Most events are cancelled. Conferences, tournaments, recitals, church services and a whole bunch of schools have all closed their doors as a way to keep large groups from gathering together and accidentally spreading the highly contagious virus COVID-19. That means many people are home more than maybe they would be on an average day.
I myself am somewhat of a homebody, so it’s not too different for me to stay inside. For others, it might be a fight to keep from going stir-crazy! For all of us, I thought it might be interesting to come up with a list of things that we can do while hanging around the house.
- Clean and sanitize everything. Wash the bedding and the teddy bears, dust the tops of cabinets, wipe down the door knobs. This is a great time for some deep spring cleaning!
- Do the taxes. Yeah – this is a boring one, but it is tax season and we’ve got some time on our hands, might as well check it off the list.
- Bake and cook. I think many restaurants are open in a lot of places, but if you’d rather stay home, it’s a great time to make that meal we usually don’t have time to make.
- Hang out with the family. Stuck at home with the spouse and/or kids? Time to break open the coloring books, play Barbie or GI Joe, put a puzzle together, play those board games stuck in the closet or those video games that haven’t had a workout in a while.
- Clean out and organize those closets.
- Clean out and organize the garage or storage shed.
- Sort through clothing and start a charity donation box for unwanted items.
- Fix that button, seam, hem or hole in your favorite clothes.
- Learn how to sew on a button!
- Read up on American history, or the English monarchy, or Viking history or anything you want to know more about. Share this with the family.
- Look into those online classes you’ve been interested in.
- Balance the check book or other financial accounts.
- Read a book or 5.
- Hold household spelling bees.
- Repot the houseplants if they need it.
- Research how to be a better driver.
- Write actual letters to friends and family – it’s a nice feeling to get real mail now and then!
- File and organize the pile of paperwork on the counter.
- Clean out the junk drawer.
- Subscribe to a streaming service? Time to catch up on those movies or shows.
- Watch and old black and white movie. I recommend The Thin Man or Harvey.
- Play inside hide and seek.
- Clean the lint out of the dryer duct.
- Have an at home spa day.
- Polish up those shoes.
- Fix the wobbly table leg or scuffed wall.
- Clean out the gutters.
- Clean out the cars.
- Make a fancy romantic dinner.
- Schedule eye appointments, dentist appointments and other regular check-ups for the future.
- Create an at-home workout routine.
- Create an at-home stretching and flexibility routine.
- Ask the kids to teach you the latest dance.
- Create a perfect music playlist.
- Play with your clothes and create new outfits with what’s in your closet.
- Finish that scrapbooking project.
- Use online videos to learn a new skill.
- Figure out what “new math” is.
- Wash the dog.
- Take a nap.
- Try out a new cocktail (adults only!).
- Decent weather outside? Clean up the yard and/or street a bit, there’s always some leftover junk from winter.
- Finish that woodworking project.
- Clean out those old emails.
- Sort and clean up all those phone photos.
- Research volunteer opportunities in your community.
- Plan out a garden, in the yard or a container.
- Read up on candidates running for office from your area.
- Create a savings plan for the rest of the year.
- Remember that now is the time for those things we always say we’d do “if I had the time”.
This list could have hundreds of things on it depending on each of our circumstances and interests. Hopefully it helps spark some additional thoughts for everyone.
