With so many businesses closed in cities around the world and entire regions in lockdown, people with cottages have fled dense urban environments for all the fresh air and physical space up North. Are you spending more time lately at the cottage than in the city?
While making the shift to turn your leisure home more permanent, here are a few things you need to do.
Satellite TV
We live in a digital age. It’s easy to get quality satellite TV in Ontario that keeps you plugged into the news and entertained. After a long day of remote work inside or hours spent in the great outdoors, you’ll be glad to curl up on the couch and unwind with some movies or television.
Keep yourself occupied at the cottage with lots of channels to select from, so you always have something to do on rainy days. Privacy is great, but if there’s a big TV event that everyone’s talking about like the Oscars, you’ll feel more connected if you can watch the program too.
If you’re spending way more time lately at the cottage than you usually do, look for a satellite TV provider that won’t try to get you to sign a long-term contract.
Stock the Pantry and Freezer
Usually a cottage’s kitchen is stocked under the assumption that visitors are only there briefly. When you come from the city for an extended time, bring up an ample supply of dry foods, canned goods, and other practical things to eat with a long shelf life.
It’s essential to make sure you have enough to eat, but world events have made it risky for city dwellers to grocery shop in cottage country. Stock your pantry and your freezer too.
Splurge at your favourite butcher and baker in the city, and you’ll eat well for weeks or even months up at the cottage.
Pack Creature Comforts and Essentials
What are the things you use at home that make it feel like home? Pack carefully, and make sure you don’t forget to bring anything you need from the city.
This includes phone chargers, books, your favourite slippers to loaf around in, or more essential things like medicine. You likely won’t end up trekking back to the city for these things, but you’ll be sad without them.
Days before you head to the cottage, make a list of everything you’ll need. As you pack each item, check them off one-by-one.
Bring all the stuff you need for ordinary city life, but don’t forget your cottage essentials! You’ll need your bathing suits, activities, games, and anything else that helps to make cottages magical.
Everybody has a role to play to flatten the curve. If you have a second property away from bustling downtown and city life, it’ll be a more relaxed and more pleasant place to keep to yourself. Just make sure you get a quality satellite TV connection, and that you have everything else you need to eat and keep you entertained for the long-term.
