Super Easy Ways to Keep your Spring Weekends Inspired

Two weekends ago, my family rented a house in Palmetto Bluff as a little spring getaway. To say we loved it would be an understatement! Palmetto Bluff is about two hours south of Charleston by car so it was a really easy destination to get to for us. The weekend trip originally came about because Edwin and I ran the half marathon and my brother ran the full marathon there that weekend. My sister and parents decided to join for fun and voilà, family weekend made!

The running was definitely a highlight but the whole weekend was super refreshing and relaxing… an overall inspired way to start the spring season. The weekend really got me thinking about why I love spring so much and about how it is one of the times of year that I feel most inspired and feel most alive. We spent the long, light, leisurely days soaking up the new season by doing a few fun activities. It made me want to share with y’all so here are my ideas for super easy ways to keep your spring weekends inspired!

On Jillian: Stripe Pajama Set

On Sarah: Sky Blue Pajama Set

 Super Easy Ways to Keep your Spring Weekends Inspired

Scoop Up a New Pair of Pajamas 

A new pair of pajamas just puts a smile on my face! As you continue reading this post, you’ll see that a handful of my recommendations for super easy ways to keep your spring weekends inspired can be done in pajamas. There’s no better time than spring to put away your big sweatpants and fuzzy sweatshirts and replace your sleepwear with a cute new pajama set!

Y’all know my love for Lake Pajamas knows no bounds as evidence from this post and this post, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I adore their new “Desert” spring collection. It is filled with the most gorgeous soft pastel colors of the desert. I’m wearing the most adorable stripe short pajamas set and Sarah is wearing the softest sky blue long pajama set. When I say that Sarah’s pajamas are the softest pajamas, I’m not exaggerating! I have them in an old navy blue color (in the tank version) and live in them!

I love these similar styles to my pajamas: one, two, three, four, five.

Also, I melt over these similar styles to Sarah’s pajamas: one, two, three, four.

Switch Up Your Morning Routine

In 2019, I’ve really switched up my weekend morning routine and it has made a huge different in how I feel about the whole week. We haven’t really gone out a ton this year on the weekends, which means we also haven’t spent as many weekend nights drinking. This has been the case because we were training for a half marathon so we did our one long run each week on the weekend and because we’ve been trying to save money while we remodel/restore our house. So, I’ve had so many relaxing mornings waking up fresh and clear-minded instead of tired with a fuzzy mind. I’ve switched up my weekend morning routine in a handful of ways…

– Wake up between 7am-8am instead of sleep in past 9am…

I’ve never really been big into sleeping in (I wish I could but my body just won’t do it) so this one feels pretty natural. I truly love the morning light in the spring time so I’ve loved waking up early to the beautiful soft light.

– Read my current book in bed in the morning instead of scroll through Instagram.

I literally can’t tell you how much better and more inspired I feel starting my Saturdays and Sundays like this!

– Make a Be Well By Kelly smoothie in the mornings instead of indulging in a big splurge-worthy brunch.

This is in part tied to us trying to save money and not eating out as much but it’s a change that has made me feel great throughout my weekend days instead of weighed down. P.S. Read all about how these smoothies helped me prep my wedding body!

– Switch coffee to matcha or tea.

I don’t drink caffeine so I don’t drink any of these beverages but I’ve read about the benefits of switching over so why not try it on a slower paced weekend day?

Read a New Book

As I mentioned above, I’ve been walking up early lately on the weekends and starting my day with my book. I stay in my pajamas and cozy up in bed or head outside if it’s a nice morning and read my book instead of scroll through Instagram. There’s no doubt that I will be on Instagram throughout the day, which I actually really enjoy, so I don’t need to start my day with it. I find that starting my weekend days with reading makes me feel so ready to tackle and/or enjoy the day. I feel revitalized and not already thinking about what else is going on in the world. Does that make sense? Give it a try and tell me what you think! If you’re looking for a new book to pick up, check out my most recent reading guide!

Try Baking New Recipes

I love baking in the spring! My tastebuds always gravitate toward fruity flavors over chocolatey ones so I really enjoy trying out new recipes in the spring that are fruit forward. I knew the kitchen at out rental house in Palmetto Bluff had a beautiful kitchen, so I brought down some of my baking supplies and tried out three new recipes throughout the weekend (stay tuned!)! Now is a great time to try out new recipes on the weekends because you can find one you love to bake for Easter, Mother’s Day, or a spring shower you have coming up!

Here are a few of my favorite spring baking recipes and recipes I’ve been trying lately:

– Lemon Tart with Almond Flour Crust (gluten free)

– Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins (recipe calls for 1 cup of packed mashed ripe bananas, which it says is about 3 bananas – I feel that 1 cup is closer to 2 bananas but I definitely recommend using 3 full bananas as it makes them much yummier in my opinion!)

– Rustic Peach Galette with Ginger and Orange

– Scrumptious Lemon Cookies

– Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberries, Basil, and almonds (no bake)

– Blueberry Banana Oat Bars

– Carrot Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting (gluten free)

– Citrus Olive Oil Pound Cake with a Fig & Pomegranate Compote (I want to try this recipe!)

– Lots more sweet recipe suggestions here!

Do an Outdoor Activity

It’s springtime so get outside! Even if you live in a place that’s still cold, I bet you are starting to get a sprinkling of days that are in the 50s and maybe 60s! So, take my advice and do an outdoor activity so you can feel the fresh air and the sun on your face (with sunscreen, of course!). It will make you feel alive, inspired, and like a new person! My top suggestions are to go for walks, go on bike rides, or garden. We go on walks and bike rides a lot! I don’t really have a green thumb but I know that gardening is good for the soul from watching my extremely talented aunt garden.

The loveliest place on the internet to look for gardening equipment and tools is without a doubt here!

Snag a pair of the tennis shoes I’m coveting here or here (I love these, these, and these). I’m also really considering these in ‘midnight tuke.’ I’m asking for one of these pairs for my birthday in May!

When we bike ride, I get lots of questions about my bike and bike basket. Shop wicker bike baskets here and here and adorable bikes here, here, here, here, and here.

Spring Clean

Yes, it’s time for spring cleaning! I promise you will feel so happy, light, and inspired after a little spring cleaning. I know the idea of spring cleaning can be daunting but it doesn’t have to be. It’s a great opportunity to tackle little parts of your house one by one. You can even spread this out over multiple weekends by doing your closet one weekend, your pantry or kitchen cabinets the next, and places like your garage or shed or attic the following weekend. Another category I love to spring clean is random drawers… I’m talking bedroom side table drawers, desk drawers, and more.

P.S. if you live in Charleston and want to donate your clothes after a good closet spring clean, then I recommend donating to One80 Place (this is where I volunteer!) and Good Friends of the Lowcountry.

Go on a Weekend Getaway

If you’re feeling an itch to get out of town for a weekend to put a little inspiration in your spring season, then look no further than my guide to quick spring getaways! I rounded up ideas for six different parts of the country.

On Jillian: Stripe Pajama Set

On Sarah: Sky Blue Pajama Set

Get our Super Easy Ways to Keep your Spring Weekends Inspired look:

Photography by Edwin Eversole