Six-Month Endy Mattress Review, From the Mom of Two Terrible Sleepers

It’s been 6 months with our new Canadian-made mattress friend, Endy. And like I promised on my IG stories when we got the mattress back in January, I am going to share my honest 6-month review.

Since moving into our new house in May 2018, sleep was never really in the cards for me.

We had a toddler that had just recently moved into a big girl bed AND her own room, I was 7 months pregnant at the time and getting more uncomfortable by the day and my husband, well, he had gotten himself caught in the middle of two terrible sleepers (my toddler and I). Or, I guess technically in relation to our queen sized bed, on the outside of two terrible sleepers.

Like I said, sleep was not really great.

Fast forward to August, when little sister came into the picture. Instead of three of us in the bed, we went from three in the bed and one in the bassinet - four of us sharing one small bedroom. In a two bedroom condo. It wasn’t working. We knew something had to give.

I had gone from being pushed out of bed by my horizontal sleeping toddler to waking every few hours to feed the baby AND having my spot in bed taken by my oldest when I got back. Safe to say, my sleep had only gotten worse.

We had been talking about buying a new mattress for some time, but with recently taking on a mortgage, financially it wasn’t really an option.

When Endy reached out asking if we’d like to join the Endy Partner Family and try their Canadian-made and manufactured mattress, customizable pillows and sheet set, I knew this was our chance to start taking our sleep more seriously.

Endy is revolutionizing the way Canadians sleep with its ridiculously comfortable, supportive and Canadian-made mattress. Since launching in 2015, they have become one of Canada’s direct-to-consumer mattress market leaders, and continue to thrive as one of the country’s fastest growing eCommerce companies.

You’ve probably seen their ads all over social media, public transportation and maybe even on TV, BUT what are their mattresses really like? Are the pillows and sheets really worth it?

Well, this mama is here to tell you with our HONEST 6-Month Endy Mattress, Pillow and Sheet Set Review.

I often get the question, “Do you really like it?”. And to be honest, I get that about quite a few of the products I chose to share on my blog. As I say over and over, I only work with those brands that I know, trust and love. If I don’t like it, you’ll know about it. My honesty is all over this blog of mine and this review is no exception. The opinions shared in this post are 100% those of my husband and myself after trying the Endy Mattress from January to June.

Before you dive into our 6-month review, be sure to check out our first impressions here.

Our Honest 6-Month Endy Mattress Review

The Pros

• It is made right here in Canada. That, I can support.
• It is delivered right to your door, absolutely FREE. If you don’t own a car, this is key!
• It comes tightly packaged in a box, saving space in your home while you wait to set it up (or remove your old mattress).
• As an added bonus, the Endy box makes the perfect toddler “play house”.
• The set up itself is impressively easy. You take it out the box, lay it on your box spring, remove the plastic covering and voila - within minutes your mattress is ready to be tested!
• The Endy Pillows are incredible, and depending on what type of sleeper you are, you can even customize them by removing or adding some of the foam. They are also hypoallergenic and come with a 60-night risk-free trial and a 3 year manufacturer warranty in case something goes wrong.
• The Endy Sheets are 480 thread count, 100% sateen weave cotton and feel like hotel sheets. They also come with a 60-night risk-free trial and are also protected by a 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
• The mattress has very little motion transfer. (I’m sure my husband appreciates this as I toss and turn trying to fall back to sleep after what feels like the fifteen hundredth night feed.)
• Their return policy. If you don’t like it, you can return it within 100 nights. No questions asked. (I honestly don’t know who would though.) Also to note, Endy works with 124 local charity partners across the country to pick up and donate your mattress if it doesn’t make it past the 100 Night Trial.

