7 Things To Do When You’re Stuck at Home

It can be a drag to be stuck at home for long periods–especially if you’re an extrovert! The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to enjoy your extended time at home. 

If you find yourself suddenly “stranded” at home because your children or someone else in your home is ill, the weather is poor, or there is a worldwide pandemic, you may wonder how in the world you can be productive with your time and keep from going stir-crazy.

I can relate!

At this writing, the landscape of the entire world is shifting, and most of us have now had several days at home (at least!) to let the reality sink in that home is where we may be the majority of the time for the foreseeable future.

While it’s ok to grieve our losses during a time when we can’t leave our homes, I’m finding encouragement in thinking about all the things I can do with this newfound time that I didn’t have in the distant past.

I hope the following list of things you can do when you’re stuck at home will give you some excitement in what may otherwise be a discouraging time.

6 Things To Do When You’re Stuck at Home

1. Declutter

This is number one on my list. There are so many places in my home that need decluttering, and I’ve actually been excited to think that I may finally have no more excuses of not to tackle a decluttering project while stuck at home!

At this writing, I am putting together a 7-day decluttering challenge to help keep me focused and to help you declutter 7 “hidden” or often-overlooked areas of our homes.

Sign up here to receive notifications of when my decluttering challenge becomes available. It will be soon!

Here are some posts that will help you get a jumpstart on some decluttering projects while you’re stuck at home:

Switching Out Seasonal Wardrobes Fast

Digital Decluttering: 8 Ways to Manage Your Online Life

Does the Kon-Mari Decluttering System Work for Moms?

7 Surprising Ways to Pay Off Debt by Decluttering

How Decluttering My Home Changed the Way I Spend

How I Purged Half My Wardrobe

Find all of my decluttering posts here.

2. Plant a garden.

I am not personally a gardener, but my husband is. He has enjoyed planting gardens–both vegetable and flower gardens–with my girls for several years now.

One of the first decluttering projects he tackled when we got stuck at home recently was the garage. While in the garage, he found some seeds he had forgotten about.

He and the girls immediately made plans to plant a new garden, and they’ve been working on that to pass the time and enjoy some sunshine while stuck at home.

Here are some gardening tips to get you posted:

Gardening Tips for People Who Can’t Garden

Simple Gardening on a Tight Budget 

3. Try New Recipes

Now is the time to try those recipes that have been gathering dust in your cookbooks. I am guilty of sticking to the same simple recipes most of the time, simply because we are usually running from here to there since we are in a busy season of life with four children.

When I learned that we would be stuck at home for quite a while during the coronavirus pandemic, I got out some of my favorite cookbooks (Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook and Trim Healthy Table) and flipped through the pages. I discovered that there were a lot of recipes I had yet to try! I began making a list of what foods I had on hand that I could use to make the recipes.

Being stuck at home is also an excellent time bulk bake and stock your freezer with baked goods.

Some recipes to try:

Gluten-Free Blueberry-Applesauce Muffins 

Gluten-Free Oat Flour Pumpkin Muffins 

Easy Gluten-Free Brownies

4. Take an online class

If you’ve been wanting to learn a new skill while stuck at home, we live in a day where that can realistically happen–from home!

I recently discovered Craftsy, which offers classes in everything from sewing to quilting to embroidery to cake decorating to photography to cooking, and more!

Are you pregnant? I highly recommend taking the Mama Natural Birth Course. I took it when I was expecting our fourth child, and it was a great refresher to natural childbirth.

If you’re wanting to buckle down on your grocery budget but still feed your family healthy foods, I recommend my friend Tiffany’s Grocery Budget Bootcamp. Unfortunately, she only opens this course to new students a few times each year, but you may be able to reserve a spot in one of her FREE courses–Grocery Savings Made Simple or Healthy Eating on a Budget .

5. Order Groceries Online

One of the huge blessings of our modern age is that we can stay at home (be stuck at home…depending on your perspective) for weeks on end and still function. Our ancestors would look at the way we live as truly miraculous indeed!

Some of our favorite online venues include:

Amazon: Amazon carries just about every item under the sun. When in doubt, check here! We are Prime members, so we almost always get free shipping!

Azure Standard : Azure provides farm-fresh meats, dairy, eggs, and produce as well as bulk dry goods as far as some other popular brands of natural and organic packaged foods. With Azure, you order online, but you pick up at a “drop” location near you. I’ve been an Azure customer for many years, and I love the wide variety they offer. It’s like Whole Foods online–but more affordable!

Butcher Box: They provide organic, high-quality meats–shipped right to your doorstep!

Grove Co. : Grove sells all kinds of household and personal care products, but they also sell supplements, vitamins, and wellness products! If you’re a VIP member (I am!), you can get prices matched with other venues, and you get free shipping! Read my honest review of Grove Co. here.

