The Best Nest

Hello from the depths of October! Here in the Pacific Northwest the rain and the dark are now in full swing, driving us indoors on the evenings and weekends; indoor time mostly spent in our homes. Nesting time! Now is the time to prepare the nest for nesting, whatever that means to you. For me it means checking my stores of tea lights for my glassybabies, ensuring the fireplace is clean, check the list I keep of books I want to read and movies I want to watch and pull out my favorite throw blankets.

All of the above are defenses I’ve honed over time to combat the mild Seasonal Affective Disorder that afflicts me every year when the days grow short and the sun hides most of the time. Cozying up is effective, it can take what would otherwise be a dreary day and turn it into something to look forward to. It can contribute to productivity if my laptop joins me on the couch while I am watching a movie or listening to music – ticking annoying little things off of my to-do list while I snuggle up. It can help me create the conditions that enable me to be productive, and when I am productive I am happy and I don’t care that it is dark and cold outside and I’ve forgotten what the sun looks like (only a slight exaggeration.)

Preparation is necessary to have the Best Nest, first you have to start with the blank canvas that is the nesting space in your home. Everyone’s is likely a little bit different, mine is my living room. Before I can pull out the throw blankets and strategically place the glassybabies I need to free the room from clutter. I take the following steps to prepare my living room for hygge-heaven:

Recycle Old Magazines – On my to-do list for someday is to figure out how to cancel the last few magazine subscriptions we have in our house, both of which are weekly and tend to pile up. I probably only actually consume one a month vs the 4 that arrive and I always feel guilty throwing something away that I haven’t read…so they pile up! I need my space to be serene and calming which means ripping the Band-Aid off and ruthlessly tossing the unread mags. Check.
Tame the 6-Headed Cord Beast – congrats to those of you who already have this handled but it’s always a work in progress at our house. We always seem to be getting a new router or upgrading the Sonos or switching the cable box. Those cords are a rat’s nest that is not calming to have in view while I’m taking in a movie. I got some ideas from a fairly recent NYT Wirecutter article on how to organize your desk and the JOTO Cable Management Sleeve is a winner for TV-related cords in my opinion.
Clean Out Over-stuffed Drawers/Cabinets – Take 30 minutes and check the drawers and cabinets in your nesting space. Are any of them hiding unseen clutter? Things you don’t use but haven’t gotten rid of? I have a couple such receptacles in my living room; they tend to attract miscellaneous crap – often deposited by my offspring or occasionally my husband. It’s a good idea to get those drawers cleaned out prior to nesting season so there is room for things you may want to have handy as you nest. Also – it will bring you a sense of calm knowing that order resides behind those drawer and cabinet fronts. Calm is good for your mental health!

Okay, now that you have cleared the canvas you can bring out the hygge-inspired things that bring you joy and make you feel your coziest. Surround yourself with things you love. Make yourself a cup of something yummy and hot. Treat yourself to a fire. Bring out projects that go well with multi-tasking while watching a movie, such as folding laundry or organizing boxes of old photos. Nesting time can be resting time but it can also be productive time, now that you have set the mood you can take it either way. And you are now so cozy that it doesn’t matter that it’s cold and dark and raining, right?

Warning: it is possible to get too cozy and fall asleep when you have created the Best Nest! My suggestion to avoid sleep is to ensure your hot drink is caffeinated…

Happy Nesting All!