Making a 2021 Staycation Awesome

Step 1: Knock-Out All Chores Ahead of Your Staycation

We all have them, whether they are those projects that are part of home ownership or weekly chores that need to be completed like mowing and laundry. It's best to create a list of chores that need to be completed before you "go" on your staycation. The household needs to agree and commit to completing the list before your staycation begins (or else they cannot be done). If your staycation budget permits, it might be worth hiring a cleaner that week so your home is sparkling just like any resort you might stay at on another vacation.

Staycation - Change it Up

One of the things we like about a vacation is the change of scenery. A few ways to give yourself that feeling is to change around some furniture, minimize clutter in your home, bring in a new (or new to you) rug, sheets/comforter, or decor. A great space to take advantage of is your indoor-outdoor living space. Spice-up your outdoor furniture by wrapping a sheet or pillowcase around cushions that is "on theme" for your staycation! If your theme is Hawaii use tropical fabric and accentuate with tiki torches.

Staycation - Create Designated Spaces

One of the great things about a vacation is some of the places/spaces to experience. If you (and your family) love games create and dedicated game table. Roll out the red carpet and convert your den into a fancy theatre. A bathroom can be the spa. If you have kids with energy, a backyard obstacle course ala Ninja Warrior can help (practice runs during the day and a timed run each evening to see how fast they can go)!

The key thing to remember is your staycation is about relaxing and rejuvenating. Love going to the beach? Grab the beach chair and stick your toes in the sandbox with waves crashing on a bluetooth speaker. Love camping? Turn your backyard into a campground and stake out a tent. Walmart has a great camping section and other cost efficient ways to get camping gear is renting or pre-owned on FB Marketplace or a local shop like Play-It Again-Sports.

Staycation - Theme

Whether your staycation is an individual trip or a family affair a theme can create some extra fun and vay-cay ambiance for your staycation. Do what you love and create an evening on a cruise ship or an backyard festival, options are endless. Focus on a place or time:

• Country/State (Hawaii, France, Japan, etc)
• Decade (1910's, 1300s, 1990's)
• Environment (Campsite/Beach/Castle/Vineyard)

Staycation - Plan Meals

One great way to bring your staycation up a notch is to plan out meals and have groceries ready to go! If your idea of relaxing is less to do then prep-ed meals or delivery is the way to go. If cooking is a place you find peace, then having exciting meals to cook over your staycation will make it a staycation to remember. A fun idea can be to leave an open evening for food adventure and try something new at a local restaurant.

Staycation - Explore New Places

To mix things up further take a short ride to one of our local parks or a state park for a change of scenery. There are plenty of great places to explore nearby. Worst case if you don't like it, home is just around the corner.

Winston Salem has many parks, lakes, and greenways that can be explored for free. https://www.cityofws.org/932/Parks Greensboro also has many parks, gardens, trails, and lakes that can be taken advantage of on your staycation https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/parks-recreation. Pilot Mountain is an easy trip with wonderful views https://www.ncparks.gov/pilot-mountain-state-park/home. For hiking, canoeing, or lake swimming checkout what Hanging Rock State Park has to offer https://www.ncparks.gov/hanging-rock-state-park/home. Short afternoon or day trips, even to explore local destinations can help satisfy a need for adventure on your staycation.

Staycation R&R for You

Whatever the details of your staycation in the Triad are, don't forget the focus is to have some R&R. What brings you to zen and inner peace? What's your happy place? Our tips above are only methods to help you and some may not be the best fit for you or others living in your home. Just like a traveling vacation it may be a group effort, but we hope that these tips can help you enjoy your staycation.