“There’s nothing like staying at home for real comfort“

– Jane Austen

Are you looking for things to do while staying at home? It feels like life has been pretty surreal these days. We have had a tough couple of years. We have faced the challenges of a global pandemic, been urged to stay indoors due to poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke, and are now experiencing several intense storms, including tornados. My husband and I lived in Brussels during the pandemic, where we had 2 lockdowns. As an extrovert, the idea of staying at home sounds daunting. To cure some of my boredom and ease some of my anxiety, I made a list of things to do at home when I want to keep busy. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful, and I sincerely hope it helps bring some cheer.

Things To Do While You’re Staying Home

1) Stay at Home Cleaning

• It’s a great time to get some deep cleaning done! When did you last dust your fan blades or clean your baseboards? While you’re at it, you could also go around and disinfect your frequently used surfaces, like your doorknobs.
• If you’re going to clean, why not declutter. Go through each room and look at your space. I’m sure there are plenty of things you forgot about and can live without. I know I have plenty of clothes, crafting supplies, and old hiking gear to sort through. 

2) Plan a Vacation, Day Trip, or Local Excursion 

• I spend a lot of time researching all sorts of trips. I’m pretty obsessed with learning about places. This includes local spots, day trips, and far-off flings. I keep a list of nearby locations, day trips, and quick weekend getaways that are ready to go. Planning an upcoming trip sparks joy for me. It helps pass the time by giving me something to look forward to. 

3) Do Something Creative While Staying Home

• Doing something creative is a marvelous way to feel grounded when you’re feeling anxious and uncertain. You don’t have to be an artist to enjoy it. Although I am not artistically gifted, I do wish I possessed any resemblance of talent.
• I was told the best way to improve my drawing abilities is to practice it daily. There are loads of YouTube videos where you can follow along to learn how to sketch or paint something new. You can find blogs that show step-by-step doodles. You can also find boards on Pinterest if you search for “doodles”. My next goal is to learn how to watercolor! 

• The first pandemic lockdown came right before my husband’s birthday. I took the opportunity to make his day special by taking my time to decorate his cake! The decorations were far from perfect, but it was a thoughtful and meaningful gift. 
• During the lockdown, I practiced calligraphy every day. It was so much fun and comes in handy when I’m journaling. Again, my lettering isn’t something I would brag about, but it was fun to learn. 
• Staying home is a splendid opportunity to catch up on all my journaling, memory keeping, and scrapbooks. The lockdowns in 2020 helped me catch up a good amount, but then life got so busy again. I’m probably 2ish years behind, so some time at home can finally help me get caught up again. 

4) Practice New Skills

• I love learning something new, and being home allows me the time to do so. 
• During the pandemic, I worked on learning French! I was getting pretty good at it, but sadly stopped when life picked up and we got so busy. 
• Learning different instruments, like the ukulele, is on my wish list. 
• I also want to learn how to keep indoor plants alive. I have a gift for killing them. 

5) Try New Recipes

• I have a long and growing Pinterest page of recipes to try, but I rarely get around to them. It’s kind of fun going through the different recipes to see what I can make work based on what groceries I have at home. 
• If you’re already a good cook, try to challenge yourself. Create new recipes based on your pantry, fridge, and freezer items. Or, invent new recipes based on the grocery store leftovers? I’d love to see something like that!
• The two great lockdowns allowed me to perfect some of my favorite baking recipes. In the end, staying home wasn’t so bad. 

6) Finish Those Home Projects

• We all have those home projects that we’ve been putting off…. You know… those projects that you bought materials for, but they’re still in your storage… I write this while I stare guiltily into my office closet. 
• Most of my home projects are office-related, such as backing up photos and organizing important documents. I know… not fun, but very important. I lost most of my photos pre-2018 because both of my hard drives suddenly died…. So, my lesson learned is to back up all my backups. 

7) Catch Up on Your Streaming Queue

• People always tell me about TV shows they like or movies I have to see. Those shows and movies pile up in my queue. I don’t usually watch a lot of TV. I prefer to be on the go and don’t like sitting for long periods. It helps if I can watch movies in increments. It also helps when I no longer have a long list of things I should get done running through my mind. Turns out, The Departed is as awesome as everyone says. I also fell in love with The Big Bang Theory during one of the lockdowns. 

8) Send Happy Mail

• Who doesn’t love receiving letters in the mail? It’s always a great time to send your love and appreciation with a handwritten letter. I love sending mail- you can ask any of my loved ones. Letters and postcards help spread a little joy. 

9) Workout at Home

• YouTube has a plethora of free content to assist you with at-home exercises. I love Yoga with Adriene. My Fitness Pal is also a good resource for workouts.
• There are also lots of companies and apps out there offering free trial classes. Check your local gyms’ websites. One of the apps that offered free trial classes is from Chris Hemsworth… yea… Thor. That Thor Body Workout Plan sounds tempting, doesn’t it? 

10) Catch Up on Some Reading 

• It’s odd that even though I enjoy reading, I don’t make time for it. I usually listen to audiobooks and podcasts when taking long walks with my dog or during long road trips. I have a LONG and ever-growing list of books I want to read. I bought a handful of books I have yet to open. Staying home is the perfect opportunity to start that stack of books. 
• You can also use your local library app to check out ebooks and audiobooks. I have a long list waiting for me on my library app too. 

Enjoy Your Stay at Home

Whatever your reason for staying home, I hope you got some ideas from this list. All of these ideas were helpful for me during my first and second lockdown of the pandemic. Now, it’s comforting to know I have backups for those days I can’t get out and have to stay home. I may not be a homebody, but there is plenty I can do while I stay at home.