Confession of a Neat Freak

As a bit of a "neat freak", it's time to come clean (ha) and confess there are some messes that don't bother me much at all. In fact, I secretly love them.

They are the beautiful messes that make our house a home.

Hygge (n/vb.) /HOO-gah/ is the Danish word for the concept of coziness. The art of creating a warm atmosphere by enjoying the good things in life with good people. Yes, sometimes that can get a bit messy, but such is the beauty of life. In all its dusty, sloppy glory. Occasionally, it's ok to have that second cup of coffee while scrolling through pictures of gardens in Paris on Pinterest instead of dusting the top of the refrigerator.

Beautiful Messes I Secretly Love:

1. Dirty dishes from a homemade holiday meal scattered all over the table and counter tops.
2. Muddy little paw prints on the kitchen floor. (O.K., maybe not so cute RIGHT after I've mopped.)
3. Silky tufts of cat hair at the foot of the bed. 
4. Flower petals from a thoughtful bouquet dusting the coffee table.
5. An untidy stack of unread books waiting for me beside the bed that keep falling over. My personal game of Jenga.
6. A pile of fragrant, still warm laundry waiting to be folded. (Bonus points if there's not a cat curled up in them.)
7. Bed head and puffy eyes after a truly good sleep. (Not so crazy about the sheet marks on my face, however. They are staying longer and longer these days. That's just cruel if good "face smashed in your pillow" sleep causes wrinkles. *Sigh*)
8. Snowfall of flour left in the kitchen after the baking of favorite treats.
9. That favorite candle burned down to a goopy, sooty nub. The little broken stubs of wick float around in the melted wax like tiny black boats bobbing in the ocean. Oddly relaxing to watch. 
10. Half-empty coffee mugs left next to the newspaper on a lazy Sunday. 
11. Smudges of paint left over on my creative fingers.
12. The colorful tangle of wrapping paper mixed with empty (or cat-filled) boxes on Christmas morning. 
13. The blanket on the ottoman that clearly belongs to the dog.
14. Crumbs from the latest birthday cake dotting the counter top.
15. Autumn leaves piling up in the yard.

I hope you take the time to enjoy the beautiful messes in your life too. :)