The 5 self-care secrets Lance Bass lives by

Light your favorite candle and put on your plushest robe—it’s Self-Care September, which means it’s time to take care of yourself and your home before those hectic holidays roll in.

“I just want every night to feel like I’m at a spa,” says Lance Bass, member of the highly successful boy band *NSYNC.

Bass doesn’t have much downtime. His days are packed: he’s narrating audio books, writing children’s books, hosting his own podcast, and raising two beautiful babies. With a schedule like that, self-care becomes an essential part of your routine.

We sat down with the singer to learn more about his self-care essentials and how he manages to stay sane during fast-moving days.

Pamper yourself with an at-home spa day

Bass’s favorite way to unwind is with a massage. “My body just needs a good squeeze,” Bass says. “Every one is like a big hug and it just makes me so much happier.”

He tries to spring for one at least once a month, but for those days where he needs his own at-home massage, he turns to his Theragun.

Bass recommends setting aside time to really indulge, like drawing yourself a bubble bath to let all your stress melt away. He likes to load his baths with essential oils and surround himself with delicious candles. Boy Smells is his favorite candle brand at the moment.

“I just think every day should feel like a spa for an hour or two,” Bass says.

He’s even got a red-light therapy mask, which can help reduce wrinkles and target stubborn acne scars. Red-light therapy is an up-and-coming at-home therapy treatment that’s growing in popularity, but if you shop for a mask, look for one that’s FDA-cleared from a major brand like MZSkin or Omnilux.

Find ways to sneak in cardio

Self-care is equal parts indulgence and care; be sure to find ways to stay fit this month, even if you need to sneak it in. Bass has a Tonal machine in his home, right next to the closet.

“It’s the only way we work out because we just don’t have time to go to the gym now that we have kids,” Bass says.

He likes to sneak in a workout every time he cleans out his closet. Once a month, he and his husband set aside time to clear out their closet—but they turn it into a game.

“We’ll try on some clothes, we’ll get rid of 10 things, and then we have to do a set of something on the Tonal,” Bass explains.

Staying fit is incredibly important to Bass, who was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago. He was initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but in August, the singer revealed he was misdiagnosed and actually lives with type 1.5 diabetes.

“Oddly, I tell people that there is a silver lining to being diagnosed with diabetes—you really care more about your health,” he told Yahoo in July. “I bumped my exercise up. I do more cardio. I think I'm a much, much healthier person.”

The Tonal is a great machine if you’d like to stay fit, but don’t want to trek to the gym every day. It comes with two adjustable arms that allow you to complete a wide range of exercises, and its adaptive design helps you stay safe, meaning you don’t have to worry about lifting something too heavy or straining too hard. It also comes with a large touchscreen that can play tailored workout videos best suited to your own body and needs.

Clear out the clutter one room at a time

There’s a feeling of freedom that comes with clearing out all that old stuff in your home. Bass recommends going one room at a time to make the process less daunting. Call up your partner, your best friend, or your child and have them help you move from room to room.

“It can be overwhelming,” Bass says. “Cleaning your bedroom, cleaning your closet, cleaning the kitchen—just take it one room at a time.”

If you’re starting with the garage, Bass recently partnered with Kelley Blue Book to help make saying goodbye to old cars a little bit easier.

“Making life changes is something that we all have to deal with and when you have resources, especially like this, it's easier,” Bass explains.

Kelley Blue Book will give you an instant cash offer for your car—enter the details on their website and it’ll pop out a quote for you. Take your car to the nearest participating car dealership to cash in on your offer.

Turn cleaning into an exciting event

Not sure what to do with all the stuff you’re ready to get rid of? Follow Bass’s lead—and throw a party.

“Every six months, I have fun with my friends,” Bass says. “They’ll come over, we’ll have a little game night, and I’ll set up my guest room as a kind of store with all the stuff I just cleaned out of my closet.”

As his guests leave for the evening, they get to visit the Lance Bass store filled with clothes, shoes, trinkets, and more. This is a great way to motivate yourself—and your friends—to clean out those old closets and crawl spaces. You may not be sharing the same designer-label items that Bass has, but if you’ve got any clothing older than 2010, anyone in your life younger than 20 would jump at the opportunity to raid your closet for vintage finds.

Cleaning out your home doesn’t mean you need to get rid of all of your clothes, though. There are a few staple items that Bass keeps for himself.

“I just have some amazing pieces in my closet that I will never get rid of because I’m already thinking ahead to my kids like, oh, when they’re 18, they’re gonna love this Gucci jacket,” Bass says.

Bass explains that he’s not much of a brand person, but Gucci is the one exception. His Gucci jackets, shoes, and suits are happily parked in his closet—and they’re not going anywhere.

Other items Bass keeps stocked in his closet include comfortable oversized T-shirts—he loves Abercrombie and Fitch—and comfortable shoes you can wear everyday (his favorite are Crocs).

Do your best to de-stress

Reducing your stress should be one of your main goals this Self-Care September. De-stressing can look different for everyone—Bass says reading a good book can make him more stressed, but it’s a great way for others to calm their minds.

“If I have a day off, I will go to the spa for three hours,” Bass explains. “I’ll do a cold plunge, get in a jacuzzi; I’ll get a nice massage, maybe a facial.”

While many of us reach for those decadent chocolates when we’re stressed, Bass prefers treats that help him feel healthy, like fruits and green teas.

Travel is another great way for Bass to unwind. His new favorite place is Palm Springs—”there’s something about it,” he says.

Whether it’s reading, eating, stretching, or traveling, finding those easy ways to lower your cortisol levels is essential this September, especially if you’re going to spend the next few months shopping and planning holiday celebrations.