Have you heard about the latest vacation hotspot? Oddly enough, it looks a lot like your house. Going on a staycation means that you enjoy yourself while you’re at home. You could play a tourist in your own town or simply relax and forget about everyday life for a while. However, that’s easier said than done, since home is where the chores live. How can you relax and enjoy your house on your staycation? 

1. Cancel Your Commitments 

How can you go on vacation when you’re still at home? The trick is to pretend to yourself that you’re not at home and do what you’d do if you were on vacation. 

• Put an out of office note on your email and your phone message.
• Cover the clocks. “Eliminating reminders of time helps wipe away the stress of the daily grind,” says Real Simple.
• Pay your bills in advance and ignore the mail. 
• Put your phone away and get outside – relax in the garden, go to the pool, or take the time to check out that little shop that you’ve heard so much about. 
• Avoid the temptation to check the news.

2. Forget About the Chores 

The lawn needs to be mowed and the gutters have to be cleaned. This week, you’re not responsible. Forget about the chores and choose to do them in advance, outsource them, or eliminate them entirely so that your home is more relaxing in the long term. For instance, a staycation could help you realize that you don’t need a huge lawn or that gutter guards would allow you to spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying your house.

What should you do instead? Collect books you’ve wanted to read for a while or create a movie list to watch with the family. Go on hikes around the neighborhood or go on a day trip to a nearby town. 

3. Hire Some Help 

If you’d like to make your at-home vacation even more full of ease, hire some help for the duration of your staycation. For example, you could:

• Hire someone to clean your house before and after, so that you don’t need to worry about cleaning the clutter.
• Get takeout, go to a restaurant, or prepare dinners in advance so that you don’t need to think about cooking.
• Find a babysitter for an evening or two.
• Hire someone to walk the dog.

4. Create Space To Relax 

Do you want a house that you don’t need to escape? Create spaces in and around your home where it’s easy to relax and enjoy life. For example, you could add: 

• Small luxuries like expensive soap or pillows. According to House Beautiful, you should “also think about what is under your feet — introduce soft rugs in your living spaces and plump cushions and throws.” A patio for entertaining, complete with an outdoor kitchen or barbeque. 
• Restful spaces under an umbrella, awning, or trellis where you can relax in the shade, watch the kids play, or read a book. 
• Gardens that suit your personality. If you love to garden, create a higher-maintenance space that allows you to putter in the garden when you want to do so. If you prefer to look at gardens but don’t want to maintain them, go for low-maintenance hardscaping or xeriscaping. 
• Water features that suit your interests. If you love having a pool, by all means, choose to have one. However, if you really enjoy a soak in the hot tub or the sound of falling water from a water feature, choose that instead.  
• A hammock, some lounge chairs, and a portable fire pit. 
• An outdoor dining area so you can create the illusion of eating on a fancy patio. 
• A reading nook in the garden or on the patio, complete with a trellis. 

At Harry Helmet, we like to make your life easier. Instead of spending time cleaning your gutters, relax and enjoy time under the awning on your patio. We can make this happen.  Schedule a free estimate today.

Written by Del Thebaud