Whether you are spending more time at home than usual or looking for ways to enjoy weekends and time off, there are plenty of ways to entertain yourself at home. Whilst a slower pace can be nice, there is no reason that being at home has to mean sitting around watching TV. The experts at Stiltz Home Lifts have put together a list of interesting activities to keep people entertained without leaving the comfort of their homes or gardens. Pick up an old hobby or learn something new, and it could be the start of your new favourite activity.
1. Family Tree
Step back in time, and find out who your ancestors are by researching your family tree. Gone are the days when you need to visit in person the logs of births deaths and marriages, now you can access it all online with the help of ancestry websites and online registers. You might find out some interesting family history, lands that your forebears came from, and you might even track down some living relatives you never knew you had. You can have your very own family adventure without setting foot outside your home!
2. Letter Writing
In a world of texting, messaging and emails, traditional letter writing is somewhat of a dying art. Rarely do we have the time to sit with a clean sheet of paper and compose our thoughts. Handwriting in itself is a therapeutic craft, and can be a mindful activity. So think of those friends you’ve not been able to see for a while, reach out to them with a letter, and give them the treat of receiving a hug in the post.
3. Painting and colouring
Often as children we are prolific painters and drawers, but as we grow up we often leave these creative arts behind us, saying there is not the time. With time on your hands this could be the perfect moment to bring art back you’re your life. If at first your skills are not quite what you hoped, have patience and keep practicing. Art is a skill that improves the more you do it. Why not link up with a friend or art club to get some daily or weekly challenges for inspiration. If painting is a bit too much, there are plenty of colouring books with detailed pictures especially for adults. Enjoy the satisfaction of sharpening some good quality colouring pencils and staying inside the lines.
4. Upcycle
Not only is upcycling fun and creative, you also end up with something new and useful, and completely unique! Upcycling is very on trend due to the implications of re-using old unwanted items, and it is a great way to get a bespoke statement piece of furniture for a tiny budget. You can choose an old piece of furniture that has seen better days, a hand-me-down that does not fit in your home design, or buy an old second hand item from the internet. Once the sanding down is done, you can let your imagination run wild with a huge array of furniture paint, fabrics for reupholstering, and doorknobs of all designs to choose from.
5. Compile a photo book
Going back over old happy memories is good for the mental wellbeing. Once were the days when you could flick through a photo album of happy holiday and family snaps. Now with the advent of digital photos, most people’s pictures from the past ten years are stuck in their phones and computers. Use your extra time at home making photo books, using one of the many printing companies found on line. It is less complicated than it sounds. You can select a style of book, then a template for each page, and then populate it with your favourite pictures. You could make memory books for your grandchildren, books for special occasions, or just one book for each year. The only difficult part is deciding which photographs to leave out.