Self-Care routines can be hard to develop, especially for busy working moms. When you barely have enough time to keep the kids alive and make that bread (both in the kitchen and at the office), it can seem impossible to find time for you. Let’s face it, self-care for moms is hard. That’s why one of the best self-care tips for moms is to be spontaneous. What? Spontaneous? Yes, spontaneous. Because planning time to care for yourself is so hard you need to be ready to take a moment to care for yourself at the drop of hat. One of the best ways to do that is to have a self-care bag aka self-care kit at the ready. This is a bag that has everything you need to self-care. Read on for how to make a self-care bag and get the FREE Printable self-care checklist with examples of self-care below.
What is a self-care bag AKA Self-care Kit?
A self-care bag is a way to make it easier for you to care for yourself. It contains items you need to practice your self-care routine. As far as self-care tips go, having a self-care bag is one of the most simple but effective tips you can follow.
Why You Need a Self-Care Bag as a part of your self-care routine
Self-care for moms is difficult largely due to a lack of time. There is just so much going on that working moms, don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to themselves. So, when you have a moment to look after yourself, you don’t want to waste it thinking about what you’ll do. You also don’t want to waste time looking for the items you need. On that random day when your partner has taken the kids to the store and you realize you have 20 minutes to yourself, examples of self-care you’ve thought of in the past can easily slip away. You easily remember how to do the laundry but not how to care for yourself. A self-care kit helps.
When you make a self-care bag, part of your self-care routine, you just need to remember to look for it. Once you open it up, a world of self-care possibilities will appear before your very eyes. And not just an examples of self-care, examples of self-care that are tailored to your needs, because you are the one who created it.
The best part is that it doesn’t really cost any extra money. It’s simply about pulling together items you have around the house and putting them in a convenient place along with your self-care list.
How to make a-self-care bag
Think about your current self-care routine and all of the things you like to do to take care of yourself. Do you like to take a nap, dance, paint your nails, make a drink, cook a favorite meal, light a scented candle and read a book, take a bath or do yoga? If you are struggling for some examples of self-care you can download the free printable self-care checklist below, it comes with a list of bonus self-care ideas. The items you need for these activities will go in your self-care bag.
Make your Self-Care List
Now, that you have thought through your self-care ideas. Make a self-care list. Look at all of the activities on the list and think about what items you need to complete them. For example if you like to paint your nails during me-time, then you’d need, a nail file, nail polish and nail polish remover. If you wrote down take a nap might need an eye mask. Or, if your self-care routine includes lighting a scented candle then you might want to grab a travel candle. Gather all of those things and put them into a large make bag, book bag or tote. If you don’t want to spend any money, dig one out from the back of the closet. If you do want to spend a little cash, look for a bag that has an inspirational quote on it.
Example of a Self-Care Bag or Self-care Kit
Here is an example of what might go into a self-care bag for the home. Grab a large make-up bag, old book bag or tote.
- A self-care checklist
- Sheet mask
- Nail polish remover, favorite nail polish, nail polish remover pads
- Scented lotion
- A scented candle
- Essential oils
- Images/pictures that bring joy
- A thank-you card / pen
- A card with positive affirmations
- A list of things you are most grateful for in the world
Where will you store your self-care bag?
Now, you have a self-care checklist and your self-care bag ready to go. Think about where you will store it? Depending on your ideal self-care activities your bag may be large or small. Will you plan to store it in your closet? Maybe under the bathroom sink? Do you have a home office? Just take a moment to think about where you’ll store it. Now that you have that place in your mind, visualize yourself going for the self-care bag. Seriously, take a moment to visualize yourself going for the bag and taking sometime to yourself. This will help to lock into your mind, that you now have this resource available to you. Self-care for busy moms, means not spending a lot time looking for your bag.
Level Up Your Self-Care Routine
That’s it mama! Those are the self-care tips to help you make your bag. You now have a new tool in your self-care routine tool belt. Don’t wait to use it. Download, the free self-care checklist below, find 5 minutes today to write down your self-care ideas and then find another 5 minutes to gather and store the items you need. After that, you’ll be on your way to even better days.
