Lucky you if you have a family cabin that you get to visit every year! Unfortunately I don't, but I have some friends who do, and have been fortunate enough to be invited to hang out for a weekend now and then, and I definitely know what I love about the experience.
I find getting away for a cabin retreat is such a peaceful way to slow things down when life gets too hectic. Mobile and Wi-Fi connections are usually spotty, which can actually be a good thing. We're so tied to our gadgets it seems our minds never really get the chance to rest up and quiet down.
My dream cabin doesn't have to be very big. Just one or two bedrooms with a fireplace, making it nice and cozy. Preferably a log cabin with a hot tub. But it definitely has to be away from the city and by the water, with no other cabins around me. Now off to buy a lottery ticket . . .
1. Lots and lots of blankets and throws
Credit: Alexander McFeron
If I have a cabin, the number one item I would haul over in my backpack would be throws and blankets. My cabin experience may be limited, but every single time, my favorite thing has to be being able to see the beautiful starry sky at night. I love to spread a blanket on the ground and just lie there staring up at the sky, and think how in the grand scheme of things, we make up such a minute part of the universe, we really shouldn't be sweating the small stuff.
I also love to get up early in the morning when everything is super quiet (when my friends are still sleeping), wrap a cozy blanket around me, and just quietly enjoy my coffee. No music, no talking, nothing. Just me observing the outdoors and if I'm lucky, maybe a deer will come to graze nearby!
2. Unbreakable glasses and dishes
Credit: Mohammad Amin Masoudi
OK, cabins may be a quiet retreat, but it doesn't mean it can't get boisterous! Especially when a bunch of family and friends are hanging out together laughing and having tons of fun. The last thing you'll want to do is to clean up broken glass that's been accidentally knocked over. And definitely nothing breakable near the hot tub!
Wooden bowls and plates would be my personal preference for serving meals and snacks. Plastic cups would work for beverages, although I think stainless steel cups and wine glasses are more aesthetically pleasing. As long as nothing is breakable!
3. Extra towels, bedding, and pillowcases
Credit: Julian Hochgesang
You'll never know when you'll have extra guests! Having extra linens allows you to easily convert sofas or futons on the floor into makeshift beds for the night.
Plus, none of the cabins I've gone to have washers and dryers because there was a limited supply of water and electricity, so my friends have always taken the dirty laundry back home to do. If it's the same case for you, then it'll be handy to have extra towels, bedding, and pillowcases just in case any need to be replaced while you're there.
4. Freshen up your décor
Credit: Kelsey Dody
Why not freshen up your décor every year so that you have something more to look forward to? New furniture might be difficult to move, but new cushions, vases, or picture frames would be easy to transport and will instantly spruce up the place.
I love anything yellow because it seems so cheerful and happy, but if I want to really go for the log cabin look, red plaid cushions or ones in earthy colors would work perfectly. Or maybe a nautical theme with blue and white? And why not try something totally different from your city home? See it as a way to test something out that you've always wanted to try but was afraid to!
5. Candles to set the mood
Credit: Krzysztof Maksimiuk
Why spoil a peaceful night outdoors with harsh lighting from a camping lantern? Maybe candles are all you need. Keep the lighted candles casual and safe in mason jars, and place them on sturdy surfaces around you. Wrap yourself in a cozy, warm blanket, lean back, breathe in the clean, fresh air, and admire the starry night sky. Ahh . . .
One of my best memories even 15 years after the fact was when I went to a cabin on Saturna Island with some friends (one of the Southern Gulf Islands off the coast of British Columbia, Canada). Some of us were in the kitchen cooking breakfast when a friend ran in from the backyard and yelled "Whales!" I threw down my spatula (I was on sausage and bacon duty), ran out, and saw a pod of wild orcas swim by!
Hope your cabin will create lots of unforgettable memories for you as well!
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