Run Your Home Like a Hotel (The Fun Stuff!)
Google “how to run your home like a hotel” and you will find tips on keeping your home clean and clutter free, sorting the mail and keeping décor simple, but I want to look past that and into what makes staying at a hotel a lux experience. Adding a few hotel-style touches to your home can add an extra layer of satisfaction to your life. Maybe it is a long weekend, you have had a tough week, or you have in-laws coming into town. A mini bar, event calendar, continental-style breakfast and a stockpile of travel-size beauty products are just enough to make your life feel a little extra when life is being a little extra.
A Mini Bar
A nice hotel mini bars are incredibly tempting, but I can usually talk myself out of a $7 bottle of Fiji water. At home I like to stalk up on fun drinks and snacks to pull out on the weekend or after a particularly long day. My personal mini bar includes: kombucha, sparkling water, cold-brew coffee and even protein shakes. I am a daily ice tea drinker, so these drinks are unique and something to look forward to drinking. In regard to snacks, I am a huge supporter of flavored popcorn, chocolate covered pretzels, cookies and candy – lots of candy. As everyone’s favorite mom, I am sure you have an idea of what your kids and partner like, too. Try storing them in a large tub (hidden under clothes) or the garage if you want to keep sticky fingers out of reach.
An Event Calendar
An event calendar used to track fairs and festivals, children’s programs, and concerts is a great way to get excited for breaks in your schedule. Do not feel pressure to go to everything (or anything!) Researching what your town has to offer can make you feel more connected to your home. My town has a farmer’s market, county fair (that gets better each year), outdoor symphony dates and candlelit yoga. I jot down a few of my local libraries’ events for the kids and movie release dates for my husband. Adding a dinner party or game night is perfectly acceptable, too! My children are small (one and three), but my husband and I love to break out Scrabble, Stratego, or Codenames after they are in bed. Board games get expensive, so check Goodwill or eBay for deals. Also, Pinterest is loaded with dinner-and-a-movie themed menus. I am just dying for my kids to be old enough for a Moana-themed night. Bacon-wrapped pineapple bites, anyone? Events are often annual, so keep a running list and this project takes less and less time to pull together.
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Continental Breakfast
Muffins, croissants, and doughnut holes paired with fresh fruit, milk and your choice of juice. I am talking about a store-bought, semi-homemade breakfast bar. Keep it simple with a few treats or really wow them by adding bacon and eggs or my personal favorite, biscuits and gravy. Whichever way you go, this is a hit at my house where oatmeal and cereal reign supreme.
Bath Products
Checking out a hotel’s bath products is one of the first things I do after checking in! At home, I stockpile mini shampoo and conditioners that fall outside my usual brand. I also collect travel-sized bubble bath, body wash and deodorant bottles and store them under my bathroom sink.
Really into this idea? Add bath bombs, sheet masks or Epsom salt packets for more variety. If you have small children, try adding TruKid Bubble Podz (14.99 at Walmart) or Crayola Color Bath Dropz ($3.79 at Target). I love diffusing essential oils (it counts! They are mini!). I also keep a stockpile of Jack Black travel-size products for my husband.
Petit Vour, FabFitFun and ipsy subscription boxes are a great way to try new products and start your own stockpile. It should be said that most grocery and big box stores have an aisle dedicated to travel-sized products as well.
There you have it! A few ideas on how to run your home like a hotel that can help turn around a bad day or put a fun spin on a long weekend.
Stephanie
Stephanie is an Instagrammer and YouTuber at MyGreigeHouse with two small children. She loves to clean, organize and connect online between playdates, pre-school and dinner time.
She is looking forward to returning to the workforce, once her children both reach kindergarten, but in the meantime she enjoys the freedom of freelance work and creating tutorials on her Instagram and YouTube channel.
She can be reached at mygreigehouse@gmail.com