16 Ideas to Help You Make the Most of Staying Home

COVID-19 is serious.

The media is sounding off. People standing in line at grocery stores are speculating. Fingers are flying on phone screens and keyboards to share experiences on social media. What started as prepper shaming evolved quickly. Within days many of the very shamers were racing to the grocery stores to fill their carts with canned goods, disinfectants, and toilet paper. Continual remarks that this pandemic is “just bad flu” are not only dismissive but callous too. They disregard the fact that the elderly, those with impaired immune systems as well as common ailments of heart disease and diabetes are at a higher risk for complications and even death.

We have never dealt with anything quite like this in modern-day America. The cancellations, closures, and sudden impact on our economy and everyday lives are all serious. For most, this novel coronavirus will be an inconvenience. For many others though, it will be heartbreaking.

In our home, we have special measures. With a child on chemotherapy drugs and immunosuppressants, we must be vigilant. We practice good hygiene habits with hand and face washing. Everything is disinfected before it comes into the house including the clothes worn out and about. We also have a plan to be able to keep our Munchkin separate should any member of our family contract any sort of illness, from the coronavirus to the common cold. 

With a freezer full of venison, a small flock of chickens, and the sort of pantry that comes with country living, we are as prepared as we can be. Sure, I’ve done a bit of shopping over the past couple of weeks, but aside from fresh fruits and veggies, I’ve also bought craft supplies, seed packets, Legos, and books. My children won’t be vegging out in front of the television or iPad for days on end.

I also made it a point to learn what my children are studying in school. This allows me to supplement their education with fun activities that incorporate reading, math, science, and history. We plan to cook, grow, and build happy memories together. I’m not looking at confinement negatively but as an opportunity to spend quality time with those I love.

I hope you and yours can stay healthy during this unprecedented challenge. I also wanted to share a list of 16 ideas that may help you make the most of staying at home during this pandemic.

1. Make some moves – There are plenty of ways to stay active at home and it’s so important not only for how you feel physically but mentally too! Some online programs are even offering free daily home workout plans that require minimal equipment or bodyweight exercises. With a little digging, you can find something you can enjoy. At the very least take a few trips up and down the stairs or do jumping jacks, squats and lunges. Watch YouTube videos to learn how to dance hip-hop, swing or even the Irish jig. Make sure you keep moving!
2. Super spring cleaning – Honestly, it’s that time of year anyway. In addition to disinfecting high-traffic areas, you can air out the house, dust off those hard-to-reach places, clean the windows and more. Spring cleaning will not only make you feel productive, but it also has significant benefits at a time when cleanliness really matters.
3. Catch the declutter bug – While you’re cleaning you can also declutter. Almost everyone has a spot or two, three or even more in their home (not judging) that accumulates stuff. Now is a great time to find a proper place for all of those “loosey-goosey” things that need a spot or organization system.
4. Go through your closets – Along the lines of decluttering, closet organization is productive and it can even be fun. Switch out cold weather garments for warmer weather clothing. While you’re at it weed out what you don’t want/need/like and make a list of items you’d like to acquire. For parents, have an epic try-on session where your kiddos wear each outfit to see what needs to be mended, designated for play or donated because it no longer fits.
5. Reorganize the kitchen – Truly, there is so much you can do in the kitchen! Clean the inside of your cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer. Organize your spices, pantry and even how you layout dishes and goods in the cupboards. In the process, you’ll discover older foods to use up first and you may also be inspired to use that pasta maker, crockpot or mixer that has been collecting dust.
6. Commit to daily dry fire – Set aside 20-30 minutes a day for a dry fire session. Make sure your firearm is unloaded and you have no ammunition around you. Print targets or tape a piece of paper on the wall with an aiming point. Work on sight picture, trigger control, draws, reloads and other gun handling skills. It’s the next best thing to range time!
7. Raise chickens – Alright, this may not be for everyone, especially if you live in an apartment or have housing rules regarding poultry. With chick days in full swing at many farm supply and feed stores, it’s the perfect time to start a small backyard flock if you’ve always wanted one! Did you know you can even order chicks online? With a little research, you can make a shopping list of the things you’ll need like feed, pine shavings, a large bin, food and water containers, a heating system and a safe place to raise those cute little cheepers.
8. Unplug with a good book – It’s important to check on the news around the world and especially in your local area, but try not to let it dominate your daily life. Whether it’s a cookbook, the Bible or a great fiction novel, make it a point to escape by turning some pages. If you don’t have physical books at home, you can easily download the Kindle app. To reduce the temptation of media distractions or texts, turn off notifications or place your phone on airplane mode while you get some quality reading time in.
9. Cultivate a green thumb – If you have house plants, now is an excellent time to re-pot. It’s also the ideal time to start a garden! Research options that will work for you – from traditional in-the-ground gardening to raised beds or containers. Grab some at the store or place an online order for a few seed packets for herbs and other plants that you can grow easily starting now and throughout the summer. 
10. Switch a room – Sometimes just moving things around in a room can be positive, whether it’s repositioning the couch or making major changes. Swapping bedrooms can be an especially fun activity for kids. Incorporate a cleaning session as you work together moving the entire contents of a room to another or just moving a few pieces of furniture around.
11. Go camping – Consider social distancing in the great outdoors! Hit the woods with your camping gear or plan a mini camping trip in the backyard, on the balcony or even string up a tent in the living room for special camping out experiences with your kiddos. Play cards or board games or learn how to tie knots.
12. Write it off – How’s that for a little play on words? Seriously though, work on improving your penmanship and letter-writing skills by sending notes to loved ones. You can also start a journal, compose a poem or short story, or even draft your first novel. Writing is also therapeutic and jotting down your feelings can help with the stress of the situation too.
13. Inspect and maintain – Bust out all the gun cleaning supplies and have a major maintenance session. You finally have the time to deep clean, inspect and create a log for your guns, ammo and other gear that requires maintenance!
14. Learn a skill – Life often gets in the way when it comes to skill-building. Oftentimes we can’t commit the time necessary to learn a new skill or work on a bigger project. Thanks to the internet it’s easier than ever to find how-to’s on cooking knitting, painting, carving and so much more. Use your hands and your downtime wisely.
15. Try new recipes – Our food supply system has made us convenience shoppers. I hope you have a good stash of staples in your cupboards and if you don’t, that should be a priority, pandemic or not. A prepared mindset is also a good practice to have in life. Now is the perfect time to explore delicious recipe options that take a little more time with extra steps but use simple ingredients, things like pierogis or made-from-scratch chicken noodle soup. You can even experiment with fermenting garlic or cabbage or bake your own bread.
16. Rest up – Sleep is so important for the healthy and the sick. It can be tempting to stay up late and sleep in but if you can work to build a better sleep routine, you’ll be developing a very healthy habit. Aim to be fully asleep by 10 pm and yes, sleep in if you can as well. So many are running on a sleep deficit. This is an excellent time to catch up.

Having a positive outlook and making the most of a situation is one of the best ways to deal with tough times. Most of all though, I hope you all stay healthy and safe. I’m thinking of you and wishing you all my best.