Home Chef : Home Chef is one of the newest meal delivery kit services. My husband and I recently tried it with their AMAZING introductory offers–$35 off your first box! If you’re getting a 2-meal kit for 2 people, it ends up being less than $15 out of pocket!

Misfits Market: After hearing friends rave about this organic produce delivery service forever, I finally gave it a try recently. The premise is that they will send you misshapen or “misfit” produce at a reduced rate because it’s not “pretty.” If you care more about how your food tastes and how healthy it is versus how it looks, then this may be a good service for you. They deliver produce boxes weekly or every other week–right to your doorstep! You can also pause orders at any time. Use coupon code COOKWME-NN4IOY to get 25% off your first order!

Thrive Market: Thrive Market is an online wholesale club that sells natural and organic foods! Click here to get $25 off your first order! 

Vitamin Shoppe: Vitamin Shoppe has a store local to me, so I mostly shop at it in person. That said, I love that I can shop and pay online and pick things up in the store–often on the same day! They send out some great coupons too!

Vitacost: I used to shop Vitacost super frequently, but my options have broadened so much that they aren’t my #1 shop anymore. That said, they still have a huge selection of items, and they run some great sales. It’s hard to beat their shipping costs (often free!).

6. Teach your Kids

No, I’m not talking about homeschooling–although that can certainly happen if you’re forced to stay at home for a long time. (Or, you may already be a very happy homeschool mother. I have been part-time homeschooling myself since 2014.)

I’m talking about teaching your child a skill that you may not, otherwise, have time to teach them.

While there are many classes for adults on Craftsy, many of the classes would also be perfect for an older child to take alongside of you.

While we have been social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve been potty training my son.

Being home for a long period is the perfect time to teach your children how to cook. You don’t have to do it alone, though.

My friend Katie teaches a comprehensive, online cooking course for children called Kids Cook Real Food.

“Suddenly Homeschooling” Membership from Kids Cook Real Food

Want to learn along with your kids?

Kids Cook Real Food, an awesome online video cooking class for kids, is supporting social distancing and all the families with lots of extra time on their hands… How about a two-week risk-free trial, and 80% off a two-month membership after that?

Get the details here, including a guide to making it work without going to the grocery store!

This membership includes:

• Two-week risk-free trial available to everyone
• 2 month membership after that for only $19 (system limitations make it so that people do have to put a credit card in right at the start, unfortunately, but they make it quick and easy to cancel)
• For every membership purchased, you will have a FREE membership to share with someone you know who is in need, possibly not receiving a paycheck right now.

Sign up for the two-week FREE trial here!

My oldest daughter has also really enjoyed this online watercolor class. Use coupon code HUMBLE15 for 15% off Simplified Watercolor and Watercolor for Kids.

If you are homeschooling or supplementing your child’s work from school, check out these Star Wars workbooks. My kids loved these books. They are fun and educational and easy to use, and they have a variety of grades and ages. They are also available with other characters (Disney, Pixar, etc.) that may grab your kids’ attention.

Or, you may appreciate teaching your children with the assistance of an online program, like:

• ABCmouse : My kids LOVED this one when they were in early elementary school!
• ReadingIQ
• AdventureAcademy 

You may also want to consider getting a few kids’ activity boxes, like:

• Kiwi Co
• Green Kid Crafts
• Little Passports

Even reading has a family can be a great way to spend time together while still working on learning and education. I highly recommend the Wingfeather Saga and the Ember Series. Some of these are even free on Kindle Unlimited or Audible (both with free trials).

7. Get fit!

This may be one of my favorites when I’m stuck at home. I got out of exercising after I canceled my YMCA membership in fall 2019, and by the time we had to practice social distancing during the coronavirus, I felt very out of shape! I had been meaning to get back into using my Fit2B membership, and now I had no excuses!

If you’re interested in an exercise course as opposed to an online fitness studio, check out one of the many course offerings from Fit2B. 

While Fit2B is my favorite online exercise studio (I’ve been using it for 7 years!), I also recommend checking out MuTu System and The Tummy Team if you have a diastasis rectidiastasis recti (or “mummy tummy”).

Bonus: Start Your Own Business 

I started my blog–which later became my family’s primary income source–when my older two children were babies and toddlers and I was home a lot. Being stuck at home may very well be the kick in the pants you need to start your own home-based business!

I have a very comprehensive post on 40 legit ways moms can make money from home (I’m particularly partial to this one because I feel like it’s one of the most attainable while still being one of the most lucrative). To get you started, here are some to consider:

• Start a Blog
• Become an Online Teacher
• Join a Reputable Direct Sales Company (I only recommend Beautycounter.)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and have gained some ideas on how to spend your time while stuck at home. Above all, seek to practice gratitude for this unexpected time at home with your family–play board games, watch movies while cuddled on the couch, and just enjoy being together.

What are your ideas for things to do while stuck at home?