Feel Good at Your At-Home Spa

Clear the Clutter.
Be spa-like by practicing the ancient principles of Feng Shui. Reduce your bathroom’s daily clutter and replace it with just a few strategically-placed items. Replace your facial tissues or toothbrush holder, for example, with a photo of a loved one or treasured scene that makes you smile and warms your heart. Add life to the room with a simple flower arrangement or sprout of lucky bamboo, and place your washcloths in a ceramic bowl to create the spa look. (You can always put your daily stuff back after your spa experience is over.)

Calm with Color.
Researchers have found that colors of the night such as blues, indigos and violets can decrease blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates. Place candles in colored glass holders around your bathroom that will make it glow with a warm night tone that calms you.

Soothe with Sound.
Make sound part of your personal spa. Bring a small CD player into the bathroom, and select music that stimulates serenity and transports your mind to a comfortable and carefree place. Soft orchestral music, Native American flute, spiritual chants and nature sounds like ocean waves or forest rains are popular choices at spas and yoga retreats. Add the calming effect of tumbling water by using an inexpensive portable fountain, the kind made for indoor use.

Freshen with Fragrances.
Unleashing the power of aromatherapy is a key ingredient in any spa treatment. Experiment with fragrances that enhance your senses and relieve stress. Lavender is especially popular among herbalists and aromatherapists for its legendary healing powers and ability to reduce inflammation, relax muscles and ease tension. Add moisturizing oils, beads or salts to your bath water, and use your tub’s whirlpool jets (or a portable whirlpool insert) to fill the room with exotic aromas and add the benefits of hydrotherapy to your experience. Use good lavender-scented candles, too.

For a little spa treatment anytime, create your own muscle soothing pouches using essential oils, cracked corn, simple muslin and flannel. Sew two muslin squares together, leaving one side open and fill with cracked corn from your local feed store (microwave for two minutes first to kill bacteria). Add in essential oils of your choice, sew up the opening, and add a soft flannel covering. You can microwave the pouch to warm the corn and release scents whenever you need some pampering for sore muscles. Don't heat for more than three minutes or the pouch may be too hot.

Indulge with Extras.
All the extra yet simple luxuries are part of what makes a day at the spa so special. Make yourself as comfortable as possible in the tub with a neck pillow, and purchase a small foot whirlpool with massaging rollers to refresh tired feet after a long day. Treat yourself to plush, high-quality bath towels, robes and slippers, and reserve them for your home-spa days so they maintain that new feeling. Invest in a towel-warming rack or get your towels nice and toasty in the dryer right before you slip into the tub so you can enjoy the after-glow of a good soak just a while longer. Purchase a quality hand-held, pulsating shower head like spas offer for those times you feel like an invigorating shower after your bath. Top off your indulgence with a steaming cup of herbal tea and a piece of intense dark chocolate to bring your tastebuds into the sensual experience.

With some creative thinking, a few inexpensive items and the right attitude, you can transform your bathroom into the perfect place to unwind and celebrate the simple joys of life.