Self-care kits are a collection of miscellaneous items that help boost one’s emotional health. The items placed in a self-care kit are designed to help you relax when you’re feeling stressed. Each self-care kit can be personalized, but here are some ideas to get you started:

Take out some arts and craft supplies. Art allows you to exercise your imagination, and it’s an easy activity to do when you are feeling overwhelmed. Provide yourself with paper and colored pencils, and create something beautiful. Your first project could be to decorate a cardboard box to serve as the container for your self-care kit. If you don’t feel confident about your artistic skills, that’s okay. You can still participate in an artsy activity by purchasing a coloring book or by printing out some coloring sheets from the internet.

Think about which snacks bring you comfort, and add them to your self-care kit. Your favorite candy and chips can help you recover after a long day. Certain teas can also help relieve stress, so be sure to include some tea packets in your kit. Remember, snacks are bound to spoil, so don’t forget the expiration dates. Keeping the expiration dates in mind can also encourage you to break into your self-care kit sooner rather than later.

Snacks are also the perfect companion when watching one of your favorite movies. If you have a DVD of one of your favorite films, place it inside your self-care kit so that you can rewatch it when you want to boost your mood. Animated movies or childhood classics are good options to start with. If you are not a movie person, add your favorite book to the kit instead. You can also include a pair of headphones so that you can listen to a podcast or some music. Create a playlist on Spotify or Youtube with songs that make you feel happy.

Journaling is another activity you can do when you are feeling low. Place a notebook and a pen in your self-care kit, and use them to write about your life. Writing about how you feel can be therapeutic, but what you write isn’t limited to writing about your feelings; you can write about whatever you want in your journal. 

Finally, pamper yourself. Put some face masks, bath bombs, scented lotion and candles into your self-care kit so that you can give yourself a mini-spa day in the comfort of your home. You can even include some nail files and nail polish to give yourself a manicure. These items can help your body feel clean and refreshed, but nothing can beat getting some sleep. Keep an eye mask and earplugs in your kit for when you need to take a well-deserved nap.

Everyone has bad days every now and then, and having your own self-care kit is an easy way to take care of your mental state during those days. It is important to step back and give yourself a break when you feel stressed. Figure out what activities help you relax. This will help you decide what sort of items you want to include in your self-care kit. Have fun!