Sometimes a vacation at home is all you need to feel rejuvenated and refreshed. It can be as short as an afternoon or as long as a weekend. It involves minimal effort, far less money than a real vacation, and eliminates the stress of trains or planes or automobiles. Here are a few of my favorite staycations:

HALF DAY: Arm yourself with a survival kit – a good book, a giant mug of tea, fuzzy socks, a warm blanket. Spend 10 minutes to set the tone – light a candle, get some hygge, and relax. If you´re so inclined you can try a 10 minute meditation. Headspace is a free app with great guided meditations.

Try some homemade spa treatments – free and simple!

Homemade Face Mask

• 1 tsp activated charcoal
• 1 ½ tsp bentonite clay
• 2 tsp water

Mix everything together to form a paste. Apply to a cleansed dry face, and let the mask dry, 7-10 minutes. Be sure to mix the mask with a wooden spoon, not metal – activated charcoal is so potent it will draw out toxins from the metal!

The science: Activated charcoal is a substance well-known for drawing out toxins – charcoal filters are used in Brita jugs, for example. Together with bentonite clay, another toxin eliminator, the mask will suck out dirt, sweat, grease, and bacteria from your pores, leaving you squeaky clean.

Homemade Face scrub:

• 1 tbsp ground oatmeal
• 2 tsp honey (Manuka if you can find it)
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Mix everything together and work in circular motions on a clean damp face.

The science: The oatmeal is naturally abrasive, as is the acid in the lemon juice. The vitamin C in the lemon helps to brighten and even out skin tone. Honey, particularly Manuka, is a powerhouse – antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and containing amino acids which wipe away dead skin cells.

After some reading, relaxing, spa-ing, and whatever else you fancy, treat yourself to something special. If you want to continue in the health theme I love tea with lemon or a Golden Milk Latte – all the rage these days, made with almond or coconut milk and the magical spice Turmeric . There are a million recipe versions online.

 

But wine, cheese, or dessert is never a bad idea either 🙂 It’s a vacation after all.

Here are some more ideas for your home by Cristina.

FULL DAY: Wherever you are, there is definitely something in your home town that you haven´t seen yet. It´s common that we fail to capitalize on the great things in our own backyard. Whether it´s a museum, a monument, a festival, an art gallery, a street fair, a nature reserve . . . take yourself out for a date. Go check out what the tourists see – it´s a refreshing take on your surroundings. Afterwards, head for lunch, dinner, a coffee, or a drink at that place you´ve been meaning to try forever.

 

OVERNIGHT: Something which is surprisingly fun and feels utterly indulgent is staying at a hotel in your home town. Perhaps because you know the surroundings so well, it allows you to focus on the hotel itself and appreciate everything more. Hotwire is a great option for last minute deals – hotels sell off available rooms for that evening at rock bottom prices. Otherwise, book your spot of choice ahead of time. Recently a friend and I staycationed at the Grand Petit Hotel (post here), and you can’t beat fluffy bathrobes, sleeping in, long showers, using all the little hotel products, and breakfast delivered to your plate. A lovely and rejuvenating night away, but not away.