At first social distancing seemed fun, like a snow day or staycation. But now we are bored and we’re stress-eating. We are desperate for productive tasks. Here are some ideas for home-bound activities that you’ll be glad you accomplished.
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(We also want to note that we take the coronavirus precautions seriously. Our hearts and prayers are with those who are infected and suffering, as well as the responders attending to the victims. The point of this article is not to make light of the challenges of this time, but to provide distraction, and hopefully to help keep spirits up.)
Scan old photos
I have a basement, which has a closet, which has many boxes, one of which contains a million ancient photos. Those photos should be scanned. In 3 hours I scanned about 90 photos. Check out this dear 1920s photo of my grandmother Geneva. Now I will always have this, even as the hard copy degrades.
I even scanned my entire wedding album. (Now my friend Marsha can sleep at night, knowing the precious family photos have been preserved.)
Call your mama
Let’s check on our loved ones, especially the older ones. These are scary times for everyone. Pick up the phone and chat with your mama.
Get crafty
I’m not creative or artsy, but I find crafts tremendously satisfying. I’ve tried knitting, embroidery, jewelry-making, and scrapbooking. All of those were marginally successful (if at all), but they were really fun.
Kalisa recently ventured into the world of the Silhouette Cameo and heat press.
She has made some terrific gifts for her daughter and her friends:
Or be like our friend Debbie Pitts and take up pottery: I have a she-shed; so should you.
Cook
Cook for your family. Bake brownies. Whip up your kids favorite foods. Can’t get to the store? Try these recipes: Recipes for times of “social distancing”.
Try those fancy appliances
Did you receive an air fryer for Christmas? Are you so intimidated by your Instant Pot that you’ve hidden it in the pantry? Does a spiralizer seem unnecessarily complicated? (It’s not.). Got a fondue maker, ice cream machine, or pasta maker gathering dust somewhere? Get out those appliancees, read the manuals, and give them a spin.
Need some recipes for those appliances? For the spiralizer, try Low Carb Blackened Salmon with Blistered Tomatoes and Zucchini Noodles. Your instant pot will love these: Comfort Food in a Jiff? This Bolognese Doesn’t Disappoint! and Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup.
Do your taxes
Yuck. It’s right up there with trying on swimsuits for “most odious task” ever. But jump in and do it. What a great feeling to check this one off the to-do list. And April 15 is right around the corner.
Plan your garden
Speaking of the imminent approach of tax day, it won’t be long before it is time to plant. This year, take some time to plan your garden. Step back and take a look. Maybe it’s time to pull out some old shrubs, or even take out some trees. This is a perfect time for a spring cleanup.
Looking for some new showy plants? Check out HOSTAS: the lazy gal’s gardening secret and Hydrangeas gone wild.
Read a book
Enough said.
Clean out your __________
Sock drawer. Closet. Garage. Pantry. File cabinet. Junk drawer.
Don’t try to do the whole house in one day. Start small, and completely clean out one thing. Get rid of the things you don’t want or need. Need inspiration? See The Great Closet Cleanout.
Have an at-home spa day
Take a long bubble bath. Condition your hair. Put on a funky Korean face mask. Paint your nails. Pluck the hairs growing under your chin.
Need some products for your spa day? Check out Our Favorites: Drugstore Beauty Products , The Older and Wiser Generation’s Favorites: Beauty, and Life-changing nail polish (not really, but it will save you time and money).
And if social distancing goes on much longer, we’ll get to experiment with home hair coloring.
Try something new
Is there something you’ve always thought you might do, but it seems overwhelming or scary? Learn to play the guitar. Take a youtube yoga class. Bake a soufflé. Deep-fry a turkey. Paint a picture. Read the whole Bible. Or start a business. Write a book. Mend a relationship. Try it, even if it is daunting.
I can speak from experience here. Kalisa and I wanted to start a blog, but we knew nothing about it. The learning curve was steep and sometimes frustrating, and putting our writing “out there” was scary. The process of learning and creating has been incredibly fulfilling and fun. Taking on a new endeavor — technology, SEO, marketing, software, etc. — at 54 was hard, and some days it seemed like there was just too much we didn’t know. We realize that this silly little blog isn’t changing the world, but we are glad we jumped in and did it.
Do you have something in the back of your mind that you might want to take on? This time of social distancing and downtime might be the perfect time to do it.
