Life has gotten a lot more home-focused in the past few weeks, as even those showing no symptoms of the COVID-19 virus choose to stay home to protect those they love and the wider world from fast virus spread. Unfortunately, many people in D.C. are accustomed to the excitement of going out in the city, be it to work, nightlife, parks, or any of the many cultural events in town.
When the virus subsides, the vibrant outside life of Washington D.C. will return, but for now, you may be feeling like you aren’t sure what to do with yourself in your apartment during these home-bound days. Whether you’re working a normal schedule or not, here are some positive, useful indoor activities to do with the time that you’d have otherwise spent out enjoying the city.
Fun and Productive Indoor Activities to Enjoy in Your Apartment
- Experiment with Cooking and Baking: Engage in time-consuming cooking or baking projects like bread-making for a rewarding indoor activity.
- Pamper Your Skin: Take advantage of the extra time to indulge in your ideal skincare routine with moisturizing, face masks, and toners.
- Reconnect with Loved Ones via Video: Use apps like Houseparty or other video conferencing tools to stay connected with friends and family.
- Deep-Clean and Organize a Space: Tidy up a specific area of your apartment during breaks between episodes of your favorite shows for both productivity and cleanliness.
- Create a Photo Album or Printed Book: Organize your photos and either create a physical album or personalized book to preserve great memories.
- Take Online Fitness Classes: Explore online yoga, Pilates, or cycling classes to keep active at home and boost your mood with endorphins.
- Rearrange or Create Wall Art: Change up your home’s aesthetics by rearranging wall art or creating homemade masterpieces.
- Revisit Old Hobbies and Complete Unfinished Projects: Take up a hobby you’ve previously abandoned or complete unfinished projects for a sense of accomplishment.
- Send and Receive Postcards: Mail postcards to friends and start a collection as a nostalgic reminder of personal connections.
- Organize Your Bookshelves and Reread a Favorite Book: Tidy up your bookshelf and reread a book that brings you joy or offers an escape.
Experiment With Simple but Time-Consuming Cooking and Baking
While it may be hard to find a long list of ingredients when you’re spending most of your time at home, there’s a reason that bread baking (and other complex cooking that involves few ingredients) has grown popular! There’s no shame in not getting it right the first time, and cooking and baking are a great option for getting away from screens during a time when many of us are tempted to be glued to them. Cooking can be one of the most rewarding indoor activities!
Pamper Your Skin With Care
Many people have an ideal skincare routine and a reality-of-being-busy skincare routine. Try doing what your skin loves most: the best moisturizer, face mask, or a nice toner all can make your skin feel great even when you can’t go out and show it off immediately.
Download Houseparty or Use a Video-Conference to Reconnect With Friends and Family
Houseparty is an application that allows people to video chat and also play simple party games and indoor activities at the same time, making it a nice stand-in for in-person parties and while we’re in our separate apartments. If your family or friends don’t need the game aspect, just get to know a video conferencing application and reach out to those you haven’t seen or talked to in a while. Many people report feeling a nice lift when they have seen friends and family online.
Pick a Space to Deep-Clean Between Episodes
If you’ve been enjoying some great shows lately, give yourself a little movement and a sense of accomplishment by picking a single corner, the bathtub or some kitchen cabinets to organize before you can see the next episode. The feeling of getting something done is nice, and you get the benefit of a nicer-looking, clean space by the end of the season! Who says indoor activities can’t be productive?
Finally Make a Photo Album or Printed Book (Maybe For Gifts!)
So many of us are amateur, or even professional, photographers and we don’t take the time to do anything with our photographs. Whether you want to organize a mass upload to social media, print out old-school photos for a physical album, or order a personalized book with your digital photos in it, now is a great time to dwell on great memories and finally do what you said you’d do with all those great shots.
Take Online Yoga, Pilates, or Cycling Classes Based On What You Have At Home
Online, there are absolutely ‘work-in’ classes that fit every possible level of space and home gym equipment. Everything from body-weight exercises that require nothing to cycling classes with a stationary bicycle is an option these days. The endorphins from working out can keep your spirits up when things feel quite cooped-up.
Rearrange Your Wall Art and Replace Older Items With Homemade Masterpieces
While most of us can’t do a full on home makeover right now, consider how you can swap out some of your posters or photographs on the walls for new art items, or at least move them around. Even simple collages, abstract color-block prints, or shadowboxes of items that are important to you can liven up your space without a lot of extra money or time.
Dig Out Old Hobbies and Complete Half-Done Projects You Find
If you’ve ever started a hobby in the past and let it go, now might be a cool time to get back into it. Study a language, finish a sewing project, take another online coding class: whatever you might have attempted could help you get a new skill. The luxury of this time, though, should be doing this when you feel like it: don’t feel like you have to set some kind of wild pace for accomplishments during a stressful time. A nice sense of accomplishment, not an intense drive or ambition, is a good way to approach these hobbies.
Start Sending and Receiving Postcards For a Wall Display
To interact in an old-school way, break out some old postcards and mail well-wishes to your friends. When you get one or two back, start a wall where you keep their notes, reminding you of their past travels and your connections.
Organize Your Bookshelves and Find a Great Book to Reread
If you’ve got a few books, consider redesigning your display of books — after all, many of us have books piled rather than organized! In so doing, see if you can find something you really liked reading in the past and reread it for a little bit of escape. It’s nice being able to go anywhere you want in a book.
Learn a New Board Game or Card Game With Roommates
Find a board game or card game that you and your roommates can play together to socialize and laugh together during a time when you might otherwise be focusing on the news. Learning something new is often invigorating, and you might carry on the tradition long after we’re all outside more.
Clean, Clear, and Organize Your Technology
It’s not a fancy thing to do, but most of us could stand to organize our files and applications on our computer, tablet, or phone. Taking a few minutes to do it will make it easier to use and appreciate our technology going forward.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fun indoor activity to do when stuck in your apartment?
Experiment with cooking and baking. Try making something complex like bread or a new recipe. It’s a rewarding way to pass the time and you get to enjoy the results!
How can I pamper my skin while staying home?
Take time to indulge in your skincare routine. Use the best moisturizers, face masks, and toners to nourish your skin and help you feel good.
How can I stay connected with friends and family while social distancing?
Use video conferencing apps like Houseparty to catch up with friends and family. You can even play games together to make it more fun and interactive.
What is a productive indoor activity to do during my free time?
Pick a space to deep-clean and organize between episodes of your favorite shows. It’s a great way to stay productive while still enjoying your downtime.
What can I do with all the photos on my phone?
Take the time to create a photo album or a printed book with your favorite memories. You can organize and preserve these memories in a tangible way.
How can I stay active at home?
Try online fitness classes like yoga, Pilates, or cycling. There are options for all levels and they can boost your mood while keeping you physically active indoors.
How can I change the look of my apartment without a major makeover?
Rearrange your wall art or replace old items with homemade creations. This can refresh your space without spending a lot of money or time.
What can I do with old hobbies or half-done projects?
Revisit old hobbies or complete unfinished projects. Whether it’s learning a language or finishing a craft project, it can be a relaxing and satisfying way to pass the time.
How can I reconnect with others in a nostalgic way?
Start sending and receiving postcards. It’s a simple, old-fashioned way to stay connected with friends and create a special wall display of postcards.
How can I make the most of my bookshelf at home?
Organize your bookshelves and find a book you loved in the past to reread. It can provide a sense of comfort and an enjoyable escape without leaving your apartment.
