I know you don’t have time or energy for a home makeover during a deployment, but hear me out, this is something quick and easy (and cheap!). I think you’ll like it, no matter what the size of your bathroom or your budget.

Since I have kids, deployments rarely give me a chance to be lonely. On the contrary, I usually have company every. single.  minute. of. the. day. Until bedtime. And when that quiet time finally comes, I don’t really feel like picking up the house and doing the dishes. Sometimes I just need to find a quiet, calm corner of the house that isn’t destroyed by children, and just get a peaceful breath.

That quiet retreat has now become my bathroom. Not the most likely place, but since my husband is gone it is one of the few spaces that is actually MINE. (The kids share their own bathroom). So after he left, I cleared away the shaving supplies and male toiletries and enjoyed the clean empty space. Then I decided to spruce it up a bit, with a feminine touch. I’m not a girl that has a lot of products in the shower. In fact, I pretty much stick to soap, shampoo, conditioner, and the razor. So…. for me, just getting some new body wash and a new soap fragrance made it feel like a whole new place! But, if your shower is already overflowing with products, then here are some other ways to spruce up and enjoy your bathroom with a cheap bathroom makeover:

• Buy one new product that makes you feel better. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Hand cream that soothes, or shower gel that just smells good. Something that makes you feel happy when you use it. Then use it every day!
• Add a candle. Or several. Instantly improved scents and mood lighting.
• Roll your towels instead of laying them flat. It just looks more like a spa.
• Add smooth pebbles into your sink. It’s fun and exotic. (Of course, you’ll have to wash them now and then…)
• Add flowers! Real ones, if you have any natural sunlight. If not, fake will still brighten your mood.
• Make it clean! Throw your rugs into the wash, scrub out your tub, replace your shower curtain liner, and make it a room that actually relaxes you instead of making you cringe.
• Add some magazines or books. I’m not someone that reads in the tub. Mostly because I don’t take baths. But one could, if one enjoyed relaxing like that.
• Keep your chocolate stash in there. The kids will never look for it in your bathroom! And while you’re enjoying all your fresh, clean decor, why not indulge in a culinary delight too?
• Hang a picture. Your bathroom doesn’t need to have a theme, but any beautiful picture that makes you feel peaceful or relaxed would be a great addition to the space.
• Find a relaxing Pandora station. Isn’t that one of the memorable things about the spa? They have such calming music. You can too! Try anything instrumental, especially piano or violin.

So these are some simple ways to make your bathroom a relaxing, enjoyable space. And most of them are free or cheap. If you think of fun ways to engage all your senses, then you can make your own little spa at home. Forget about the rest of the house for a minute. At least in this little retreat, you can take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are a strong and wonderful woman, capable of handling anything a deployment throws at you.