apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

1. Start with a clean bathroom and fresh towels.
2. Fresh flowers in the bathroom feels luxurious. A bathroom should be pretty as well as clean and organized.
3. Dim the lights and light a candle. If you have one, use a scented candle. This should be an experience for all your senses.
4. Turn on some relaxing music and turn down the ringer on your phone. Take a few minutes of uninterrupted time for yourself.
5. Run a bath. While waiting for the bath to fill, we do a quick sweep through our home, putting things away and preparing for the morning.
6. Now's the time for a bubble bath or a muscle soak. For simple, try Epsom salts (great to relax tired muscles) or baking soda (to soften skin). Try making something from your kitchen, pull out those gifts you've been saving for a special occasion or try some of the soaps and soaks Laure blogged earlier. The time to use them is now.
7. Try a face mask. Even something as simple as egg whites brushed over your face can be a treat.
8. Set a timer. For us it sets a twofold purpose: we can forget about time and it wakes us if we fall asleep! Then, close your eyes and try meditating and let the cares of the day and the week wash away.
9. When you're done, you might want to rinse off in a cool shower. Or just towel dry.
10. Get into bed early and read. Catch up on your magazines, get in a few pages of that novel you've been trying to get to, or snuggle in with your sweetie.
11. Turn out the lights early so you can face the day, and the weekend, bright and refreshed!

[Image via Living Etc.]