How to Transform Your Home into a Spa and Wellness Retreat for a Day
by Julia Weaver
We all live busy lives in one way or another, and sometimes it’s hard to press the pause button. Especially in high-stress times like these, it’s important to put your mental and physical health first and find time to relax and slow down to catch our breath. We’ve asked experts, from Atlanta to Sacramento, to share their best tip on how to transform your home into a spa and wellness retreat for a day.
Set the stage for a relaxing day
Setting and ambiance are the most crucial aspects to transform your home into a spa and wellness retreat. You need to create your own special corner of your home where your soul can just “be” – a place that reflects your true self and shuts out all distractions. Take some time to decorate your space accordingly, turn on your favorite chill music and essential oils, and start your spa day with a 10-minute meditation. – Serendipity Wellness Spa
Engage your senses
Set the mood by finding your most comfortable spot at home, play soothing music, and even put on your favorite bathrobe. Look for the perfect diffuser and pair it with 100% pure essential oil that has the benefits and natural aroma you need. Engage your senses and enjoy the at-home aromatherapy with just a touch of a button. – SpaRoom
Shut off all distractions
Try a modern version of a timeless retreat by creating boundaries that remove distraction and use sweet, nourishing attention to details to transform your home into a spa. Do this by creating auto-messages in email and especially on SMS to address all incoming correspondence letting your community know you are in a self-care ritual for a specific amount of time. Prepare some alkaline water with lemon, cucumber, or mint and have it on hand so the body is hydrated and cued to relax. – Devoted Yogi
Add rose petals for spa-like luxury
Light some beeswax or soy candles and take a long soak in an aromatic bath. Add rose hydrosol to warm water. For that extra touch of spa-like luxury, scatter fresh rose petals or your flower of choice in the water and let yourself sink in. – Sharon Falsetto, Founder and AromaMaven at Sedona Aromatics
Use fresh ingredients from your garden
Dry two handfuls of flowers and herbs from your garden to create a naturally fragrant bath. To transform your home into spa, put them in a bowl and mix them with 2 cups of epsom salt. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, then toss everything in your bath, soak and enjoy. – Better Shea Butter
Give yourself a facial
Create a customized facial at home by boiling water, add 3-4 drops of essential oil, and drape a towel over your head to clear pores and breathe easier. Add two different oils to make your own signature blend. Try spearmint and eucalyptus for sinuses and stress, bergamot and cedarwood for relaxation, or tea tree and geranium for healthy skin. – Destination Oils
Practice mindfulness
Creating a retreat in your home is one of the best things you can do for your mental well-being. This has been a difficult time, but it won’t last forever. Everyone can create a space for mindfulness in their home, like the corner of the living room in the bedroom, or in your backyard, and place a pillow or cushion, a tiny plant, and maybe a candle, and commit to sitting for 5-10 minutes. The most important thing is creating an intention, setting aside a specific time so you can have a daily ritual to recharge away from your workspace. We have all had to adapt to the new norm, and as long as we continue to be committed to doing things that are going to help us feel well and nourished we will be ok. – Radically Loved
Choose a fragrance to set the mood
Pick a fragrance for the mood. Musky, vanilla-like scents, tend to give a feeling of warmth, while floral scents can provide a feeling of well-being. Match the candle size to the room size. For example, 3-wick candles will work in larger rooms but may be overpowering for a small space. Go natural with a soy-based candle that never gives a petroleum-like smell as some paraffin candles will do. – Aubert & Amandine
Enhance your daily routine
The Asian spa-experience is very focused on warmth and cleansing the body in order to cleanse the mind. When our clients leave our doors, we suggest replicating the experience by elevating your daily routine. Light a scented candle for ambiance and aromatherapy and play soft music during a bath or shower, invest in exfoliating pads to get rid of dead skin, and throw on a sheet mask right after to improve your skin and make you feel refreshed. – Island Spa and Island
Use an essential oil diffuser
Forgive, release, and let go. To create an environment of peace and wellness diffuse your favorite essential oil for 15 minutes in an essential oil diffuser. The essential oil particles stay suspended for up to 75 minutes. That’s 800 times more therapeutic than a water diffuser. – Diffuser World
Get in the right mindset
Get your home-wellness retreat off to a mindful start. Find a peaceful place where you can sit and practice mindful meditation. It will set the tone for the rest of your day. – Lotus Heart Mindfulness
Soothe your aching feet
Soaking your feet for twenty to thirty in a mixture of Epsom salt and essential oils is the simplest way to ease stress, relax, and ground your body. It also helps relieve tired or aching feet and improve the quality of your sleep. – Holistically Healthy
Find a soothing fragrance
Scent is processed in the same part of the brain as our emotions, making it a crucial element to any spa experience. Find a scent that you find calming or associate with a happy memory, preferably from either a clean-burning, all-natural candle or essential oil diffuser. Along with dim lighting, calming music, and your favorite tea, let your sense of smell transport you from the confines of your home to a high-end spa without the drive. – Bliss Facial Spa
Add soothing and uplifting oils to your bathtub
I recommend using essential oils like lavender in your bathtub or uplifting orange in a diffuser. Essential oils can really help set a mood. With these uncertain times, we like to use “mental clarity” or “find focus” so we can stay on task when there is work to get done. – Pure on Main
Interested in learning about mindful meditation? Check out some of the services I provide!
From my home studio in Tampa Bay, I offer yoga and meditation classes (both personal and for the workplace), as well as mindfulness intensives.
If you’re not in the Tampa Bay area, I have monthly online meditations available through Zoom.
Be sure to follow me @lotusheartmindfulness on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for more mindfulness inspiration!
