Now more than ever, staying home is the reality that almost every US resident has to contend with. More and more states are encouraging people to remain indoors to confront the novel COVID-19.
We’re now weeks into this new world of self-quarantine and stay at home orders. The first day you were home was probably gold, right? You binge-watch all your favorite shows on Netflix or enjoy one of those sleep-ins that you’ve craved since the beginning of the year. But then it happens, you get a little antsy as the week wears down. You find yourself pacing between the couch and the fridge, and even the walls start to feel a little closer than ever.
Rather than getting bored with redundant social media posts, why don’t you shift to some fun projects you can do at home or in your backyard?
We’ve compiled some exciting projects that you can do no matter how long you’re stuck in-house. And mind you, they are just the tip of the iceberg.
1. Start a backyard garden
Converting your backyard to a grocery store produce section is a great way to get your whole family engaged. Even the little ones! First, you need to get some farming tools. Then add seeds to your next grocery list. Or better still, ask for home delivery if the store is within the neighborhood – it works! For those of you with adequate space, you can allocate a segment to each member of the family. That way, everyone would be up for bringing out a sprinkler, or splashing in the puddles for the days you would be spending together.
2. Rearrange some things for an elevated look
Giving your living space a refurbishment might not be in the budget, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t move one thing here and another there. Here are a few examples:
- Revamp your bookshelf – Even keen readers don’t restyle their bookshelves that often, but there’s no better time to rethink it than now. If your family is composed of literature enthusiasts, get them to arrange books by theme, or by alphabetical order. If aesthetics is your thumb rule, always remember to prioritize three key aspects: put up a few standout art pieces, declutter, and use natural colors.
- Try a different furniture plan – It is relatively easy to get into a groove with the same old furniture for a year, five years, or even a decade! Now that you are stuck at home, it’s time to add a bit of drama to your living room. Mix up a few rugs by moving them from one place to another. Even swapping a lamp to another spot can prettify a space in new ways.
3. Cleaning Projects
Besides the typical home disinfecting that you love doing every weekend, (yeah right!), it’s past time you get down to cleaning tasks that you dodge doing.
- Clean under your bed – When was the last time you mopped beneath your bed? Your guess is as good as mine. Don’t postpone this task to another day; mobilize every kin to move their beds, empty any storage carton, and vacuum the dust. What’s more, you might be shocked at some of the things you might come across (hello, lost phone charger!).
- Wipe out your bathroom drawers – We tend to put off this kind of task because ‘we don’t have time.’ Quarantine is here, so you’ll probably run out of excuses. Our bathroom cabinets take a lot of abuse, right from hair to spilled toothpaste to scattered makeup, and so on. Once you rid the insides of germs, dump the junk and reorganize your things.
4. Tackle the Garage
The garage is an easily neglected area often collecting all kinds of items that we don’t have time to properly organize or get rid of.
- Time to tackle those shelves – Most garages have some sort of shelf that inevitably begins collecting random items in addition to the normal items on them. Take things off one by one and weed out what you don’t need.
- Sweep everywhere – Move things forward, backward, all around! You’ll be surprised by the amount of debris and probably webs you find all around everything that has been shoved into a corner or up against the wall.
- Make donation/garbage piles – Check your local dump or recycling plant. Many are closed, but some remain open. If you’re not able to make a dump or donation run, stick them in a box off to the side or start a pile to get rid of after they re-open.
Takeaway
You can make use of the ample time at your disposal by indulging in a wide range of fulfilling projects. Draft a simple day-to-day plan, and make sure each member of the family plays a role in the activities. Don’t postpone any project. This way, you’ll end your period indoors feeling as accomplished as never before!