Adding a Little Bit of Luxury to My Spoonie Life

*This is a collaborative post*

As a mum of two with a chronic illness and not very much spare cash at the end of the month, it is important to me to find a little bit of luxury where I can!  Feeling like I am treating myself is so important for my mental health and it doesn’t need to break the bank.  This is how I try to add a little bit of luxury to my everyday life:

By investing in my looks

I know, I know, how shallow, right? But I have to say that making the effort to put time aside to take care of my skin and nails really helps me to feel better about myself.  Children + chronic illness doesn’t always mean that I am fully on top of it, but when I have a regular skin care routine it means that I am taking some time out at the end of the day to just focus on me.  I’ve found that even simple, cheap skincare ranges from shops such as Superdrug and Aldi offer the same benefit as more expensive brands.  At the moment, I am using a Vitamin E oil that has really changed the texture of my skin.  That’s not to say that I don’t love the more expensive brands too though!  I rely on Christmas and birthdays to request the more expensive stuff 😉 I have also just started getting my nails done recently with Shellac – this is a real luxury for me as I wasn’t allowed to wear any polish at all when I worked for the NHS.  It makes me feel ‘put together’ at times when I feel anything but!  Again, this doesn’t need to be a big expense; I know that my sister treats herself every week with her own ‘at home’ manicure and my daughter is also getting to an age where she will ask if she can paint my toenails and then actually do a pretty good job of it!

By prioritising myself when I can

I wrote recently about putting yourself first, as a spoonie parent.  I sometimes feel guilty about saying it, but if I didn’t prioritise my own needs, who will?  I can still be a great parent, partner and friend whilst seeing to my own needs; it might even make me a better person for taking that time out.  Ok, it might not be so easy when we have small kiddies to see to, I am lucky that mine are both now at school, but please don’t feel guilty about that half hour of Cbeebies that your little ones have had so you can enjoy that hot cup of tea.  It is a necessity. Isn’t it funny how a hot cup of tea or coffee suddenly becomes a total luxury once you have kids?! Savour it and enjoy.

By luxuriating in cosy clothes

I am a proud homebody; I always have been and always will be.  Yes, I love going out and seeing family and friends but I am always comfiest at home.  I can even be (whisper it) anti-social at times.  Ask my husband and kids and they will tell you that, to me, joggers + a dressing gown + a book or telly = bliss.  My comfy clothes may not look too luxurious to others but, to me, they feel great.  Who needs tight zips, buttons and skinny jeans when you could have elasticated waists? Lol.  Flannel pyjamas and a slanket (blanket with sleeves) are top of my Christmas list this year.

By making my home environment as nice as it can be

As I spend a lot of time at home, I want it to be comfy, cosy and enjoyable place to be.  I find that rugs, throws and blankets help my front room to feel luxurious and warm whilst I am currently saving up for a log burner to replace our gas fire.  I have to admit that my bedroom is often a bit hit and miss: it tends to be the place where ‘things that do not have a home’ go to i.e. old kids clothes and random papers.  However, simple storage boxes from Ikea have helped me to hide some of the stuff away and bedding from places such as Primark and Sainsbury’s has been a cheap way to give it a bit of an uplift.  Next on my list is a comfy bed.  We currently have an old mattress which is ok, but we could definitely do with a new one – I am planning on updating to a Vi Spring Mattress so that I can have a luxurious sleep every night.  If I am going to spend a lot of my time in bed, I want it to be as comfortable as possible! Other things that help me to feel like I am treating myself: fresh flowers, gorgeous smelling candles (you can get great Jo Malone dupes from Aldi) and new books from the library.

By giving myself treats

Adding a little bit of luxury to my day can be as simple as savouring a delicious cup of coffee, as I said above or, even better, some homemade treats.  My daughter is really into baking which is a great excuse to make OMS-friendly treats, such as this chocolate cake (which we will often make into cupcakes) or home-made pizza.  I love our Friday night pizza nights, where I treat myself to a glass of red wine and enjoy a movie with the family.  Little treats every week make me a very happy Jen.

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Do you have anything in your life that you view as a necessary luxury?  Please let me know in the comments and have a fab weekend 🙂