For Mother’s Day, Treat Yourself to a Spa Day at Home
Create your own refreshing retreat at home, and let the relaxation begin
Vacations away from home can be fun, but they aren’t always relaxing. One alternative is to design your own mini spa vacation at home — for Mother’s Day, or any day you could use a break. You don’t need to drive anywhere or spend a lot of money. All it takes is a little planning and the cooperation of your family or housemates. Below, see what a day of relaxation and pampering could look like. Then tell us in the Comments what you would include in your perfect spa day at home.
Ease Into Your Morning
Spa resorts know how to make even simple meals special by presenting them beautifully. You can do the same at home. Prep your coffee maker or teapot the night before and set your serving tray or table with your best dishware and a vase of fresh flowers. Then start your spa day with breakfast in bed, on the patio or anywhere else you like.
Browse serving trays in the Houzz Shop
Spa resorts know how to make even simple meals special by presenting them beautifully. You can do the same at home. Prep your coffee maker or teapot the night before and set your serving tray or table with your best dishware and a vase of fresh flowers. Then start your spa day with breakfast in bed, on the patio or anywhere else you like.
Browse serving trays in the Houzz Shop
Get Your Body Moving
Now it’s time for a morning workout. You can follow your regular exercise program or change it up with a new routine. Not currently in the habit of exercise? Tune in to a cable TV exercise program and follow along or ask an active friend to recommend an online fitness video to try.
Raising your heart rate and moving your body for 30 to 40 minutes in the morning with yoga, a hip-hop workout, a stationary bike ride or other exercise will help you feel better and more energized the rest of the day. You can do it without a dedicated exercise room — all you need is enough space to stretch out your arms and legs. Just remember to drink enough water to stay hydrated.
10 Elements of an Inspiring Workout Zone
Now it’s time for a morning workout. You can follow your regular exercise program or change it up with a new routine. Not currently in the habit of exercise? Tune in to a cable TV exercise program and follow along or ask an active friend to recommend an online fitness video to try.
Raising your heart rate and moving your body for 30 to 40 minutes in the morning with yoga, a hip-hop workout, a stationary bike ride or other exercise will help you feel better and more energized the rest of the day. You can do it without a dedicated exercise room — all you need is enough space to stretch out your arms and legs. Just remember to drink enough water to stay hydrated.
10 Elements of an Inspiring Workout Zone
Wash Away Your Cares
After you’ve worked up a sweat, cool off and clean up with a relaxing shower or bath. While you’re there, enjoy some classic spa treatments.
You can exfoliate with a bath mitt and a body scrub, apply a peel-off face mask, rub a rich moisturizing conditioner into your hair, soak in the tub with a scented bath oil or give yourself a manicure-pedicure. Choose the treatments that will make you feel the best. Dry off with your fluffiest towels and have a clean robe and slippers waiting.
10 Essentials for Enjoying a Spa-Like Experience at Home
After you’ve worked up a sweat, cool off and clean up with a relaxing shower or bath. While you’re there, enjoy some classic spa treatments.
You can exfoliate with a bath mitt and a body scrub, apply a peel-off face mask, rub a rich moisturizing conditioner into your hair, soak in the tub with a scented bath oil or give yourself a manicure-pedicure. Choose the treatments that will make you feel the best. Dry off with your fluffiest towels and have a clean robe and slippers waiting.
10 Essentials for Enjoying a Spa-Like Experience at Home
Take a Nature Break
They say nature is the best healer, and you’ll want to spend some time outdoors today. Before the sun gets too hot, take a stroll in your garden or other nearby place where there’s greenery and flowers. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun on your skin (remember to wear a hat and sunscreen) and listen to the birds, the breezes and the world outside.
Find a landscape contractor to freshen up your yard
They say nature is the best healer, and you’ll want to spend some time outdoors today. Before the sun gets too hot, take a stroll in your garden or other nearby place where there’s greenery and flowers. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun on your skin (remember to wear a hat and sunscreen) and listen to the birds, the breezes and the world outside.
Find a landscape contractor to freshen up your yard
Enjoy a Healthful Lunch
Your midday meal should be easy to put together. For a true spa lunch, go with fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains, and avoid refined starches and sweets. Have you been drinking enough water today? Fill a pitcher with ice, water and slices of lemon or cucumber, and keep it and a tall glass near you the rest of the day.
Small Ways to Support Your Health at Home
Your midday meal should be easy to put together. For a true spa lunch, go with fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains, and avoid refined starches and sweets. Have you been drinking enough water today? Fill a pitcher with ice, water and slices of lemon or cucumber, and keep it and a tall glass near you the rest of the day.
Small Ways to Support Your Health at Home
Pause for Quiet Time
A spa day should include some downtime for resting, reading, meditating and daydreaming. After lunch is a good time to recharge. If you have a shaded lounge area outside, you can take a siesta outdoors. Or if you’d rather stay inside, you can kick back on the couch, preferably with a view to the outdoors and a window you can leave open to let in fresh air.
