HOLY SELF QUARANTINE FAMILY! We’re a few days in and I am already feeling like, “ok, I can’t take it anymore.” So what do we do when we’re so bored we want to bang our heads against a wall? We get fucking creative and we unbored ourselves. I have put a lot of thought into things we can all do at home – I mean with all of this free time, obviously – and I hope this inspires you to quit watching the news, the clock, the weather, what have you, and make the most of an undoubtedly crappy situation. I am right there with ya though babe, and I can’t wait to hear what you’re doing to keep yourself sane in these wild times!
20 THINGS TO DO AT HOME WHEN YOU’RE BORED
[IMAGE VIA instagram.com/laurenconrad]
1 | CREATE THE ULTIMATE NETFLIX FORT
YES! A lot of streaming will be happening in the next few weeks so why not change up the scenery every now and then? All you need at a minimum are sheets, or blankets, pillows, battery operated fairy lights (bonus, if you have them), an adult’s determination and a child’s imagination.
2 | DO A YOUTUBE MAKEUP OR HAIR TUTORIAL
If there were ever a time to play and try some new beauty technique it’d be now. I have never personally watched a beauty tutorial myself (I know.) but you bet you’re ass I’ll be perfecting the art of contouring by the end of the week.
3 | MAKE AN ULTIMATE HAPPY/DANCE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY – AND DANCE
I listen to music pretty often, but not with the intention like I’ve have had lately. Right now I need music. It gets to a certain level of bored around 5 pm and that’s when it’s time to blast the tunes, make dinner, make a cocktail, and dance around the house. I’ve been adding a lot of my current favorite “happy” songs to a playlist that you can listen to HERE – or, I challenge you to make your own!
4 | INVENT A NEW COCKTAIL
In times of high anxiety, a cocktail is always welcome. All you really need to get started is 3 things: a spirit of your choice, a “sweetener”/simple syrup (which you can easily make – grab honey and mix it with warm water – boom.), and some type of acid/citrus. Honestly, it’s that easy. Start with 3 parts spirit, 2 parts citrus, 1 part simple syrup and get to crafting ya crafty bitch!! And by all means, feel free to get as aggressive and inventive as you want, the point is to have fun and forget your worries for a while! (WATCH: a few weeks ago I did some cocktail experimenting with Belvedere, we made a thing of it, and it was more fun than I can even try to express to you – here’s the VIDEO.)
5 | GET A WORKOUT IN
It’s crucial to have at least some level of physical activity right now. And with so many different at-home workout apps/videos available we have no excuse! Buzzfeed just rounded up a ton of the best at-home workout videos and apps to check out. There’s a pretty good variety depending on what you feel like doing so let’s get off our butts and move people!
6 | HAVE A BEAUTY HOUR
Hell YEAH it’s time to treat yo’self! Bust that face mask out you’ve been wanting to try. Give yourself a proper pedicure. Work on your nail art game, or use that delicious bath bomb you’ve been saving. Nothing wrong with a little beauty and relaxation.
7 | BAKE *AND DECORATE* THE SHIT OUT OF SOME COOKIES
Cooking and baking is an amazing way to reduce stress and keep your mind occupied. But taking your baking another level by adding the “decorating” part will keep you (and the kids if you have them!) entertained for a whoolllleee lot longer. My suggestion is to bake sugar cookies, make a classic sugar cookie frosting, add some food coloring to make some fun colors, and craft some little pieces of edible art! (Sugar cookies are good for a while too – the gift that keeps on giving.)
8 | WORK ON YOUR TIKTOK GAME
If you’re one of the TikTok stragglers like me, take some time to explore the platform. See what the kids are up to and try making some of your own! Being home bored is the PERFECT time to start experimenting. And with the silly nature of the platform itself, I guarantee you’ll give yourself a proper giggle even just trying.
9 | START A BLOG!
I mean! Why not! Whether it’s a blog, a book, a portfolio – if this speaks to you, do what you have to do to finally make it happen. So that when this is all over you don’t feel like you’d taken the time for granted. If you’re curious about blogging, read my article on getting started – “Blogging: The Truth About The Beginning“.
10 | CREATE A GALLERY WALL (OR HAT GALLERY!)
