How to Pamper Yourself with a Foot Bath at Home

It doesn't matter if we work at home or outside of the home, if we spend all day chasing our kids around the house or hiking the trails, at the end of the day, a hot aromatic Foot Bath is a great way to pamper yourself at home. You can use an expensive bubbling foot bath massager, but I like to just use a simple plastic storage bin, they are much more affordable and easier to clean out.

I like to use an 8-10 gallon plastic storage container. They are the perfect size and when I am not using it for soaking my feet, I can store everything that I need for my foot bath right inside. The bigger bins are nice too, because they help to keep the water from splashing out.

You will need to find a comfortable spot to kick back and relax. Sometimes I like to hide out in my bedroom away from the family where I can grab a book to read, sit back and soak my feet for 30 minutes. Other times I like to put in a movie, line up on the couch with my kids, and enjoy relaxing with them. I also enjoy sitting outside at the end of the day watching my kids play while I take some time out to pamper myself. The great thing about using the storage bins is that I can pack everything up and take it wherever I like.

I start out by laying a large bath towel under the bin. This helps to protect the floor or carpet from spills as well as insulate it to help keep the water warm for longer. It is also nice to have a towel to wipe my feet on when I am done or if I quickly need to get up for any number of reasons that my family may come up with.

When you are ready to start, choose a comfortable water temperature for you that will help you relax and sooth your feet and then add several gallons of water to the footbath. Make sure to add enough to cover your feet up and several inches up your leg. It is nice to have extra room to wiggle your toes or change position.

Add some sea salt, Epsom salts or your favorite bath salts.

Add 5-10 drops of your favorite soothing essential oil or perfume oil. You can mix a few different scents to personalize it even more. My favorite is lavender vanilla! You can add as much or as little as you like to help you feel relaxed.

If the season is right and flowers are blooming, grab several of your favorite flowers, pluck the petals off of them and toss them in the water. If there are no flowers blooming, you can usually get a package of just flower petals from your local florist. They might have packs with just one type of flower petal, or they may have packs with several different flowers. Packages of flower petals are fairly cheap, and some florists don't even save the petals, so if you talk to them about getting their scraps, you might just get them for free!

If you have an herb garden or have a favorite fresh herb you keep stocked in your fridge, you could toss some of that in too. The same goes for your favorite dried potpourri, if it makes you feel good, then toss it in the water.

Once you have your foot bath ready, grab your book, a chilled beverage, hot toddy or pop in a movie to watch with your kids or a relaxing romance to enjoy alone. There are dozens of ways to accessorize your foot bath, the important thing is that you enjoy it!

If your feet are killing you and you need a quick pick me up before a date, or night out, choose essential oils that are stimulating like peppermint, eucalyptus, or rosemary.