Simple Healthy Watermelon Frosty (perfect way to save a not sweet watermelon)

By JULIE - 7:49:00 PM

0 Comments

8 Easy Ways to Make Your Home Feel Like a Luxury Hotel or Resort

By JULIE - 4:10:00 PM

Every year at the end of winter/ start of spring I block out a week to research top resorts for inspiration of how to make my own home feel more lux. I find it's easy to get caught up in the busy day to day and not notice things in our homes that need attention (like maybe your towels are getting worn out), or think about indulging in minor luxuries.

1. DECLUTTER AND DEEP CLEAN YOUR HOME

Luxury hotels are impeccably clean and clutter free. Chances are you might think your home is pretty clean, but if you look at your bathroom and ask yourself would you complain about the cleanliness of your bathroom if you were staying at a 5 star hotel? I know I would! My bathroom does not look gross at all. I wouldn't be embarrassed if company came over unexpectedly. But if you looked closely at our toilet it isn't impeccably clean, and our tub has grime and soap scum not noticeable unless you really look, and grout in the shower has some mold, nothing super noticeable. And yes you will find stray hair in the tub and sink. My guess is I am not alone. I call this company clean, not hotel clean.

To stay hotel clean I suggest getting better cleaning tools and try to have multiple cleaning tools and supplies around the house. Basically the easier it is to clean the more likely you will.

Get Better Cleaning Tools

Drill brush set for cleaning

I just bought this drill brush attachment set and so far have used the larger yellow flat and rounded brush to clean my tub and shower tile. I got this to hopefully make cleaning the tub and shower and oven and stove easier. It also helps to have a new toy to inspire me to clean.

Cleaning went way faster, was more fun, reduced my need for bleach, and did a better job than my usual cleaning. I tried going chemical free with all my cleaning about a decade ago, but eventually went back to using bleach in our bathroom. I hate having chemicals off gassing in our only bathroom, but frankly this seemed like the only way to get rid of mold stains in grout. Using these drill brush attachments I only used a spray bottle with a natural all purpose cleaner and water and our tub and tile is sparking clean. There was only one spot of mold in the grout I couldn't get out with the Drill brush attachments.. Luckily now I think I will only need to use bleach periodically in very small areas the brush can't reach and around caulk.

If you do use brush drill attachments make sure to have ear protection and put your hair back if it is long. It is loud! I never use ear protection when drilling so I didn't think about it, but usually you drill for a few sec to 1 min not for a long time. My ears were ringing. Luckily we have noise canceling headphones. With those on it is no problem.

Have Cleaning Tools and Suplies Hidden All over the House

Mini brush and dust pan hung on command hooks back of my hall closet.

This is my fav trick to keep my house clean. If I notice something is dirty I am way more likely to just immediately clean it up if I have what I need to clean nearby. I keep multiple tiny brooms and dustpans on hooks on the back of cabinet and closet doors all over my house. I also have swiffers hidden in closets to clean the floor. I have napkins hidden in the drawers of our coffee table to clean up spills immediately.

2. UPGRADE YOUR BEDDING AND MAKE YOUR BED

Budget find: Purity home sheet set at Target ($33-45).

Nice bedding is a must in any luxury hotel. I recently bought new sheets and was overwhelmed with the options. I was tempted to buy sheets that are supposed to be really nice, but was worried about spending $100 -600 only to find out they were just OK. So I opted to buy a Purity home sheet set at Target ($33-45). They were priced low enough if they weren't amazing I wouldn't really care also it would be easy to return if I really didn't like them. But the quality had the possibility to be really nice, since it is 400 thread count, 100% cotton with a sateen weave (gives a silky feel), wrinkle resistant and standard 100 by OEKO- TEX certified (tested, to be free from more than 100 substances known to be harmful to human health). I bought them in ivory cause it was cheaper and a little easier to keep clean. Hotels usually use white sheets so go with white if you really want the hotel vibe. So far I like them a lot. They are available in a parcel weave if you prefer crisp sheets.

Splurge: Frette sheet set used by many luxury hotels $450- 625

If you want the real deal Frette sheets are the pick of many top hotels. Frette is an Italian company that has been around since 1860 and supplied linens to everyone from the Italian royal family to nearly every luxury hotel around the world (the Danieli in Venice, the Ritz in Paris, the Peninsula in Hong Kong). You can also buy a wide range of 4 Seasons Hotels bedding here., or the Ritz-Carlton here.

Next I plan to get a mattress toppers for an even more comfy 💤😴

3. GET NEW FLUFFY WHITE TOWELS AND A SPA INSPIRED BATH MAT

My Josie slippers and Bath Mat

Adding new spa inspired bath accessories and towels can give your bathroom an instant uplift. Fluffy new towels and a soft clean bath mat can easily give any bathroom a touch of luxury.

A few yrs ago I bought new towels and a bath mat. I bought my bath mat at Target. It is 100% Polyester with a rubber back. I ❤ it. It feels so soft getting out of the shower. We wash it every week and it drys quick and has held up well to frequent washing.

