Hello friends!
I thought I would put together a list of all the amazing, and totally FREE resources that I have seen, in one convenient place!
This time of COVID has so many unknowns, and for many of us, there’s a lot of free time now that most people are homebound. So it’s an absolutely great time to pick up that hobby you’ve always wanted to try, learn a new skill, or create a healthy new routine!
I know I recently picked up watercoloring – not to try and sell or monetize, but simply to be creative in a new way and it has been totally life giving.
So let’s get to sharing!
Free Things to do at home:
Take time to learn a new skill! Skillshare is a really great website that has a TON of different creative classes, where you can learn from experts in those fields. If you want to check it out and try it for two months absolutely free, just click this link.
Learn to bake something new
- I’ve always wanted to learn how to make macaroons, and if you have too, here’s a few great YouTube videos you can watch (here, here and here)
- Joanna Gaines has been posting a ton of videos of her cooking from her first and second cookbook, and it’s been fun watching friends cook these recipes!
- You could always learn how to make bread (this is on my list) or start simple with something like homemade salsa
Take the time to physically read a book
- I absolutely love audiobooks for their connivence, but there’s just something special about sitting down and physically reading a book! If you don’t have any books you can read, ask in your neighborhood FB group or friends to see if you/they can drop some off on a doorstep – you can maybe even do a trade so you both get some fresh reads!
Spend time in the garden/in the yard
- I am SO grateful quarantine is happening during springtime (vs. winter) so that we can be outside! We’ve enjoyed planting seeds in our garden (totally recommend) and just getting general Vitamin D (which is so good for your immune system). Plus, being outside is just good for the soul!
Give your indoor plants some love!
- This is the perfect time to give your indoor plants a little TLC by wiping down their leaves, give them a good soaking, and maybe repot/freshen up the soil and/or add some fertilizer
Do an at home workout
- For some reason, I’ve felt MORE motivated to workout now that I’m home bound (probably just get moving). There’s a lot of great, totally free workout videos online! My favorite YouTube accounts are Blogilates and Pop Sugar Fitness.
- PSF also is currently offering MORE free classes through the ACTIVE platform (link here).
- I also heard that Barre3 is offering a two week trial and so is BeachBody (though they are paid after that).
Go through your closet and purge!
- It’s the perfect time to get rid of items you don’t love. And since you can’t leave the house, you can put your nicer items for sale on websites like ThredUp, Poshmark or Depop.
Deep spring clean the house
- I definitely always make an excuse of why I can’t do this… but now I don’t really have one. Time to wipe down those baseboards (yikes!)
Do a home project you’ve been putting off
- Daniel and I have used this extra time at home to work on some home projects that we’ve been putting off! We’re currently remodeling out office entirely, and then I’m working on a smaller project to update the paint on our stairs.
Do a spa day.
- If you’re need a little pampering, now is the perfect time to give yourself some “you” time. You can paint your nails, do a face mask, take a long bath with candles… whatever makes you feel relaxed and pampered.
- Bonus: if you’re at home with a family member or friend, offer to trade off massages (full body or if that’s weird, even a neck/shoulder massage is fab).
Facetime with a friend/family member you haven’t talked to in awhile
- This has honestly become one of my favorite things of the quarantine! While I definitely with I wasn’t in quarantine and could see people in person, I am grateful for how much more intentional I am to reach out and talk with loved ones (and people I haven’t actually talked to in ages).
Take the time to create and order a family photo album
- This is another item on my list!
Make a meal plan or freezer meals!
- Use this time to actually create some of the recipes on your Pinterest board, make the most of the food you have and plan ahead! Or you could actually open a cookbook (I’m totally guilty of not doing this) and cooking recipes from there!
Write a letter (or letters) to loved ones!
- I absolutely love writing letters, and in fact used to have tons of PenPals! Well, now is the perfect time to catch up on writing letters to my sponsor children, sending letters to my grandparents, and fun notes to send to friends just letting them know I’m thinking of them!
- If you didn’t know, you can order stamps from USPS and they’ll only charge you $1 shipping. There are even places online where you can print your own stamps!
Purge unused items in your home
- Having extended time at home has definitely made me realize how many items we have that we don’t need or use (I guess I’ve been paying extra attention). So now’s the perfect time to do some spring cleaning and PURGING!
Organize your pantry, closet, junk door, or whatever space you’ve been neglecting
- Along those lines… It’s also the perfect time to tackle that junk drawer and closet downstairs I’ve been ignoring cause it doesn’t sound fun. But I’ve noticed (with other less than exciting tasks like this that I’ve tackled) that I feel SO much better once it’s done!
Take time to journal and write out any worries and/or prayers
- Promptly journals sent an email out with these three journal prompts, and I personally found them super helpful to process some of what’s going on:
- What fears do I have surrounding Coronavirus?
- How much of my fear is for me and my loved ones’ health and safety, and how much of it is generated by the fact that people around me seem to be panicking?
- What are some things within my control that I can do to ease my anxiety, feel safe and prepared, and help the people around me?
Alrighty friends, that’s the list I have for now – hopefully it can help encourage you and inspire you!
Is there anything I should add to this list? If so, comment below and let me know!
Until next time – blessings, xo.
– Rosalynne
