It’s really easy to get overwhelmed with the day-to-day activities in life and forget all about the little things that make all the difference.

If you and your girlfriend are going through a stressful part in your life, take a little time for yourself and do these 19 sure-to-please relationship boosters.

Then, check back into the comments and let us know what you think! Did these little tips help bring you two closer together?

Some of these are things you can do now, while the weather is still warm, and others can be done after it starts to cool down a little bit. Don’t worry – there’s still plenty of time left in 2016 to make your relationship goals a reality.

1. Visit your local farmer’s market.

Shopping locally is a great way to support the people in your community, and it gives you an inside look to the locally-grown food in your area. Visiting your local farmer’s market is a great way to spend the day in the sunshine while also picking up some great food you might not have thought to prepare!

Once you’ve picked up the fruits and vegetables that interest you, find a recipe and make something amazing. (Or, if you’re more of a planner, like me, check out the recipes before you hit the farmer’s market so you know what to be on the lookout for.)

2. Get a couple’s massage.

All too often, we put our personal pampering on the back burner when things get a little hectic. It seems like these things are the easiest to put off, but really, getting them taken care of on a regular basis can increase your overall mood and make those mundane daily tasks just a little more bearable.

If you can’t afford to hit the spa, give each other a sensual massage in the comfort of your own home! There are a number of great massage oils available for a decent price online. My personal favorite is EO Lavender Massage Oil. It has the lovely, relaxing smell of lavender with the amazing skin nourishment of almond oil. Make sure you’re using massage oils that are made from real essential oils – they’re the best for your skin, and there’s no chemical smell. It’s a win-win!

3. Make a blanket fort and watch old movies together.

If you’re anything like me, you probably haven’t made a blanket fort since you were a kid. But now that you’re adults, living in your own place – why not? It’ll give you a nice secluded space to cuddle in, and it gives the perfect backdrop for your home movie marathons. Best of all, you already have everything you need!

Blanket forts are great, because they purposely take us out of our “grown-up comfort zones”. Making a blanket fort together is not only a great bonding activity, but it also reminds you of the childlike innocence you’ve probably left behind. After all, you’ve got your whole life to be an adult – why do you have to cut out all of the fun stuff?

4. Go skinny dipping.

Okay, I know skinny dipping isn’t really everyone’s cup of tea. In fact, I’m not too partial to being naked without a “good reason” myself. But skinny dipping is a great reason to be naked with your partner, and as long as you’re respecting your local laws, there’s really nothing wrong with it. The naked human body is often scrutinized and labeled as dirty, even though – realistically – we were born naked, and in many cultures, nudity is still celebrated.

If you’re concerned about being caught and fined, aim to go skinny dipping in a private pool, or a secluded clearing in the trees. Still nervous? Try swimming in your underwear, instead of an actual swimsuit. It gives a similar rush without the risk of a ticket.

5. Have a date in your own living room.

All too often we get caught up in the idea that a date has to be some fancy, extravagant event. That’s not the case at all. A candlelit dinner by the fire is just as romantic, and can be done for a lot cheaper, leaving you more money for those all-too-important essentials, without making you pick up any extra work.

There are a few rules to dating inside your home, though – such as turn off the television and make sure the room is tidy first. A cluttered environment can distract you and stress you out, and “noise pollution” has a very similar effect. Instead, focus on one another’s company, and let yourselves enjoy the time you spend together. Your relationship is definitely worth it.

6. Ride a Ferris wheel together.

If you’re lucky enough to have a fair or carnival near you, the Ferris wheel is one of the most romantic rides around. Sure, the rest of the rides might be a little more exhilarating, but you can’t really make out on a log ride. Take some time to enjoy the scenery and each other’s company by riding the Ferris wheel!

For those who are a little more adventurous, I’ve even seen some videos of people getting a little “intimate” at their local amusement park… But be warned, if you try this and you get caught, you will most likely be kicked out, and possibly even ticketed. Make sure you know your local laws before you get too frisky!

