memorable Quotes:
  ✨”There is a time for interaction and there is a time for introspection.”
  ✨”You can’t stay in your corner of the living room waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” - Winnie the Pooh
  ✨”A good reply is better than a fast reply.”
  ✨”It’s pointless. But the fact that ur is pointless is the point.”
  ✨”Hygge is all about the atmosphere you create with people, and it can happen anywhere, any time, so don’t just deserve it for your home.”
  ✨”Work Hygge, play Hygge.”
  ✨”A home without books is like a body without a soul.”
• 
  Alexandra - Alexs books and socks

  Begin ik al wat in de kerstsfeer te komen? Mogelijks. Maar dat is helemaal oké want die sfeer dat kerst bij mij oproept is voor mij dan ook echt helemaal Hygge. Dit boek is vooral over wat je huis een thuis maakt. Of je nu miljoenen hebt of net een heel erg beperkt budget, dat gevoel, dat hygge-ding, dat kan je altijd creëren.
  
  Niet alleen de theetjes, dekentjes en kaarsje zorgen voor dat gevoel. Ook ruimte, ruimte in je huis zorgt voor rust en zuurstof in je hoofd, daglicht is een boost voor je en dat zorgt dan weer voor dat speciale gevoel. Dat is wat dit boek meegeeft, hoe je dat kan creëren. Erg fijn aan de manier waarop de auteur het boek schreef is dat het je helemaal vrij staat om dingen toe te passen of niet, tips & tricks zonder een gevoel van ‘je moet dit zo doen’, nee, je kan en mag het zo doen en daar ga je dan mogelijks gelukkiger van worden.
  
  Heel dit boek alleen al van cover tot inhoudelijk maakt al gelukkig. Warmte, samen, hygge. Dit boek lezen op de bank met een dekentje is op zich al hygge. Ik werd en word heel gelukkig van dit boek.
• 
  AngyD

  A way to make your house feels like home..
• 
  Victoria

  My practical takeaway - Whatever makes me feel cozy and happy at home...do that.
  
  Side note: the author's job description is beyond cool, "Meik Wiking is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, research associate for Denmark at the World Database of Happiness, and founding member of the Latin American Network for Wellbeing and Quality of Life Policies...He has been called 'The Indiana Jones of Smiles' and is probably the World's Happiest Man."
• 
  Katelyn Jacobson

  I love my home. It’s probably one of my top 3 things I’m most proud to create. It’s the essence of our family and has to be taken apart and put back together every three years (thanks USMC) and it’s my absolute joy to do it. This little book of Hygge Home was magical in reminding me the importance of home and how to best cultivate a sense of Hygge within. 5 stars for being inspired, encouraged, and embraced by this book.
• 
  Matt

  There wasn’t a ton of new info in this book if you’ve read Little Book of Hygge. This book is padded with a lot of useless pictures and full-page charts, too.
  
  My favorite part of the book was the discussion towards the end about designing your home for self-actualization. I would have liked for the author to have developed this content more. Why not get into specifics about how a person could do that? And the photos could have shown how different people designed their homes for the kinds of lives they’re living.
• 
  Lavins

  5 stars
  
  An absolutely excellent book that goes straight to the heart and warms even the darkest corners.
  
  Such a beautiful , heartwarming, sweet, nice, funny take on things. An absolute joy and a perfect gift for anyone!
• 
  Nena

  I love this book and the previous one too..Lots of good ideas to implement and it was the best time to read it as I refurbish a house. Love the pictures and the decoration on the cover itself.Looking forward for the next book.
• 
  Sarah Coleman

  So I love natural light and making home a comfortable place (and reading books that validate my loves - sue me)! Lots of little insights in this one - I’ll be leaving an extra chair out from now on. 🤍 Must go back and read the Little Book of Hygge.
• 
  Yordanka Georgieva

  Книгата на пръв поглед не казва нищо ново. Но събира на едно място идеи и вдъхновяващи снимки, с които обобщава общодостъпна и всеизвестна информация за превръщането на жилището в дом. Всяка страница от книгата носи уют и те предизвиква да го създадеш около себе си. А колко ценно е това…
• 
  Katie

  This was cute, but I am glad I didn’t buy it. I definitely subscribe to the idea of “hygge”, but this didn’t add much to the previous hygge books.
  
  Still, it is a pretty collection of ideas to make one’s lifestyle more cozy. Gimmicky but fun.
• 
  Janalynn

  This was a gifted copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.
  
  Ever have a book come into your life at the perfect time?
  
  It’s mid-November and I live in Newfoundland, Canada. Winter is right around the corner, and the Almanac’s predicting it’ll be a cold and snowy one. For most of my adult life, January, February, and March have been my least favourite months of the year.
  
  Enter My Hygge Home. I started reading this and couldn’t put it down and finished it in a single afternoon. It’s easy to read, and full of really lovely photos. (My personal favourite is a cat curled up catching a nap in a ray of sunlight.)
  
