At this point, I’ve started (and let’s be honest, not always finished) many different quarantine projects. Now that a lot of the world is in a second lockdown, it’s a great idea to start a fresh project to stay busy and inspired in these hard times. Instead of viewing this time as wasted, a project can give you motivation to make the most of your time at home. Here are a few ideas if you need some fresh inspiration on what to do during quarantine.
Take an online course, or buy some books on a subject you’re interested in. It’s amazing if you can make use of this extra time at home by bettering yourself in one way or another. But if you’re just interested in laying on the couch and binge watching shows, that’s okay too. One of my quarantine projects when I feel up to it has been learning more about art online. I took a free class through the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and even listened to a few lectures over Zoom on various subjects over the course of the last year. It has been exciting to deepen my knowledge on a subject I’ve always been interested in!
This always feels like such a huge, daunting task in the digital age. I haven’t printed photos from my phone in years, aside from special occasions and printing my photos from Instagram. I’m usually good about printing photos after a big trip, but I definitely need to add this to my list of quarantine projects for this winter. There are so many options to print photos out there now, including photo books. Choose what works best for you and get printing!
Quarantine is a good time to start a journal because there’s no morning or evening commute for those of us working from home. Use that time instead to devote to a new craft or ritual. I love journaling in the morning, while I have my first cup of coffee. It really helps me sort out my thoughts in this turbulent year, too.
2020 has been such a turbulent year in many respects. Oftentimes I’ve found myself caught up in the storm, unsure how to get out or help the people who are suffering. There is always a way to help, even if it’s small. Start in your community, and see where you can make a difference. Raise money to buy food for your local food shelter, or buy masks and winter gear for local homeless people. Whatever you can do to help someone else who is suffering, no matter how big or small, will make a difference.
Since we’re spending so much time at home, the home improvement quarantine projects have been top of the list! I refreshed my bathroom recently, just by making a few changes to update the space. I also like to move around the art and accessories in my room every now and then so that things feel fresh. Choose a room in your house to focus on next (maybe a home office space?), and give it the refresh it deserves!
I think this is my favorite of all quarantine projects, because I’m missing traveling SO much. One project that’s been on my list for awhile is to organize all of the destinations and places I want to visit. I have a long list already started, but it needs some attention! Start researching places you want to travel to, and find out where you can dine, what you’ll see, where you’ll stay. That way when travel is possible again you will already have a few trips ready to go. All you’ll have to do is buy your tickets and pack a bag! What a lovely thought.
This has by far been the best use of my time in quarantine. I try to spend at least one night a week practicing my Italian. In addition, I took a course online with my local Italian Cultural Institute, which was not only great for my Italian but it was fun to meet new people virtually. I’ve also enjoyed meeting new people through the Tandem app, which allows you to speak to people native in the language you’re learning. I have so many new Italian friends I hope to visit once the pandemic is over!
This is a fun quarantine project because you get to eat your result! Even better if you’re quarantining with others and can make it a pod affair. Why not set the table nice and put a record on, too? Bluetooth speakers and Spotify work just as well. I think a lot of people have discovered the joy of cooking in this time because we’ve been forced to eat at home, and we have the time now to actually cook every night if we want to. Try a new recipe or method and impress your quarantine pod!
Remember all those projects you pinned to your DIY board way back when? Well now you finally have the time to try them! I’ve enjoyed getting back into painting during quarantine, and some of my friends have chosen adult paint-by-numbers for their quarantine projects. You could also make something for your house, turn one of those discarded wine bottles into a candle holder…the options are endless!
This might not be appealing to everyone but I think it’s really important to remember this experience. It’s going to be one of the defining periods in our lives, something we’ve all collectively experienced and will impact us way beyond this year. Our children and grandchildren will surely ask us about it when they learn of the pandemic in 2020, so why not write down our experience? I think journaling about the pandemic could be very therapeutic, and help us sort through these unprecedented, and often difficult, times.
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