Scandinavian lifestyle tricks and features that help make life more comfortable

The Scandinavian lifestyle is gaining more and more fans around the world. And yes, it is not necessary to live in this region of Europe to be able to follow him. What’s more, contrary to what many people think, this way of living isn’t just limited to comfortable and simple interiors — it’s a way of thinking that extends not only to the interior of your home, but also influences your style. clothes and their relationship to everyday life in general. After all, it is no wonder that Denmark and Norway are at the top of the happiest countries in the world, second only to Finland, is it?

we, from awesome.club, we have researched the Scandinavian way of life in depth and we are ready to share with you the main tricks and concepts of this people that can be easily applied in everyday life. Check out!

The basic principles for the Scandinavian-style interior are: simplicity and comfort. Niki Brantmark, author of the blog My Scandinavian Homeadvises Internet users to mix decorative objects vintage with modern pieces, and who prefer objects made of natural materials.

This lifestyle values ​​quality, not quantity. Residents of Norway, Denmark and Sweden, in general, prefer the basics to the excess – even if there is only one armchair in the living room instead of two or three, the environment will be comfortable, cozy and will serve you for years to come.

Furthermore, it is better to avoid always filling empty spaces with small ornaments and decorative objects. Every detail in an environment must be functional. For example, there may be a compartment for storing books inside the pouf, or the floor lamp may have a basket to put umbrellas. It may seem that without many decoration details, the environment will be empty or even lifeless, but, in fact, it is not so. Scandinavians tend to use live plants and soft rugs to decorate the rooms, and to add a touch of color, they can place one or two pillows of a stronger tone.

Often, an environment can perform several functions – for example, the living room can also be the dining room. That’s why Scandinavians love to use light as a tool to differentiate environments. To visually delimit a space, you can use several soft sources of light at different heights: ceiling lamps, floor lamps, wall sconces, and even table lamps or candles.

Another important factor is natural lighting. For Swedes, the more sunlight into the house, the better. Therefore, it is normal not to have curtains or blinds on the windows or, when there are, to be made of transparent fabrics. Thick curtains are only used in bedrooms. That way, during the day the room looks spacious and bright, and at night, comfortable and dark thanks to the curtains, especially on long summer days.

Scandinavian minimalism in fashion is based on the same principles that guide interior decoration — simplicity, comfort and practicality. When looking at the collections developed by Swedish designers, one immediately notices the simple cuts, absence of symmetries and minimal decorative elements.

In the wardrobe of every resident of Norway, Sweden or Denmark you will definitely find basic pieces: a simple t-shirt, classic shirt, leather jacket and, of course, an overcoat. After all, this piece can also be easily used in the Scandinavian summer, as long as it is made of a lighter and thinner fabric. Scandinavians prefer classic clothes or natural colors as long as they are not too flashy.

All elements of the Scandinavian wardrobe must be easily combined with each other, so that one piece can form several looks many different. For example, a simple dress can be worn alone or combined with tighter pants or jeans. Also, Swedes and Danes usually don’t buy pretty high heels, but they are quite uncomfortable — comfort is valued more than fashion.

During most of the year it is quite cold in Scandinavian countries, so your wardrobe asks for items that can be layered. Multiple layers of clothing keep warm better than just one, so for a simple winter hike you can wear a t-shirt under a thin shirt, a wool sweater on top, and finally an overcoat. To avoid looking like a cabbage, watch how Scandinavians do it in a very harmonic way.

In Sweden, Margareta Magnusson’s book, The Gentle Art of the Swedish Cleaning of Death, has become quite popular. The concept of the work invites the reader to think about what he will leave behind: a house full of useless things or a space, where every detail has a meaning and is full of memories? Margareta’s cleaning guide is for all those who want to free your home from as many unnecessary objects as possible. And this cleaning is not just about dusting and rearranging things around the house, it also offers a new way of life.

It is recommended to start cleaning by the wardrobe, since it is generally easier to let go of clothes than objects that may have some sentimental value; besides that it’s easier to find pieces that you haven’t used for a while. The author recommends organizing and separating clothes into two piles: the first one for the clothes you wear frequently and the second one for everything else. By the way, you should get rid of the second pile.

All objects that have sentimental value, such as children’s drawings, small souvenirs, and other things that we cannot throw away, should preferably be kept in the same place. You can put them in a special box, for example. After finishing the cleaning, which will likely be the biggest of your life, Margareta recommends that you treat yourself to a reward. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should rush out to buy new things to replace the old ones, but have a celebratory dinner or watch a cool movie at the cinema.

Overall, Swedes try to maintain a sustainable lifestyle and recycle everything that can be reused. Try to think about this when cleaning your home — objects in good condition can be donated, and others can be turned in for recycling.

Scandinavians place a high value on the natural composition of objects, and this is not just limited to the interior of their homes, but also refers to wardrobe and food. Typically, a Scandinavian family home has wooden floors, an oak table in the dining room, and linen or cotton items in the wardrobe. What’s more, a family is much more likely to prefer steamed fish and vegetables than ordering pizza for dinner. After all, the popular concept of “Danish happiness” — hygge — is more like home-cooked and freshly prepared meals than ordering ready-to-eat meals.

In everyday life, many synthetic things are used, such as plastic wood instead of natural, ceramic knives instead of metal, and so on. It is not easy to radically change one’s lifestyle, but if the will is true, it is possible to start slowly, for example, replacing disposable kitchen utensils with better quality versions that last longer.

In Scandinavia there are some concepts that represent this lifestyle. Many, surely, must have heard about hygge or lagombut there is also another Danish philosophy of life called lykke🇧🇷 There is a certain difference between them, but on the other hand, they all have a lot in common. In any of these currents of thought you will find the same message: you need to know how to enjoy the little simple things of everyday life. Spending an evening with friends, spending time alone with a good book, having a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter afternoon, smelling the fresh rain—just find which of these little moments of the day bring you happiness.

To get closer to the Scandinavian lifestyle, try to make everything as comfortable as possible. Every place where you tend to stay for a long time—whether your desk or your office desk, for example—should be shaped so that your time there is as pleasant as possible. You can decorate it with a plant or with photos of family or friends. But the main thing is: always keep the place organized.

Here’s what Scandinavians themselves think about their way of life:

Hygge is what you do when you enjoy time with your family, friends, loved ones or even alone. It’s not really a concrete thing or a type of activity. It’s simply something you feel when you relax on the couch or bed, read a good book, or sit around a campfire. © Thomas Hansen / Quora lagom means “enough”. It’s a strange word, and Swedes often use it when they want to talk about the right, moderate amount of something. You can say that coffee is simply lagom to drink or have you ever eaten lagom of cookies. But that doesn’t mean you’re fed up and can’t eat anymore, but that you’re satisfied. lagom it’s about moderation. In all. © Leo Ryberg / Quora The main thing is balance. Scandinavians do not like a life of excess. They just don’t like too much wealth as well as extreme poverty. For them, the main thing is the balance point: nothing in excess or too little. Not too hot or too cold. © Erik Engheim / Quora Our way of life is something that should not be explained, but felt. It’s a simple Danish ritual — we enjoy life’s little pleasures: friends, family, any pleasurable feeling, warm sunlight streaming through the window. © Arnis Prokopovics / Quora

Could you adapt to the Scandinavian lifestyle? Do you believe that it is adequate for the reality of Brazil? Tell us in the comments section.