We had an amazing week away in Iceland last month and aside from the beauty of the country, I finally learned a really important lesson that I’ve been needing to understand and learn for a long time.
I learned the value of being at home.
Our hotel had a bar that was used by locals and one night, while waiting for the Iceland vs Ukraine football match to start, we got talking to a local man. We asked him for recommendations in the area for places to eat out and he told us that most Icelendic people rarely eat out. He said that when they do, it’s generally to celebrate an occasions rather than just eating out just for the sake of it.
He told us that he looked forward to finishing work each day so he could go home to his family and enjoy spending time with them at home. He said that the focus is on cooking and eating together and spending time at home as a family.
And this is where the life lesson came in for me.
For a long time I’ve really struggled to do nothing. I have a strong belief that life is too short to not experience as much as you can and since my brother died, I can’t just sit still and relax. That means that I always want to be out doing something so after a busy day at work, I won’t just relax at home – I’ll want to be out and about doing something.
And that’s what needs to change. I need to learn to enjoy being at home and not feel that I should be out doing something. I need to stop putting pressure on myself because it means I never get any down time and right now, I’m a bit wiped out and my doctor keeps telling me that I need to look after myself a little better and the conversation we had with a random guy in a bar could well be the turning point.
He told us that the main reasons that his family chose to spend more time at home was because of the cost of living in Iceland and the weather, especially in Winter made him want to be warm at home rather than out and about. If you’ve ever visited Iceland in winter, you’ll understand why the locals are so good at staying in. The wind can be wild, the snow can fall sideways, and the daylight disappears before most of us have even thought about dinner.
The match started at that point and all chatting ended at that point so I used Chat GPT to see if I could understand more about this as the conversation really resonated with me.
These are the reasons that Chat GPT told me around why Icelandic people choose to spend more time at home than lots of other nations…
A Culture Built Around Cosiness
Icelanders don’t see staying home as boring – it’s a way of life. Their culture is all about creating warmth, comfort, and connection in the home. Think glowing candles, soft lighting, fluffy blankets, and hot chocolate simmering on the hob.
This makes me feel warm and fluffy inside as I look forward to creating this kind of cosy atmosphere and feeling when we move house.
Weather That Encourages Staying In
Let’s be honest, the Icelandic weather doesn’t exactly encourage nights out. Between October and March, daylight can last just a few hours a day, and storms can roll in at any moment. So instead of heading out, many people hunker down at home with a good book, a homemade meal, and a warm fire – and honestly, it sounds pretty perfect to me. We are lucky enough to have longer daylight hours in the Winter months but even so, I like the idea of more cosy nights at home inside.
Home Is the Heart of Social Life
In Iceland, homes aren’t just private spaces – they’re social ones too. Instead of meeting at bars or restaurants, friends often get together at home for dinner, coffee, or games. It’s all about enjoying good company without spending a fortune. Hosting is simple and relaxed, with plenty of homemade cake and strong coffee on offer. I love this idea and feel like this is something I want to really focus on when we’ve moved house. We have a large dining room which is about double the size of the one we have here and we plan to really make that the social space in our home.
Designed for Comfort
Because so much time is spent indoors, Icelandic homes are designed to be beautiful and functional. Interiors are bright and minimalist, with neutral colours, natural wood, and cosy textures that make rooms feel calm and inviting. Big windows let in as much light as possible, and candles or lamps help create that warm glow during the darker months. I had planned to go full on period features in our new home but I am really tempted to pare it back a bit – my pinterest board has evolved in the weeks since we got back.
I feel lucky to have had even such a short conversation with someone whose name I don’t even know. He reminded me that sometimes the best nights are the ones spent indoors, surrounded by warmth, good food, and people you love.
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