7. Spend an entire weekend in bed.

Of course, if you have ten tons of things to do before Monday, this might not be a great idea, but chances are you’ll have at least a few days off together with no plans. Make the most of this time to bring your relationship closer – cuddling, making out, and even getting frisky under the covers. But whatever you do – don’t get caught up in those stressful things – this is all about the two of you!

Let the romance shine in between the sheets, but don’t forget to take some time to take care of yourselves, too. Take a bubble bath or shower together to crank up the heat, and maybe even add in that fireside dinner this weekend, too. It’s your relationship – take control and make it amazing!

8. Go out stargazing.

Whether you pull up a blanket in the back yard, hang out on top of the roof, or go for a drive to lay on the beach, stargazing is a romantic date idea that’s been observed for centuries. Take a little time to return to your roots, and just spend the night under the stars. If you’re feeling ambitious, bring a tent – and watch the sunrise together, too!

For a little extra excitement, consider bringing some massage oils, or even some toys and lube. There’s something sexy about being under the stars (which probably comes from centuries of people getting it on in the moonlight), so take advantage of this instant mood-setting scene to reignite that fire. After all, you’ve got all this time devoted to just the two of you – what else are you going to do when you get bored of seeing the same stars?

9. Check out your county fair.

Now, I know that not every county actually has a county fair – I personally have to travel about a half an hour to get to my closest one. But chances are, there’s somewhere you can go to take in the sights and sounds. If you don’t have a county fair, keep an eye out for an amusement park, a carnival, or an outdoor festival. Just remember to only bring as much money as you need – these things can get pretty expensive, pretty fast!

While you’re at the fair (or fair-like event), make sure you take lots of pictures to document the fun time you spend together. These photos will make great memories for the future, and you can even have them printed out to hang on your walls. Most likely, there will be some other fairgoers willing to help you capture your magical moments, so don’t be afraid to ask!

10. Have sex somewhere new and exciting.

If you’ve been stuck in a rut of only having the same type of sex, in the same place, and it’s starting to get a little boring, why not try changing up the scenery a little bit? Most likely, there are a number of places you haven’t experienced an orgasm yet, so why not make a list and start checking things off? The kitchen, living room, and bathroom are all great places to start, if you’ve never had sex anywhere “crazy” before.

Your new place to get frisky should be at least mostly private (I get the thrill of being caught, but you don’t actually want to get caught). Try for places like the beach, the pool, or maybe even the trampoline that’s been collecting dust in the back yard. Just make sure wherever you go, it’s clean beforehand – or bring a blanket that is.

11. Support your local high school sports teams.

No matter what sports you’re into, or what sports your local schools play, it’s always a great idea to help support the next generation. Most of the sales that happen at these local games will directly benefit the kids who play, with some going to help the other kids at their school, too. It’s a great way to give back, without the commitment of charity work or volunteering.

What if your local schools don’t play sports, or there’s nothing open to the public? You can still help support them by donating or purchasing merchandise. While these things seem cheesy and unimportant, you could be making a difference in someone’s life and education – and isn’t that worth a little cheese?

12. Learn a new language together.

First of all, let me start by saying that it’s nearly impossible to become fluent in another language in just a few months. It takes the brain years to learn all the vocabulary associated with a new language, so unless you’ve got a ton of time on your hands (and a really good memory), you’re not going to really succeed with this one.

But learning things with your partner has even greater benefits than learning them on your own. Not only do you get an automatic accountability partner, but if you choose one of the love languages and focus on the romantic things, you could have your own secret way to communicate those sweet nothings, and that’s extra sweet.

13. Go on a scenic hike.

When the weather is nice, it’s a great time to go for a hike. You get to take in the scenery around you, and you might even come face-to-face with the local wildlife. (Please don’t touch the wildlife, though – you could spread zoonotic diseases to the animals or to yourself, not to mention they might bite or scratch you.)

