Tag: relax

by Incredible Planet Staff

Staycations: Why They’re the Perfect Gift for Your Mum


Lifestyle

There is a rising popularity in staycations. Rather than going abroad, many are opting to holiday in locations across the UK. The cost is just one of the reasons for this growing change. Other pros to staycations also lend themselves to the ideal family holiday, and this is why we think it’s the perfect gift to give your mum.

Spend Time with Your Family

Until you’re a parent, you probably will never understand the woes of a once full nest, now empty. More than ever, the younger generations are more driven. If you’re not bouncing a baby on your hip, you’re probably working tirelessly to also sustain a successful career, with nearly 75% of women with children at least in part-time employment. Unlike her relationship with her own Mum who she may have seen more regularly for help after the birth of her children, your mum barely sees you between the busyness of life. The idea of a staycation then, surrounded by her children is probably one of the best gifts you can give.

Nest full, you can plan a short to week-long break with the focus completely on not only your mum but the whole family. Plan out activities to do together depending on your location and the time of year and re-live snapshots of your childhood. From board games in the evening in front of the fire on a wintry break, to sandcastles, paddling and coastal walks in the summer holidays. No matter what you decide to do, staycations offer you the ease to maximise quality time together.

How Staycations Offer Flexibility

For any parent, there is nothing worse than the thought of a long flight with screaming kids. Even if you take out the children factor, going abroad is pretty stressful. To the extent that it has been reported in 2017 that 4/5 people in the UK would rather have their annual holiday within the country than suffer the stresses of travelling abroad. Whether you’re planning a holiday with just the parents, or siblings and potential grandkids too, there doesn’t seem much worse than the idea of getting on a plane. Even when it’s just you and your partner, the packing process, endless airport queues and never ending extra expense are less than ideal.

With a staycation you can immediately cross off having to set foot in the airport. Select your UK destination, get in the car and go. You can take everything with no allowance hanging over you, including the kitchen sink if you really want. When it comes to accommodation, you can find plenty of places that will even allow you to bring your dog, the perfect companion for if you’re planning a countryside getaway. It is this ease that will appeal to Mum, right after the initial surprise of having everyone nailed down in one place.

Food on a Staycation: Easier and Cheaper?

If there’s one thing that brings a family together, it’s good, warming food. We appreciate it’s of the upmost importance, especially to dad’s who like to know exactly where their next meal is coming from. Just like when going abroad, food whilst away in the UK can depend on the kind of accommodation you choose. As you’re planning to take away the whole family to celebrate your mum, renting a cottage or other cosy property seems like the best call.

Sure, Mum could be put off by the idea of having to slave over the oven every evening. Surrounded by doting children and maybe even grandchildren, though, we know this not to be the case. Do a sweep of the supermarket, or even look to see if you can have it delivered from the likes of Sainsbury’s, Asda or Waitrose. My Favourite Voucher Codes offers money off your first, and even second and third, online shop, so it’s worth leisurely adding to your virtual shopping basket from the comfort of your holiday home. Although she may not always enjoy cooking, we think your mum will enjoy the atmosphere of all her nearest and dearest bustling around the kitchen and working together to achieve something.

Less Stress Factors

With you and your siblings running around after her, your mum can truly get some well-needed R and R. She won’t even have to think with you organising everything down to the last detail. Even when it comes to checking in and out, the rules are far more relaxed in rental homes, not having to stick to a strict time frame in which to get picked up and whisked to the airport.

Let’s face it, as you grow up you start to gradually spend less and less time with your parents and siblings. Life gets busy, you start to have your own families and priorities change. When it comes to gift giving, we’re sure your mum appreciates the cards, flowers and chocolates. Maybe even something sparkly if she’s lucky. But, more than anything, the best present you can give your mum is your time. And that’s why staycations are the perfect gift for your mum.


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by Incredible Planet Staff

Do You Know How to Hygge Like the Danish?


Lifestyle

With the colder temps upon us, we may be spending more time inside and looking for as much coziness and comfort as we can find.  Pronounced as `Heurgha`, hygge is a Danish term that is used to define the absence of anything emotionally overwhelming or annoying. Besides that, it is also a way of living that defines taking pleasure from the presence of soothing and gentle items. For instance, the Danes will often burn candles, and this one of the main aspects of their hygge culture.

For those who are wondering can you hygge like the Danish? Well, this is easily incorporated into your days, which you will see once you learn a little bit more about this cozy culture. It also plays a part in making Denmark as ranked among one of the happiest nations in the world today. An important aspect of this relates to the hygge culture and the elevated levels of contentment that it encourages in the Danish culture. They are consistently at the top of the ‘World’s Happiest People’ lists, so take a page from their practices and get happy with hygge!

The following are some of the best techniques to get you to hygge like the Danes.