How to Carve Out a Corner Designed Just for You
A spa day should include some downtime for resting, reading, meditating and daydreaming. After lunch is a good time to recharge. If you have a shaded lounge area outside, you can take a siesta outdoors. Or if you’d rather stay inside, you can kick back on the couch, preferably with a view to the outdoors and a window you can leave open to let in fresh air.
How to Carve Out a Corner Designed Just for You
Catch a Few Winks
You might even decide that you’re ready for an afternoon nap. If you find yourself dozing off, lie down with a comfy pillow and a throw blanket and let sleep overtake you. You probably need it.
Find new bedding on Houzz
You might even decide that you’re ready for an afternoon nap. If you find yourself dozing off, lie down with a comfy pillow and a throw blanket and let sleep overtake you. You probably need it.
Find new bedding on Houzz
Go for an Afternoon Walk
After you’re done resting, wake up your senses with another walk outside. This time, venture out into the neighborhood and open your eyes to the beauty around you. Try to notice things you never pay attention to in your daily life. If you’re feeling social, smile at people you see and say hello.
Good Neighbors Make Her Street Feel More Like Home
After you’re done resting, wake up your senses with another walk outside. This time, venture out into the neighborhood and open your eyes to the beauty around you. Try to notice things you never pay attention to in your daily life. If you’re feeling social, smile at people you see and say hello.
Good Neighbors Make Her Street Feel More Like Home
Check in With Loved Ones
If you’ve been out of touch with family members and pets all day, you might want to reconnect now and see how they’re doing. If you plan to have dinner with people or get together in the evening, this is a good time to confirm arrangements.
Photo Flip: Good Dog! Cute Pooches at Home
If you’ve been out of touch with family members and pets all day, you might want to reconnect now and see how they’re doing. If you plan to have dinner with people or get together in the evening, this is a good time to confirm arrangements.
Photo Flip: Good Dog! Cute Pooches at Home
Savor Your Supper
You can continue your solo spa experience at dinner or open it up and have a shared meal with family or friends. If you enjoy cooking, go ahead and prepare it yourself. But if a vacation for you means a vacation from cooking, order out or ask someone else to do the bulk of the meal preparation. Take your time over dinner and appreciate the food, the company and the ambiance.
Simple Pleasures: Cultivate Everyday Joie de Vivre
You can continue your solo spa experience at dinner or open it up and have a shared meal with family or friends. If you enjoy cooking, go ahead and prepare it yourself. But if a vacation for you means a vacation from cooking, order out or ask someone else to do the bulk of the meal preparation. Take your time over dinner and appreciate the food, the company and the ambiance.
Simple Pleasures: Cultivate Everyday Joie de Vivre
Observe the Sunset
The early evening can be the most pleasant part of the day. As the sun drops into the horizon, traffic noise eases, the birds start to sing again and the temperature cools. Take a few last minutes to relax on your own or gather people together for after-dinner conversation.
10 Ways to Turn Your Backyard Into a Resort-Inspired Retreat
The early evening can be the most pleasant part of the day. As the sun drops into the horizon, traffic noise eases, the birds start to sing again and the temperature cools. Take a few last minutes to relax on your own or gather people together for after-dinner conversation.
10 Ways to Turn Your Backyard Into a Resort-Inspired Retreat
Go to Bed Early
Make the benefits of your day last by sliding under the covers in plenty of time to get a full night’s sleep. Are you feeling refreshed from your spa day or will you need a few more to make a difference?
Your turn: What would a spa day at home look like for you? Would you include any of these activities or do something completely different? Tell us in the Comments.
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Make the benefits of your day last by sliding under the covers in plenty of time to get a full night’s sleep. Are you feeling refreshed from your spa day or will you need a few more to make a difference?
Your turn: What would a spa day at home look like for you? Would you include any of these activities or do something completely different? Tell us in the Comments.
More on Houzz
See What Gives These 10 Bathrooms Their Spa-Like Feel
A California Dream Garden Brings Healing and Wholeness
Find design and remodeling pros to help make your home a rejuvenating space
Shop for home products
First, choose a day when you can have your home to yourself. If you have kids, ask your partner or another trusted person to take them on an outing, or have them spend the day at a relative’s or friend’s house.
Once you’ve set the date, think about what you would like your spa day to look like, and write out a list of things to do or buy in advance. For example, you might want to prepare your meals the day before or pick up some favorite bath products.
During the week before your spa day, clean and declutter the rooms you will spend time in. The night before, lay out the things you will need and put fresh sheets on your bed. Having your home in order will make the day so much more enjoyable and relaxing.
Simple Pleasures: The Joy of Fresh Sheets