No-Spend Staycation: How to Plan the Perfect (and Free) At-Home Staycation
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Let’s be real: sometimes you can’t afford a trip out of town or out of the country. Life gets overwhelming between family, friends, and work. You find yourself needing to slow down and take a second to recover from the stress life throws at you. Staycations can be a great opportunity to practice self-care and recover from the daily grind!
Although these staycation ideas are geared towards singles, you can easily alter them so it’s fun for your partner or family members as well!
Read on to plan the perfect at-home staycation! (Spoiler Alert: it’s free!)
Prep Your Space
Bear with me. I know some people don’t like to think about cleaning or chores when they want to relax. But consider this…
Your home will either be ground 0 for your staycation if you’re staying in the whole time, or you’ll be going back there in between day trips around the town.
Either way, you’ll appreciate a clean space if you’re trying to relax.
If you don’t have the energy for a deep clean, no worries! Try tidying up for 15 or 30 minutes so your space looks better.
Feeling a little more energetic? Spend an hour or more getting your living space clean. Pay more attention to detail and imagine you’re setting the space up for a home magazine photoshoot. When you’re done, light a candle and sit back to enjoy the clean, organized space you’ve set up for yourself.
Set the Mood
Find a good playlist/artist. On Spotify, I like to listen to some light R&B, the “bedroom pop” playlist, or artists like Giveon and Souly Had. Play whatever your heart desires - it’s your time to relax and enjoy yourself!
Make your space smell good too. You can turn on an oil diffuser or light a candle (depending on what you like and what you already have on hand). If you only have a room spray, go ahead and mist your space so the whole area smells amazing! For those who don’t like fragrances or are allergic, you can crack open the window to get some fresh air in your space. You can even enjoy the natural sounds outside!
Set Up Snacks and Refreshments
This idea came from my vacation time in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Before meals, people would set up bowls of chips, pretzels, nuts, etc. along the table for snacking. In a way, this is how I keep that sense of travel and good vibes with me while I’m back home in the states.
Get creative with what you’ve got in the fridge already. Fruit is always my go-to snack. It can turn into an aesthetic fruit platter, salad, or smoothie bowl.
Any lemons and/or cucumber hanging out in your fridge drawers can be used to infuse your water (it’s free if you already have them, plus it’s more refreshing!)
Fill up any small bowls with nuts, pretzels, or whatever finger-food snacks you forget about in your pantry!
Arrange your table with all your snacks and refreshments so they’re ready for whenever you walk by.
Move Your Body
I enjoy my staycation more when I stretch or walk around a bit. If you work an office job and stare at a computer all day, your back and neck are probably taking a hit from it.
You can lay down a yoga mat or just stretch out on your floor if you don’t have one. There are tons of beginner-friendly guided yoga videos on Youtube that can help you relieve any aches and pains. My favorites are Yoga With Bird and Yoga With Adriene (she has the cutest dog in her videos!). Focus on your breathing and practice mindfulness of how each yoga move makes you feel. Over time you’ll notice your mind calm down and your body feels refreshed.
Walks are also a great way to move your body and reconnect with it. Turn your phone off, walk somewhere you feel comfortable, and pay attention to the tiny details of your surroundings. Notice any breezes, squirrels or birds scuttling around, or flowers that bloom in unlikely places. If the outdoors seems sunny and quiet enough, pull out your favorite book or most recent TBR addition. It’s the perfect mid-walk pause if you can find a bench or spot to read at.
One thing’s for sure: whether you take a short or long walk, you’ll feel more relaxed by the end!
Create a Fun and Filling Meal
Eating out can be convenient and cheap, but it isn’t the healthiest or most budget-friendly option in the long run.
Switch things up by trying a new recipe. Pasta is a staple product that you probably have in your cabinets already; dress it up with a homemade sauce and side dish for the perfect no-spend dinner! Any meat you have lying around can be cooked as its own dish or mixed into your pasta for a heavier meal.
Pinterest is a great place to find cooking inspiration if you want to try a new recipe. Browse through different options that cater to various diets, food allergies, etc.
Set Up a Movie Night
Find a new show, continue a series you’re already watching, or bring back a comfort movie that always leaves you feeling good!
I love dimming the lights and setting up small candles to create a cool cinematic atmosphere. Pour your favorite drink or start your meal by feeling like you’re in a fancy movie theater.
Make the moment more special than just sitting back on the couch and mindlessly scrolling through recommended shows. Have fun and get creative with your movie setup!
(P.S. those snacks and refreshments come in handy during this part!) 😉
Wind Down with Self-Care
Set up diffuser in bathroom/light candle. My favorite oil scents for a relaxing shower or bath are lavender or eucalyptus. It’s alright if you don’t have any oils or a diffuser, feel free to light a candle in your bathroom instead!
Take a long hot shower. Do your full shower-care routine: wash your hair, apply any treatments/masks, exfoliate your body, shave if you want to, use your favorite soap/shower gel, and follow up with your go-to lotion or body butter. You’ll come out feeling relaxed and refreshed by the end of it!
I’m a fan of doing my facial skincare out of the shower since the hot water leaves my skin dry, red, and irritated. I love using The Ordinary’s AHA & BHA face mask when I want to kick my skincare routine up a notch. It leaves my skin feeling smoother and less congested. It can be a bit intense for sensitive skin, and to play it on the safe side I only leave it on for about 8 minutes. Plenty of time to play some funny pranks on friends and family in the house! 😆
If you don’t already have this face mask, feel free to substitute this step with whichever treatment you have at home. No treatment? No problem! I like rubbing a nice ice cube along my face to depuff and close my pores. The best part is that it’s free!
Drink some tea, have a dance break, and take funny pictures in your face mask. It’s okay to do embarrassing things in private - do whatever feels fun and good for you. (Show of hands if you enjoy a good single-person dance battle every now and then, let me know below!)
You can finish your self-care routine with a mani-pedi and a fresh coat of nail polish if you’d like. Walk into work proudly with something to show for your mini self-retreat.
Rest and Recharge
Get a full night’s rest so that you feel energized for the next day. If you struggle to have time to get decent sleep, this will be the best part for you! Be intentional with your rest by setting aside time to get adequate sleep.
Don’t go on your phone for at least an hour before you plan to sleep.
Listen to some soothing music to help your mind transition from the day to nighttime.
Listen to some soothing music to help your mind transition from the day to nighttime.
Sometimes my brain simply doesn’t want to turn off. If you constantly have that internal dialogue running in your mind, try listening to some brown noise on Spotify or Youtube until you fall asleep. It’s the only trick I’ve found that gets my brain to go silent. Let me know if this works for you in the comments below!
Enjoy a Staycation Without Breaking the Bank!
The truth is that we can’t always afford a big trip like we see others enjoying on social media. Or sometimes we get sick and have to stay home until we feel better. Whether a vacation isn’t part of your budget right now or you just need some alone time, you can use this guide to plan an amazing and free self-retreat. Use these tips to create the ideal staycation without spending a dollar. Let me know how you like to spend your time alone below!
