Before we get started on how to build your own self care box, it would probably be a good thing for you to know what it actually is. If you’ve never heard of it before, or are just curious, you can check out our previous post here on what a self care box is.
Let’s chat about subscription boxes real quick. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of fantastic subscription boxes out there, including self care boxes (I subscribe to several on occasion and may even start one eventually). The thing with subscription boxes though, is that you’re bound to get something you don’t like every once in a while, or something you think is great but never actually end up using. And that’s okay! It doesn’t mean that it’s not a great subscription box. We just all have our own individual tastes.
I’m sure there are countless subscription boxes out there for self care, regardless of what you feel self care is. Personally, I was an avid subscriber to the FabFitFun box for a really long time and consider that one to somewhat be a self care box. The box is pretty, it’s packed full of different products, some customizations are allowed, and it’s a surprise every quarter. The problem with the surprise though is that you may end up with a bunch of stuff you don’t care about and feel like you wasted money.
Why am I telling you this? Well, when it comes to building your own self care box, you can take the easy way and pay someone else to send you a box of stuff that they pick out OR you can spend a little extra time (and probably less money) and build your own! You won’t have to worry whether or not you’re going to get your money’s worth because you’re handpicking everything that goes into that box. Of course you can still get those subscription boxes that you’re so fond of if you want, but I recommend you try this out too.
So, let’s get into it. Let’s walk through how you can build your own self care box!
Step 1: The box itself
Honestly, you don’t even necessarily have to make it a box. It’s all about what you like and what’s going to make you feel good. You could create your own box, buy a snazzy box, make it a self care bag, or even just designate a shelf to your self care. It really doesn’t matter. You just want to go for something that you’re going to love and that will feel at least a little special.
Okay, so now you’ve picked what or where your self care “box” will be. Time to spice it up and get creative. You can be minimalistic or go all out. Make it yours! I’ll give you a few ideas to get you started:
- Cardboard box: You can get out the paint, markers, and crayons out and make it colorful. Take some magazine clippings or print some inspiring pics and make it similar to a vision board!
- Snazzy box you found at Target: If you don’t love what the box looks like or think it could use something more, you can do pretty much the same thing I recommended for the cardboard box (paint, draw, vision board, etc.). If you’ve got the tools and artistic talent, you could woodburn a design, bedazzle it, etc. Maybe it’s because my Christmas lights are still up, but you could also find a way to run a string of lights through it too or layer the inside with a nice fabric.
- Bookshelf: Arrange your knick knacks nicely. Take a fun piece of fabric or cloth and lay it in there. Run a string of lights in or around the shelf.
Step 2: What goes inside?
Now for the best part: the inside! The best thing about creating your own self care box is that you have complete control over everything that goes inside. Start thinking about things that make you feel good. What do you do when you’ve had a rough day? What leaves you feeling calm, relaxed, and refreshed? Do you have anything you already do to reduce anxiety?
That should already put ideas into your head about what you want to include. Here are some ideas just in case you’re struggling:
- A journal with fancy/colorful pens
- A coloring sheet or book with a pack of colored pencils
- Your favorite tea or hot cocoa
- A non-perishable snack
- Your all time favorite book
- A great smelling candle
- A pair of warm and fuzzy socks
- Mementos that make you feel good
- Bath salts or bath bombs
The only rule you should follow is that the things you put into your self care box should be for you! This will be your go to thing when you’re feeling stressed, sad, or just need to practice a little bit of self love. The great thing is that you can change things out as you see fit. It doesn’t have to say the same. You can have as much or as little in the box as you want.
Now it’s time to build your own subscription box! Share your pics in the comments or on social media (and tag us because we want to see too)!
