The Ultimate 8 Step Summer Routine To Wind Down Like You’re on Holiday
This post may contain affiliate recommendations. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to buy through my suggestions, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you ever. In this post, I’ll share ideas for a relaxing summer evening routine to wind down like you’re on holiday.
This post is all about The ultimate 8 step Summer routine to wind down like your on holiday.
There really is something about a summer evening that should feel like a deep exhale. Slow, warm and unhurried. But for most of us it doesn’t quite land like that does it. The day just sort of bleeds into the night and before you know it’s gone ten and you haven’t really switched off at all.
A proper summer evening wind down routine at home can change that completely, but don’t worry mi darlin, this isn’t a rigid schedule. It’s just a handful of small things done with a bit of intention. Think of it a bit like the kind of evening you’d have at a lovely hotel. That feeling of the day being done. Properly done.
My years working in the hotel industry taught me that the atmosphere of an evening is almost entirely manufactured. The lighting, scent, temperature and the pace. None of it happens by accident. And you can recreate every bit of it in your home.
One of the first things I always do is sort the scent. I know it sounds simple, and that’s because it is luvi. A good Reed diffuser on a warm summer evening does something to the air that just signals relaxation immediately. I’ve found this Lovely reed diffuser on Amazon it’s light and fresh and it’s been on my console table for months. Under £10, well worth it for the way it makes the whole hallway feel.
OK, lets get into it properly..
Step 1: Change the Light
Turn the big light off. Right now if you like.
A lamp, fairy lights or a Set of ambient scented candles. Anything warm and low. From my time in interiors I can tell you that the difference between overhead lighting and lamp lighting in the evening is genuinely transformative. Your brain reads warm low light as safety and rest. It starts to slow down without you even trying.
In summer especially, that golden light through a window around 8pm paired with a soft lamp is just about perfect. Don’t underestimate it.
Step 2: Sort Your Summer Evening Drink
On holiday you’d have something cold and lovely in your hand by early evening wouldn’t you. So do that here.
It doesn’t have to be alcoholic. Sparkling water with cucumber and mint. Elderflower over ice with a squeeze of lemon. A lovely cold Herbal tea or whatever feels like a treat to you. The point is to make it intentional. Pour it into a proper glass. Add ice. It sounds small but it genuinely shifts the feeling of the whole evening.
This part of a summer evening routine is one of my favourites because it’s the moment the evening officially starts. It’s your signal to yourself that the day is done.
Step 3: Get Some Air if You Can
If you’ve got a garden, balcony or even a window you can open wide, use it. The air in the UK on a warm summer evening is genuinely lovely. That soft breeze after a warm day is one of the things I think we take for granted.
Even a small outdoor space can feel like a proper retreat with a little bit of thought. Sit outside for even ten minutes with your drink and your phone face down. Just be in the moment. And if you’re looking to make the most out of your outdoor spaces you should take a look at this post on best porch makeover buys or this one about balconies.
If you can’t get outside, open the windows and sit near them. Let the evening come to you.
Step 4: Wash the Day Off
Nothing beats a cool refreshing shower to wash of the summer heat sweat and sunscreen.
Step into the water, let the build of the day melt of your skin by using an Energising citrus shower gel or Mint infused invigorating body wash (I like these two from Faith in Nature as they’re vegan cruelty free and under £6) to awaken your senses while thoroughly cleansing and leaving you smelling as sweet as summer. For an extra touch of spa like luxury, try hanging a bundle of eucalyptus from the shower head as the warm steam releases its soothing aroma instantly.
Now, dry off with some clean and crisp towels, you should preferably be using 100% cotton like this Set of two bath towels for under £20 as cotton towels are softer, more hygienic a breathable.
Step 5: Get Into Something Comfortable
Once your clean and revitalised get into something that feels comfortable and good. This sounds obvious but so many people don’t do it and then wonder why they can’t fully relax.
On holiday you’d slip into something easy after a day out wouldn’t you. A light dress, soft trousers, a soft or robe whatever feels like your version of comfortable. It’s a physical signal to your body that the day has shifted.
