A Relaxing Weekend at Home

No, I’m not joking. Yes, it is possible. Don’t believe me? Read on to discover how you, mother, wife, daughter, working woman, can take some time this weekend to enjoy yourself, and all without leaving the comfort of your own home!

If you’re anything like me, that is to say, someone who works 9 to 5, five days a week, then perhaps, also like me, you enjoy spending the weekend at home, relaxing. Even if you’re a home-maker who spends her days organising the kids, ordering the servants around and overseeing the management of the house, the weekends are days looked forward to because everyone’s at home together. However, sometimes, this can get rather boring and drab, and you feel like you’ve done nothing but waste your time. The important thing, though, is that you do something worth your while, that leaves you feeling refreshed, energised, and not regret having spent hours of your day lying in bed, being lazy (though I have to admit, that feeling does have its perks!).

Let’s look at some fun things you can do, some alone, some with friends or family, to add some spice to your life, without tiring you out too much, and  best of all within the comforts of your own home.

Game Night:

Whether you’ve got young kids, older children, or none at all, games are generally something that will also bring out the child in you. If you’re just a husband and wife, perhaps call over some other couple-friends to join in the fun. To make sure it’s not taking too much of a toll on you, and you also get to enjoy yourself, keep it for after dinner and serve some coffee, drinks and place some snacks around the room. Keep it casual so that the mood stays relaxed and fun and don’t take the game to heart! Enjoy the company, adrenaline and friendly competition.

This also works within a family, with each person for himself or siblings, parents or a parent and child teaming up and playing against each other. Some family favourites are Monopoly, though this often ends in tears, Articulate, Taboo, Pictionary, Scrabble & Life. For the single girls, call some girlfriends over and do the same! This is a great opportunity to have some time together as a family (or as friends), bond, chit chat, and get to know each other better.

Cook-Off:

Before you go thinking that this is another competition I’m throwing into the mix, it’s not! Don’t literally cook-off; we want to keep your weekend stress-free! Get together with your children and indulge in easy cooking or baking. Give every member of the family a task, from laying the table, to dicing the chicken and stir frying the veggies. Let it all come together in a family meal and don’t forget to supervise little children in the kitchen!

Again, this brings people closer together, and if you’ve got kids, ensures that you’re not only spending quality time with them, but also teaching them a little something that will help them a long way. If you’re just husband and wife, make a romantic dinner out of it and divide the chores up so that no one person is in the kitchen on their own. If you’ve got help, you can leave them to do the dishes! If you’re not in the mood to break a bit of a sweat, too lazy, or generally not interested in cooking, order in and enjoys a nice meal with your loved ones. Remember, you want to have fun, so whether that’s in letting someone else cook for you, cooking for or with someone, or eating comfort food in your pjs is up to you!

Movie Night:

Who doesn’t love a great movie, pigging out on popcorn, lying horizontal on the sofa? You don’t need to dress up and go to a cinema to enjoy this experience... I personally love watching movies at home where I can pause, rewind, and re-watch scenes as many times as I want. If you’re on your own pick out something you fancy, a nice chick-flick like When Harry Met Sally, The Notebook, or Gone With the Wind; whatever you’re in the mood for. Bring along a sweet or savoury snack to munch on and choose a nice place where you won’t be bothered by traffic for a couple of hours! Oftentimes, on my own, my favourite place to watch a movie is in my bad with my laptop perched on my belly, earphones in, for a full-on cinematic experience.

Not one for watching movies on your own? Make a family movie night out of it. Set up the lounge with enough seating or space for the number of people, get that many bowls of popcorn, some pick ‘n’ mix and a drink each, dim down the lights, and voila! You’re ready to go. For a family movie night you want to pick something rated U which is appropriate for audiences of all ages and doesn’t result in any awkwardness if you’re watching with parents or children! When everything’s done make sure you have help tidying up and you’re not doing this alone.

Bed, Bath & Beyond:

For those who need some alone time to just recuperate and be alone with their thoughts, or still their mind this is a great routine. Spend some of your morning lying in; enjoy a cup of tea or two in your duvet before you make an appearance. If you’ve got a bath-tub, fill it up with warm water, bubbles, and some essential oils. Go a little further and light some scented candles, but careful to place them in such a way that they don’t pose a fire hazard. If possible, dim the lights, and submerge yourself beneath the soapy suds, eyes shut, relaxing your body and mind. For those who’re interested, this is also a great time to exfoliate the skin with a body brush or loofah!

When you decide to emerge, take your time pampering yourself. Take care of the little things you don’t get time to do during the week like polishing your face, putting on a masque or doing your nails. You can also spend the day catching up on your reading, making calls to family or friends and tidying up both yourself and perhaps your room!

Redecorate:

If you’re the creative type and you’re looking to find your zen why don’t you try to redecorate or even re-organise your world and clear you mind and space. Hang up a painting or poster you’ve been hiding under your bed, paint your wall a different colour or move your furniture around to spruce things up a little. You’ll be surprised to see how a slight change in the interior or just de-cluttering your surrounding can actually do wonders for your mood. Not only will you be at home but you’ll also be using your time productively and not necessarily alone. Inspire your family to clean out or change around their rooms too, or help each other and do one living area at a time.

While you’re at it, why not also go into the closets and indulge in a little spring cleaning? Throw out, or better yet, put aside for those less fortunate than yourselves, clothes you haven’t worn for a year, that don’t fit or fall as well, or have gone out of style. Reorganise your wardrobe so everything is neatly stacked, or hung, in some sort of order: colour, length, season and so on.

This exercise is sure to leave you a little tired, but feeling reawakened mentally. A certain calm comes over me whenever I tidy up my room, or even desk. I feel like I can think more clearly and rest easier. Once you’re done, sit back and enjoy a cup of tea in your newly cleared out crib!