If there is one thing on planet Earth I’m good at, it’s being at home.
While you are in your favorite abode, you aren’t necessarily locked inside, but if you are, there are still a lot of great things to do. While there are plenty of perfunctory things to do like clean your room, do the dishes, or load up the laundry, we’ll look to more of the exciting and fun things you can do at home!
1. Cook and Incredible Breakfast
This doesn’t have to take a long time. In fact, one of my favorite breakfasts is avocado toast with poached eggs and coffee. It is hearty and healthy at the same time. Here is my favorite avocado toast recipe!
2. Play a Board Game
This is one of the best things to do at home, especially if you have some friends around and want to have a fun time. While I’ve compiled a list of my best board games for adults, I recently tried Labyrinth from Ravensburger which was pretty fun and dynamic but have to recommend Pandemic during these times.
3. Host an Audiobook Listening Party
I usually reserve audiobooks for things like long commutes or doing chores, but one thing I’ve recently started doing is enjoying them from home. With an Alexa, you can have an audiobook essentially read aloud in a campfire setting. So I get some nice blankets, a treat of course, a favorite beverage and have Alexa read the book aloud to me with the lights dimmed and some candles burning. It has a nice post-apocalytpic vibe, which is apposite considering the current circumstances. If you are new to audiobooks, you can get 2 free ones with a free audible trial at Amazon to start your adventures.
4. Build Something Cool with Legos
Whether you are young or no longer young (heh) or need an activity to entertain a youngling, Legos are a great way to spend some time. I’ve always enjoyed them because you can follow the directions and build something awesome or opt to strike out on your own creative path and see what you can build from a variety of sets. I always gravitated towards the space Legos, but they have expanded their offerings so much you can find just about any “world” you would want to build in.
So if I had to go do this again, I’d totally be buying the Hidden Side which has to be the most innovative way to build and play I’ve ever seen. Pick your set (like a haunted house, cemetery, even a school bus) then get your ghost buster’s gear on and jump into AR to see and even battle the ghosts!
5. Color in One of these Coloring Books for Adults
I love to draw, but sometimes you just want to color in something that is already been traced out in advance. It has an obvious therapy to it and once finished you feel a nice sense of achievement. You could even frame it to commemorate the special occasion or for these COVID times. After you pick one of the best coloring books for adults, be sure to use these delicious smelling markers to make it even better! Scents include classics like blueberry, apple, and grape to fun smells such as tropical punch, fresh air, cotton candy, and even root beer!
6. Read a book
You’ve probably got a pretty massive TBR pile. If you don’t, here are some book recommendations that will help you find some good books to read.
7. Take a nap
Naps are a great way to recharge and reset your day. If you’ve been doing a lot, don’t try to just power through—take some rest. On the other side of waking up you will be infused with a renewed ability to focus and ready to do even more stuff at home. I find the best time to take a nap is around 3-5 in the afternoon, but depending on when you go to sleep in the evening and wake up in the morning it might be different for you.
8. Watch a Movie
Between Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, there are so many great movies that you have access to from both the present to the distant past, that there is certainly one that will entertain you for your day at home. I like a mystery movie if it’s in the fall or winter, a comedy movie when its late at night, and a fun adventure if it’s during the middle of the day. Disney+ has a vast library of exceptional movies (fairly obviously but its still worth noting is like a Scrooge McDuck sized vault) while Netflix has an incredible selection along with some hidden gems; it’s the best out of all of the platforms when it comes to recommending something excellent to watch with helpful trending now and popular now sections as well as featured content blocks at the top of the interface.
9. Stream a New Show
If you’re just tired of reading and watching movies and want something to dive deep into, it’s definitely time to start streaming a new series. This is the best for being stranded at home. We’re talking multiple days at home and a massive stockpile of snacks and drinks. If you find yourself in this situation Netflix is your next destination (after getting comfortable on the couch of course). If you are a reality TV junkie or major network television fan, Hulu is going to be your home inside your…home.
10. Burn some Candles and RELAX
I find this to be most useful after I’ve done some heavy reading. You need time to let your mind rest and wonder-wander. So dim the lights, shut your eyes, and enjoy a soothing scent from one of these best scented candles.
