Coronavirus Quarantine: Things To Do Whilst Self Isolating

The sudden outbreak of COVID 19 has lead many of us being stuck in our homes – the most vulnerable not being able to leave at all for 12 weeks. Even if you are not in the ‘vulnerable’ category, we are still instructed to say inside unless your trip is essential. If you’re like me and always wanting to go out and explore, or maybe you have young children that are full of energy… this list is full of things to do whilst self isolating. Enjoy!

Ps… Before I start, I know some people may think that I should use this platform to share shocking statistics so people are more inclined to abide by the Government and stays at home. I don’t want to scaremonger anybody. This time is terrifying enough as it is without a constant reminder of how horrible this situation is. This blog post is merely to share a few activities to make it a little more bearable.

Things To Do While You’re Stuck In Your Home

Gardening

I am totally rubbish as growing anything or knowing what to do, but I do like my garden to look pretty! Once we have all finished work for the day, it seems too physically demanding to start so end up putting it off longer and longer. Maybe now we are not allowed to leave our homes, now is a good time to start! (and also get a bit of exercise in)

*I’ve seen that the more vulnerable people have been advised against going in their gardens during the quarantine. If you are vulnerable please choose another activity on this list!

Do Some Card Making

If you’re one of those unlucky people with a birthday during the lockdown, I really feel for you! My brother had his birthday a few days ago and it horrible not to see him or give him gifts. If you know somebody with a birthday coming up then why not get crafty and make them a handmade card? I find handmade cards are often more gratefully received by the recipient as they’re much more personal and more thought has gone into it.

Even if you have no birthdays coming up, you could get organised and create some ready for Father’s Day or Christmas (I’m not sorry for saying the C-word in March) or create some homemade postcards to send to those far away.

Movie Marathon

I know we’ve probably all done this one already as it’s so obvious but I had to include it. Get Netflix going, Amazon Prime or your movie collection out and indulge in snacks. If you can’t make a decision, choose 5 options and get your family members to choose out of those. Alternatively, if you’re looking for some girlie inspiration, check out my post sharing 10 fab Rom-Coms.

Make A Scrapbook

I did this for my partner a couple of years ago and he loved it. I was doing it as well as my full-time job so it took me AGES but if you’ve got plenty of time on your hands then it’s a really fun activity! You can fill it with photos, old tickets like cinema, train, aeroplane etc and finish with pretty embellishments.

Upcycle Old Clothes

I love doing this but never seemed to have the time before! I’ve embedded a YouTube video for you to have a look at some fab ideas, they show you much better than my attempt at explaining.

Write!

I’m probably a bit biased because I love to write but I really recommend this one 😉 if starting a blog is a bit overwhelming for you, then you could try out a few online reviews to share your opinions on certain products, or write a short story to explore your creative flare!

Cull Your Wardrobe

I’ve been meaning to do this for SO long but can never be bothered… Let’s face it, it’s not the most exciting of jobs but when it’s done, it’s such a satisfying feeling! We have all got clothes in our wardrobes that we no longer wear or have totally forgotten about, so why not put them to good use by donating them, recycling them or start wearing them again!

Try Out New Recipes

I love to bake but I am the sort of person that likes to perfect the recipe and then make it so often that everybody ends up sick of it, as I get nervous doing new recipes in case they end up terribly! One recipe I tried this week was these Vegan Raspberry Bars by food blogger, Nora Cooks. They were AMAZING and I recommend this recipe to anybody out there, vegan or not. (you’d never know)
Good food is an easy way to cheer many of us up, so I had to add it to the list of things to do whilst we are self isolating!

Video Call Loved Ones

FaceTime has saved me since we haven’t been allowed to go and meet family members. I am really close with my parents and seeing them all the time to not seeing them at all, it feels like there’s a big bit missing in my life! FaceTime has been a lifesaver as I think it’s the closest thing you can get to being in the same room as them. Granted it’s not quite the same, but we can hope that the silver lining of this horrible situation will be that we will appreciate others around us more.

