Levelling up at home with five small, comforting upgrades

As winter continues and more people stay in, this cheat sheet highlights five small, simple pleasures that make everyday life at home more enjoyable.

Staying in has become the new going out as winter continues. Rising costs for lifestyle goods and staples are shifting some spending toward home-based comforts. The article reports middle-income Canadians are cutting discretionary spending and choosing more accessible indulgences. It offers a cheat sheet of five small, simple and slow pleasures to elevate everyday life at home. Noted ideas: - Swap pantry staples to make breakfast at home more appealing, with examples such as Montreal’s Logan Petit Lot small-batch nut butters and Kanel’s organic cinnamon toast spice blend. - Add shower aromatics for a spa-like feel, mentioning Persons of Interest’s eucalyptus shower mist from Toronto and Saje’s shower steamers. - Elevate a home cocktail by using higher-quality local vermouths, including Quebec’s Val Caudalies Lab Sec, Esquimalt’s dry vermouth from Vancouver Island, and Tawse winery’s Riesling-based dry vermouth from Vineland, Ont. - Make sleep feel more luxurious with textiles and pillows, citing Simons Maison’s 100% cotton flannel sheets made in Germany and Hôtels Le Germain’s Duveteuse feather and down pillows. - Reduce streaming costs by using public library collections and partnered streaming platforms; the article notes services such as Medici.tv, Hoopla, Kanopy and free platforms like Plex and Tubi. Summary: These small shifts are presented as ways to bring more comfort and variety into everyday life while spending less on nights out. Undetermined at this time.