Affordable and Relaxing Self-Care Ideas for Winter Months
Affordable and relaxing self-care ideas are essential in the winter months. With the excitement of Christmas well and truly over, and the short, cold, grey wet days feeling never-ending it is important to focus on self-care. This blog post will help you explore a range of ideas that are affordable whatever your budget, helping you to ensure you feel your best all winter long.
Indoor winter self-care activities
During the winter months, indoor activities become especially appealing and beneficial for a variety of reasons. I am sat typing this during our 6th severe weather warning this month, the pavements where I live remain covered in ice, making it treacherous to go out. Therefore, the idea of having some affordable indoor self-care activities currently is very appealing. Indoor activities allow us to look after our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. From cozying up with a good book to enjoying home workouts, crafting, or exploring new hobbies, the possibilities are endless. Here are some of my favourite indoor self-care activities:
Reading
This is one of my all-time favourites. Reading is a great way to relax and unwind, especially if you pick something that you enjoy and doesn’t upset you. You can usually also access books for free at your local library. Also, places like Amazon have lots of really cheap or free books, that can be accessed by a free app on your phone.
DIY crafts
The sky’s the limit when it comes to crafting ideas. From scrapbooking to candle making, to sewing to journaling there are lots of ideas to choose from. You can use old magazines or cardboard packaging for scrapbooking or journalling to help keep costs lower or visit charity shops for wool and yarn if you are on a tight budget.
Home Spa Day
Relax, and put on your favourite facemask or hair mask. You could even link it to the DIY crafts and make your own DIY beauty products. This is something I love to do, it has saved me a fortune. I am no expert but places like The wellness mama have lots of good recipes.
Home movie night
Put on some homemade popcorn, and then your favourite movie. Whether you stream or still own an extensive DVD collection this can be an affordable and nice way to relax.
Cooking and baking
Again this is usually cheaper and healthier than the shop-bought alternative, whether you enjoy cooking up a good curry or a delicious chocolate cake, there are lots of free recipes online.
Tea-time
Having a cup of tea is an event in my household. I love nothing more than making a nice pot and really taking the time to relax and savour it. This one goes nicely with the cooking and baking, especially the baking. Once you have finished baking why not enjoy your tasty treat with a nice cup of tea?
Puzzles and Games
If you share your home with people whether that be a romantic partner, parents, siblings, housemates or children games are a great self-care activity if you are all interested. Pick the right game and it can be a mindful activity where you are completely engaged. Be warned pick the wrong one and it might end in chaos. Once had a flatmate who threw a table over, over a heated game of Monopoly (something we have never let him live down). If you don’t share your life with anyone then there are lots of alternatives. There are some great puzzle books on the market, lots of interesting games you can download to your smartphone, or if you are trying to reduce your smartphone use lots of old-fashioned puzzles that you can pick up quite cheaply.
Outdoor self-care activities
If the weather outside is reasonable or you are up braving the cold for outdoor self-care activities can be incredibly rewarding. I know I am not alone in loving those cold, clear, crisp, and sunny winter days. Outdoor winter self-care activities offer a unique set of benefits that indoor activities simply can’t match. It allows you to make the most of natural daylight, which can often be in short supply during the winter months. By stepping outside and embracing the cold, you can enhance your overall well-being and make the most of the winter season. Here are my top ideas for outdoor self-care activities.
Exercise
Outdoor activities can be both affordable and fun. Whether it be a nice walk or a winter jog outdoor exercise is a great boost for our physical and mental well-being.
Nature walks
This is another great one. Spending time in nature is great for our physical and mental health. Combining that with exercise only increases the benefits.
Star-gazing
I suggest you wrap up warm for this one, but nothing better on a clear night. Perhaps treat yourself to some hot chocolate to warm up when you have finished.
Feeding the wildlife
Set up bird feeders or scatter seeds for wildlife. This can be an excellent self-care activity. Even better if it is particularly hideous out you can scatter the seeds near a window and watch from the cosyiness of your own home.
So here are my top ideas for self-care during the winter months. The cold, darker days can take their toll both on physical and mental health, making self-care essential. Self-care activities can aid stress reduction and help you to relax and recharge. I encourage you to try one or two of these ideas and see how they make you feel.
