By making your own self-care box, you may be able to take better care of your self-care needs and mental health, especially on those days where you are struggling.
I first got introduced to the idea of a self-care box while listening to an episode of Therapy for Black Girls In this episode, they shared tips on how to build a coping kit. Not long after listening to that episode, my therapist at the time suggested I make a self-soothing box.
I loved the idea of creating a self-care/self-soothing box that I could turn to on the days where I am struggling to practice self-care. Self-care isn’t meant to be something that you do every once in a while, it should be incorporated into your daily life. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes struggle with taking care of myself, so having a box of items that I could use to help me look after myself and pick me up on the bad days, is so essential.
A self-care box is a beautiful way to show love to yourself and to take action to take better care of yourself. It would also be a great gift to give to a loved one, especially now considering that all of us are going through a hard time with the current circumstances.
If you want to find out more about what a self-care box is and how you can make your own, then keep reading!
Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase directly through my blog, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Contents
What is self-care?
Before we get onto the self-care box, it’ll be good to first define what self-care is.
Self-care can be defined as taking action to preserve and improve yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Self-care can take many forms and these will differ from person to person, depending on your specific needs.
A lot of us live busy and sometimes stressful lives and it can sometimes be very easy to neglect to take proper care of ourselves. Self-care isn’t a luxury, but a necessity to live a happy and healthy life.
What is a self-care box?
A self-care box is a box of items that you can use to help make yourself feel better and to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and low mood.
It can be used at any time to meet your daily self-care needs. It is also great for those “bad days” where you may be struggling. On days like those, it can be hard to think about what your coping and support methods are. The box will provide you with a way to take care of yourself on both the good days and the bad days.
How to make your own self-care box
Making your own self-care box is great because you know what works best for you.
If you do decide to make your own box, here are a few questions to ask yourself before you start:
- What helps you to relax after a stressful day?
- How do you motivate and inspire yourself?
- What exercises help you to centre yourself and calm your anxiety?
- What activities make you feel pampered and refreshed?
- Are there any items that make you feel comforted and safe?
- What things help to improve your mood?
Get yourself a box
When making your self-care box, there are a few different options:
- The main box that you keep at home
- A mini version of your self-care box that you take with you when you leave the house
- A virtual box on your phone which will include all your self-care apps, music playlists, etc.
For your main self-care box, you want to get yourself a box that’s big enough to fit all your items, but also small enough to store away when you don’t need it. You don’t have to spend a lot on a box, you could simply use a shoebox. Or you could be extra like me and get yourself either a nice gift box with a pretty print or design or you could even get yourself a personalised box. I got myself a plain white gift box that I plan to decorate myself.
For your mini, portable box, you can get yourself a small bag, like a little makeup bag and this could contain a few items that help you take care of your self-care practices when you are out and about.
The virtual box just needs to be a folder that you can create on your phone’s home screen.
All three boxes can work in unison to help you practice self-care, but you should opt for whatever option you believe would work best for you.
What to put in your self-care box
When it comes to what you should put in your box, you should include a range of sensory things as well as some activities.
I have included several examples, so I hope you find a few items that you could put in your box.
Sight
Pictures and videos – These could be of you with your family and friends, or just good memories that have a positive effect on your mood and that can remind you that you have people who love and care about you.
Mindfulness cards – These cards can help you to become more mindful of your thoughts and emotions and to introduce positive habits into your life. For mindfulness cards, check out LSW Mind Cards.
Affirmations, mantras and inspirational and motivational quotes – You can write these down on note cards, have a folder for them on your phone or a board on Pinterest. You can read these affirmations, mantras and quotes aloud to yourself.
Letters from loved ones – You can keep any nice or encouraging letters or messages from your family or friends. You could also write letters to yourself and read them when you need to.
Smell
Scented candles, essential oils, incense or perfume – Aromatherapy can help to reduce stress and anxiety and help you get a better night’s sleep.
Taste
Water and medicine – Having a bottle of water in your box, is a simple but necessary reminder to stay hydrated. Medicine may be needed if your anxiety or stress induces physical symptoms, such as muscle aches or IBS.
Tea – A hot cup of herbal tea can be very soothing and really make a difference in how you feel. My favourite tea is the Pukka cleanse tea, this helps settle my stomach when my anxiety flares up.
Favourite snack – Little treats can help to lift your mood. However, if you are an emotional eater, you may want to avoid this.
Sound
Music playlists – Music can have a positive impact on your mood, so have various playlists for different moods. One playlist could help to calm you when you feel anxious and another could lift your mood and get you up and dancing.
Podcasts – Listening to your favourite podcasts could be a good way to distract yourself. Just avoid any podcasts that could have a negative effect on your mood.
Earplugs – If you are in a noisy location, earplugs may be a good way to tune out the noise and ground yourself.
Meditation – Meditation is great for calming your anxiety, relaxing and grounding yourself. There are so many great meditation apps such as Headspace and Calm. If you are a Christian, check out these Christian meditation apps.
Touch
Stress ball, fidget toys or playdough – This is a good way to release stress and tension. Fidget toys can help your brain filter out extrasensory information and improve your concentration.
A cosy blanket, fluffy socks and comfy clothes – Being warm and comfortable can sometimes help make you feel safe and relaxed.
Massage oil or body lotion – This is a great way to show love to your body, especially if physical touch is one of your love languages. Giving yourself a massage is also a great way to reduce tension and any aches you may have.
Stuffed animal – This can be a source of comfort and feelings of security.
Activities
Self-care routines – You may benefit from having a routine that reminds you of what self-care practices you may need depending on the kind of day you’ve had.
You could choose to approach this using a traffic light approach. Green is for the good days (self-care isn’t just for the “bad” days), yellow is for the days when you are struggling and red is for when you are in a really bad place.
Journal – Journaling is a great tool to help you process your emotions, reduce stress and to get to know yourself better. When journaling, you can simply write about your day and anything that’s on your mind or you could use journal prompts.
Colouring book/sketchpad – Adult colouring books or even just doing a bit of art, could help you to focus your mind and lower your stress levels.
Worry, gratitude or achievements jar (or list) – Write down either your worries, things you are grateful for or your achievements on little pieces of paper and put them in a jar.
The worry jar is a physical way of putting a worry aside until you feel able to tackle it. And then when you have dealt with it, you can throw that piece of paper away. A gratitude jar is a great way to focus on the positives and to remind yourself of your blessings. While the achievements jar is a great way to gas yourself up and remind yourself of how dope you are.
Religious items – If you are religious, then include any religious books, prayers or items that you could turn to.
A book or movie – This could help to distract you and lift your mood. Just make sure to avoid any that may trigger you.
Beauty and bath items – This is where you have your face masks, bath bombs, nail polish, etc. Pampering yourself is a good way to show love to yourself and lift your mood.
Tissues – Because crying is therapeutic and sometimes you just need a good cry. If you feel the need to cry, try to take yourself to a safe space and just let it all out.
Puzzle or game – This could be a fun and much-needed distraction and it also stimulates the mind.
Yoga or workout gear – Exercising is so beneficial to your mental health. So, do a quick workout video, some yoga, go for a run or even just do a few stretches.
Well, that’s how to make your own self-care box! I hope this post was helpful!
Let me know if you plan to create your own box and what you would put in it.
If you need more advice on things you can do to help your mental health, check out this post.
Until next time y’all!
Debbie xx
Pin for later x
Such a great idea to create a box especially now! It helps take the guess work out of deciding what to do because it’s all there.