Britt Franklin

By no means would I describe myself as a bedding snob. I could easily buy a sheet set from a supermarket in a heartbeat without complaint and use them until they need to be replaced. As long as they’re clean and comfortable, I’m good. But every now and then, some sheets come along that make me believe I deserve more.

With the coziest seasons of the year on the way — or already here, depending on where you live — it’s a good time to start preparing your space for shorter, cooler days that make you want to bundle up for months. For me, that means making my bedroom the best it can be since it’s where I spend most of my time when I want some quality R&R.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — to buy a mattress! Cyber Monday is here, and with it comes major discounts on brand-name mattresses and AT-beloved bedding retailers, from tried-and-true favorites, like Tempur-Pedic and Mattress Firm, to other popular direct-to-consumer retailers, like Purple and Layla Sleep. And really, what could be better than kicking off winter hibernation with a new mattress to replace your old one?

Black Friday may be over, but the retailer sales are still going strong. Cyber Monday deals are happening right now on everything from home decor to kitchen goods to electronics, with a host of editor- and reader-favorite brands — hello, Pottery Barn and Brooklinen! — offering some of their biggest bargains with the lowest discounts of the year. And the sooner you jump on the savings, the better.

When it comes to how many pillows are too many pillows, I have no limits. The more, the better, I say! That’s one reason I love having a job where I get to try out so many different kinds of sleep-related products, including an oversized blanket with a breathable waffle knit texture, a mattress topper with just the right amount of firmness and support, and other essentials that have contributed to many a good night’s sleep.

As people of the modern age, my family and I have been ordering furniture online for several years and have certainly run into our fair share of duds among the successes. Although I’d take my time to find the right piece for the room I’m looking to furnish, I’ve never really had the motivation for custom orders. I’d just keep narrowing my search down based on color, style, and function until something that fit showed up.

A year ago, I would have stayed far, far away from flannel sheets. I tend to get hot when I sleep, and didn’t want to speed up the process by introducing flannel. Nevermind the fact that I’d never actually tried flannel sheets before, or that my only reference was flannel clothing. Pushing my own hesitation aside, I opened my mind to giving them a real shot when I had the chance to try Brooklinen’s Flannel Core Sheet Set.

With the weather finally changing, chances are you’re ready to give your home a sweet fall flip. While major sale weekends are out of the way (for a while) and Amazon Prime Day hasn’t arrived yet, that doesn’t mean there aren’t great savings out there to help you upgrade your home on a budget. For instance, Home Depot is offering amazing deals on furniture, decor, and lots of small space-friendly finds during Decor Days.

Travel season has a way of sneaking up on you before you know it. One of my biggest (and repeated) luggage headaches is forgetting to replace old, damaged, and close-to-unusable suitcases between big trips. It often resulted in borrowing better luggage from my parents or using the best of what I had and hoping it arrived at my destination in one piece.

Before working at Apartment Therapy, I used to be somewhat inconsistent when it came to doing my laundry. It wasn’t so bad that I was mixing my light and dark clothing or throwing towels wherever they’d fit, but I certainly didn’t think too deeply about what detergent to use and the temperature of the water. Fortunately, my bad habits changed for the better as I learned more about what products make my laundry look and feel great fresh out of the wash.