Just because you can’t go on holiday at the moment doesn’t mean you have to completely forfeit your summer fun. Here are six ways that you can enjoy your summer at home, adapting parts of the travel experience to work for you in your own home.
Create a relaxing outdoor area
Get outside and enjoy the sunshine from the comfort and safety of your own garden. Create a comfortable outdoor seating area where you can sit back, relax and soak up the sunshine. Try hanging a hammock between two trees, investing in comfy seating or just mowing your lawn to give yourself somewhere to lounge. If you don’t have a garden, give your balcony a little TLC by decorating with potted plants and creating an area to sit.
Dine al fresco
Enjoy eating your meals outdoors, whether that means soaking up the view from your balcony, laying a picnic on your lawn or carrying your dinner outside to eat on your terrace. It’s easy to pretend you’re on holiday on a warm summer’s day if you’re dining outdoors. Play a soundtrack that reminds you of past holidays and allow yourself to linger over your meals, enjoying the moment.
Dedicate weekends to relaxation
Turn off technology at weekends, stepping away from the television and your computer to enjoy activities that you usually only find time for when travelling. Get stuck into a good book, listen to music or just sunbathe in the garden while sipping a cocktail, relieving yourself of all responsibilities and worries for a couple of days.
Travel the world from your kitchen
Cook meals based around the cuisines of your favourite holiday destinations, choosing music and decorations to match the theme each night. Try cooking an Indian banquet, a Mexican feast or a Mediterranean-inspired meal, fully immersing yourself in the culture of your chosen country for that evening.
Create a spa in your bathroom
Create a hotel spa-like ambiance in your bathroom by lighting candles, filling a bubble bath and playing relaxing music. Lock the door to enjoy some privacy and spend a couple of hours indulging in yourself, applying face masks, painting your toenails and simply soaking in the tub, pretending you’re staying in a world-class spa hotel for the evening. Ask your partner to give you a massage to complete the experience.
Enjoy a cocktail night
Host a cocktail night with your household, making your favourite cocktails that remind you of tropical holidays. Pina coladas and mojitos are perfect for evoking that holiday feeling that you’re seeking. Sit outside with your cocktails, watching the sunset to evoke memories of drinking cocktails by the sea on past travels.
Emma Lavelle is a UK based writer and photographer and has her own blog Field and Nest.
