What are your thoughts on coziness?

I’ve always loved feeling cozy. To almost a point of obsession at some points of my life. Back in 2017 or so, I even made an entire display with books that I felt encapsulated the Danish word “hygge” at the bookstore I worked at.

When I started purging my stuff last May, I did worry it would make my space feel less cozy. The worry went away when I realized how good it felt to get rid of stuff, and I started feeling like I could breathe easier in my apartment. The fear briefly resurfaced a couple days ago as I removed some of the remaining art and other objects from my workspace - an area that until recently felt minimal to me. Suddenly it felt cluttered even though I had already removed so many things.

When non-minimalists think of minimalism, I think words like “austere” and “cold” often come to mind. But it doesn’t take a lot to be cozy. A flannel nightgown (I WFH and its’s been a long week, please don’t judge 😅) , a handmade quilt in my lap, my dog snoozing beside me, a scented candle burning on my desk, and the beautiful gray October sky is doing the trick quite well right now.

So what about you? Do you seek out coziness? If so, how do you create the feeling in a minimalist space? Maybe something that is not generally considered cozy feels cozy for you? Or maybe is it completely unimportant to you? Interested in any thoughts you have!