Get the Spa Feeling at Home

Almost anyone who has ever visited a spa does not want the feeling to end. It’s a place where we leave all our to-do’s, our responsibilities, and burdens behind and focus entirely on the here and now.
We feel healthy, pampered, and able to leave the world behind for a time. Isn’t this how our homes should be? We should arrive home and not let work even cross our minds. We are in our safe place, our oasis. This is our haven, our place of ultimate freedom and even more than a spa- personal expression!
Here are some quick tips on making your home your oasis.
Cleanse
Remove the stressors, remove the burdens, and embrace responsibilities as a sort of exercise. Need to pay the bills? Create a beautiful, organized chart that is satisfying to check off as each bill is paid. Develop a system that feels like a regular purge... like a spa cleansing for your mind! I find that diffusing Young Living Essential Oils “Purification” gets me revved up to clean my home. Try to focus on a few key things every day. Keeping the counters and sinks clean alone can do so to create a clean-feeling space.
Try to keep shelves ¾ full, rather than overstuffed to the brim. That open space is settling for your mind and creates visual peace.
Right here, Right now
There was a popular song with this title when I was in school... ha ha. Speaking of songs. Use music to allow you to focus on the now. I assembled a morning play list that lets me gradually break into the day. It takes what is normally a very stressful part of the day (getting kids out of the door when they refuse to dress) and adds an element of calm for me.
Take a moment to enjoy your favorite thing about your home. Mine is the way the light pours through in the mornings. I have those wonderful older windows with a bit of wave, which creates such beautiful patterns on the walls and the light shining off the water is so golden and rich. So, when I get up in the morning, I make sure to take time to enjoy this and allow myself to really bathe in the sunlight. On cloudy days, I enjoy lighting a few candles to create that sense of dancing light and warmth.
Pamper
This doesn’t have to mean pedicures and massages! Give yourself something at home that allows you to feel enriched, comfortable, and happy. One example might be a library- this is not just a stack of books. Make your special space an experience. Think about the way this space smells and the way it feels. Perhaps your library allows you to focus entirely on your book, in a cozy dark corner with a wonderful lamp and your favorite art. Or, maybe you’re like me and crave natural light and sunshine. Create a window seat by placing a chair near your favorite accessible view and a beautiful shelving unit that does your books the justice they deserve.
Consider keeping a fresh bouquet of flowers next to the bed and splurge on linens that feel wonderful on your skin. Paint the ceiling in your bedroom a shade that soothes you. I find shades of blue tend to be relaxing, but color is very personal. Maybe lavender is your thing, or maybe you’re a fall person and need a cozy olive green to peer at you from above.
Exercise
Allow yourself to sweat daily and feel good about what is going on with your body. Create a special space for this activity and allow it to be one that is energizing. I recently discovered an app called “Fit Star” that I’ve used to do a regular workout. It allows me to create goals based on my fitness level and fit my works outs in within a short time span so that even my kids get involved!
Emily Herrick will soon have a studio for yoga classes, so if you’re unable to create a space at home, take advantage of her beautiful scenery and excellent yoga instruction! Don’t forget to drink a lot of water so that cleansing continues!
Eat Well
Frankly, I can’t lecture on diet… I’m vegan, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love my sweet and salties! But, I can tell you that there are great advances in the world of kitchen and bath design that will bring the spa to you! Your kitchen space should be zoned for ease of use. Now, in regards to the actual food, don’t be afraid to try new things and check out the wonderful offerings our community has in this area. Shauna and Dan Ahern have a business called “Feed Our People” that can be found on Facebook. They offer a weekly menu with deliveries of delicious and healthy foods. Claudia Hernandez has a similar food delivery service. How lucky are we to live where we get nutritious food delivered by chefs to our homes! We don’t need to be at a spa to eat well. I’ve said it already, but I’ll say it again, drink water!
Looking for more help on developing your inner space? Great news! Emily Herrick and Rachel Waldron from Voice of Vashon’s “Inner Space” talk show are holding a workshop in October and we’d love to have you. Visit with us at Home Sweet Home at 4:30 to chat about your inner space!
To learn about Rachel Waldron’s interior design services, contact her at 206.249.9860 or rachel@waldrondesigns.com