The (Not So “Conny”) Cons

• While the Endy Mattress is packaged in a box for easy transport, the box is pretty heavy. You may need assistance to move it to its final resting spot.
• When we first opened the mattress, it did have a bit of a chemically smell, but that dissipated fairly quickly.
• It does take a few nights getting used to. Definitely not a bad thing considering what we were feeling was the support our old mattress lacked.
• Starting at $675 for a Twin, it is a bit on the pricier side if you’re on a budget. BUT then again, what is a better night’s sleep and your overall health worth to you?
• Our biggest dislike we have about the mattress is that we didn’t get a bigger size. And that’s the truth. Our family (girls included) love it so much that we should have gotten a bigger size to fit all 4 of us! 

Conclusion

I know what you’re probably thinking - “They got it for free. If they had to spend the money on an Endy, would they?”. Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes, we did get this sleep set in exchange for an honest review, BUT if we had to do it all over again, we absolutely would still choose Endy. In our honest opinion, it is worth every single penny. Your sleep and well being is worth every single penny.

The Endy Mattress is incredibly comfortable, providing support in all the right places. I wake up feeling refreshed - no kinks in my neck, no sore back, nothing but refreshed. Well, refreshed as a mom of a 3 year old and a 10 month old can feel…

Do you own an Endy Mattress? Let me know your experience in the comments below. If you’re thinking of buying one, feel free to ask me any questions you have. Also be sure to take advantage of my coupon code below.

Are you looking for a better night’s sleep? Use code TOANDFRO50 for $50 OFF your Endy Mattress.

*Disclosure: I received an Endy sleep set in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% that of To & Fro.

Condo Container Gardening, From a Beginner Gardener

When you live in a big and expensive city, sometimes you have to let go of some of your #housegoals - a driveway, garage, home office, backyard, to name a few. 

But then again, there are some you don’t…

One of the major selling features when we bought our condo was the large terrace, 200 square feet of outdoor space. If we weren’t going to have a backyard, then a space where our kids could play and where we could entertain was a must.

On top of this great outdoor space, and, essentially, extension of our living space in the warmer months, the terrace came with two large planter boxes. I’m talking very large… like herb and vegetable garden large.

In 2009, the City of Toronto created a bylaw where all new builds over a certain square footage were required to have a green roof. For our condo, this was in the form of the planter boxes. When we moved in, they were filled with a variety of perennials (blooms that come back year after year), that quickly blossomed and became our own little pollinator garden. 

As much as I LOVE a pollinator garden, what I don’t love is our stinging friends being so close to where the girls are playing. And so, those perennials sadly had to go.

With our condo bylaw stating that the planter boxes must stay “green”, we decided to instead use them for an herb and vegetable garden. Might as well get some reward out of them. Am I right?!

Since this type of garden was completely new to me, I immediately turned to my friends at The Home Depot Canada for help. (By the way, did you know that they are THE destination for spring in Canada?) 

When it comes to plants, they have 32 dedicated growers across Canada, 8 here in Ontario. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to go on a field trip with them to visit one of those local growers, family-owned Jeffery’s Greenhouses, in the Niagara-area. Jeffery’s 1.5 million square feet of planting space supplies the annuals to 55 stores in Ontario. Burpee is the edible brand they grow, and includes the majority of potted herbs I bought for our garden.

>> Read on to learn what we planted. <<

Originally, we had intended to just do one planter with herbs. But, naturally, when I saw the availability of herbs and produce in-store (both in starter and seed), I got excited and overbought. So, our second planter box became dedicated to veggies.

Since we live in a condo and space is at a premium, I didn’t have the luxury of starting seeds indoors in the winter. So instead, I bought a mixture of potted herbs and vegetables, as well as seeds suitable for sowing directly outdoors after last frost.

Most herbs and vegetables do require full sun, for at least six hours a day. Perfect for our north-facing terrace because during the daytime hours, we are bathed in sunlight. Sun equals happy plants. 

Living in hardiness zone 6a, typically last frost is the beginning of May. BUT, we’ve had such a cool, wet spring so far that planting was a bit delayed. 

