Spending time at home is great for connecting with your family, re-centering yourself, and getting some much needed time to unwind and recharge especially if you’re anything like me and you’re always on the move. Even with working from home, I find myself still needing those moments of self-reflection and downtime, and often, I realize that I need to return my home back to a place where I go for fun and relaxation and separate it from it being my workspace or office. While you’re at home, you may be wondering what things that you can be doing to make your home feel like the best place to be in the world, and I’ve rounded up some fun, relaxing, and homey activities that you can do all from the confines of your own home.
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STUCK AT HOME? THINGS TO DO AT HOME
1. Make a Scavenger Hunt for the Household
This one can be fun for the entire family. Have each person in the household create clues to find things around the house and put it on a paper. Then everyone has to randomly swap to start the scavenger hunt. Or if you’re a parent with kids at home, create one and send the kids off to discover and learn things. By having the scavenger hunt, you’re creating fun competition.
It’s also fun for couples who create the list of clues for themselves and then set what the prize will be. Maybe even the person who loses has to give a massage, cook dinner, clean the entire house this weekend, or go out and buy the wine that is much needed in the household.
2. Duplicate a Favorite Game Show
There are so many game shows on TV right now and most of them can be duplicated to play in the household. Some may be a little messier than others, but it is all up to you. And even if you’re not super creative and don’t feel comfortable creating the needs from scratch, Pinterest houses a lot of printable parts of some of these games that you can either print, if you have the capability or showcase on your screen.
I love Wheel of Fortune and found this PowerPoint template online that we have been able to use.
3. Create an In-Home Spa
You can go for one of the most famous things to do at home and that is to make yourself an at-home spa. I have done this for myself at least once a month to re-center myself and now that I am home more often, I can commit more time to make it more than just a simple bath with a bath bomb.
Now, I’m not saying don’t forgo the relaxing bath, that is so essential, but add a little more to it and think of all that you find in a spa. If you’re home with your significant other, add in a couple’s massage and take turns giving each other a massage or just make your SO massage you.
Then add those elements that make spas so much fun. Get yourself a robe, a diffuser, and some calming noises and go for it. Below are some essentials that I have found helped me recenter.
4. Make a New Board Game
Ever played a board game or card game and thought this would be so much better if it had this? I had those moments. One of my recent favorite board games is It’s Blunderful which includes question cards as the base of the game. When playing with my family, there are some cards that we skip over because none of the answers would apply to us. So, instead, I thought why not create my own version with new question cards and a different set of rules.
5. Do a Virtual Escape Room
Many of you have probably been to an escape room and many of you haven’t, and though it is not for everyone it’s a great way to build relationships, team build and put your brain to work. Even when you’re stuck in the house, there are still ways to do escape the room activities. Many of the escape room companies, such as The Escape Game, have been offering online escape room options which still make you think and still can be done together with those who are in the house with you. So if you’re looking for a little challenge, I definitely recommend going this route.
6. Start Creating Your Own Cookbook
When at home, you may be inclined to cook more instead of going out. And though you probably have a couple of days where you order take-out, that does start to add up and a homecooked meal hits the spot in different ways than takeout does. So while you’re practicing your cooking skills, start to try new recipes and add your own personal flavor. When it comes out amazing, add it to a personal cookbook that you can use to make the meal again, share with others in person or even on Pinterest (hello viral food pin) or pass it on to others so that you can have a food competition on who makes it better.
7. Become a Mixologist
Have you ever had that thought in your mind of how great it would be to create your own signature cocktail or even just be able to make a tasty drink at home? With all the wonderful drink recipes online, there’s so much you can learn. I’ve been working on re-creating this rose floral margarita that I had at one of my favorite restaurants but adding a little specialty to it with rose petal ice cubes to make the rose flavor pop. So, just think of your favorite drinks and try to create them and then once you’ve mastered that, work on re-creating them with your own special spin.
8. Create an Instagram Wall (or a Picture Wall)
If you have a blank wall and have a moment of creativity, why not create an Instagram or TikTok wall. Head over to Pinterest and grab some ideas and have at it. And if it doesn’t turn out well, there is plenty of neutral primer paint that can cover it up. And if you’re not in the mood to paint, go through your pictures and find ones that you would love to have printed out and displayed around your home. Then go search for some frames and create yourself a collage wall.
9. Write. Write. Write!
Write down things. It may lead to a book. It may be something that you’ll be able to look back on one day and think about how much as changed or even how many of the good things that have stayed the same. There have been so many people who have written books during times where they have been laid off, just took some time for themselves or may just have had time on their hands to burn. You don’t have to be a phenomenal writer to write and don’t convince yourself that your story isn’t important.
10. Learn & Grow
There is so much new knowledge that is out there, some that costs money but a lot that is completely free. So time at hone is a great way to discover that new information and teach yourselves new things. I read my entire Moms On Call books to learn more about my son’s habits and even took some time to go through a training course on starting a podcast because it is something that I am considering doing. If there is anything out there that you wish you could but didn’t think that you had enough knowledge about, take the time and learn more about it and it may take you to places that you may have not thought you would go.