This is definitely not a post I ever thought I’d be writing – yet here I am with ways to stay busy during this crazy quarantine. I’m the queen of staying busy. If I have any down time, I’m bored immediately and it drives me nuts. So clearly this quarantine is both a blessing and a curse. I have a ton of time to get things done, but I’m scared of the day that to-do list dwindles and I’m left with nothing else to do.

Work on your tan

If you’re lucky enough to live in Florida, this is the perfect time to lay out and get a nice, dark tan. The beaches are closed and if you live in an apartment your pool is most likely closed (like mine), but that doesn’t mean you can’t lay out in your backyard. I’ve been utilizing my mom’s pool to lay out and get Moose’s energy out.

Read books

I’m such a bookworm, but I always complain about not having enough time to read my never-ending list of “to read” books. This is our chance! Read while you’re laying out and getting tan or from the comfort of your living room. Pick the book you’ve been dying to read and get to it! Goodreads is my favorite place to find book recommendations and keep track of the books I’ve read. You can also check out my posts about books I’ve read (Books I Read in 2017, 7 Books You Have To Read This Summer) for some suggestions!

Drink a ton of water

You’re stuck at home, so why not take this time to increase your water intake. Start with a few cups a day and work your way up to a half gallon, and then a gallon. You don’t have to worry about having to pee constantly because your bathroom is always just a few steps away!

Oil train your hair or try “no poo”

Let’s be real – pretty much no one outside of your household sees you these days. If you’re like me, you’re enjoying putting less than 0 effort into your appearance while quarantined. I’m taking this opportunity to try and train my hair to be less oily. To do this, you have to go a few days without washing your hair and it takes a while of your hair looking like a greasy mess for it to work. What better time to look like a greasy mess than when no one is seeing me?! You can also do this with the “no poo” method of not using shampoo on your hair, which I may also try. Again, there’s a learning curve where it gets worse before it gets better so be prepared to stick it through.

Teach your pet a new trick

Not only are you bored stuck at home, but your pet is too. Give them the attention they deserve and teach them some new tricks. Moose and I are going to keep working on “roll over.” Here’s a link to some easy tricks with tutorials to teach your dog.

Get caught up on cleaning and laundry

It can be so easy to get caught up in everyday life and let cleaning and laundry go to the wayside until it piles up and gets overwhelming. Use this off time to tackle it little by little. Keep up on laundry so it doesn’t pile up. Target one room each day to get it looking spotless. Making a big task into a few smaller ones makes it much more manageable.

Clean out your closet

Speaking of laundry and cleaning – clean out your closet! Go through all your clothes and give them a good evaluation to determine what you really wear and what can be given away. A trick I’ve always done is turn my hangers backwards. When I wear something, I put the hanger back the right way. Then at the end of the year, I know which clothes I didn’t wear throughout the whole year. Usually those are pieces that can be donated or passed on to someone else. Obviously we’re not wearing a majority of our nicer clothes right now, but it’s something you could start to implement for the rest of the year.

Puzzles and board games

I know every house has a stash of board games that often go unplayed. Now is the time to bring the household together to play some board games together. It’s also a good time to order a puzzle on Amazon and spend your days putting it together. You can work on it any time you’re feeling bored out of your mind. It’s not much, but it’ll get your brain going!

Try new recipes

With restaurants closed, now’s the time to hit up Pinterest for some new recipes. Make it a goal to make a Pinterest recipe every other day or so. Not only will it take up some time finding and making the recipe, but your family will be grateful for the change in the same few meals they always eat. Of course if there are restaurants open for take-out near you, it’s always good to support your local businesses and get dinner from them a few times during this quarantine too.

Crafting and home improvement projects

Everyone has that list of craft projects or home improvement projects they want to do “some day.” Well today is that day! Order supplies on Amazon or make a quick (and clean) Walmart run and get to work! Build a garden in your backyard to get some fresh air and fresh food, start scrapbooking your memories, learn a new skill like crocheting. Let your creative juices flow and start checking those things off your list that have been there forever.

Get active

Break out your bike, rollerblades, running shoes, skateboard, etc. and get your body moving. There are loads of YouTube workout videos you could do – Fitness Marshall is my favorite for dance cardio to popular songs – but it’s such nice weather out that you should take this time to get outside. Your body and mind will thank you!

I hope everyone is staying safe and taking this time to realign what is important to them. Use this time to relax, get busy, or spend time with your household. If you have any other ideas for how to spend your time during quarantine, I’d love to hear them in the comments!