When an out-of-town vacation is not ideal, try a Staycation!

Sometimes, it’s just not possible to get out of town for a summer vacation, so many people stay at home and enjoy a week of vacation time without the travel.

I’ve compiled a list of tips to help make staying at home with the family enjoyable.

• Put the mail/bills on hold for a week. Sure, they’ll be there when your vacation time is up, but putting it out of sight can help you enjoy your time without distractions.
• Limit phone time/screen time and definitely work. You may even consider skipping watching the news. When you banish the source of stress, the stress itself may follow.
• Make it family time whole week. No independent outings or outside plans.
• Put the chores on hold. For moms especially, it’s hard to escape the distraction and pressure of daily household chores. Give yourself the week off and pick up the slack next week.
• Check messages once or twice a day, and put an “out of office” memo on your email.
• Plan ahead for fun! Just like a vacation, make plans for each day, including a budget for things you want to do.
• If you like spontinaeity, consider putting everyone’s ideas into a jar, then picking one activity each day.  Or, if your family prefers more structure, use your ideas to develop an itinerary for the week.
• Be sure to also spend some time prepping your home and kitchen to make things as easy—and neat—as possible for your relaxing week at home.  Gather menus to all the local restaurants that offer takeout and delivery or, if eating out every day is not an option, plan a freezer cooking session ahead of time to prepare a week’s worth of easy stress-free meals.  You might also want to consider using disposable dishes and serve ware to cut down on dishes.  Make sure to caught up on laundry before your week begins, and, if possible, do a family power-cleaning session the day before your Staycation starts.
• Get creative in your own town. There are plenty of activities and fun things to do. Make a list and pick the ones your family will enjoy the most. Try something you’ve never done before! Check out some ideas here.

Relax and enjoy!

The key to having the best Staycation ever ultimately has nothing to do with the activities you choose, but with your own attitude and commitment to making your week a time of fun and relaxation.   Let the chores be for a week and instead give yourself permission to kick back and enjoy the moment.  Laugh and talk with your kids and spouse and create memories that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Thank you for reading! If you’ve found value in this, please share!