For many people, being busy has long been a way of life. “(Lack of) time is what prevents people from doing the things they want to do,” says Patty Morrissey, chief organizing expert for Mercari, an app that makes it easy for people to sell items.
However, finding free time shouldn’t be a problem now for the millions of U.S. residents who find themselves working from home or under orders from the government to shelter in place as a result of the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. Morrissey suggests people think about which projects have long been on their to-do list and work to cross those off now.
If you’re still stumped as to how to fill your free time, here are 10 ideas that may spark inspiration.
— Declutter your house.
— Clean up the yard.
— Plan a garden.
— Schedule a FaceTime play date.
— Organize photos.
— Start a family tree.
— Send snail mail.
— Complete household projects.
— Encourage creative play.
— Learn a new skill.
Declutter Your House
Purging excess items from your home can have multiple benefits. Remote workers may be able to free up space for a home office while others may find having fewer possessions makes their home more pleasant in general. Clearing closets and reorganizing rooms can also provide a much-needed distraction from anxiety-inducing news reports about coronavirus.
“Decluttering gives you busy work but also has a great outcome,” Morrissey says. Since thrift stores may not be open for donations right now, she suggests people dedicate an area, such as in the garage, to hold goods to be given away later. People can also use platforms such as the Mercari app or eBay to list, sell and ship items and make extra money during the weeks to come.
[Read: 12 Places to Clean in Your Home to Prevent the Spread of Illness]
Clean Up the Yard
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend people avoid large groups and maintain a 6-foot distance from others when in public. States such as California, New York and Michigan have also decreed residents must stay home except for essential work.
However, staying home doesn’t have to mean staying inside. As weather warms in much of the country, now is a good time to complete spring yardwork such as raking leaves, clearing gutters and removing debris. “(It) gives us a chance to step outside and maintain our sanity,” says David Parsons, president and co-owner of RE/MAX North Professionals in Burlington, Vermont.
Plan a Garden
Although it’s too early to plant in many parts of the country, you could use your time at home to plan a vegetable patch, flowerbed or other landscaping. While you’re outside, beds can also be prepared for planting at the appropriate time.
Free online garden planning tools are available on websites such as those for Better Homes & Gardens and Gardener’s Supply Company. Meanwhile, apps may provide more robust planning options for a price. For instance, iScape for Apple devices allows users to take photos of their space and easily add landscaping elements. The app is free to download and try but costs $19.99 a month to access all features.
Schedule a FaceTime Play Date
Schools across most of the country have closed, leaving children with hours of free time and not much to do. While adults may not want kids to spend their days staring at a screen, the smart use of video tools such as FaceTime and Skype can make life easier for working parents.
“This is where technology is really effective,” says Florence Ann Romano, a Chicago-based child care expert known as the Windy City Nanny. She suggests setting up video chats for kids to connect with friends or family members during the day. Single parents, in particular, may benefit if grandparents are willing to help out virtually by reading stories, leading crafts or helping with assignments sent home from school.
Organize Photos
Digital photography has made it easy for people to amass hundreds, if not thousands, of photographs. “It’s really hard for people to throw away photos or even delete them,” Morrissey says. Now is a perfect time to organize those images.
One approach is to select an arbitrary number of photos — Morrissey likes 100 — and choose only that many per year to set aside. They can be printed or made into photo books from the comfort of home using services from businesses such as Walgreens and Shutterfly. Pricing varies by retailer, but prints can be purchased for as little as 9 cents each at Shutterfly.
[Read: What the Coronavirus Means for Your Retirement Finances.]
Start a Family Tree
Hours spent at home can also be a good time to start work on a family tree or create a family record. “Go through all your memorabilia and photos and curate them for your children and grandchildren,” Morrissey suggests. Providing a written record of who is pictured in photographs and descriptions of family heirlooms can be a meaningful gift for future generations.
Those who want to start a family tree can search old census records for free through the National Archives or look up cemetery markers, obituaries and other records on the website Find a Grave. Some services are available to genealogists for a cost. For instance, newspapers dating back to 1607 can be searched on the site Newspaper Archive for a $19.95 monthly cost. Ancestry.com provides family historians with a number of research tools, starting at $24.99 per month.
Send Snail Mail
While technology makes it easy to connect instantly with others, there is something special about getting a letter or card in the mail. It can be especially appreciated by seniors who have been isolated from visitors in long-term care facilities.
Legacy Healthcare, which operates facilities in four states, is currently seeking out pen pals for its residents, and people can email wecare@legacyhc.com to request to participate. Although some concerns have been raised recently about the ability of the novel coronavirus to spread via the mail, both CDC and the World Health Organization say there is no evidence of COVID-19 being transmitted in this way.
Complete Household Projects
There may be any number of household projects that can be checked off your to-do list while homebound. “It really depends on the materials you have on hand,” Parsons says. People may have leftover paint to touch up trim or weather stripping to seal windows and doors.
Washing windows is another home project that often gets pushed to the wayside during busier times. However, clean windows let in natural light and can make being indoors more enjoyable. While you may be hesitant to use up valuable cleaning supplies on windows, Parsons says old newspapers and white vinegar can be used effectively.
Encourage Creative Play
Parents can use downtime to encourage children to play creatively. “This is a really good time to teach kids about independent and imaginative play,” Romano says.
Scavenger hunts, fort-building, puppet shows and dress up play are all activities children can do on their own with minimal prompting from adults. It may be tempting to put craft supplies up high, but keeping crayons, paper, markers and glue within reach of children is another way to help them play by themselves more often.
[Read: Preparing Your Finances for a Recession]
Learn a New Skill
There is no shortage of online learning opportunities. Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning, formerly known as Lynda.com, offer free trials of their online learning classes. These cover diverse topics such as art, cooking, business and web development. After the trial is over, monthly fees run $19 and $29.99, respectively, for unlimited access. Udemy is another online learning platform with classes that currently start at $10.99.
Less formal, free instructional content is also available on multiple websites. YouTube, for example, has video tutorials on everything from changing a tire to creating ceramics to baking the perfect cake. With all the online content offered, families should have no trouble filling their days with activities and projects of every kind.
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