  It's full of inspired suggestions on making your home a happy place. It’s more “helpful menu” and less “to-do list”. There’s no pressure and the tips are laid out for picking and choosing at your own pace. Sure, some of it I already knew, but it's a nice book all the same.
  
  The book has given me hope. Maybe I don’t need to hate Winter quite so much. Maybe I’ll get a plant. Maybe I’ll finally try that soup recipe I wrote down six years ago. Some extra fresh air would do me good. And maybe I should bring my camera along. I’ll take things slow and enjoy the process—which, according to page 71, is very hygge.
  
  I’d definitely recommend for anyone who, much like myself, lives in a cold climate and doesn’t enjoy the Winter months.
• 
  Nele

  A lovely read - for anyone who loves to turn their house into a home.
  "Hygge is about an atmosphere - celebrating life at home"
  
  So many things are now marketed as 'hygge', and I loved how Meik stated : "the greatest threat to capitalism is everyone feeling happy enough that they no longer need to buy anything to make them so.
  Staying at home and finding comfort in what you already have, is an act of rebellion."
  
  Hygge makes you enjoy the simple pleasures in life, with friends and family.
  Your home should be a place of comfort. It's not about things but connection and atmosphere.
  
  When I was reading this book, my boyfriend said it best. That he loved the atmosphere in my home from the very first time he walked in. <3
• 
  Marlee

  2.5 stars
  I was rather disappointed in this book. Perhaps I expected too much after reading the little book of hygge by the same author. But I found too much discussion about the pandemic and UN climate plans to really get into and enjoy the other parts of the book. Still some good ideas. I enjoyed parts of it.
• 
  Kim Coenen

  De Deense Hygge-expert Meik Wiking komt nu met het perfecte boek om je huis zo hyggelig mogelijk te maken. Toen ik zag dat dit nieuwe boek bij Lev. Uitgevers zou verschijnen was ik gelijk enthousiast. Alle eerdere boeken die Meik Wiking heeft uitgebracht heb ik ook met enorm veel liefde en plezier gelezen. Dus... deze MOEST ik ook lezen. De cover sluit perfect aan op de andere boeken die Meik eerder schreef. Het boek heeft een illustratie in Deense stijl met elementen van een knus huis. Ik vind de cover enorm uitnodigend. Dit is wel de eerste cover van hem in een donkere kleur. Maar het past wel perfect bij deze tijd van het jaar en versterkt het gevoel van de knusheid van thuis. Ik heb hoge verwachtingen.
  
  Voor geluk hoef je niet ver te zoeken, het is dichterbij dan je denkt: in je eigen huis
  We zijn vaker dan ooit thuis, maar nog niet eerder was duidelijk wat de invloed van ons huis is op hoe we ons voelen. Thuis is waar we veiligheid en troost vinden. Waar we onze maskers afzetten en samen zijn met de mensen van wie we houden. Terwijl de wereld om ons heen steeds onveiliger en ongrijpbaarder lijkt te worden en ons meer stress bezorgt, kunnen we thuis daaraan ontsnappen. Dus hoe kunnen we ons huis zo inrichten dat we er niet alleen leven, maar ook kunnen opbloeien? In dit boek combineert Wiking onderzoek op het gebied van design en geluk om tot een antwoord te komen, zodat de plek waar we het meest zijn, ook het fijnst is.
  
  Wederom heeft Meik Wiking weer een geweldig, leuk en inspirerend boek neer weten te zetten.
  De schrijfstijl van Meik Wiking is helder, vlot en krachtig. Ondanks dat er vele onderzoeken, kennis en getallen langs komen, weet hij zijn kennis op zo'n manier over te brengen dat je aan zijn lippen hangt en dat ook het verhaal heerlijk weg leest. Het boek bevat iedere keer korte hoofdstukken en het boek is ook van binnen prachtig vormgeven. Binnen in het boek vind je prachtige inforgraphics maar ook veel prachtige foto's die zijn verhaal nog meer sfeer, body en emotie geven.
  
  Tijdens het lezen van dit boek krijg je ongetwijfeld van hygge en de kriebels om met je huis aan de slag te gaan om het nog meer knusheid en hygge te geven. Wat ik erg krachtig vond van het boek is dat Meik met zijn thema Hygge voor thuis het onderwerp van vele kanten heeft belicht. Wat denk je van de architectuur, licht, natuur, daglicht, maar ook de inrichting en wat je in huis doet. Hij weet je een brede kijk en kennis te geven hiermee. Dat vond ik enorm inspirerend en leerzaam. Ik heb echt veel geleerd en inspiratie opgedaan.
  
  Het nieuwe boek Hygge voor thuis is echt een aanrader voor iedereen die van zijn huis nog meer een thuis wil maken en die het ook interessant vind om hierbij hele leuke kennis op te doen. Ik heb echt enorm genoten van dit leerzame, inspirerende en leuke boek. Tijdens het lezen weet Meik al bij mij het hygge gevoel op te roepen en me te inspireren om in mijn huis en leven nog meer het hygge gevoel te brengen.
• 
  Slavi Stoyanova

  Книгата много ми хареса с красивата корица, луксозния дизайн, прекрасните снимки, доклади, статистики...
  Преди това съм чела и другата книга на Майк Викинг- "Малък наръчник по хюга" и също много ми хареса.
  За някои хора може би няма да е кой знае какво, но за мен беше приятно, разтоварващо четиво.
  
