If you’re feeling a little anxious and unsettled right now in light of the recent coronavirus pandemic, you’re not alone. Of course, the most important thing to do is to stay calm and avoid putting anyone else at risk - and this means staying in as much as possible. 

If you’re lucky you’ll be able to work from home, but even if you need to leave the house for work you should avoid taking any unnecessary trips into the outside world… but that doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun.

While it might seem odd during this time of panic and concern, it actually makes a lot of sense to try to relax. Self-care is crucial, after all, and no one should think they don’t deserve to take some time for themselves. With that in mind, read on to learn more about how to chill out in the comfort of your own home - and for some of our very favourite staycation ideas. 

What is a Staycation? 

As you might guess from the name, the word staycation originated in the United States. It’s a pretty simple play on words, adding the word ‘stay’ to the US term for holiday - ‘vacation’. The end result captures pretty much exactly what it is: a stay-at-home holiday. 

The word was first used by those who wanted to have a good time and take a break from work but who didn’t have the money, time or opportunity to physically go away. While they’re still a great way to save money, staycations are also perfect for this time of social distancing, isolation and quarantine. 

If you want to spend time relaxing with those who live with you while following the government’s advice about social distancing, then this list of staycation ideas is for you! 

How to have a great staycation 

As anyone who’s ever tried working from home will likely know, it’s often far easier said than done to snap out of your routines. While home should be a relaxing place anyway, you want your staycation to feel special.

For this reason, it’s crucial you plan carefully and outline a strategy with whoever you’re staying in with. After all, no one wants to get bogged down in the same old dull routine of doing the dishes and washing clothes. No, you want this time to feel more like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain. 

To avoid turning your stay-at-home holiday into a boredom-inducing sleepwalk, make sure you plan things out beforehand and follow the tips in our list of staycation ideas to make sure your time in the house doesn’t feel like just another day. 

Staycation Ideas 

1) STOCK UP

It’s always important to plan out what you need to get from the shops, and this is especially true now. You want to have enough that you don’t need to interrupt your stay-at-home holiday by something as mundane as grocery shopping, but you also don’t want to take too much - especially when it comes to those bare necessities that have been flying off the shelves so quickly as of late. 

For the best results, plan out meals for every night of your staycation - and maybe even learn a few interesting cocktail recipes. As well as standard holiday fare like barbecue food and snacks, you’ll want to plan at least a couple of restaurant-quality meals to keep things feeling special. 

2) DRESS YOURSELF AND YOUR SPACE UP   

One of the best things about going away is getting your best and comfiest outfits ready - and that’s yet another thing you can do from the comfort of your own home! Lay out any fancy or relaxing clothes you’d usually reserve for trips abroad. If the weather’s good, it can be a great time to relax in your back garden, and it’ll feel even better if you’re doing it while donning your favourite holiday gear. 

And there’s no need to stop there. Nice outfits can make your classy meals and cocktail nights feel special, while decorating your bedroom can be a great way to feel like you’re doing something different even if you’re staying at home. 

3) CREATE A RELAXING ENVIRONMENT 

This tip is all about making you feel like you’re getting some time off. Simple redecorating can help, and if you can order some flowers and scented candles you’ll be well on your way to creating a wonderful relaxing environment to enjoy during your time at home. 

To make things even better, pick some scents you wouldn’t normally have at home - there are more than enough candles and air fresheners that promise to take your mind away to some sun-kissed beach, so why not put them to the test? 

Top Tip: If there are any smells that remind you of past holidays, try to find those scents! For some of our Teletextperts, it’s pine needles, which always conjure up memories of family trips to the south of France and to northern Spain. Scent is the sense most closely linked to memory, after all, so why not make use of that? 

4) KEEP THE KIDS BUSY  

Those without little ones at home can skip this section, but all the parents out there should listen up. So much of what makes a great staycation is in the mind - but adults might find that a lot easier to buy into than children.

Since they don’t have to work, kids will often already associate the home with relaxation, and they might find it hard to remind themselves they’re meant to be on holiday without the air travel and change in scenery. While different decor and meals will help, you should make sure to provide enough activities you wouldn’t usually do. They can range from breaking out the board games to setting up a paddling pool in the garden - anything to help the young ones know this isn’t just another week at home!

5) TREAT IT LIKE A HOLIDAY 

Reading a book or staying in for a movie night can be great ways to relax, but on their own they don’t add up to a holiday. Instead, you should treat this like a real trip abroad - and that means not checking your emails every minute to keep up with work! Whether you’re working from home or not, you should book some time off. Set up out of office replies and make it clear, to yourself and those staycationing with you as much as to your boss and your clients, that this is time for YOU.

We hope you’ve found this list of staycation ideas useful - and that you can now safely answer the question ‘what is a staycation?’. If this has helped get you in the holiday mood without stepping foot out your front door, why not check out some of our other blog posts for even more inspiration?