Exercise

Admittedly I haven’t been doing a great deal of this one, as much as I should! Even if you don’t have gym equipment in your home, you can easily follow along to a fitness DVD or YouTube video. They do say exercise is great for anxiety and depression which has inevitably been on the rise during this scary time, and as we are not getting as much exercise as usual, it is a good thing to do whilst self isolating.

Paint

I left this point a bit vague so it could be whatever you want it to be. You could paint old crockery or vases, or just your standard pictures (both perfect for a children’s activity.) If you’re feeling particularly ambitious you could paint a wall and create a totally different look in your house, or make old furniture look pretty!

Try Out Some New Looks

As a kid I would do this all the time when I was bored – I’d grab my mum’s makeup bag and go to town on my face. It would look hideous of course, but it was great fun! The appeal hasn’t really faded now that I’m an adult – if I’m feeling miserable then it’s nice to make yourself look pretty by doing your hair, trying a different makeup look or painting your nails.

Create A Gift Wish List

I recently did this and it was actually so satisfying!! The most popular website to do this on is Amazon (see mine here) but I think nowadays many websites have this function. My birthday is so far away but when people start asking me what I’d like, I don’t have any ideas despite always seeing things I want!

Move Your Furniture Around

I’ve only been in my new house for just under a year but have moved things around countless times! Once you have moved your things around a few times I think you realise how much more space you have made and it often looks so much nicer!

Colour An Adult Colouring Book

Or a children’s one – I’m not judging. Many people (me included) find colouring really relaxing and therapeutic, which is exactly what we need in these circumstances. There are some hilarious ones on Amazon that I have found, you can have a look at my favourite one here (mature eyes only!)

Get The Games Out

If you’ve got a few people at home all self-isolating then why not whip out the board games? There’s plenty of time for arguments over Monopoly or which words are valid in Scrabble. If you have younger children then why not get crafty or play something educational if you’re homeschooling at the same time?

Read A Book That’s Been On Your List

I know I’m not the only one who has a big pile of books in my to be read list! When you’re getting up early for work and doing long hours, there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day for leisurely reading, but now is a great opportunity to get back into it. If you haven’t got any books on the go and don’t want to leave the house, you can try out some new ones online or check out an audiobook. (I’d recommend Audible, read why here)

Be Old School & Write A Letter

My Texas friend and I have been meaning to send each other letters for a while now, but with us both being so busy we never got round to it. Now that we have all the time in the world, why not catch up with an old friend by writing them a letter? I’m sure you’ll agree that receiving a letter in the post is so much more exciting than the standard Facebook message, and you can pop in a little photo or treat to make it extra special.

Organise Your Mobile

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t got a load of rubbish on their mobile they really don’t need to be taking up valuable storage. Why not back up your phone to your computer to ensure your data is kept safe and delete any apps you no longer use? On my days off this seemed like such a boring job so I’d always find something better to do, but now it can definitely be added to the list of things to do whilst self isolating.

Make Something New

Now is a great time to start something you’ve never done before. I recently started to experiment with polymer clay – I was (and still am) a total beginner, but learnt the basics on YouTube and had so much fun doing something I’d never done before! If you don’t fancy that, have a look at my latest craft DIY, How To Make Your Own Diffuser

Lose Hours On TikTok

I recently downloaded TikTok just because one of my friends started making the videos. It took me a while to get my head around how to use the app but once you’ve mastered this, many people I know have spent whole afternoons watching people’s videos and attempting to create their own!

That concludes my list of things to do whilst we are all stuck at home during this Coronavirus quarantine. As much as it is important to be in the loop with recent news on this pandemic, make sure you are having a break from it all and doing things at home that you enjoy! I know many people are struggling even more so recently with their mental health which is totally understandable so make sure you give yourself a break as stress is not good for us!

I hope everybody is staying safe. If you need any advice on COVID 19 then you can visit the NHS website here.