Ahhhh, the holiday feeling. Isn't it just the best?! It's hard to describe the feeling exactly, but I can confidently say that it's up there with all my time faves. The anticipation of whole days, or even weeks, rolling out before you, ready to be filled with exciting plans. The buzz that comes with exploring a new place, discovering restaurants you'll recommend to friends and quaint shops where you'll stock up on treasures. The total and utter relaxation that only comes when you switch off from day to day life.

Sam and I talked a lot about the holiday feeling while we were in New York. About how ace it is to feel totally blissed out and how much happier everyone would be if we made the effort to recreate the feeling at home. Because let's face it, life's too short to only experience that kind of happiness a couple of times a year.

It's something we've been working on since we got back and we've managed to find a couple of tricks that seem to work. And so in the interest of sharing, I've put together a little post with some tips to help you recreate that holiday feeling at home...

Dress - ASOS | Shoes - Kurt Geiger | Sunglasses - Celine | Bag - Vintage

1) Leave gaps in your diary

One of the best things about being on holiday is that you can just get up and do whatever you fancy that day. How often do you get the opportunity to do that at home? Our diaries are always packed full of plans and chores and commitments, leaving no room at all for that spontaneity we enjoy when we're away.

We've been trying to keep a day free at the weekend so that we can live like we do on holiday - taking the day hour by hour and doing exactly what we please. Some days we're up for an adventure and trying something new, and sometimes we prefer just to potter at home without any obligations. It's such a lovely way to live and I wish we could do it more often - damn those work schedules...

2) Have a good old pamper

I can't be the only one who goes into pampering overdrive whenever it's time for a holiday, can I? As our trip to New York fell right after our wedding, I was still taking advantage of all my bridal beauty prep. It was so nice to wake up with lovely long eyelashes, shiny hair and glowy skin everyday, and feeling better about myself seemed to put an extra spring in my step. It made me realise that I should make more of an effort to have a pamper all year round, not just for holidays. I've been locking myself in the bathroom every Sunday evening and going to town with all my favourite face masks and body creams - feeling my very best appearance wise definitely makes Mondays a little bit easier!

3) Make the most of week nights

It's so easy to get into the habit of writing off week nights - by the time you've finished a long day at work, it can feel like you don't want to do anything other than lie horizontal on the sofa with Netflix and snacks for company. But as I wrote in this post, making the most of those midweek evenings can be a really lovely way to feel like you're getting the most out of life. I love scheduling dinner with friends or heading out to a gig or show - it's not only really fun, but it leaves me feeling all fired up and ready to take on the working week.

4) Treat yourself

There's something about being on holiday that just makes it SO much easier to treat yourself, isn't there? Maybe it's because foreign currency feels like Monopoly money or maybe it's just easier to remind yourself that you've earned things like fancy meals and trips out. But really, there's no reason at all that you shouldn't be able to recreate a bit of that holiday excitement at home by booking a table at that restaurant you've been dying to try or enjoying a spa day with the girls. Sure, things would get pricey if you did it every week, but don't get into the habit of saving life's little luxuries for holidays alone.

5) Be a tourist at home

My last tip is my favourite one, because it's really obvious but so few of us do it! If you've got a little while to go until your next holiday, then clear a weekend and be a tourist at home. Make a list of tourist attractions in your area that you've never been to and add them to your itinerary. Do your research and find the hot new places to eat, rather than reverting back to old faves. Stop and take photos of all the pretty things you see, rather than just rushing past them in a daze. I think we're all a bit guilty of taking the place where we live for granted, but seeing it through your tourist eyes will not only make you fall in love with your hometown, but it will also give you that buzz you get when you're exploring somewhere new.

So there you go, my top tips for recreating the holiday feeling at home. Is there anything I've missed on my list?