How to Make Time at Home More Enjoyable

These days we spend most of our time at home. And even an introverted homebody like me sometimes get sick of being stuck at home due to external circumstances. While the state of the world is unfortunate, making the best of it is possible.

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Keep your home tidy and aesthetic.

I recently did some spring cleaning and I’ve been feeling so much better ever since. I have so much clarity now that my living space is free of clutter. After the major cleaning day, I do weekly little clean-up work to make sure my apartment stays tidy.

Home decor is also a great way to make your living space suit you better. I recently got EcoFaux products from Bloomist which are essentially fake plant pieces made from recycled materials. I can enjoy the vibe of having a plant in my house without worrying about them dying when I inevitably forget to water them.

Invest in loungewear.

Many of us wear old t-shirts and sweatpants at home. They are available and comfortable enough, but they don’t add to how you feel. You may even feel frumpy and disheveled in worn out clothes. But if you are like me who absolutely refuses to wear outside clothes at home, investing in some nice pajamas to stay comfortable in can uplift your mood.

If you want to splurge for good quality sets you’ll spend most of your time in, LilySilk has some luxurious pajama sets and nightgowns made out of high quality machine-washable silk. They are smooth on your skin and make you feel elegant.

If you can’t or won’t spend that much money on loungewear, there are plenty of much more affordable options, like this Drawstring Knitted Pajama Cami Top and Shorts Set from DressLily.

I have some plus size pajama sets from Zaful that I really enjoy wearing. They are comfy and cute and wearing matching sets make me feel like I have my life together.

Sorry for the poor quality selfies! From left to right: Plus Size Lace Trim Pajamas, Plus Size Satin Binding Pajama Set, and Plus Size Satin Ruffle Lace Trim Split Side Pajamas.

Invest in quality entertainment

While TV and movies can be great entertainment, having a good time at home is more than a Netflix subscription. The pandemic has made me feel antsy all the time, and keeping my hands occupied helped me feel much better!

Craft

I recently got a watercolor kit and and it’s been so fun experimenting with the colors. I’m not a skilled painter by any means, but getting paint on paper is so soothing, even if the proportions end up somewhat off. Painting landscape and landmarks makes me feel less stuck at home.

Books

Reading is another great way to escape into a different world! While all books offer a look into a different world, I like reading sci-fi and fantasy when I want to forget about what’s going on in the real world. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding of Shamanborn series by Lori M. Lee. I’ve also been reading a lot of classic sci-fi like James Tiptree Jr.

Puzzles

I love puzzles; they stimulate my brain and keep my hands working. There are many different types of puzzles, but my favorite ones are jigsaw puzzles. I really appreciate the artwork and having the full picture at the end is so satisfying. But I’m a fan of all things puzzles. I’m not always good at them but that’s part of the fun.

Try meal kits

Cooking something out of your comfort zone at home is a great alternative to eating out, but using ingredients you don’t always use can get tricky, especially when you live alone and cook for one. That’s where meal kits come in. While technically more expensive than cooking from scratch, you only get exactly the amount of ingredients you need so there is so much less that might otherwise go to waste. You can easily try exotic recipes!

Get fit at home

Related: (Re)Starting My Fitness Journey

Gyms and exercise classes are great, but if they are closed or you’re concerned about going outside and being around people, workouts can be done at home. All you need is YouTube, and maybe a yoga mat! My favorite fitness YouTuber is Joanna Soh. She has a lot of workouts that really gets your heart rate up and can be done at home.

Related: 5 Things to Help You Start Your Fitness Journey

You might even invest in home gym equipments like stationary bikes or treadmills if you have the space and money. While it’s a hefty investment, literally and figuratively, it can be well worth it if you use it a lot!

Learn something

This is a great time to take up something you’ve always wanted to learn or take the skills you already have to the next level. There are many different online learning resources, such as SkillShare and Udemy. But what sets MasterClass apart is that the teachers are top stars in their field! I recently took a course on songwriting and music production taught by Alicia Keys! You can learn from the best of the best and it’s only $15/month, not much more expensive than SkillShare. There are so many courses you can take. Another valuable course I took was about Black History.

Those are my top tips for enjoying your time at home. What is your favorite thing to do at home? Comment down below!

Thank you for reading.