Today’s post is from Sherri of Serene Journey. Sherri and her husband Gwynn share their tips to enjoying life and discuss topics like personal development, frugality, home and organizing, happiness and family.

Home SpaWish there was a way to relax, pamper yourself and indulge in a little “me time” without spending a fortune? When you hear “spa day” you likely think of massages, warm towels, facials, seaweed wraps and hot rocks, not to mention a pretty hefty price tag. Good news! You don’t need to jet off to a private retreat in the tropics somewhere (although that would be nice too…), you can have a pretty sweet spa day at home with just a few simple ingredients and time to yourself. So here is my list of simple things you can do to have a frugal spa day at home.

A Frugal Spa Day at Home

1. Block out time. Set aside a block of time to pamper yourself. If you have young children, see if a friend or relative can watch them for the day or at least a few hours. If you work during the week, block out some time on the weekend. See if you can get some space to yourself and kick your other half out if you need to.

2. Eliminate distractions. Unplug, turn off, or silence the phone, Blackberry, pager etc… so you’re not tempted to answer. Turn off the TV and radio. This is your time.

3. Set the mood. Put on your favorite CD to relax to, light scented candles and get into some ultra comfy clothes.  Sweats and a t-shirt do it for me; it’s not very glamorous but it is comfortable. Start the day with your favorite meal and have some fresh fruit on hand to snack on throughout the day.  Try a fruit smoothie. My favorite is:

  • 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt,
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • Ice

Blend all ingredients in a blender.

4. Get moving. Do some slow gentle stretches to get the body moving and the blood flowing. Try some yoga, Pilates or tai chi. Slow it down and make it relaxing and soothing.  [Editor's Note: I recently learned some tai chi for a class I'm teaching, and it's not just relaxing, it's really fun!]

5. Start with a soak. If you enjoy baths, now’s the time to hop in one and don’t forget the bubbles, lots of bubbles. Indulge in a glass of champagne (add a bit of OJ if it’s before noon ;) ). Surround yourself with candles and soft music – heavenly.

6. Put on a mask. I like to do this when soaking in the tub.  It’s nice, relaxing and no one can see me. An easy and natural facial mask to make at home is:

  • 2 tablespoons of oatmeal (ground)
  • 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
  • 5 drops of liquid honey

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Apply to your face. Leave it for 10 minutes then rinse with warm water and apply a moisturizer.

7.  Fingers and toes. Fingers are best done after a soak in the tub. File nails so they are fairly short and look neat and tidy. Push your cuticles back to avoid hang nails. Apply a moisturizer and rub it in for a couple of minutes. In the meantime, soak tired feet in a warm foot bath for 10-15 minutes. Give your heels a scrub with a pumice stone, pat your feet dry and apply a generous amount of moisturizer. I love peppermint foot cream, since it’s cool on sore tired feet and it smells wonderful!

Spa Details You Might like to Consider

  • Read a good book or recent edition of your favorite magazine
  • Watch your favorite movie
  • Crack open a new notebook to write about your day
  • Meditate (you can check out our tips for a successful meditation if you’re looking for how to start)
  • Sit outside if it’s nice and take in nature
  • Go for a leisurely walk and really see what’s around you

So go on pamper yourself and indulge in a little me time. I should also point out that this is not just for the ladies—spa days can be very manly as well ;) Do you regularly take time out to reconnect with yourself? What do you do to treat yourself? Head on down, leave a comment and share that special thing you do to put yourself in the right space.

Photo courtesy of: Dennis Wong

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