What little things disproportionately improve your quality of life?

[BoogleMcGroogle]

I know that the big things (secure housing, relationships and finances, good physical and mental health) make all the difference. But I just turned on the car radio and it got me thinking about the small, inexpensive things that make life so much better. Here are mine:

Radio 4
The Sunday Times
Having a lovely coffee shop next to the small office I rent
Cheese from the market
Having a village library
Good footpaths nearby
An open fire
Being able to go swimming each week ( roll on Wednesday!)
Baths
Gardener's World and Call My Agent (French comedy drama)
Being on a good bus route (I'm now down to only one school run, thank God)
Brogues and colourful tights

What are yours'?

On the positive side...

Catch up TV and being able to access a veritable plethora of entertainment at any time of the day or night. As a child of the 70s who can remember the days of 3 TV channels and the telly only being 'on' at lunchtimes and evenings (and weekends - woohoo!), I still marvel at the wonders of my Firestick.

Knowing there is 200g of dairy milk in the fridge. Just the knowledge is enough.

Sitting on the rug in front of the blazing coal fire with a glass of wine and a new book.

Hopping on the tube
A cup of tea in a lovely mug
A hug from my boy
Being able to walk to work
My garden
Clean bedding
Wenzels

Birdsong

The lovely shops on our high Street. Knowing most people I see and being able to stop and chat (from a distance). My friends. My cat and dogs. Being able to walk out into the countryside from my door. WhatsApp groups with friends and family. Book swaps with friends. The food van at Dunsop Bridge.

The beach- summer, winter... I don’t care. Walking my dog along the beach every day. My daughter’s endless chatter in one ear.. bloody lovely.

Found my brilliant kefir in home bargains after the buggers in aldi discontinued it over the summer. Makes a world of difference to my IBD. I'm over the bloody moon

Coffee
Thai dramas
Quiet time with a book
Flea markets
Thunder

My cat snuggling on my chest in bed in the morning sets me up for the day.

Great thread!
My £17 'teddy bear' blanket from the Range (dunelm rip off)
A medi pedi (loooove having the dry skin razored off)
A good history documentary on bbc1
Clean bed sheets after a bath
Waking up before my baby (rarer than rocking horse poo)
A pinky purple sunset
Cup of tea after a long walk
Popping a really painful stubborn spot (oh and Dr pimple popper videos on YouTube- so satisfying)
The first bowl of frosties when the box is opened - perfect consistency

Decent coffee in my favourite mug every morning

Spotify and wireless headphones

Cheap, American hotdog mustard

Heated airer

Pillow spray

Jammy toast in bed on a Sunday

Podcasts
A sea view
A peaceful garden

My cat snoring on the couch beside me
A massive, hot-hot bubble bath
DP bringing me tea and a bacon sandwich on a weekend morning, while the cat and I lie in bed
My hairdresser
Nice candles
At this time of year, our electric blanket, lovely flannelette bed linen, and my (not our, only MINE) heated throw on the sofa

Love this thread, thank you, OP.

What a lovely thread...

This lockdown I've been reading a lot about Hygge and the Danish way of living and it has really helped.

Creating a cosy space at home

Christmas lights

Lots of wonderful nature walks in local distance

The bakery up the road where we get a sausage roll every Tuesday

My dance class starting up again, the instructor messaged me earlier to check in as I'd been quiet on the group chat and it made me realise what a lovely group they are

Booking in to our favourite cafe, who have been so sensible all through this, we are delighted they are back open. They know us by name and treat our 3 year old like a VIP

The food and veg deliver we have every week. We started getting it during the first lockdown and absolutely love it so will never go back now

Whittards Christmas Tea... tastes amazing

Good coffee
Baking cakes
Dogs (I miss my lovely girl who died last month)
Hot bath
New books
Smiths salt and vinegar chipsticks
Lift
Smell of conditioned laundry
Homegrown sweet peas

All the people who say hello when we're out walking. Coming from a big city to a small town makes me think this is great!
This is a lovely thread....

Making my coffee every morning with a V60 and a goose necked kettle. It's like a little ritual I need before I can start my day.

The sound of my cat snoring.

Essential oils in my diffuser

Pilates

My sheepskin slippers

The thing I wish for more than anything is to live somewhere with nice places to go for a walk or run. Like a park with actual paths, or a big town centre with shop windows to look in, or a sea view. That would improve my life enormously.

My full size fridge freezer I bought at the start of lockdown 1, after years of putting up with an undercounter fridge. I'm going to replace the kitchen when CV starts to get better (can't be done with tradesmen in at the moment) and the FF will be moved, it's currently massively in the damn way, but I still love it, a LOT.

Twinkling Christmas lights.

Good coffee

Fresh sheets on the bed, especially if I've just brought them in off the line!!

Tangle tease hairbrush for fine hair.

Music and birds. But for me they are about as big and important and central to joy as you can get !

Time to myself where I can choose what I want to do.
Going for a walk (and playing games as I walk)
A good book/audiobook
Crafts (I knit/crochet/sew/do diamond painting/quilling/needlefelting when I get the chance, which is unfortunately not very often)

Goats cheese.
Nice pens!

Walks on the beach/by the sea in autumn and winter
Good coffee
Cheese
A good book
Open water swimming
Nordic noir dramas
Brené Brown’s Unlocking Us podcast

Real butter, I decided years ago that diet spreads aren't good for me after some health problems. Having my nails painted, I love it!
Outside space. Limoncello. Nice coffee, new clothes.