"I sit by the window with a warm drink, looking out and watching for those first few flakes of snow to fall"

By Emma Thackray

I have always had Hygge embedded deep within me, I just never knew the name for it or how to describe it, other than “a love of being cosy”. 

My husband finds it amusing that in the winter months when snow is forecast, I sit by the window with a warm drink, looking out and watching for those first few flakes of snow to fall. The excitement in me rises as more snow falls. There’s just something so cosy about being in your nice warm house watching the snow lay outside isn’t there. 

Autumn and Winter have always been my favourite seasons, with a particular love of Halloween and Christmas, as that’s when I really feel cosy, calm and relaxed. 

However, since embarking on the Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation I have come to the realisation that Hygge can be experienced at any time of the year. It’s not all about the weather outside, it’s about the environment you create and the calm that you bring into your home and life.  

I am therefore transforming my home, which is also my childcare provision, into a haven of Hygge all year round. We have redecorated our home to be more warm and inviting, using a neutral pallet and bringing in plants and flowers. We have fairy lights up all year round and have lots of lovely cushions and blankets on the sofa to snuggle up under. 

For many years I worked in a childcare setting full of the typical brightly coloured toys and displays, and despite a designated cosy area with cushions it just never really had the feeling of comfort. 

When I set up on my own and began my childminding journey in January this year I knew immediately that my setting would not be a reflection of that atmosphere. 

By following Kimberly’s advice, watching her videos, listening to her podcasts and completing a library full of online courses of hers, I was very confident that the approach I would be taking within my setting was most definitely the Hygge approach. It excited me and made me eager to learn more and transform my setting further. 

Completing the accreditation has not only given me the tools to transform my environment into a cosy and safe space for the children, it has also brought such a sense of calm and comfort into my home life.  

Myself, my husband and our 5 year old daughter feel so much happier in our home now. Previously we have always wanted more, a bigger home with lots more space, more bedrooms, a playroom, a massive garden, the list is endless. But now we have taken a step back and learned gratitude. We have learned how to be present and live in the moment and now feel very much at home with no desire to move. The changes we make have truly turned out house into a family home to be proud of and we love spending so much quality time here together, making memories to treasure for a lifetime. We are wholeheartedly grateful for what we have and what we have achieved. 

All of the knowledge I have learned from Kimberly is helping to shape me into the best version of myself, as well as the best Early Years Practitioner that I can be, and for that I am ever so grateful. Thank you Kimberly x