Things To Do During Stay-At-Home Order
The past few weeks have been full of unknowns due to COVID-19. The two week stay-at-home order has gone into effect here in Minnesota, along with many other states. During this time, it’s so important to stay positive and make the best of our situation. At our house, we have been coming up with ideas of things to do that will keep us busy and still have fun while we’re stuck at home. Here is a list of things that will get you through this quarantine in the best way. Hang in there!
Get Outside
Getting exercise outside is really the only thing keeping me sane while being stuck at home, because it gets me out of the house! Whether that be a walk around your neighborhood, going for a jog, playing basketball, grilling, or having a bonfire, it is good to switch it up and get some fresh air.
Mix up a new or classic cocktail
Just because you can’t go somewhere for a happy hour, doesn’t mean you can’t have a happy hour at home! Mix up a new concoction or find a recipe for a classic cocktail that you want to try. This is a way to get creative while also having some fun while being stuck at home. Set up a virtual happy hour with friends and family over facetime or skype to catch up. I am linking a couple bartender kits and cocktail books to spark your inspiration!
Plan a future trip
Planning a trip will give you something to look forward to after this quarantine. I have already started planning out where I want to go and what I would want to do while I’m there, without actually booking any dates yet. Once this has passed, cities are going to need tourism to stay afloat and to make up for having to close their doors. Or if you were someone who had to cancel their travel plans, might as well plan out how you want to use your travel vouchers or credit in the future.
Have a movie marathon
Being told to stay home gives you an excuse to finally watch that movie marathon you’ve been meaning to but have never found enough time. Harry Potter, Fast & Furious, Twilight, Star Wars, just to name a few. Movie theaters are now bringing their movies to you by allowing you to stream the newest movies. So make some popcorn and have a movie night at home! Stream movies and shows on Xfinity On Demand or Disney+.
Cook up a new recipe
Might as well make some fun out of having to eat at home by trying out some new recipes or even creating your own with what you have in your kitchen. Look online for a recipe, try out a family recipe you have, or cook something out of your cookbooks! It can be quite rewarding to make meals that utilize many ingredients in your pantry and fridge that may have otherwise been wasted. I’m linking my turkey chili recipe with ingredients that you most likely have in your pantry, and if not, substitute what you don’t have.
Start a project
Starting or finishing a product you previously started is a good way to stay busy while also being productive. Whether it is something you’ve been putting off for a while or something you want to start, now is the perfect time to do so! For me, I started a travel scrapbook of every place I’ve been. I ordered supplies online and printed some photo prints. Some other ideas would be to create a bucket list, vision board, rearrange or clean out a room in your house, brainstorm a book proposal, clean out your closet, or start a blog. Along with many other creative project ideas.
Read a book
Do you have a pile of books in your house that you have never read? Do you have a kindle that you don’t get enough use out of? Well now is the perfect time to cozy up and read. I have found way too many books around the house that I forgot about or haven’t gotten around to reading yet because I like to add a new one to my collection everytime I go to a bookstore (oops). If this isn’t the case for you, there are many good books you can find on amazon that can be shipped to you in under a week.
Get Takeout/Delivery
All Minnesota restaurants have been shut down for the next month other than takeout or delivery so they need business to stay afloat. You can help out local businesses by purchasing gift cards or food to-go. So pick up dinner from your favorite local restaurant for date night! Saturday’s in April, DoorDash is offering free local deliveries for orders over $15.
Set up a group video chat
Whether it be a virtual hangout with family or friends, it is important to keep in touch with the people in your life. This is a fun and feasible way to catch up with the people you would normally get together with in person. There are so many options these days for video chatting that include: FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Google Hangouts, Zoom, and many others. It looks like we will be having a virtual Easter with family in a few weeks. It isn’t ideal but, each household can make their own meal and sit down and eat while conversing over video chat. This way we can protect everyone but still celebrate together as a family.
Start a new TV Series
I’ve seen people posting asking for recommendations on tv shows to watch during their quarantine so I know many people are having the same idea. What better time to binge watch a tv series than when you’re stuck at home? There are so many different shows depending on what genre you’re interested in and what media subscription you have. Below are a few series categorized by media provider.
Hulu: Nashville, This Is Us, Single Parents, One Tree Hill, Friday Night Lights, A Million Little Things, Little Fires Everywhere
Netflix: Love Is Blind, You, Ozark, Grey’s Anatomy, Schitts Creek
Apple TV: The Morning Show