1. Cleanup ahead of time

No one likes coming home from a vacation to a messy house, and if you’re planning a staycation at your home instead of a nearby hotel or home rental, you’ll definitely want to complete this step. The last thing you want to do while on staycay is worry about renovation projects or tidying up around the house.

The day before your trip, enlist the help of your little ones and throw a cleanup party. Give everyone a chore or two to complete before the afternoon. Once all chores have been complete, hire a professional cleaner to add that hotel-level of sparkle and shine to your home. If you want to go the extra mile, schedule an appointment for after your staycation too, that way you and the kids can have fun without worrying about the impending mess to come!   

2. Indulge in delicious snacks

One of the best parts about vacation is getting to enjoy the sweets and treats you normally wouldn’t. With that said, we think stocking up on ready-to-eat deliciousness is an absolute must. Spend an afternoon in the backyard or by the pool by pre-filling high end coolers with all of the cold beverages and chilled snacks the family could want!

Here are a few of our favorite snacking ideas:

• Cut up fruit

• Veggies + hummus

• Chips + dip

• Cheese + meat

• Trail mix

• Popsicles

The key to curating the ideal snack setup is going for easy grab-and-go options, this will allow you to relax while the kiddos help themselves to pre-portioned goodies.

3. Make time to unplug

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in worry when your nose is buried in your phone all day; the same thing goes for your kiddos! Try to make your staycation a phone-free zone if you can, or set specific hours when phones will be allowed. Trust us, making time away from tech will make you more relaxed than ever before.

4. Don’t do dishes (or dinner)

No cooking, no cleanup? Sounds like vacation to me! When dinner time comes around on your staycation, skip the mess and order food delivery instead. This small step will preserve your relaxed state of mind and also feel like you’re doing something a little special! Take the experience further by trying something you normally wouldn’t or a restaurant that’s been on your list for a while now.

5. Create a loose itinerary

While many adults associate vacation time with a whole lot of “nothingness,” there’s something to be said about the opportunities for adventure, too. Plus, your kids probably won’t want to indulge in spa day on your side. To meet them in the middle, come up with a loose itinerary for your staycation. Give them a choice of two activities and space them apart throughout the day so that no one feels swamped — free time is key!

Here are a few fun ideas to follow:

• Morning yoga

• Tie-dyeing

• Nature journaling

• DIY terrariums

• Bubble party

• Star-gazing

• DIY suncatcher

• Outdoor movie

• Fire pit and s’mores

6. Recreate vacation vibes

There’s something about arriving at a hotel or resort that’s instantly relaxing — from the floral design to the friendly service and fancy water, it’s hard not to feel zen. Even though you’ll be staycationing at home, you can certainly recreate the same vacation vibes that hotels and resorts do so well. It’s all in the details!

Here are some ideas to help you create the chilled out atmosphere you’ve been craving:

• Buy a pretty floral arrangement and place flowers in the bathrooms and sitting room

• Cut up fruit and/or mint and add it to carafes of water

• Play relaxing vacation music

• Add mood lighting like market lights for extra ambiance

Wrapping up

Don’t let stay at home orders keep you from having the perfect staycation, just follow these six tips! Don’t forget to share your experience with us in the comment section below.