My towels Superior towel set

The key to buying high quality towels is to find 100% cotton towels with high grams (very dense). The weight of a towel can be a great indicator of quality and performance. Typically, towel density is measured in grams per square meter (GSM) and ranges from 300 to 900 GSM. If the towels do not tell you the amount of GSM look at the weight of the item. The heavier it is the better the quality and will be very absorbent. I would recommend a minimum 700 gsm. For over a decade I have been buying Superior towel sets (900 gsm) on Amazon. They last us about 5 yrs and are really great quality.

If you don't mind spending more, check out the Ritz cartons shop and the 4 Seasons, to get the same towels they use.

4. SPA QUALITY ROBE AND SLIPPERS

Croft and Barrel knit robe I bought at Kohls

Nothing says hotel relaxation like a nice robe. A few years ago I realized I really needed a new lighter robe. I had a polyester tool like looking robe that was so hot I would get sweety after just having showered. My other robe was better it was a chenille knit robe I got while working at Bloomingdale's. It is great but was starting to look old. I wanted something that was reasonably priced lightweight, lightweight, cotton, and felt like I could see it used at a spa. I looked at Terry robes but was worried it would be to heavy, she'd, and not be desirable quality despite being expensive.

I ended up buying this Croft and Barrel robe in white at Kohls and I ❤ it. It is a waffle knit cotton poly blend and is as comfy as a t-shirt. I bought it to wear for warmer weather but ended up wearing it yr round even in winter. I have worn it for yrs now and it still looks good. I actually plan to buy 2 more one as a gift and one as a spare for myself.

If you want a legit hotel robe and don't mind spending more you can buy the same robes used at the 4 Seasons Hotels and the Ritz-Carlton.

5. INDULGENT BATH PRODUCTS

Credit: Renaissance Hotels

Use bath products that feel spa worthy. While some toiletries in upscale hotels are hard to find private label products there are some easy to find brands carried by Luxury hotels and resorts like MN's own Aveda (at Renissance hotels), and Bliss at W Hotels (who liked Bliss so much they actually bought the company).

6. SLEEP IN WITH BLACKOUT CURTAINS

Pony Dance BLACKOUT CURTAINS best of tested by Bob Villa

I think it is fair to say every resort, hotel, and even motel will all have blackout curtains. Because, let's face it no one wants the sun to wake them up when you can sleep in. Black out curtains have a heavy coating on the back to block out the sun. If you would rather make your own then buy them you can purchase curtain black out lining that you use (glue by ironing) to your fabric. Check out this tutorial by Two Twenty One for a step-by-step tutorial.

7. GET A NESPRESSO OR KEURIG MACHINE

Nespresso Coffee Machines

If you look at the amenities offered at luxury hotels and resorts you will almost always will see either a Nespress or KEURIG Machine mentioned. According to a 2015 stat from Nespresso, its machines are in 30% of the world’s 2,400 Michelin star restaurants.

Both Nespresso and Keurig are pod coffee machines. You need to buy pods not ground coffee. To use you just need to slot a capsule into the machine and simply click start and wait for your coffee to be ready.

I personally don't own one so I can't vouch for either, but I am tempted to get one but not sure if it's worth spending extra on pods vs ground coffee but could be nice to have on occasion. Currently I use a French press.

8. CREATE A GYM AT HOME

We have used this Amazon Basics adjustable weight set for yrs

Standard amenities at most 5 star hotels are a pool, hot tub, fitness room. Obviously the pool and hot tub are difficult for most to add to their house but finding space to use as a fitness room is doable for most if you buy small equipment you can tuck away.

I have never worked out at the gym but my husband did until the pandemic hit like so many others. We definitely have bought more equipment than we had prepandemic and figure it is worth it considering how much money we are saving not joining a gym. I think the pandemic has shown the value in having the ability to work out at home.

My husband and I only buy workout equipment that is inexpensive (under $100) and can easily be tucked away. We have bought a few items we thought we would use but didn't, no big deal because we didn't spend much and is easy to keep in the back of a closet or give away. Unlike the treadmill taking up space reminding you how you never work out 😋.

Here is the equipment my husband and I have that we use:

Weighted vests (for push-ups)
Pull up Workout Gloves (for pull up bars in parks by use)
38 lb adjustable dumbell set
5 lb weights
Yoga mat
Balance ball
Weighted Jump rope
Mini Stepper (I only use this in the winter when it is too cold to walk to help stay active and it broke after 2 yrs but I think I can fix it)
Over the door pull up bar with straps (my husband just bought this)

Hope this has inspired you to make your home extra luxurious. Check out my article: DIY Projects to Turn any Backyard into a Staycation for more ideas.

Just to let you know all products mentioned in this article were bought by myself and I recieve no money from any links to products in this article.

Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook. Let’s be friends on Pinterest and we can follow each other on instagram. And check out my other blog OhYou Crafty Gal.