20 Ways to Make the Most of a Staycation
Give the daily grind the day off by hiding your work stuff, treating yourself and enjoying the outdoors
Taking time off from work to stay at home is a wonderful way to save cash while still getting the R&R of a vacation. At least it can be … as long as you commit to enjoying yourself and don’t just spend the time catching up on household chores. To make the most of your time off, it’s important to do what you can to shut off the outside world and rid yourself of your usual routines. Choose one or more of these ideas to help you rock your staycation.
2. Splurge on a Plush New Robe
Buy a comfy new robe and wear it every morning! Let your fresh, fluffy robe signal the start of vacation.
3. Listen to Beachy Music
Cue up some of your favorite summer tunes and make a few playlists to get in the vacation spirit. Music can give us a major mood boost.
Simple Pleasures: The Art of Lounging at Home
Buy a comfy new robe and wear it every morning! Let your fresh, fluffy robe signal the start of vacation.
3. Listen to Beachy Music
Cue up some of your favorite summer tunes and make a few playlists to get in the vacation spirit. Music can give us a major mood boost.
Simple Pleasures: The Art of Lounging at Home
4. Squeeze Fresh Juice and Make a Homemade Breakfast Each Morning
Breakfast is easier to pull together than dinner, and it can be fun if you rarely have time to sit down, let alone make a full breakfast, during the week.
5. Or Go Out to Breakfast Every Morning
Skip the cooking and the dishes, and just head right out the door first thing in the morning instead. Go somewhere you haven’t tried before to spice things up.
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Breakfast is easier to pull together than dinner, and it can be fun if you rarely have time to sit down, let alone make a full breakfast, during the week.
5. Or Go Out to Breakfast Every Morning
Skip the cooking and the dishes, and just head right out the door first thing in the morning instead. Go somewhere you haven’t tried before to spice things up.
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6. Sweep Away (Read: Hide) Everyday Junk
Who wants to look at piles of bills and work stuff on vacation? Not you! Pile it all in a box and hide it until your staycation is over.
7. Hire a Housecleaning Service
Give yourself the gift of coming home to a fresh, clean house without lifting a finger. Consider having a housecleaner come at the start of your staycation (so you can enjoy the week in a clean house) and at the end (so you don’t have to face cleaning before returning to work).
10 Quick Decluttering Tasks to Support a Restful Summer
Who wants to look at piles of bills and work stuff on vacation? Not you! Pile it all in a box and hide it until your staycation is over.
7. Hire a Housecleaning Service
Give yourself the gift of coming home to a fresh, clean house without lifting a finger. Consider having a housecleaner come at the start of your staycation (so you can enjoy the week in a clean house) and at the end (so you don’t have to face cleaning before returning to work).
10 Quick Decluttering Tasks to Support a Restful Summer
8. Bring Home Fresh Flowers
Scoop up an armful of the most luscious blooms you can find at the farmer’s market and plunk them in a vase. Repeat as often as you like.
Scoop up an armful of the most luscious blooms you can find at the farmer’s market and plunk them in a vase. Repeat as often as you like.
9. Give Your Living Room a Summery Makeover
Drape a pretty beach blanket or summery coverlet over the sofa, or swap out pillow covers. Tape postcards or summer snapshots to the wall with colorful paper craft tape. Remove the heavy rugs and curtains, and set out flowers and seashells.
How to Create the Mood of a Laid-Back Beach House
Drape a pretty beach blanket or summery coverlet over the sofa, or swap out pillow covers. Tape postcards or summer snapshots to the wall with colorful paper craft tape. Remove the heavy rugs and curtains, and set out flowers and seashells.
How to Create the Mood of a Laid-Back Beach House
10. Make a Big Batch of Fancy Water
Slices of cucumber, lemon or lime or sprigs of fresh mint look beautiful in a glass pitcher and make drinking water more appealing. Start each day of your staycation with a fresh pitcher.
11. Rent a Cool Car
Want a change of pace? Leave the boring commuter car in the garage and rent a sportier car (or even a Vespa) for the week.