Since I can never do anything by myself anymore (#momlife), I “enlisted the help” of my littlest garden buddy, my three year old daughter Morley. I’ll give her credit, after putting on her PAW Patrol gardening gloves (also bought at The Home Depot Canada), she was all in, using all of the strength in her little body to pull out the old plants, and prep the dirt for planting the new. While she was a great help, she did require about 15 snack breaks, so prepping and planting took a little longer than I intended.

But, after those 15 snack breaks, we finished. And I am so happy with the result!

Nationally, 1 in 8 households live in condos or apartments (2011 National Household Survey). And in Toronto, the largest city in Canada, 20% of the population calls a condo home (2016 census). Small space, urban gardens are on the rise. Just because you live in a small space, does not mean you can't have a garden (and eat it too). 

Gardening is such an immensely pleasurable and enjoyable activity. You have the joy of growing your own food, knowing where it came from, and how it was grown. There’s nothing that beats the ability to harvest the freshest ingredients for your home-cooked meals. Having your kids involved, and teaching them where your food comes from, is also a bonus.

Now, keep your fingers crossed that it’s successful because I’m itching to be able to serve them up on our many terrace BBQs this summer…

What We Planted: 

Planter Box 1 (Herbs): Chives, Dill, Parsley, Basil, Sage, Thyme, Rosemary

Planter Box 2 (Vegetables): Kale, Arugula, Lettuce, Green Onions, Carrots, Beets

Medium-sized pot: Tomatoes 

Small-sized pot: Mint (*)

*It is important to note, mint has an aggressive root system and must be planted on its own or it will completely take over your garden.

Interested in planting your own small-space container garden?

Between doing my research and planting our gardens, I learned a few things that I think are important to share to help with the success of your garden. This is no way meant to be a comprehensive step-by-step guide. I am in NO WAY a gardening expert (hell, this one may completely fail). 

A Few Things to Think About When Starting Your Own Small-Space Container Garden:

Before deciding to plant herbs and vegetables, it is important to check your condo bylaws! Each condo is different in terms of rules for balconies and terraces. 

Determine your hardiness zone. This will tell you what can grow where, and when. Here is Canada's hardiness zone map.

Set a budget to help determine what kind of things you can invest in, like the size and type of containers, quality of soil, and size of raised beds you can purchase. For those on a tight budget, think about starting small and gradually expanding each year.

Do your research. So you know what can grow in your area, and based on that info, you have created a list of what you want to plant. Now its time to learn about how much water, sunlight, space (i.e. space between plantings, do they sprawl vs. grow vertically), and love the plants you want to grow need. Based on this info, come up with a garden plan. 

Make sure to observe the location you have selected for a few days. Your container should be kept in a position where it can enjoy a fair amount of sun during the day. The amount of space and sun will determine how much you can grow and also what kind of plants you can grow.

Consider whether you want to start with seeds or transplants. Many varieties (i.e. carrots, beets) do best when direct seeded while other plants (i.e. tomatoes, peppers) should be started indoors in advance or purchased as seedlings to ensure there is enough time for them to grow and mature.

Remember that a successful vegetable garden takes time to manage and maintain. You can’t just plant your garden and forget about it until the harvest rolls around. Remember it needs to be watered, weeded AND harvested. And don’t forget about the end of the growing season - putting your garden to bed in the fall is just as important.

Have fun with it!

Do you have a garden? What is your favourite thing to grow (and eat)? I’d love to hear!

*Disclosure: This post is in partnership with the Home Depot Canada. However, all opinions are 100% that of To & Fro. Thank you Home Depot!

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Raising a "Condo Kid" in Toronto

I grew up in a small(ish) city in southwestern Ontario. My backyard had tall trees and a play structure. There was enough space that it was host to some pretty epic soccer games in the summer, and a homemade ice rink in the winter. It was far from the big city of Toronto, in more ways than just distance.

We knew shortly after getting married that Toronto would be the place where we would set our roots. When we moved back to Ontario after years of being away, the big city had welcomed us with open arms, to family and new jobs. It was the city of opportunity, and essentially, unlimited possibility. 

