Now, I want to begin by saying – if you don’t want to do anything during your quarantine then don’t. These are crazy times and no one should be feeling the pressure to do more and accomplish every goal on their list. These are unprecedented times and we all handle our anxiety differently. I for one find that keeping busy and having projects really helps me maintain calm and also feel motivated each day. But, that doesn’t mean I haven’t had my fair share of Netflix binge days as well.
So, what I am really saying is – if you don’t like something on this list, don’t do it. These are just some ideas for those who are looking for ways to fill up their currently free schedule.
Alright, now that that is out of the way – let’s get to the good stuff.
If you’re like me then you’ve probably found that being home these last few weeks in quarantine has gotten pretty dull. I’m not a super social person but not seeing family, friends, or being able to pop to the store to easily buy home project materials has made me a little restless. Plus, being officially unemployed has made me take a harder look at my finances before jumping into any new home projects.
10 Things to Do to Pass Your Quarantine
Reorganize Your Home
This is a basic one, and likely something you’ve already begun doing, have done, or have done a few times now since the quarantine started. I for one have gone a little bonkers and reorganized our kitchen twice, and our bedroom once. I put on a Podcast (my go-to: My Favourite Murder) and just got to cleaning and reorganizing.
There’s something so satisfying about a freshly organized space. It looks so clean and everything is so easy to find – it’s great. Plus, it’s free to reorganize and it’s time-consuming which makes it a win-win when you’re unemployed with a lot of time on your hands!
Also, reorganizing gives you a good opportunity to review the things you need vs. the thing you can donate when this is all over. I have begun setting aside clothing, and kitchen items to donate once the quarantine is lifted.
Try Yoga or Pilates
If you want to support your physical and mental health then try a calming exercise like yoga or pilates. I’ve loved pilates for years (since having the Harrington Rod surgery when I was 13 it’s been one of my go-to workouts) because it’s both calming as well as strengthening. Also, it’s great for your core (abs) which supports your spinal health.
There are tons of great pilates and yoga workouts on Youtube which makes it another really cost-effective activity to do!
Start a Home Project
Now this one may take a bit more planning if you do not have the supplies (meaning you may need to order some items in / check your $$$) – but if you do have some project supplies at home then get your project going!
We had some paint and I had lots of time so I decided to paint both our bedroom and our entryway. They were both originally colours I really didn’t like (the bedroom was teal, the entryway was a peachy-brown) and now they are a soft creamy white shade that I absolutely love. I also have some wood stains in our garage so I am thinking I may re-stain our coffee table, and we actually have a bathroom vanity that we picked up off the side of the road months ago that we planned on re-finishing so I may get to that as well.
Home projects often take multiple days to complete which is great because we all have a lot of time on our hands right now. So, if you’ve always wanted to refinish a piece of furniture, or paint a room, or fix the dings in your walls – do it!
Get Artsy and Crafty!
If you have a piece of paper and any sort of drawing material (paintbrush and paint, pen, pencil – anything) then you could spend some time drawing or painting. You could just do this for fun – or you could try to create something you’d like hung on your wall.
I ended up spending some time creating some line artwork to fill our old Ikea picture frames for our entryway. I also actually painted the design on our entryway wall for a bit of an accent wall. That took forever, but I am actually really happy with how it came out.
Another thing I tried out was making my own Macrame Mandala frame which I REALLY like – but it totally took forever. If you’re looking for a really time-consuming project, this is it.
Get Gaming
By now you’ve probably heard about Animal Farm – and if you have a Switch then you’re also probably already playing it! I don’t have one, and I haven’t played Animal Farm but I have been playing the Sims. Yes, I’ve basically reverted back to my 13 year old self and am back to playing the Sims. And you know what – it’s fun. It’s a great way to pass some time and it’s a fun distraction from the world.
Have a Full Spa Day at Home
In my recent Sunday Self Care Routine youtube video, I shared a few things I love to do to relax and unwind on Sunday’s before heading into the work-week. Things like taking a nice long bath, applying a face mask, putting a hair mask in and so on.
Now that I am at home though I am stepping that routine up a bit and dragging the whole spa day out a bit more so that it takes up a bit more time. For example, put in a hair mask, then go and throw on a movie and paint your nails. When your nails are dry then put on a face mask, and finish watching your movie. Then, have a bath, relax, and rinse off. Follow that up by applying moisturizer head to toe! That routine will take a couple of hours rather than just a quick hour long relaxation routine.
Get Creative with the Ingredients You HAVE
Since most of us are limiting the amount of trips we are doing to the store, shop your pantry and fridge for ingredients and get creative with them! For example, I recently realized we had potatoes, cheese, butter, and herbs/spices so I decided to make Ribbon Potatoes.
Review what you have and see what you can make – even if it is just soup on rice. (No lie, soup on rice is sometimes delicious)
Here are some easy recipes you likely have the ingredients for:
One-Pot Tikka Masala Curry Recipe
Apple Cranberry Crumble Recipe
Easy and Quick Homemade Ramen Recipe
Low Carb and Gluten-Free Healthy Egg White Muffin Cups
Connect
It’s not normal for people to go without human interaction and it can really bring us down to be so socially deprived. That’s why it is SO important to find new ways to connect with family and friends. Remember to check in with family, Facetime them, and set up online Happy Hours with friends.
Enjoy a Movie Marathon
Something we did a lot at the beginning of the quarantine were full day movie marathons. For example, one day we watched only Marvel movies, another day we watched only True Crime.
It’s a fun way to make a day pass, and it’s relaxing. If you don’t always want to be working on a project, or working out – then enjoy a movie day.
Read, Read, and Read Some More.
Most of us have a book or two in our house that we purchased with the full intention of reading and then… We just didn’t get around to it. I know I am a major offender of buying books, reading the first few pages, setting it on my bedside table, and then forgetting to read it. But, this quarantine has reminded me to read again and I’ve really been enjoying it.
Reading is a great way to pass some time, it can get you feeling more creative, and it can even help you ease into having a goodnight sleep. If you have a book laying around that you’ve always planned on reading – do it!
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