Has your couch started to have parts that resemble the (pardon the expression) “assgroove” Homer Simpson had on his? If you’ve been spending the majority of 2024 stuck indoors, you’ll most likely have embraced the idea of ditching formal attire as much as possible and opting for joggers and baggy hoodies as your #OOTD.
Feeling comfy at home not only feels good, but it also helps you to decompress and relax. For those of us who loved coming home from work and slipping into something comfy, the novelty may be gone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t upgrade certain items to make the little things in life give you so much more luxury.
Here are four ways you can feel comfier at home, and in most cases, it doesn’t require you to leave the couch.
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1. The cushion cycle
Source: nytimes
Your cushions & pillows have a BIG secret they never told you about. They have a limited lifespan. Most decent cushions, when used regularly, have a lifespan around 2-3 years. If there’s a favourite cushion you have on the couch, and it’s been there for years, it could be doing you a disservice.
A good example of this happens in your bed. If you find yourself waking up every morning with a stiff neck, but your pillow seems fine, it may have lost its shape without you noticing. As for a slightly grosser example, take your cushions out of their casings. If you see any yellow spots along the edge or the middle, that’s a few years of sweat (and possibly dust mists) sitting on the cushion.
Check every single cushion and pillow in your home and see if you need to order new ones. Just make sure before throwing the soon to be old cushions out that you arrange an all-day pillow fight for the family to attend.
Speaking of yellow stains, make sure you read this article on 7 Tips for Good Oral Hygiene and Healthy Smiles.
2. Your briefs have to go
Source: Tidy Tightwads
How often do you buy new socks and underwear? Are the kind of person who waits for a few new fancy pairs at Christmas and makes do with cheap multipacks the rest of the year? If so, I hate to put it to you, but the briefs have to go.
Update your underwear game and get some fresh pairs sent straight to your door. I recommend checking out Scottish brand Bawbags, who make boxer briefs for guys & girls, with part of each sale going to charity.
And for anyone who listens to podcasts like I do and hears it mentioned in a million adverts, shop for underwear made from Modal, and you’ll never look at your underwear in the same way again.
3. It’s time to clean your throw blanket
Source: medium
I will bet that most people either never clean their throw blankets, or even know how to clean them properly. It’s safe to assume that most of us are guilty from foregoing this much-needed trip to the washing machine in favour of a few sprays of something like Febreze, as it gets rid of all the nasty germs, right?
Think of your throw blankets like a giant napkin or hanky. Would you use the same one and wrap yourself in it every evening? Didn’t think so, so now is the time to clean it properly.
Now most people will have cut the label off their throws the second they first used them, so if you want to know how exactly to clean one, a good technique is to wash it on a lower temperature and use far less detergent; too much and it’ll stay on the throw. Oh, and you really should air dry it, so the shape doesn’t warp.
4. The Yankee Candle Solution
Source: Lovely Greens Handmade
Before the days of wearing masks, if you were in a shopping centre, it was all too easy for your nose to lead you towards a pretzel stand or take notice of the candle shop. There’s something quite relaxing about lovely smells; even walking by a Subway has a pleasant aroma (if you didn’t know, the unique Subway smell is created by the mixture of bread and cookies baking in the same oven).
And while you might not want your living room smelling like Subway, adding some fragrance to your space can create an inviting mood, which will see you feeling even comfier. If the world of candles and such is completely new to you, I recommend opting for any marketed as having “soft scents” which come with floral notes. Starting with woody candles may have you thinking your room will smell like a rustic log cabin, but you’d be surprised how irritating an intense sandalwood can get.
5. Get A Water Alarm
Source: Achieva Life
How can anything that has the word “alarm” attached to it be comfortable? When has an alarm going off ever been comfortable? This last tip is for all those people who insist on having water bottles on their desk while working.
Staying hydrated is always easier said than done, and while having reminders to drink water are easy at work, at home, you can breeze right by getting those eight glasses a day in. The more hydrated you are, the more relaxed you are, so get alarms set up that will remind you it’s time to get your water on.
You can even open your phone and Google “water reminder” to have Google set reminders for you. For such a simple action, it can provide enormous benefits. If you’ve ever found yourself lounging on the couch all day, only to feel like you’re about to get stressed out later in the day, way can literally help you stay calm, as it reduces cortisol levels (that’s a hormone that causes stress).
Yes, you’ll be surprised what lounging in new underwear, draped in a clean throw blanket, burning a lovely scented candle, and sipping on a glass of fresh tap water can do to make you feel incredibly comfortable. Even if you don’t believe me, go and get a glass of water right now. Your body will instantly respond to how great it feels.
Now get as comfy as possible!
I hope you enjoyed my tips and will soon find yourself in a world of luxury at home. If you’re looking to take care of yourself at home, check out some of the featured articles in the health section of the site.
