So, maybe you got pampered yesterday for Mother’s Day, or you had a good ole’ time indulging the special moms in your life.  And then, suddenly, Monday comes, the May calendar looks like December in how busy it is (especially if you have end-of-school activities and performances to attend), and you find yourself gazing at the claw-footed tub (OK, or wishing you had one) and saying (screaming), “Calgon, take me away!”  Yes, yes I know.  I think my exact quote this morning was, “No, no, no, not Monday!”  So, here’s the trick–make your home as much of a sanctuary as possible, give yourself every reason to look forward to getting back home, and maybe ease the Monday transition with a little extra love on that day each week.  When I lived in an apartment in New York City, my Monday treat was to walk home from work (preferably while nibbling yogurt-covered raisins), kick back on the fold-out couch (yes, it was also my bed), read the new weekly issue of New York magazine, and watch the new episode of Alf (photo from Back to the 80s).  The funky restaurants and art gallery openings would have to wait until Tuesday.

*Want to make your home even more of a retreat from the cruel, harsh reality of Monday?  First, bust the clutter.  Just bust it.  In fact, I’m flying through my clothes closet this week and being truly ruthless in my purging of the past.  If you are a shoulder pad, I’m telling you right now, I’m coming. (Alf gets to stay from the 80s–shoulder pads do not.)

* Keep the bathroom clean.  Always.  Let it be the place where you feel like a guest in your own home.  Invest in the good towels.  Get a pretty faucet.  Paint the walls and maybe even put in heated flooring.  Keep all the stuff in the draws, or rethink your need to even have that stuff.  How many products does it really take?!  Hang a fluffy white robe from a hook and feel like you’re at the Ritz every time you step out of the shower.

* Install the hot tub or the sauna (or both).  You love it when you travel . You say you’re going to use the one at the community center or club, but never really make it over there.  As you age (and guess what, we’re both doing that), these “luxuries” become more like therapeutic necessities. Yeah, I know–I can justify anything.  (I found this photo on the website of a building and remodeling company with locations in Chicago and Detroit–isn’t it so inviting?)

* Dim the lights.  This alone will make your home feel more peaceful, and all it takes is a dimmer.  This is the easiest tip of the day.

* Get the windows washed (Kudzu has a deal right now!) and see the simple things in life (trees, birds, a gentle rain) more clearly.

* Just say no to phones, emails, texts, and serving as referee for the kids’ fights.  Say yes to peace, quiet, a good book,, and a cat on your lap (I found the photo on a sweet blog named Hither and Yarn).  And you may find you start saying “yes” to Mondays again.

Let Kudzu help you reclaim your Mondays.  Find personal organizers, house cleaners, window washers, hot tub installers, electricians, and more.