  Какво е домът?!
  Място, къде се прибираш и всичко е наред, където можеш да се отпуснеш и да бъдеш себе си, да бъдеш в безопасност. Той е нашият подслон, нашето убежище, нашият пристън. Той е топлото и уютно място, където отглеждаме децата си.
  А какво да направим, за да го направим хюга дом?!
  Първото и най-важното нещо е, че хюгата не е свързана с купуването на неща, не е целта да се затрупваме с ненужни вещи. И правилото гласи, че ако се наложи нещо да се купи (най-вече в случай, че е счупено) то едно влиза, за да излезе друго. Не задръствайте дома си с ненужни вещи!
  Осветлението. Най-хубаво от всичко е дневната светлина, но в есенно-зимните, дъждовни, снежни месеци, където слънчевата светлина е недостатъчна, трябва да помислим ��а осветлението. Една видяща лампа в стаята не е достатъчна, за да освети цялото помещение. В спалнята са достатъчни две нощни лампи на нощните шкафчета, за по-уютна среда. В кухнята са подходящи свещи на масата; една-две висящи лампи върху масата. На бюрото е достатъчна една лампа, а до любимото място за четене - още една и т.н.
  Знаете ли, че липсата на достатъчно светлина ви кара да се чувствате потиснати и дори може да изпаднете в депресия?
  За да е още по-уютен домът ви е необходимо да има достатъчно пухкави възглавнички и одеала и то не само на дивана...
  Добрите междусъседски отношения също са от значение, за да се чувствате щастливи и удовлетворени. Заемали ли сте храна или инструменти от/на съседите си? А вие в какви отношения сте със съседите си?
  За да се чувствате добре, хубаво е в дома ви да има и растения- в кухнята, на прозорците, на терасата, в градината...
  Освен работата не забравяйте и да се забавлявате!
  И не на последно място- удоволствието от домашноотгледаната и приготвена храна. Няма по-прекрасно от това- от семенце до готовата храна.
  
  Не умея да пиша добри резюмета и това, което съм написала е само част от всичко прочетено в книгата.
• 
  Kayleigh Wiebe

  This book is filled with graphs, studies, statistics, and beautiful images all about designing your home as a place for refuge and happiness.
  
  I loved how Meik Wiking catered to the introvert and bookworm readers, encouraging home design to include little caves for us introverts to hang out in with our book and our cup of coffee. ♥️📚
  
  Overall, this book makes us consider questions like “How do we create spaces and places that have an impact on our wellbeing?” And “Can we design for happiness?” I took many notes, and by the end, I had some answers to these questions and a plethora of ideas to incorporate into my own space.
  
  Definitely would recommend!
• 
  Jordan

  Good but relatively short content-wise, artificially fattened up by too many stock photos, often not particularly apposite to the topic at hand; moreover, on the few occasions where an image would be valuable (such as when discussing the giant mirrors above Rjukan or the 1894 Maine watermelon party), there is none, forcing the reader to resort to looking up the matter online, thus becoming distracted from the book.
• 
  Simonne

  This is the type of book that makes you feel all warm, cozy, and happy just by holding it in your hands and flipping through its pages (in this sense, it reminds me of Marie Kondo's "The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up"). This beautiful book is brimming with inspiration, both in the words and images, about how to make your home more "hygge." I received this book as a Christmas gift, and am unsure if I would have purchased it for myself, but am so glad I was gifted it. Reading "My Hygge Home" felt like an act of self-care.
• 
  Ella Ruth

  An absolutely brilliant book. One that I think everyone should read! It's easy to read. Filled with tips, tricks and suggestions on how to make your home a Hygge home.
  
  I really enjoyed reading all the statistics inside quoting various research done about how our homes impact our happiness. Really fascinating stuff.
  
  Highly recommend.
• 
  ❀ Susan G

  I enjoyed My Hygge Home which I borrowed from the library. It is inspiring to let in more light, get rid of clutter and make your home a happy place!! It reinforces the importance of connection, the joy of making homemade items and also comments on the importance of books in the home... which is always a win for me!!
• 
  Rachel Bryan

  I wanted to like this book, but I found it poorly written and didn’t learn anything new from it. I thought it would be more of an extension of his Little Book of Hygge but it was disappointing to me.
• 
  Emily Diaz

  I really enjoyed this book. The writer has a witty style that makes it fun to read. The book itself is beautiful... filled with pages that spark HYGGE. Good reminders for most who have studied making a house a home... minimalism and simplicity.
• 
  Eleanor

  5 Star read for me!
  
  "Hygge is about an atmosphere - celebrating life at home"
  
  I loved this book; it was such a beautiful read.
• 
  Hannah

  Just a pleasant, encouraging book! It made me appreciate our little space and dream for all the bigger spaces to come!