Try It Tuesday: Spa in a Box (and Chair)

There are few (educated) people in this world who would disagree with this statement: teaching is a stressful, exhausting, and sometimes completely thankless profession. The burnout rate is through the roof, especially for early childhood educators like myself. So it's important to find ways to unwind.

I found that a simple mani-pedi can make all the difference. But, as a teacher, I don't exactly make enough to justify going to the salon every single evening after work. So I brought the spa home to me.

I gathered up whatever items I could find that would create a great relaxing experience: nail polish, pumice stone, nail files, cuticle clipper, a great body mist spray, lotion that (if the label on the bottle is any indication) reduces stress, bath salts for the foot/hand soak, a facial mask, and -- of course -- nail polish remover.

Everything fit nicely in one of my old shoe boxes (lined with pink tissue paper that I had amassed over the years thanks to Victoria's Secret).

I combined the box with a massage chair attachment that I got during some Black Friday sale years ago at a Walgreen's (you can always find these treasures right by the pharmacy, next to the incontinence products and walkers. If that doesn't spell "enticement"…) as well as a few old, narrow Gladware containers for the foot/hand soak. I parked everything in a nice little spot in my bedroom, good to go to whenever I needed a moment to unwind.

The Spa in a Box experience would go as so: I put on a facial mask, fill up the containers with hot water and bath salts, and soak my feet while getting a mechanic back massage and watching whatever trash TV I felt like watching. I'd then lotion up my feet, prep and paint my toe nails, and relax some more as everything dried. If the day was really bad, I'd also do my fingernails (although I rarely do my fingernails, save for a few projects, as I'm a recovering nail biter).

The best part is that this is always out and ready. I don't have to go digging through our bathroom closet to find what I need. I just pull out the chair, plug it in to the nearest electrical outlet, and relax -- which is needed, when your students make you want to pull out a chair, throw it through a window, and dive out to freedom.