An earlier version of this article appeared on April 29, 2025
I’m a huge fan of whimsy. Whimsy makes ordinary objects feel special; it makes everyday moments feel memorable; it adds playfulness and energy to life.
So I’m always delighted to discover some touch of whimsy, like a robot vacuum named Cleanopatra or googly eyes on a train car (thank you, Boston).
I’ve included many touches of whimsy in my apartment. For instance, I have three miniature landscapes–a secret garden set in a bookshelf, a mermaid lagoon set in a different bookshelf, and best of all, a mountain scene set in a kitchen cabinet. I love seeing visitors’ surprise when they open the door to take a glass or a plate, and instead confront this tiny scene.
Moments of whimsy make us laugh; surprise us where we expect the ordinary; add a humorous touch to reminders, rules, and reprimands; and show us that life doesn’t always have to be serious.
What is whimsy, exactly?
Whimsy is the addition of some imagination and surprise to daily life. It might show up in a goofy name for an event on your calendar or how you decorate your desk.
For novelty lovers, something unexpected can make familiar routine feel more energizing. For Rebels–people who resist rigidity and dislike being told what to do–whimsy might even feel like a bit of welcome defiance when it seems like everyone expects maximum efficiency at all times.
Why people want more whimsy
Recently, whimsy seems to be having a moment. It has popped up in online conversations, design trends, and seemingly just about everywhere. When I asked people to share whimsical things they do, responses poured in. The answers ranged from keeping bubbles by the door to baking elaborate gingerbread houses to making up personalized songs about family members.
One reason we enjoy whimsy is because it can soften the rough edges of life. I remember seeing a photo of one family’s household rules. The heading read HEINOUS INFRACTIONS, followed by a list of “infractions” like “Leaving plates on tables” or “Using a ball in the living room” It threatened, “Penalty=Death or cash alternative.” It worked!
The whimsy of wrapping the rules in such melodramatic terms made the message far less annoying.
Whimsy is an impulse toward delight. In The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, William Blake wrote “Energy is Eternal Delight.” And I would flip that observation to say, “Delight is Energy.”
How to add more whimsy to your life
Listeners of the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast shared a treasure trove of ideas for adding whimsy to their daily lives. Some of my favorites:
Choose whimsical versions of everyday objects
- Use whimsical office supplies you already need—paperclips shaped like dogs.
- Choose everyday tools in whimsical forms that reflect things you love, like cherry-shaped measuring spoons if cherries have personal meaning.
- Surround yourself with items that reflect your quirks or interests (corgi mugs, corgi stickers, and corgi magnets if you love corgis)
- Wear bright or neon-colored underwear to serious or formal events as a private bit of fun.
Create playful touches at home
- Paint a small surprise (like a little frog) in an out-of-the-way spot behind a kitchen door
- Create miniature worlds tucked into shelves or cabinets—magical gardens, mermaid lagoons, mountaintop scenes
- Use bold, whimsical wallpaper in a small space like a powder room
- Add googly eyes to ordinary objects to give them instant character
- Keep fairy lights in unexpected places
- Hide tiny rubber ducks (or other tiny figures) in random places for people to discover
- Keep special travel mementos mixed into an everyday junk drawer so finding a pen or tape also surfaces a happy memory
Reframe routine moments
- Turn annoying tasks into songs by rewriting lyrics (“I love laundry” to the tune of “I Want Candy,” “It’s not about you” to the tune of “It Had to Be You”), and invite family to add verses.
- Reframe boring work as something more playful (one person turned B2B lead generation into “matchmaking” and drew hearts in notes).
- Turn a regular running route into a whimsical ritual by naming a landmark (like “the ugly house”) and collecting a pebble each time to track progress in a jar.
- Use silly or story-based reframes for chores with kids so they feel like games rather than obligations.
Build whimsical traditions
- Celebrate minor holidays at breakfast by dyeing milk green for St. Patrick’s Day or making foods pink with food coloring to transform ordinary meals.
- Create a simple repeated connection ritual with a friend, like texting each other a photo whenever you both notice the time 11:11.
- Choose a whimsical pet name that reflects a passion (like a hamster named “Neil Hamstrung” for an aspiring astronaut).
- Revive an old childhood hobby in an elevated way, like restoring a great-grandmother’s dollhouse and learning to make miniatures through a class.
Embrace spontaneous play
- Ride a shopping cart across the parking lot or down an empty aisle.
- Take skipping breaks in hallways when you’re restless or between intense work blocks to inject a burst of childlike energy. (I do this when recording audiobooks.)
- Do small, sneaky acts of kindness with a playful twist, like putting extra quarters into grocery-store cart locks so people get surprise “free” carts.
- On your birthday or special occasions, ask the bartender for their interpretation of a whimsically named custom drink (like “a Singing Unicorn”) and enjoy the surprise.
Look around right now for ways to play and enjoy the lightness that comes with adding a bit of whimsy to life.
