Quarantine round 2 (3? 4?) is in the heart of winter where I live and the activities that I did the first time around are not super winter friendly. No longer can I just take an hour long walk around my neighborhood or go sit at a park and read. Now I’m stuck inside while the cold and winter weather bring down my mood like 100x faster.
So I’ve rounded up my favorite ways to keep myself occupied in my tiny apartment that I live in with just myself. Not only are these quarantine friendly, they are also perfect for 1 person. It’s a win-win!
1. virtually redecorate my apartment
After digging into the depths of Pinterest, I not only have a mood board of new ideas, I also have some DIY options and my ideal studio apartment layout. While I haven’t implemented really any of these ideas IRL, playing dream-life is really fun! Also, if we aren’t friends on Pinterest, we totally should be 😉
2. Podcasts + Coloring Books
This was actually a routine I did back in quarantine round 1 and I loved it. Crime podcasts are my fave for this activity because it’s like watching a tv show, but without having to actually stare at a screen. Add in the coloring book to keep your hands busy and the hours will fly by! Crime Junkie is a favorite, but if you are looking for something more lighthearted the You’re Welcome podcast by the fabulous Hillary Rushford is worth a listen!
3. Cleaning
You probably did this at the beginning of this whole thing, and I don’t know about you, but my apartment could use another deep cleaning. Who knew baseboards get dusty in 10 months? And don’t even get me started on the blinds…
4. Cooking
This is another idea you probably already had, but this season has new foods to try from. I know everyone was obsessed with bread (I’m happy to report I didn’t actually make any bread until December) there are so many different options to try. I’m trying my hand at acorn squash this week and a new shrimp recipe! Pinterest is my go-to for recipes but if you have a great cookbook, drop it in the comments!
5. Pet Projects
Want to learn hand lettering? Or set up your own capsule wardrobe? Now is the time to get started on something you’ve always wanted to learn. With podcasts, digital books and YouTube, you can learn just about anything!
6. Grow Something (inside)
One of the many (millions) of rabbit holes I fell down this past year was indoor plants. Like I want an entire shelf filled with nothing but plants. I also just miss the color green in my snow-covered world. So I am now the proud plant mom of a cactus (named Riddle) and a snake plant (named Draco). These little babies might gain a friend but my goal is to just keep them fed and happy.
7. Self-Discover
This is pretty vague but journaling, painting, writing, drawing, reading, something that involves discovering more about yourself. Dive into Enneagram research or work through these 50 journaling prompts. Taking long drives listening to a vibe-y playlist did the trick for me and I’m sure that I will keep that going on non-snowy days. This whole pandemic has maybe changed us, or maybe we’ve just been able to pay more attention to who we really are.