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January 27, 2025

Thrifting for Hygge with Habitat ReStore

By Sarah Ramberg

Now that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is over, we can take a moment, take a breath, and lean into the calmness of winter. Admittedly, winter isn’t a favorite season of many people, but there is something to be said about enjoying a slower, cozier life while nature takes its nap.
In fact, some Nordic countries (namely Denmark and Norway) have a word for this: “Hygge”. While pronounced “Hoo-ga” in English, there’s no direct translation- but it basically means “cozy life”, which is perfect for winter.
So, of course I wondered: How might thrifting fit into a cozy life?
And I found my answer in Julia’s Café and Books, the secondhand bookstore/coffee shop attached to the Wendover ReStore .

Winter is a GREAT time to try out a new indoor hobby or interest. Of course, you could always head to Julia’s (or any of our local ReStores, which all have book sections) and stock up on some new novels to read.
But, the nonfiction sections are perfect for winter, too. I opted to hunt for a couple of different books. First, I looked for a good book for trying out a new hobby. I found an easy knitting book, which was exactly what I was hoping to find.
I also perused the cookbook sections (specifically the baking books) and found a baking book full of lemon recipes.

In all fairness, I’ve knitted before- so it wasn’t an entirely new hobby for me. But I hadn’t done it in years, and my thrifted how-to book helped me remember how much I enjoyed it. And while it was cold and rainy outside, I enjoyed watching a favorite TV show while I re-learned how to knit .

I also enjoyed trying a brand-new cookie recipe from my thrifted cookbook. Spending another cold day baking in my kitchen gave me all the cozy feels- and the cookies turned out to be delicious!

While the selection of books at Julia’s and our other ReStores changes regularly, it’s still a great place to redefine how you spend the cold winter days. Here are some other ideas for thrifting some books for your own version of Hygge:
• Normally read romance? Try a new genre or subgenre like Fantasy or Thrillers.
• Try a new type of craft that you’ve never attempted before. From fiber crafts to origami, there are TONS of options available.
• New Year, New Body? The cookbook sections have all sorts of special dietary books, such as plant-based recipes or other healthy cooking styles, like Mediterranean recipe books.
• Get a head start on planning your Spring plants with books from the garden section.
• Thinking about some home improvement projects? Check out the home books for interior design ideas, basic plumbing fixes, and other DIY books.
• Maybe it’s time to finally start your first novel! Look for books on character development, world building, and other fiction writing prompts.

Books and Hygge really do go hand-in-hand and thrifting the books you want is a great way to keep the costs down. Because saving money AND helping the planet is yet another way to feel cozy and content, as well, which is an extra dose of Hygge on these cold, blustery days!

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