Planning a romantic weekend at home is easy and affordable. Follow the guidelines below to ensure a pleasurable time for two.

1. If you have kids, make arrangements for them to stay with someone for the weekend. Don’t tell them you will be staying home but do tell them you will be turning off your cell phones and pagers and that the babysitter will contact you if there’s a real emergency. Hearing your child’s voice during a romantic weekend can bring a screeching halt to your romance. Clean up reminders of the kids from the area of the house you’ll be enjoying with your love. For example: clean up all toys, bottles and clothing from your bedroom, kitchen and living room.

2. Good personal hygiene and taking the time to change bed sheets, clean the bathroom, and all other rooms will secure a comfortable weekend.

3. Turn off pagers, phones and computers, let the answering machine do its job. Only check your answering machine a minimal amount of times.

4. Plan ahead some things to do and do other things spur of the moment. Here are some fun, romantic ideas:

– Rent romantic movies

– Visit nearby museums

– Go on a picnic

– Visit a winery

– Play a romantic game or activity

– Talk about your favorite past dates together

– Shop for new lingerie and sexy loungewear

– Take a walk in a secluded area

– Build a campfire and roast marshmallows

– Visit a cozy restaurant

– Shop for romantic items, taking turns picking things for the evening

– Have a few bottles of good wine on hand or the ingredients for some fancy mixed drinks

– Non-drinkers, use sparkling cider or club soda in wine glasses for a festive mood

– Visit a coffee shop

– Cook simple meals together

– Light your candles – for safety, use flameless candles

– Dress in your best and turn your dining area into a cozy area using your best dinnerware

– Play music from when you first met or love songs you can dance to

– Sleep in together

– Have simple breakfast foods ready such as, muffins, fruit and juice so you don’t have to cook or cleanup

– Have a few surprises or small gifts on hand to add to the excitement

5. Don’t interrupt your romantic weekend with business, cleaning , yard work or television.

6. Send your love a Thank You card a few days later. Thank them for a wonderful time and let them know you can’t wait till your next romantic rendezvous.