For many of us, having a beautiful home that is a joy to live in is an important aspiration. It’s part of the reason why we spend a collective £965 million every week on household goods and services to improve and maintain our houses, according to government figures. However, not everyone has the luxury of a huge budget when it comes to upgrading their home, and it can often be difficult to choose what to invest in and what to try and save on.
If you find yourself in the position where you are struggling to decide what to spend your money on, it’s important to know that there are some essentials that are worth prioritising over others. To help you decide, we at YCB have chosen our top three home items that are worth the investment, and will provide you with more benefits than you might imagine. Read on to find out more.
1. A nice sofa
In the typical family living room, the sofa is the real workhorse. It’s the place we go to curl up and watch television or to spend time together, and it’s been estimated that we Brits spend an average of 17 years of our lives on our sofas (Daily Mail). They also matter when it comes to the design of our living room, with the capacity to make a real statement within the overall décor.
So, for such an important piece of furniture, it stands to reason that your sofa is worthy of a significant chunk of your home improvement budget. If you spend wisely on a well-made piece, you’ll have something that will not only look great but last for decades if cared for properly. Houzz have a detailed guide to choosing the right sofa for you that is worth a read. It has advice about finding one that is both practical and stylish.
2. A comfortable mattress
We sleep for around a third of our lives, and the quality of our rest has a huge impact on our health and wellbeing. Your mattress has a big influence over the quality of your sleep, providing a comfy place to rest, as well as support for your body so you don’t get aches and pains.
A quality mattress should be near the top of your list of investments, and you should avoid skimping on the price, as this will end up costing you more in the long-run. A cheap mattress will only last one to two years, while a better-quality model can last up to 25 years, according to the Telegraph.
What’s more, deluxe mattresses are often full of specialist features that can deliver a great night’s sleep with the right amount of support. For example, the Octaspring range by Dormeo takes the great support of memory foam and combines it with a spring-like inner structure to create a cool and comfy mattress that solves the breathability issues found in many standard foam models.
3. A family dining table
Having a nice dining table has quite a few benefits, some of which you might not have considered. While a quality table looks great and can really tie a room together, it can also have plus points for your social and family life too.
With your brand-new piece of furniture, you will have the perfect excuse to invite your friends around and host a dinner party or two, giving you an exciting new option for some fun nights in. If this sounds like something you’d like to try, take a look at BBC Goodfood’s top ten dinner party tips to get inspired and start to plan your own.
In addition, if you have kids, you will all be able to eat meals together and enjoy some quality family time — something that has scientifically proven benefits. Children from families that eat together have been found to be less likely to develop eating problems and can perform better at school, according to research by academics at Columbia University. So, spending mealtimes at your dining table could have far-reaching long-term benefits for your family too.
By investing in these three home essentials, you will have purchased something of real value that looks great but will also deliver more for your money.
