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How to Take the Perfect Bath - Part One

A list of all the items needed for a more relaxing bath time

By Michelle MarchPublished 2 years ago 6 min read
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Photo by CRYSTALWEED cannabis on Unsplash

It had been an exhausting day.

We had just brought the last moving box into our new house and every muscle in my body hurt. You know that kind of hurt where you feel pain in muscles you never knew you had. Yeah, It was that kind of hurt.

After a month of packing up the house we had lived in for the last eleven years, we were finally moving into our new dream home.

The move was not easy (as if any move is). You forget how much stuff you have.

We had completely outgrown our home and had more stuff than space. And even though we hired movers, that didn't mitigate the stress on my body.

As I brought in that last moving box and placed it into the corner of the bedroom, I sat on my bed and let out a long heavy sigh. I had been pushing myself so hard that I didn't realize, I had pushed my body too far.

Sitting there, the only thing I could think of that might help my muscles and prevent the migraine (that was starting) was to take a hot bath. After all, one of the reasons I had chosen this house was because it had a large tub in the master bathroom.

Oh, I couldn't wait to soak in my tub and let the water release me from my aching prison of a body.

So I went into the bathroom, turned on the water to fill up the tub, and measured the temperature with my hand. When it warmed up, I threw in some Epsom salts, and gently lowered myself into the water.

It was not what I expected at all.

The Epsom salts hadn't fully melted so the salt was digging into my legs and bum on the bottom of the tub. The water got cold really fast and I kept having to drain water from the tub so I could add new hot water.

In my rush to relieve my pain, I didn't even think to grab a towel to put behind my head, so my neck started to hurt worse from the awkward way it hit the back of the tub. I was uncomfortable and there was nothing to do other than stare at the ceiling.

I had longed for this bath for over a month and now, but I just felt like a beached whale with every part of my body aching and throbbing.

What had I done wrong?

After this unexpected disappointment, I was determined to do what I do best: Online research. I had to find a way to make the perfect bath!

I sprung into action, reading blogs, clipping articles, and making notes.

Well, this research queen delivered. I slowly integrated everything I'm going to discuss into what would become my new weekly bathtub soaking habit. So let's dive in. (See what I did there….?)

Bath Pillow

Because I would most likely always have a headache when I needed to take a bath, the first issue was finding a bath pillow. It was super important that my neck and back be supported in a way that wouldn't cause more pain.

When researching for my bath pillow, I was also looking for one that would have thick padding and as the perfect pillow is extremely important for my migraine therapy, I had a feeling I would have to spend a bit more money than expected.

Have I mentioned that I'm not the most graceful person in the world?

Yeah, this pillow needed suction cups to prevent me from sliding all over the place like a gutted fish. And, an added benefit to a secured pillow is it cuts down on any prep time for setting up my bath during any future migraine attacks.

There are so many options for bath pillows on Amazon!

Mine needed to match the decor of my newly remodeled bathroom.

And don't you hate when you look in a tub and see mold or mildew? Me too. This pillow had to be easy to keep clean and I found it on Amazon. I love it!

Image Credit: Screenshot by Author

Bath Tray

I'm very much a person that can't get comfortable unless the area I am trying to relax in is organized. I don't do well with chaos.

So the next thing I researched was a bath tray to safely hold my kindle and phone. Also, I needed a spot for a bottle of water and my dry washcloth.

I am absolutely in LOVE with the tray that I found. It has lots of areas for storage plus it has sides that expand to fit the width of the tub. There are small plastic grippers included with the tray that sticks to the underside of the edges preventing slippage.

It is made of quality wood and comes in a variety of colors. I have to say it looks super cute too when it's all set up with my bath items arranged on it. (See!)

Image Credit: Author

And as with the pillow, when I am in the middle of a migraine attack there is no need to prep for my bath. Everything I need will be ready for me and within easy reach while I'm enjoying my soak.

Image Credit: Screenshot by Author

Amazon Lights

Oh man, during a migraine attack light feels like shards of glass shooting through my brain, piercing my forehead. It's awful. So I had to find gentle, soft lighting that wouldn't exacerbate the pain.

Also, strong scents are a massive trigger for me. This means that all the lovely scented candles on Etsy that I want to buy aren't an option for me. I did try some of the flameless candles that are battery-operated and while they weren't bad and didn't make the migraines worse they simply didn't provide the spa-like experience I was looking for.

And then I found these lights on Amazon. I have used them in other areas of my house but they are great for the bathroom because they are waterproof, I can adjust to any color, and dim them with the included remote control so the level of brightness doesn't ever aggravate my eyes.

They were very easy to install. Just cut, peel and stick. And unless the lights are on, you won't even know they are there. Also, you can trim the string down to the length needed.

I love mood lighting for bathtime. It's so much fun!

Image Credit: Screenshot by Author

I simply couldn't fit all the items I have found to make bathtime perfect into this one article. So next week's article will be a continuation of this post.

I have more fun things to share so stay tuned!

(Note: Post may contain affiliate links)

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About the Creator

Michelle March

Michelle is an inspiring, passionate and funny storyteller from Virginia.

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