What is wasn't, was the city of affordable homes. Especially for these two first time home buyers. 

But that didn't mean we were completely out of the home buying game. Instead, we turned to something more affordable. A condo.

I will admit, at first, buying and living in a condo seemed foreign to me. It would be a much smaller space than we were both used to, and it would be lacking one thing... a backyard. How could we raise our future children without a backyard? How could we raise a "condo kid"?

When we set out on the “great condo search”, we had a few big criteria. The condo had to be in a good neighbourhood, with good schools. It needed to be walking-friendly. And, probably most importantly, it needed to be close to parks and green spaces that were kid-friendly. If we weren’t going to have that big backyard, open green spaces needed to be close by. 

Bottom line, it needed to be family-friendly. 

Turns out, we were not alone in the condo search. There are more families living this way than you may think. Nationally, one in eight households lives in condos or apartments (*according to the 2011 National Household Survey). In Toronto alone, 66% of households with children lived in condos or apartments in downtown Toronto, and 32% throughout the whole of the city. And today, I’m sure that number has only grown.

So, with our family-friendly criteria in mind, did we find what we were looking for? 

You bet we did. 

We’ve been in our condo for just shy of a year now. When we bought, it was just the two of us, with only one child in mind. Fast forward a few years, and now there are four of us are happily calling our family-friendly abode home.

>> You may also like: The Story Behind the Move or The Stress of Moving

The building itself checked all of this growing family’s requirements off the list. We absolutely love the neighbourhood, and our oldest has already started pointing our her "big girl" school just down the street.  In 10 minutes, we can walk to the grocery store. And in 20, we're at the beach. Access to public transit is mere steps from the front door. 

We have a generous-sized terrace that is large enough to function as an outdoor room. It provides an extension of our living space and a play space for the girls, with sight lines from the kitchen, living room and master bedroom. It may not be a backyard but it is a safe and convenient way for them to access fresh air. It is also home to two large garden boxes, which this spring and summer will allow us to grow our own food, further providing an opportunity to connect our children to the outdoors while living several feet off the ground.  

The condo’s large rooftop patio gives us a great place to host family gatherings or just relax, while enjoying an elevated view of Toronto’s beautiful skyline. I’m especially looking forward to being able to see the Canada Day fireworks over the lake this summer, without having to leave our building and face the crowds at the boardwalk. Tending to our plot in the rooftop community garden will be a great way to get outdoors in the spring and summer. It will not only be another opportunity to harvest our own produce, but also a way to teach our oldest where our food comes from. 

The park across the street has a baseball diamond, public pool and large play structure. It is filled with dogs, and in the winter months, avid tobogganers. When the weather warms, it will be host to many picnics with the girls, and, like my childhood backyard, maybe even the odd soccer game.

So, we may not have the backyard I had imagined in our first home, but I would say the outdoor opportunities our condo provides are pretty damn close. And after the past 11 months we’ve had in our first home, raising a condo kid doesn’t seem so scary to me anymore.

So if you're in the market for a new family home in Toronto, but are scared away by both price and availability, I recommend looking into a condo. As Toronto’s overheated real estate prices keep young families and first time homebuyers out of the market, many are looking to condos as an alternative. Toronto builders recognize this and have begun offering more. 

The Daniels Corporation is one of those builders. They are creating amenities that people will actually use, with an array tailored specifically to families - including kids play zones, innovative outdoor space, mega gyms, co-working spaces, arcades, climbing walls, expansive green spaces that allow kids to run around, garden plots and communal areas to foster a sense of community. And it doesn’t just stop there. They have suites designed specifically with families in mind - from 2 bedroom to 3 bedroom + den layouts, with open concept living spaces, there is plenty of room for growing families. Family-friendly living at its finest.

Whether you live in a condo or a house, what are some of the must-haves you look for in finding a family home? I’d love to hear!

*Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Daniels. Opinions in this post are my own.