Slices of cucumber, lemon or lime or sprigs of fresh mint look beautiful in a glass pitcher and make drinking water more appealing. Start each day of your staycation with a fresh pitcher.
11. Rent a Cool Car
Want a change of pace? Leave the boring commuter car in the garage and rent a sportier car (or even a Vespa) for the week.
12. Take Your Yoga Practice Outdoors
Change up your routine by rolling out your mat in the sun. Enjoying fresh air and breezes is a wonderful way to start the day.
13. Take a Guided Tour, Nature Walk or Boat Ride
Have a beautiful outdoor space or historic landmark in your area? Be a tourist for a day and sign up for a guided tour or hire a nature guide to lead you on a hike. Live by the water? Hop on a whale-watching or fishing boat, or take a dinner cruise.
Change up your routine by rolling out your mat in the sun. Enjoying fresh air and breezes is a wonderful way to start the day.
13. Take a Guided Tour, Nature Walk or Boat Ride
Have a beautiful outdoor space or historic landmark in your area? Be a tourist for a day and sign up for a guided tour or hire a nature guide to lead you on a hike. Live by the water? Hop on a whale-watching or fishing boat, or take a dinner cruise.
14. Hire a Massage Therapist to Come to You
You don’t need to go to a fancy spa to bliss out — have the spa come to you instead. Find a local massage therapist who makes house calls and get ready to relax.
15. Sign Up for a One-Day Class
If you love trying new things on vacation, don’t feel you must miss out just because you are at home. Check out the continuing education department at your local university or community center, or search listings online or in the free paper to locate upcoming workshops that sound appealing. Try a cooking class, a painting or pottery workshop, or a lecture.
You don’t need to go to a fancy spa to bliss out — have the spa come to you instead. Find a local massage therapist who makes house calls and get ready to relax.
15. Sign Up for a One-Day Class
If you love trying new things on vacation, don’t feel you must miss out just because you are at home. Check out the continuing education department at your local university or community center, or search listings online or in the free paper to locate upcoming workshops that sound appealing. Try a cooking class, a painting or pottery workshop, or a lecture.
16. Set Up a Summer Bar
Set out some of your favorite drinks (alcoholic and not) on a pretty tray, along with an ice bucket, glasses and a bowl of lemons or limes.
17. Set the Table With Seaside Finds
A few cute new candles or a striped runner, along with piles of pretty shells and rocks collected on the beach, are all you need to make your dining table look like summer.
Set out some of your favorite drinks (alcoholic and not) on a pretty tray, along with an ice bucket, glasses and a bowl of lemons or limes.
17. Set the Table With Seaside Finds
A few cute new candles or a striped runner, along with piles of pretty shells and rocks collected on the beach, are all you need to make your dining table look like summer.
18. Cook and Eat Outdoors
It’s more fun, and it can require less cleanup. Win-win!
19. Try No-Cook Summer Recipes
When it’s hot out and you don’t want to cook, think shrimp cocktail, ceviche, chilled soups, salads and icebox cakes.
It’s more fun, and it can require less cleanup. Win-win!
19. Try No-Cook Summer Recipes
When it’s hot out and you don’t want to cook, think shrimp cocktail, ceviche, chilled soups, salads and icebox cakes.
20. Take Pictures
On a vacation you tote your camera everywhere, right? Just because you’re at home, don’t let that stop you. Take pictures every day — the act of taking photographs helps us slow down and see things we would normally miss.
Tell us: Are you planning a staycation this summer? What do you plan to do? Share in the Comments.
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On a vacation you tote your camera everywhere, right? Just because you’re at home, don’t let that stop you. Take pictures every day — the act of taking photographs helps us slow down and see things we would normally miss.
Tell us: Are you planning a staycation this summer? What do you plan to do? Share in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more stories
Browse photos for ideas
Find home professionals
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Part of what is so delightful about being on vacation is being outdoors, so get out there. We may not have a water view, but we can bring our coffee outside in the morning, carry a glass of wine to the deck in the evening or simply sit with a book in the shade and feel the breeze. To boost ambience, set candles and and flowers or a plant on your table.
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