The dreadful things that have stemmed from the coronavirus outbreak seem unending. Aside from taking so many lives and placing everyone’s health at risk in the world, the pandemic has forced entire populations to remain in their homes, affected social life, knocked down milestone celebrations, ended jobs and interrupted travel plans as we know it.
This is why citizens of almost every country in the world have prohibited international travel, and either plan to return home now or stay abroad indefinitely. Most countries issued an order for residents to stay inside except for essential activities.
During this time of uncertainties, a “staycation” may take the edge off. But we are talking about having a staycation at a local hotel on your own. It’s having that “vacation” in your home. In this article, we’ll give you tips on how to make your home feel more like a vacation even though you’ve been in it for almost 5 months already!
Imagine and Act Like You’re on the Beach
Although you can’t really go to the beach, you may try to bring the beach to your home with the help of several key accessories to make your home feel like a tropical paradise.
Using a light therapy lamp can help you pretend you’re basking in the sunlight (but avoid those with harsh UV-rays). These lights can put you in a positive mood and even sleep better, especially during those long dark winter days.
You can infuse your house with tropical-scented aromatherapy oil. The sense of smell of humans is closely knitted to memory. This is why inhaling a beachy fragrance can help you remember relaxing vacations past.
Also, you can buy candles, incense or essential oils online, or even plants, fresh herbs, and flowers if you have on-hand. If you have flowers in your garden, go ahead and cut some and put it in any little tumbler or vase, and it will completely change the room. You don’t always have to be extravagant to feel like you’re in a beach romantic getaway!
Make Your Home Feel Like a Hotel
A hotel has a room that’s a blank slate. You’ll walk in and you’ll find a fresh, clean room, and far away from chaos and clutter. However, this is not the same with the case at home, where daily life usually gets in the way such as fluffed pillows and spotless floors.
Hotels choose every item carefully, and there are pattern and flow to each room. Normal people would go out shopping and purchase something they like, usually, without considering the entire environment it will be joining.
The key to having a great staycation at your home is to get rid of things that are causing a disconnected feeling, such as getting rid of a competing art, bad rug, or just common clutter and mess. Walk around your home with an analytical eye to determine why certain spaces aren’t working.
Enhance Your Bathroom
There’s a big difference between your bathroom at home and bathroom at a hotel. Your bathroom is functional and your bathroom at a hotel is more on the pampering side.
If you’ll notice, a hotel always features a lovely tray with amenities in it, and then everything else is put away. Be honest, your bathroom is never that tidy, right? We don’t really focus on decorating the vanity surface as we find the coffee table.
Aside from adding those trays to your bathroom, you can include refreshing your towels, changing your bathroom’s lighting to be more vivid and flattering, and upgrading your hand lotion and hand soap.
Whether it’s your powder room, bathroom, or the kitchen sink, you should look for something that smells really nice and soothing, something that transforms every hand-washing experience to be a little luxurious. To complete the ultimate hotel-bathroom experience, you can stock it with a robe and slippers.
Have a Relaxing Playlist
Most of us don’t really watch our TV! We just like to keep it on as background noise or entertainment while you’re sheltering in place.
To feel like you’re on a vacation, you should choose music or sounds that will calm your mood, or having silence to improve your environment during this stressful time.
If you don’t like the quiet set-up, what sounds do you love hearing on vacation? Whether it is a certain Spotify playlist, rock music, or sounds of waves, go ahead and play it!
Rather than dreading the news daily, you can play a Youtube video on your TV as background and look for vacation-esque views.
Do Things You Would Really Do on Vacation
If the weather is perfect outside, grab your favourite beach towel and layout in your backyard! Since a lot of beaches are closed, why not do some sunbathing in your home? Aside from that, you can do something physical like rolling out a yoga mat or follow workout routines online.
In addition, virtual tours are becoming more popular for travellers who can’t go abroad. Currently, there are destinations including the Louvre, the Great Wall of China and even national parks can be seen online for your sightseeing vacation activity.
Ivandrea Ollero is a content writer who researches and writes custom content about home improvements, travel, finance, law, fashion, health, and beauty. She graduated from St. Scholastica’s College, Manila, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism in 2016. Ivandrea provides helpful tips and hacks on various topics for her readers. If she’s not in the mood to write, you can find her eating ice cream while listening to rap music.