Most of us agree that the Scandinavians, they have got some stuff right.  Swedish firm Ikea is synonymous with affordable home furniture. It’s a global sensation and the go-to for many students and first time home owners. Ikea is the fast track to “mys” or “hygge” or cosy.

In addition, the Scandinavians brought us the child’s construction staple Lego, Danish pastries and bacon for a relaxing breakfast mornings or camping trips, Volvos to get us to our campsite, Carlsberg to enjoy in front of the campfire, and Abba to sing along to on Karaoke night.

Yet the Scandinavians are becoming well-known for a lot more than that: think “hygge”, minimalist décor and six-hour working days to name a few.

The Scandinavian countries really have their finger on the pulse when it comes to finding new ways to enhance your lifestyle.

We’ve cherry-picked some concepts to add to your vocabulary in order to live in a home that you love.

Köpstopp

Köpstopp – Köpstopp is the Swedish word given to the idea of stopping shopping for a particular length of time. It’s true that payday brings with it the urge to splash out, acquiring new possessions at a rate far greater than we are able to discard. If you often succumb to retail therapy, you should probably give this a go. Not only would you finally find some space, but just think of the extra money you would save! (Note: it doesn’t have to include food and other consumables.)

Plastbanta

If you really can’t work with stopping shopping altogether, even for just a month, then perhaps you should try Plastbanta. Plastbanta is the idea of eliminating plastic from your shopping. So if you must buy, try choosing wood, metal, glass or paper alternatives.

Lagom

Let’s say you’ve tried a “köpstopp”. You’ve done your best to eradicate plastic, and you still have too much, then you don’t have enough lagom in your life. Lagom is the Swedish idea of balance or “just enough”. In the case of your home, you most likely need to focus on the “too much” side of “enough”. Are Christmases a crazy frenzy of presents you don’t need? Can you work on limiting the number of objects that enter the house that you don’t really need? Why not apply a “one-in one-out” policy whenever you buy something new?

Döstädning

When the chaos becomes too much to bear, then Döstädning is the answer. Döstädning, or death cleaning offers you some perspective in allowing you to contemplate your own mortality. Death cleaning is a Swedish concept where people begin to sort their things out before they die to alleviate the work for relatives that survive them.

Too morbid? Then perhaps imagine that if tomorrow you got the opportunity to leave and go and live in your dream location, but you could only take a set number of suitcases, what would you really want to take?

Of course, your ideal home is not just about managing the comings and goings of your possessions. Home is about feeling cosy and connecting with the people who live there. Don’t worry: the Scandinavians have an answer for that too.

Fika

The Danes may have invented pastries, but the Swedes own Fika, a morning coffee break with a social dynamic. Often this happens in work, like the water cooler catching up that happens in UK offices. Fika forces people to take a break from their work to connect with others, but it can also be an informal occasion in the home, at around 10am, 3pm and 9pm. Each “fika” is a chance for the family to come together and converse so you don’t become like “ships in the night”. It involves coffee and a sweet snack such as a biscuit or cake. Understandably, you might not want to be drinking coffee in the late evening, but milk is an acceptable alternative.

Hyggekrog

To keep your home a cosy place where you want to spend time, design a hyggekrog, a cosy nook in your living space where you can wrap yourself in a blanket with a hot chocolate and a book. The Danes pride themselves on not only being able to provide “hygge” (cosiness) in small groups (think a wintery afternoon in a caravan in the warmth) but also being able to “hygge sig”: hygge with oneself. Rough translation: “me-time”. A hyggekrog lends the perfect conditions to this.

Fredagskos

Fredagskos is a Norwegian tradition of getting together on a Friday evening in the family group to eat tacos, crisps, dips and sweets and to watch family TV shows. It may seem like a small thing, but this is very important, even to the Danes and the Swedes who have their own variations. Home is about spending time with those you love most in the simplest of things. Fredagskos provides the perfect antidote to a hard working week and gets you into relaxation mode to enjoy your weekend.

If loving your home, the contents in it and the time you spend with loved ones sounds idyllic, adopting these concepts can help you drastically improve your quality of life.

Let Rent A Space help you love your home more by giving you more room for your things.