A good Lightweight cotton dressing gown is genuinely one of my favourite summer evening things. Not a thick fluffy one. A breathable one that you can throw on after your cool shower on a warm evening. I’ve had mine for years and I reach for it constantly in summer. A decent one sits around £20 and it feels like a little luxury every single time.
Step 6: Build Your Summer Evening Wind Down Routine With a Simple Skin Ritual
This doesn’t need to be a ten step process. A simple cleanse and a good moisturiser on a warm evening feels genuinely lovely and takes just a few minutes.
The key is to do it slowly and actually enjoy it rather than rushing through it like a chore. A few minutes in front of a warm lit mirror with a gentle cleanser and a good face oil is a very underrated form of self care.
A good facial oil is the sort of thing that makes this step feel genuinely indulgent. I love this Organic jojoba oil for smooth and clear skin that also double as a hair treatment as it restores softness, shine and balance to scalp and hair without greasiness. A 5oml bottle sells for just under £10.
Step 7: Create a No-Phone Window
The single biggest thing that stops a summer evening feeling like a holiday is the phone. Scrolling keeps your nervous system switched on. It’s low grade stimulation that feels like rest but genuinely isn’t. Put in another room if you can, even if just 20 minutes.
Replace it with something that actually lets your brain drift. A book. A journal. Some music you actually listen to rather than having on in the background. Anything that uses your attention gently rather than grabs it.
If you need more ideas for filling a proper summer evening at home, this post has plenty to get you started.
Step 8: End With Something That Signals Sleep
The last part of a good summer evening wind down routine at home is whatever tells your body it’s nearly time to sleep. Not a hard stop. Just a gentle one.
For me it’s a herbal tea. Twinings do this Wind Down tea Selection for Relaxation and it’s only £2.50 at the moment . Drink slowly without rushing. It’s such a small thing but it has become a proper anchor in my evenings.
If you really want to elevate your sleep this summer, a weighted blanket is genuinely one of the best investments I’d suggest for evening relaxation. I know they sound like a gimmick but the gentle pressure genuinely helps your nervous system settle. I picked up this Weighted blanket on Amazon and it’s a steal for under £3o
Cool the room down if you can. A window open, a fan on low. Your body temperature needs to drop slightly to fall asleep well. On holiday you’d have that naturally but you can recreate it at home.
Finally, give your pillow a good spritz with a Soothing lavender scented pillow spray for a pre sleep ritual.
If your bedroom isn’t quite feeling like the sanctuary it should this summer, this post on budget heatwave bedroom buys is worth a read before tonight.
For the science behind why a wind down routine genuinely improves your sleep quality, this guide from the Sleep Foundation on evening routines is a brilliant and reassuring read.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good summer evening wind down routine at home?
A good summer evening wind down routine starts with changing your lighting to something warm and low, making a cold or herbal drink, spending a few minutes outside if possible, Having a shower to wash away the day. Getting into comfortable clothing, doing a simple skincare ritual, having a phone-free window of at least twenty minutes and ending with something warm like herbal tea. Done consistently these steps genuinely shift how quickly you relax and how well you sleep.
How do I make my evenings feel more like a holiday at home?
The quickest wins are lighting and scent. Swap overhead lights for lamps and add a candle or diffuser. Make a proper drink. Change into something comfortable. These three things alone will change how your evening feels within about ten minutes.
How long should an evening wind down routine take?
It doesn’t need to be long at all. Even thirty minutes done with intention is enough to genuinely shift your mood and prepare your body for sleep. The key is consistency rather than duration. A short routine done every evening works far better than an elaborate one done occasionally.
What helps you wind down on a summer evening?
Warm low lighting, fresh air, a cool drink, comfortable clothing, a simple skincare ritual, time away from screens and a warm herbal tea before bed are all genuinely effective. The combination creates a sequence your brain starts to recognise as the signal that the day is over and rest is beginning.
Well go on then mi darlin, get that big light switched off and your evening started properly. You deserve a summer evening that actually feels like one.
