Date Night

“There is an art to choosing well when so many demands vie for our attention.

So we must learn to choose the meaningful.”

 Valorie Burton, It’s About Time

The point of date night is to intentionally spend time connecting with others. Rather than simply using “what’s left over,” you set aside precious time to spend together in an effort to maintain a relationship rather than simply taking it for granted.  Easier said than done.  Or is it?

When asked what is meaningful and what makes us happy, undoubtedly, we respond with a resounding “relationships!” –with children, family, friends, loved ones, and pets.  And yet, a quick time analysis will reveal that though those may be the most meaningful aspects of our lives, we may not be spending our time accordingly.

How to Date Night

Date night need not be long, fancy, or a hassle. But you need to be sure . . .

1) Set aside time. Save time by having house or apartment cleaners do the work for you (did you know that Americans spend an average of 6 hours cleaning their house per week?!).

2) Make your surroundings calm, peaceful, and pleasant to live in. If you decide to date night at home, make your home pleasant to be in.  Having the Best House Cleaners to do the work sets the stage for an awesome date night.

3) Ditch the phone. Phones are addictive and distracting.  Make it a point to put that attention grabbing mini-computer away.

Date Night OUT

High Brow.  This is for that special night away where you seriously plan what you’re going to wear –a beaded gown, tux, awesome footwear?  Maybe. Perhaps you plan to savor the chef’s special at your favorite restaurant, take in a museum exhibit, or even attend a gala.  Making memories is the goal of this night. Regardless, you’re Cinderella or Prince Charming getting ready for the ball in this real fairytale.

Medium Brow. OK, so I don’t really know if there’s such a thing as medium brow, but let’s just go with it. Diana once took a cooking class with her kitchen-phobic partner, and they will never look at cumin the same way and their salsa is the one to beat! Regardless, learning together –wine and cheese pairing, painting or making ceramics, or attending yoga at the planetarium– helps you connect and grow together.

Low Brow. Look, getting away and having fun together need not be fancy, entail reservations, or changing clothes.  Kristine likes to go to Costco with her husband and check out the samples.  Taking a hike, walking the dog together, or going to the park (yes, even if you don’t have children!) are, well, free. One couple likes to go to their local bookstore, each grab a book and meet in the cafe to enjoy coffee together and read.

Date Night IN

You read that correctly.  You work hard to keep your home nice, why not just enjoy it (also, you don’t have to worry about traffic and parking).

• Start with A Clean Home. By having the Best House Cleaner ensure that your place is gleaming, you’ve set the stage for a wonderful night.
• Pick a room. That’s right –select a room, any room, and focus your date night there. Here are some ideas to get you started:
• Kitchen: Have your own wine and food pairing, cook together, each make a dish and surprise each other.
• Dining room: One couple I know likes to go to the store and select foods they feel like eating. No, this isn’t the weekly grocery trip, nobody is buying toilet paper here –It is simply enjoying the delights of the grocery store and then going home and cooking them together. Why not try fondue?
• Bathroom: Home spa anyone? A clean bathroom, candles, your favorite bath products, and relax. Ahhhhhhhh.
• Living room: Have movie night with a twist–surprise each other by selecting something to watch, play board games (Twister!), have your own yoga session (you might need to move the coffee table).
• Bedroom: Well, I’ll leave this one up to you.  But having a clean, peaceful, tranquil space is a must –gosh, I’m exhaling just thinking about it.
• No phones allowed. Make a pact and lock those bad boys up or put them on vibrate at least.

Date Night with YOURSELF

Lauren, a hairdresser with a husband and two young kids, describes her fantasy night like this: “spend a night by myself, in my clean house sipping a glass of wine!” It’s not that she doesn’t love her family, but she also longs to connect with herself and just enjoy peace, quiet, and her lovely clean home, a rarity when raising a family and trying to “do it all.” By having a housekeeping service do the work for you, she can have it all, she just doesn’t have to do it all. If you could take yourself on a date, how would you spend it?

Remember, ecomaids is here to give you the time and your space to create the life you want, just give us a call at (909) 870-0786 or find us here.