Get Cozy and Warm

One of the main areas to focus on and look at when it comes to being hygge like the Danes is to consider your quality of sleep. Your bedroom should invite rest and relaxation.  This means that you should invest in finding the ideal bedding that is available to keep you warm and cozy throughout the colder winter nights. A good example would be to get the best flannel sheets, which are beneficial due to their unique texture and fabric quality, and their ability to keep you warm.  Check out the research on Thoroughly Reviewed to find the best sheets for your sleep. Not only will you find additional warmth in the cold, but as a result wake up well rested and more likely to feel calmer and more collected throughout the day.

Light Candles & Incense

Additionally, another technique that you can consider when it comes to hygge like the Danes is to burn candles. Burning candles are important since they can improve the comfort and coziness of a specific space in your living area. More so, the scent is also important when it comes to achieving the homely feeling, and you should choose the scents that invoke comfort in your mind.  We love a cookie scent or something that smells like the autumn and winter seasons.

Make Time for Friends & Family

Hygge involves more than just a cozy room that is packed with candles, good food, and company. It is more of a way of life, a worldview and perspective of doing things. In fact, it has allowed people from all corners of the world to understand the importance of living life to the fullest and embracing the people and things that we find comfort in. A good way to start practicing this approach would be to spend time with friends and family interacting at home. Research has also shown that feeling content with family members is an important aspect of happiness in life.  Making those people a priority will result in higher overall happiness for you as well.

Prepare Comfort Foods

When it comes to feeling cozy, as the famous hygge culture suggests, making meals and pastries as another component of the overall vibe. This is because preparing meals play a significant role when it comes to spending quality time with our close acquaintances as we come together to drink and dine. With good food and drink, conversation will flow and memories will be made.

Make Your Home Hygge

The Danes can take the design concept to the next level, and their ideas are always amazing. The conventional Danish home setting seems like something acquired from a movie, and with lots of natural components such as leather and wood, which are artfully placed to create soothing pools of light. More so, an important aspect of trying out this design would be to use strategic lighting techniques. Light always plays an important role in the feel of a particular space or room.

One suggestion would be to try out low light dining room table chandeliers, which tend to enhance the overall appeal of any room. This type of lighting can make a vast difference in the home design and atmosphere.  Your room can be accentuated with various other additional home design elements that complement the natural and uncomplicated design.

The concept of Hygge is something that is more prevalent in the colder and winter months. However, when you realize that being comfortable, cozy, and surrounded by family and friends enjoying life are the basis of this delightful Danish concept, you can’t help but wonder if it shouldn’t be something we focus on year-round?  Start now so that by springtime you are ready to carry over innovative ideas that keep the hygge in every season of your life.

by Incredible Planet Staff

How to Set Up the Perfect Alfresco Area at Home


Homes

Part of enjoying your home means enjoying the natural areas that surround it, as well. A great way to do this is to bring the outside in with a relaxing alfresco area. Taking the right steps to set this area up correctly will make a big difference in the enjoyment you get out of it. So, here are a few ways you can have an alfresco area that you’ll be itching to use every chance you get.

Make It Big

There are few areas in a home that are better-suited to mingling than an alfresco area. This means that, in designing your alfresco area, you need to make sure it’s large enough to accommodate even the largest crowds that you welcome to your home. Since everyone will be inclined to linger in this welcoming space, it’s also important that you have adequate seating to ensure everyone stays comfortable during their stay.

Open the Door

There’s no better way to enjoy some fresh air in your alfresco area than by opening up the doors. To ensure you get the maximum airflow, you want to ensure you have as large of an opening as possible. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by utilizing bi-fold doors from a place like Nu-Look Glass & Aluminium Windows. These doors fold completely out of the way, leaving a large and beautiful opening to blend outside and inside. With this opening, though, comes the potential for lots of bugs to enter your home, so make sure you have a way to screen off the area once the doors are open.

Light It Up

Though you likely won’t need much artificial lighting during the day, it’s good to have some source of lighting in your alfresco area for those get-togethers that stretch into the evening. To make the area more of an escape, you can utilize strings of clear light bulbs to create an outdoor cafe-type feel. Ultimately, don’t light the area too brightly, as you’ll lose the tranquility and the mystery of the beautiful nighttime sky.

All-Weather

If you truly want to have an alfresco area that blends outside and inside, you’ll want to ensure you can have it open even when the weather’s not the best. Utilize weather-resistant furniture and finishes to ensure there’s no disasters when a summer storm strikes. Additionally, you may want to have a way to easily drain the area just in case that summer storm gives you a little more than you bargained for.

Perfection

An alfresco area certainly provides a beautiful way to enjoy the outdoors without having to worry about sunburn, bugs, or other outdoor inconveniences. Of course, it’s best enjoyed with other people, so when your new space is complete, make sure to celebrate by having plenty of friends and family over to enjoy the new space with you.