This is another great opportunity to take some photographs, too. Soak in the memories of the day, and snap (or sketch) some pictures of your favorite parts. For an added bonus, get the pictures printed and bound into a memory book – it’ll give you an easy way to look back, even well into the future.

14. Spend the whole night dancing.

If you’ve got local dance bars in your area, this is a great place to start – but for those who don’t, you can get started in your living room just as easily. Turn on some slow jams (or your romantic music of choice) and waltz, salsa, and grind all over the dancefloor (or rug – whichever the case may be).

But what if you don’t really know how to dance? You can either make it up as you go, or take a dance class together. Just like with learning another language, learning with your partner is a great way to bring you closer together and make it feel less like a “class” – and more like a “date” in front of a bunch of other strangers. You’re welcome.

15. Bake a pie or cake together.

I’m a huge fan of baking, myself. It might just be my favorite kind of cooking. But, to be fair, that’s probably because you can’t really make a cake on the stove. (Unless it’s a pancake, of course, and I am all over those, too.) It doesn’t matter if you’re baking from a box or from your grandmother’s closely-guarded family recipe – baking together is fun, and then you have dessert, too!

For an added challenge, try baking something from scratch that neither of you has ever made before. Personally, I’ve never successfully made brownies, so I’d probably schedule that to try with my girlfriend. Your experience may vary – so do what works for you!

16. Play sexy hide-and-seek.

Yet again, we’re going to take one of those activities you did as a child and turn it into an excuse to get intimate: Hide-and-seek! The rules for sexy hide-and-seek are pretty similar to the version you played as a child, except that every time you’re “found”, you have to remove an item of clothing. Once one of you is completely naked, the other gets to have their way. It’s fun, sexy, and just a little bit naughty.

Try to play in rooms of your house that you’ve never had sex in, so that the excitement of the chase is just a little more exciting. I’m partial to kitchen, bathroom, and closet sex myself, so if I was trying to push my boundaries, I’d probably go for the living room or the dining room. It’s up to you – whatever gets your motor running is the perfect place to play.

17. Go for a long country drive.

We tend to rely on our cars for efficiency and transportation, rather than for taking in the sights and sounds of the countryside. It can be a bit expensive to fill the tank, so driving without a clear-cut destination is scary for those of us on a stricter budget. But when your destination is “a happier relationship”, you don’t really need a specific place to end up.

Roll the windows down, and enjoy the gentle breeze. Crank up the stereo and sing along to your favorite tunes. No matter what parts of the drive are the most fun for you, try to make a point to get closer to one another – you’re worth it!

18. Make your own Valentine’s day.

The month of February is often reserved for our romantic expressions, but truthfully, we need to bring Valentine’s day to everyday if we want our relationships to be their best. Pick a random day and make it your own personal Valentine’s day. Try to turn it into a regular habit – and don’t hold back on the romance!

One of the greatest things about celebrating Valentine’s day on your own day is that the lines for your favorite restaurants will be shorter, or maybe even non-existent. Even if everyone on the planet picked their own Valentine’s day to celebrate, the amount of foot-traffic in those nice restaurants would be a lot more spread out. Everybody wins!

19. Carve your initials into a tree.

Okay, I know this one seems a bit juvenile, and in some ways it’s even environmentally irresponsible. (In case you didn’t know, the initials stay in the tree because you’ve killed it in that spot.) But as far as having a symbol of your undying love, there aren’t too many things that compare to knowing that there’s a permanent mark of your love printed where everyone can see it.

Really rather not cut up a tree? You can accomplish a similar thing simply by planting a new tree. It won’t have quite the same symbolism to everyone else, but the two of you will always know what the tree stands for. You can even have a plaque engraved to mark the spot in front of the tree, if you’d rather have the joy of seeing your initials there.

Did you enjoy our list? Do you have more ideas to add? Let us know in the comments!

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