Pulling off the perfect duvet day
Every now and then we all crave, and very much deserve, a duvet day. You know the score – those blissful yet painfully-rare days when there’s nothing you need to do but indulge in pure relaxation. Not that we get many such days in the average year, which is precisely why we believe that when a duvet day calls, it’s worth doing properly.
So with this in mind, here’s Simba’s very own guide to the perfect duvet day (which of course begins and ends with luxurious bedding and pillows)!
What is a duvet day, anyway?
Duvet days originated as a way for employers to give their employees days off when there wasn’t much need for them to be in the office. Many companies who officially recognise duvet days give their employees a set number that they can take without formal notice. It’s considered a good way to reduce ‘sickies’ which people might otherwise take when they feel a bit tired.
The meaning of ‘duvet day’ has evolved since then, and now it’s used by everyone who just wants to spend some quality time in bed. You know that kind of day - it’s the weekend, you have no chores, it’s raining outside, and all you want to do is curl up and relax with a cup of tea.
Whether you’re taking some well-earned time off work or just feel like having a lazy weekend, here are the top eighteen things you can do on your duvet day.
1 – Turn off the alarm
Under no circumstances should your duvet day be governed by time. Not only this, but there’s no excuse whatsoever for allowing technology to wake you up. You wake when you wake – that’s rule number one on your duvet day!
2 – Luxury bedding
Luxury bedding is a must for those precious moments wallowing around in pure, unbridled bedroom bliss. (For extra comfort, you could always try a weighted blanket, too…)
3 – Comfort food
You have the whole day to indulge in whatever takes your fancy – just be sure to do justice to every meal from start to finish!
Breakfast - When time is not at a premium, treat yourself to a more exotic breakfast, such as mushroom sourdough bruschettas which take only 15 mins to prepare. If mushrooms aren’t your thing, head to Jamie Oliver for many more tasty breakfast recipes.
Lunch – If you’re all about keeping things quick, simple and gorgeously tasty, you’ll find a world of quick and easy lunch recipes at the BBC Good Food website. Or why not try something a bit different? We like this selection of authentic Spanish cured meats, cheeses and Tapas from the artisan Spanish food store Eat Tapas.
Dinner – It’s time to let someone else do the cooking on your behalf – it’s takeaway time! Use your favourite app to get delicious food delivered straight to your door. Better yet, cook something guaranteed to give you a good night’s sleep.
4 – Snacks
You can’t have a proper duvet day without plenty of snacks, but you also don’t want to have to deal with the guilt of hitting the junk food. So if you’re planning ahead, why not bake your own cakes, cookies and other goodies? This way, you know exactly what’s gone in there!
5 – Drinks
Your duvet day means you have plenty of time on your hands, so get fancy with your hydration!
Tea – Whether it’s a classic English cuppa, or your choice of herbal tea (we recommend London Tea Company), a warm and comforting drink is a must.
Cocktails – If you haven’t already checked out our cocktails in bed ideas…well, you really should go and do that right now!
Coffee – Make your own or use a Minipresso without even having to leave your bedroom!
6 – Books, mags and music
You know that book you’ve been promising you’ll dive into for months? Those magazines that aren’t going to read themselves. You’ve got nothing but time right now, so feel free to get stuck in!
As for music, whatever has you dancing in your pants like nobody’s looking should totally make it to your duvet day playlist. And there’s plenty of inspiration online if needed.
Ever fancied the idea of trying your hand as a DJ? Head over to BlueJay Music and you can basically broadcast your entire duvet day to the rest of the world, making a fair few folks jealous in the process!
7 – Netflix binge
Arm yourself with a box-set or a list of movies you’ve been dying to watch forever and settle in for the binge of a lifetime! If you’re in need of a little inspiration, check out this guide to some of the best movies to enjoy on a duvet day as recommended by the pros.
8 – Pamper yourself
If you’re going to exert yourself in any way, it might as well be in the form of some serious pampering.
Paint your nails – Why not look up a few techniques for taking your nail-painting skills to the next level? Or for that matter, treat you yourself to some awesome new nail polish from your favourite brand such as these great items from Barry M cosmetics.
Treat your feet – If you’ve been dying to give your tired, achy feet a dose of the good stuff, these guys know how to do foot pampering properly.
9 – Sleep
Oh come on – when do you usually get to take 11 naps in the course of one day and not have to set your alarm for a single one of them? The whole day is your snooze button, so get pressing!
10 – Plan a holiday
Your duvet day won’t last forever, so why not consider giving yourself something extra-special to look forward to when it’s all done and dusted? Try these sites for starters:
• Triposo
• Trippy
• Trover
11 – Meditate
Never tried your hand at meditating before? You never know, you might just like it! This is the kind of day during which you should be revelling in anything that takes you to a zen-like state of pure bliss. If meditation is your thing, go for it! If it’s not yet your thing, make it your thing…you won’t regret it. You might enjoy some reflexology, too.
12 – Snuggle with a loved one
The way we see it, the only thing better than wallowing in the luxury bedding of your dreams is doing so with someone really special. It’s not until you’ve lazed away a few hours on a Simba mattress that you realise just what you’ve been missing out on all this time. From watching movies to cuddling up for a snooze, a Simba mattress takes everything you know about duvet days to a new level.
13 – Daydream
When was the last time you simply stared out of the window a while, thinking about nothing and everything all at the same time? These are the gorgeous little moments that make duvet days so special and so rare. After all, the whole point of enjoying your time often means doing nothing at all!
14 – Play games
Use the opportunity to get well and truly stuck into a board game with whoever you’re sharing your duvet day with. It’s amazing how quickly you realise you don’t actually need technology to entertain you. In fact, it often does nothing but get in the way of what really matters.
If you’re not sure where to start, Apartment Therapy has some great suggestions of just the kinds of board games to enhance your duvet day.
15 – Loungewear
Of course, what you choose to wear during your duvet day will have a huge impact on your enjoyment of everything you do from start to finish. It’s all about treating yourself in advance to the kinds of luxuries you know you deserve, though perhaps can’t usually justify.
Combine comfort with a touch of elegance in for good measure. While you’re at it, your duvet day is the perfect opportunity to do some online clothes shopping, too.
16 – Phone a friend
If there’s someone you’ve been meaning to reach out to for some time, why not now? Or better yet, take a look through your contacts list and see if there’s someone you largely forgot about and could really do with getting in touch with. We all lose contact with a great many people in our lives, but it’s amazing how bonds can once again be formed with nothing more than a simple conversation. Either way, it’s worth a try.
17 – Arts and crafts
If you’re a naturally creative type, what better opportunity to indulge your passions? And if you’re not a creative type at all… well, why not try something new and see if you can surprise yourself? Scrapbooking is always an awesome option for a duvet day, but if it’s really not your thing, there’s always the option of finally sorting out your massive archive of photos.
After all, who doesn’t enjoy a trip down memory lane?
18 – Stay in bed
Last but not least, do as many of the things you can think of that make you happy – all without leaving your luxury Simba mattress! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, movies, music, social networking – anything you can think of that doesn’t involve moving is fair game for your perfect duvet day.