11. Get Lost in a YouTube Rabbit Hole
Sometimes its fun to watch other people goof off on YouTube. From popular twitch streamers, provocative podcasters, to insane sports highlights there are just endless amounts of rabbit holes to get lost in. On this particular platform and you can do it on your smart TV or on your phone. It’s easiest to get lost on your phone and if you find yourself doing this you should consider getting a tablet (speaking from experience it will result in a lot of eye strain!).
12. Reflect and Journal
I don’t write daily, but there is a lot to be said for pausing things or slowing everything down. And home is the perfect place to do this. Take some time to reflect on where you are in life and what you want to do next. Alternately just write your immediate thoughts (Karl Ove Knausgaard did just that and created a best-selling book series). So if you don’t already, start a journal and begin recording your thoughts in one of these best notebooks.
13. Get Lost on Instagram
I’m not a big fan of the platform, but when I’m really looking for something desperately to do, I can occasionally wind up on Instagram. Leaping through the hashtags and people who are tagged in photos can often lead to some great visual discoveries. What are you waiting for?
14. Go Shopping Online
Everyone does it and if you’ve got some time to kill at home there is always some cool stuff to buy online. Some of my favorites recently have been CB2, Restoration Hardware, One King’s Lane, and Anthropologie, All Saints, and LuLuLemon (I swear I’m going back outside). The best part of course is that you don’t even have to get out of your sweatpants and hoodie.
15. Restyle and Update a Room
There’s definitely a space in your home that’s been bugging you. Every time you walk into it, you know something is off. Now is the time to figure out if you need something that has always been missing or arrange things and get them exactly how you had imagined them to be. Everything in its right place? Now share it on Instagram of course.
16. Organize Your Bookshelf
This is really inspired by Instagram, but there are some really incredible ways of organizing a bookshelf.
- By Color
- By Genre
- Alphabetically
Try any of them and be sure to take a photo of your masterpiece and share. Whether its a rainbow or a perfectly ordered new world the world deserves to see your creation.
17. Have a Nerf Gun Battle
It’s always a good time for a nerf gun battle, and you probably have a few of these laying around already.
18. Play Laser Tag
This is like a nerf gun battle, only taken to the next level. I loved laser tag so much growing up but it was something you could only do at parks specifically designed for this game. Now with Amazon making all sorts of products so easy to acquire, a great game of laser tag is just a delivery away. If you have a yard it’s an even better game to play.
19. Take an Online Cooking Class
Don’t go out to dinner, go all out for dinner. If there is a new recipe that’s been on the back of your mind or that you have been wanting to try, now is the time to give it a shot. You can also use one of the many cooking classes to help you create something totally new and interesting.
20. Host a Wine Party or Indulge Yourself
One of the joys of being at home is digging into your treasure trove of wine and indulging. Invite some friends if you want to share, but this is just as fun to do alone. You will get to really savor and deeply experience every sip of the great purple. Looking to get into wine? Wally’s has an incredible selection and they ship to a large variety of places.
21. Read a Poem
Poetry is by far the most powerful art form if you are looking for something to make an immediate and lasting impact on your life in just a short span of time. Yes, there are epic poems like the Iliad and Odyssey but most poems are compact, lyrical, and joyfully stimulating. They will create an indelible series of images in your minds eye that will likely leave you lost in wonder for the rest of the day.
22. Go Backyard Camping
Technically you’re still at home. Gather up some essentials like a tent, a sleeping bag, maybe something to defend your temporary abode with (ahem nerf gun) and strike out–into the great unknown of the backyard. Enjoy some time next to the outdoor firepit especially if it’s summer you can even make smores.
23. Have a Photo Shoot
Seriously? Seriously! You could take photos the whole time you are at home living like you’ve never lived before. Or, after you’ve spent the day playing board games, reading, playing lazer tag, and binging your favorite movies you can even do a low-key photoshoot as a way to finish your time at home. You don’t even have to have an expensive camera, a simple one like the Fujifilm Instax 9 can capture and print the moments instantly and even store them in a photo-album. Idk but a t-rex will add some excitement to anything, so why shouldn’t someone use this t-rex costume in your photo shoot?
