63 Things to Do at Home Instead of Watching Netflix

Let me start by saying, I love Netflix. And you better believe I’ll be doing a lot of watching over the next few weeks at home. Still, I need to break from screens just as much, if not more, than others. This list includes 63 thoughtful things you can do at home keep your mind occupied and your emotions satisfied. This list is mostly targeted at adults, but many items can be used with children as well. Likewise, the list I’ve compiled assumes a few privileged elements like internet access, mobile devices, natural light, and a safe physical space in which you live. Hopefully, you find something here that piques your curiosity and helps pass the time as we hunker down to protect the masses. Stay safe, friends!

1. Color coordinate your closet, and anyone else’s who lives in your house.
2. Read the book(s) you eagerly bought last year with the pretty cover that is now covered in a layer of dust.
3. Have a musical talent? Pull out your phone and start livestreaming your craft on Facebook or YouTube. Afraid of committing to a live feed? Record and post later.
4. Ready to train your hair to go longer between washes? There has never been a better time. Embrace the oil.
5. Complete a puzzle. Don’t have one? Make your own by doodling with lots of colors on old cardboard then cutting up unusual shapes.
6. Germinate new plants from seeds in fruits and veggies around the house.
7. Try a new recipe with household items. You can give my banana bread or Greek chicken a go.
8. Create a collaborative TikTok or YouTube video by planning and sharing files digitally among your friends.
9. Take a hot bath and have a good cry. It’s my favorite place to release pent up feelings.
10. Write 365 love notes to yourself. Start reading them on January 1, 2021.
11. Take a dance class in your living room from a YouTube creator.
12. Leave Facebook reviews for all of your favorite local businesses.
13. Make an epic playlist with music from the year you graduated high school.
14. Try guided meditation or muscle relaxation with apps like Calm or Breathe.
15. Write thank you notes for your mail carrier or delivery folks since they’re still working in this madness.
16. Have a virtual dinner party. Get dressed up and have dinner with your best friends on Skype, Zoom, FaceTime or Google Hangout.
17. Experiment with a new cocktail recipe. Try something sweet and something savory.
18. Take a virtual museum tour. Here’s your ticket to visit the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in South Korea.
19. Set your alarm and watch the sunrise on your roof. If you can. Be careful here.
20. Practice your second language or start learning a new one with apps like Duolingo.
21. FaceTime your mentor and ask them a set of questions about their life experiences and share on social media, with their permission.
22. Looking for a reason to clean up your social media friends? Permission and time granted.
23. Look up nonprofits in your area and plan how you could volunteer future time or make future donations.
24. When was the last time you cleaned your air vent covers? Just saying.
25. Shop around for better insurance rates and coverage or credit cards with better rewards. I know a guy.
26. Take daily photos of your pet for a social media collage or photo book. No pet? Ask your closest friend for daily photo texts from dog to keep morale high.
27. File your taxes or get a head start on projecting 2020. The deadline is still April 15, for now.
28. Try to bake bread from scratch. It’s harder than you think!
29. Listen to a new podcast outside of your traditional genre. All my murder fans might could use a little self-help.
30. Wash and clean out your car. Like really clean it. Under the hood clean it.
31. Have a dance party in your underwear and sing into a hairbrush. Feels childish, feels great.
32. Host a virtual book club with new best seller or a high school classic. Choose something that has e-books readily available for download from libraries.
33. Switch up your exercise routine. Try cardio if you typically love weights, or give yoga a go if you’re only into cycling.
34. Unsubscribe from every email list you don’t want to be on in your Trash folder.
35. Have a virtual yard sale or live auction. Post photos of items in good condition that you’re ready to part with. Allow porch pick up, delivery, or shipping at a later date.
36. Make your own face mask with pantry items. These have normal ingredients.
37. Clean out old bags and purses. I try to leave a $10 bill in every bag I regularly use in case I get stuck without my credit card.
38. Give your résumé a refresh. If you’re not planning to job shop any time soon, build a digital portfolio on WordPress.
39. Read case studies from professionals in your industry.
40. Offer to be a virtual tutor for someone else’s child or an elderly person looking for memory practice.
41. Move décor around to different rooms in your house for a new look and feel.
42. Put together an emergency bag. Never know when you might need to grab and go.
43. Wash and actually put away every piece of laundry currently in your house.
44. Journal Top 10 lists ranging from favorite movies to favorite dog breeds. Make sure to date the list!
45. Install Honey on your browser before you online shop. I almost always get better deals than with promo codes I have.
46. Make a wish list of future trips you’d like to take or items you want for your birthday.
47. Build a 2020 capsule and bury it somewhere nearby or hide it in your basement/attic. Set a timer on your phone or email (might be with you longer) to open it up in 5 years.
48. Start a planning committee for your next high school reunion. I’m looking at all the real Type A folks here.
49. If you’re prepared, Google yourself. See what’s out there under your name and location.
50. Reread all of your old Tweets. I guarantee you’re the funniest person you know.
51. Watch a class online on a site like Khan Academy or TED for something you learned over ten years ago, but don’t remember well now.
52. Dust your baseboards. The right way, with wet and dry rags.
53. Learn the Greek and NATO phonetic alphabets. Never sound awkward saying B as in bologna again.
54. Make a meal plan for the coming week and stick to it. Might help if rationing what you have is necessary now.
55. Conduct a bourbon or wine tasting via FaceTime with your friends or family.
56. Have a college degree? Teach online to student learners in other countries with sites like VIPKID or Magic Ears.
57. Build a blanket fort. Don’t hate – this is fun at literally any age.
58. Unpopular, but backup your computer on the cloud or an external drive and install all of your updates instead of hitting ‘remind me later’.
59. Have a picnic in your yard, on your porch, at a park, or in a courtyard nearby.
60. Conduct a blind taste test for different brands or flavors with people living in your house or virtually.
61. Practice editing old photos in new ways with apps like Lightroom, ColorStory, or Afterlight.
62. Explore Google Earth for cities you want to visit one day. Also visit your childhood home.
63. Set up a home gym with weights of various sizes from household items.

What are you doing to beat cabin fever and #StopTheSpread?