How bringing the outside in can give the nation a happiness fix.
As the nation hots up and we can finally spend more time outdoors without restriction, Brabantia and award-winning garden designer Adam Frost have looked at what scents evoke the strongest feelings of happiness during summer, and why.
Summer scents
The top five summer scents loved by Brits are:
● Freshly cut grass
● Fresh laundry drying outside
● The seaside
● Flowers
● Ice Cream
Boost your mood
The research by Brabantia seeks to uncover the importance of scents and summer, and 36% cite spending time in our gardens, relaxing, gardening or hanging out the washing (in the summer 72% of Brits prefer to dry their clothes outside) as a way to boost their mood.
The relationship with outdoor spaces was also noted to have changed since 2020, especially during the summer, with 75% saying that spending time outdoors this summer will be very important to them, and just under two thirds now class the garden as another room of their home.
The smell of fresh laundry
With fresh laundry coming out as a top scent, Brabantia wanted to look into habits, and how to get happiness fix through the senses. Three quarters of Brits choose to dry their washing outside as the months get warmer and a third choose first thing in the morning to do it.
A big motivator for taking the washing outside is the environment, with nearly 40 percent doing it to lower their impact and save energy.
TOP TIPS
Now that the summer months are in full swing, here are Brabantia and Adam Frost’s top tips for getting the most out of your outdoor spaces, how to get the most out of the senses.
1. Bring the outside in: dry your clothes and sheets outside naturally (as long as it’s not raining), they’ll dry much quicker, smell beautifully fresh and it’s so much better for the environment.
2. Boost your mood: spend time outside whenever possible - soaking up the sunshine, fresh air and scents will boost your mood instantly. Break up the day with a cup of tea outside, hang up your washing or simply relax and enjoy the summer smells around you.
3. Enjoy the doing: hanging out the washing might seem like a chore but it’s a great excuse to be outside soaking up the sun.
4. Build a space you can enjoy: to make the most of any outdoor space, even if you’ve only got a small garden, take the time to make it a space you enjoy spending time.
5. Brighten your whites: if your whites are looking a little tired, hanging them outside could give them the reawakening they need as the sun has a natural, and subtle bleaching effect on whites.
6. Better for the environment, better for your clothes: drying your clothes outside uses up less energy and also reduces air pollution indoors. Not just that, many of our clothes are not made to be tumble-dried and so allowing them to dry naturally will allow many items to look better and last longer.
7. Be positive but be prepared: we all know the British weather isn’t the most predictable but we get some glorious sunshine in summer. Keep an eye on the forecast and try to coincide laundry day with those sunny days but once it’s out keep an eye on the weather and if you’re heading out, just check the sky before you go.
8. Breeze power: as well as the sun having natural bleaching powers, the wind also acts as a natural fabric softener. So you’ll find, when you dry your clothes outside they will feel softer, have less wrinkles and therefore require less ironing.