If you have to be stuck at home, you might as well work on making it something you’re even more proud of. Gallery walls require some time and strategizing, as do “hat galleries“, and if you need inspiration, the internet and Pinterest completely have your back. (I especially enjoyed this article when getting started with a gallery wall.)
11 | MARIE KONDO YOUR CLOSET
One of the first things I did during this crazy time of being cooped up was clean out my damn closets and drawers. Organizing and decluttering your space is a great way to shift your energy into a more relaxed state. I even went so far as to fold everything the Marie Kondo way and, let me tell you, if you really want to pass the time – tiny fold your life away. (My God if the final product isn’t the most satisfying thing on the planet!!!)
12 | PUT TOGETHER A CARE PACKAGE FOR SOMEONE
I know shopping is tough right now but this “care package” doesn’t have to be anything too crazy. Hust think of it as a way to let someone you care about know that you’re thinking of them. Even if it’s just a simple handwritten letter. A few days ago my dad sent me an article he tore out from a magazine about how one of the first private jets was called “Caroline”. It was so simple but it meant a lot. I think we could all use a little love and kindness right now.
13 | READ A BOOK
There is only just so much television one should watch, but another perfect way to escape is through good old fashioned reading. If you’re in need of some suggestions, my favorite “happy” books as of late include: You Are A Badass (feels appropriate during these times especially), This Will Only Hurt A Little (Busy Philipps) A Man Called Ove, Becoming (by Michelle Obama), Elanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Be Frank With Me, and What Alice Forgot. (Please let me know what you’re reading right now!)
Side note: I mostly read WWII stories, if you’re interested in that subject matter as well my favorite books include: All the Light We Cannot See, Nightingale, Code Name Verity, The Lilac Girls, The Room on Rue Amelie, We Were The Lucky Ones, and The Alice Network.
14 | MAKE A VISION BOARD
We all wish we could hit reset on 2020, but the only thing we can control is our attitude towards the future. I have ALWAYS been a huge fan of making vision boards. It’s something I do every year and these days I usually craft from my computer. Whether you make it physical or digital, I guarantee you’ll feel better about setting some goals and intentions for life beyond these trying times. (We will eventually move past this. Think of how you’d like to envision the next much happier phase!)
15 | CLEAN UP YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS
In the same vein as creating a vision board, you can make all kinds of creative “mood” and “vision” boards on Pinterest – no new news there. But I personally let my Pinterest activity fall by the wayside in the past few months. So I am taking it upon myself to “clean up” my boards, organize a bit, and pin my heart out. If you’re a creative/blogger/content creator like myself, I loved this blog post from Blair Starky about “How To Grow Traffic With Pinterest“. Super insightful, there is a lot to think about and put into action from these tips!
16 | JOURNAL
If there’s one thing most therapists and mental health professionals suggest we do on our own in times of stress is to journal. You can write on your computer or in a pretty journal, whatever, just write. Much like meditation, there’s no method to journaling – you just do. The goal and intention is to move all of the monkey chatter going on in your brain on to paper as a way to work out things that may be weighing heavily on your mind. It’s an incredibly therapeutic practice, one I don’t make enough time for it myself. But with so much going on we all need to find a way to constructively decompress.
17 | FOSTER A DOG!
IT’S A PERFECT TIME AND THERE ARE SO MANY PUPS WHO WOULD KILL FOR SOME HUMAN KINDNESS AND CARE. Some organizations I love and support – who could use a little help – include Mutt Scouts, A Purposeful Rescue, and Love Leo Rescue (but trust me, there are TONS in LA, just ask your friends if you want to look around <3)
18 | START LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE
As we speak, Tommy is in his office working on his Spanish with the help of Babbel! He’s a pretty big fan of this particular platform, but there are many others out there you can try!
19 | TAKE A VIRTUAL WALK THROUGH A MUSEUM
Now we’ll read the plaques, won’t we. Learn all about the tours over on Travel & Leisure’s article: “Stuck at Home? These 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch.”
20 | TAKE A MASTERCLASS
Whatever the subject, there’s a master class on it. Learn from the “masters” on topics ranging from cooking, mixology, acting, magic, photography, music production, design – seriously you name it!! Head to masterclass.com for the full rundown and get to learning!
Leave a Reply