Bored in the house, in the house bored.
Diving Into Some New Lockdown Hobbies
As we all are becoming more accustomed to spending our days at home, we are slowly realising that there are only so many movies and series on Netflix that we can rewatch. Maybe this is an opportunity to do that thing on your to-do list you’ve been putting off. Perhaps rediscover an old hobby or pick up a new one. Having a daily routine with some time for bettering and improving yourself is good for physical and mental wellbeing. Perhaps you could choose a hobby that will keep you engaged enough to make mindfulness a priority without trying too hard. These hobbies that you can learn during quarantine will give you new ways of enjoying life while also relieving stress. There are several health benefits to having a creative focus. A new hobby can give you some calm amidst the storm, shifting your focus away from any anxiety you might have. Spending more time at home doesn’t have to be lonely, boring, or negative. Since a lot of people are working from home, there is no more commuting, no fear of missing out (FOMO) on nights out or dinner dates with mates, no holidays or flights to catch, no more excuses for not trying something new. Now is the time to do it and use your time constructively while self-isolating. That thing on your to-do list that you have been putting off and making excuses for so long. If you are looking for some inspiration, I got you! The following are some hobbies I picked up and some I would like to in the future!
Roller-skating
I am quite an anxious person and become stressed quite easily, so I needed something positive to keep my mind occupied. I wanted to start a new hobby and have something to look forward to after college in the evenings. I became obsessed with roller-skating through some influencers on Instagram such as Grainne Binns, Keon Neon, and Mariyah Juliet. It is something I have never tried before, even as a child, so I was excited to try something new. I searched the different brands, read reviews, and videos. There are so many different brands to choose from, but Impalas, Moxi Lolly and Chayas were on top of my list. The hardest decision was which colour and pattern to choose! I bought my first ever pair of Chaya roller skates and haven’t looked back since! It became a way to self-motivate myself to complete my college work and then treat myself when I finished the semester as a reward for my hard work.
Upcycling & Reworking Pre-loved Clothing
Sometimes your favourite clothing can be saved by upcycling or reworking remedies is a great way to make your clothes last longer and slow down the cycle of buying and disposal. Try reworking your clothes at home, using tie-dye, bleaching, embroider some cute patterns, paint on designs, sew on some jewels, etc. there are a number of ways of doing this. I tried a few different upcycling techniques while I was at home. From bleaching t-shirts and jeans to embroidery. It is the perfect way to give your clothing a second life in your closet. If reworking your clothes sounds like too much work, engage in swap shops locally or nationally. Sell on depop. Search for step by step tutorials or youtube videos to help you fix a broken zipper, hem a pair of jeans or trousers or even patch up a rip on a jacket. Here are a few remedies to fix clothing that I found on Fashion Revolution (fash_rev) on their Instagram:
Repair — Refers to the process of repairing holes and signs of wear on clothes in visible ways. Interestingly, in Japan, flaws in clothing such as rips or holes, are embraced through Japanese Sashiko to hand embroider patterns over tears in the clothing.
Tea or coffee — soak as soon as possible in ⅓ white vinegar and ⅔ water, then rinse or wash after.
Makeup — Add shaving cream(yes shaving cream) to the spot for 5–10 minutes. Rinse, repeat the process, and finally wash.
Oils & greasy food — Add baby or talkon powder to the stain for 10 minutes and brush off. Add some dish soap/washing up liquid like fairy and rinse with cool water. Then wash.
Wine — Add salt to the stain for 20 mins and brush off. Add dish soap and rinse with cool water and finally wash!
Ink — place stain over the mouth of a jar and secure with an elastic band. Drip alcohol onto the stain and watch the ink fall through into the jar.
Arts and Crafts
Try your hand at different kinds of crafts at home such as painting tote bags, scrapbooking, or jewellery making. The first thing I turned to during the first lockdown was painting. It was always something I enjoyed growing up. I find it therapeutic and sometimes can be a huge stress reliever. So I picked up the paintbrush again after a few years. I bought some canvas tote bags, used some cheap, old, grubby paint brushes that I already had, and a box of primary coloured paints. I planned to paint some bags, and sell them on Depop. Another fun craft idea is scrapbooking. I created a scrapbook with tons of memories for my friend’s birthday. I designed each page using funky typography, simple illustrations, and a particular colour scheme on each page. A thoughtful gift that will be treasured forever and I highly recommend it as a gift for a loved one.
Gardening
You do not need a huge back garden to grow some of your favourite vegetables or flowers. Some plants that need less care, and very little sunlight are aloe vera, cacti, peace lily, lavender, courgettes, beetroot and potatoes of course. Whether it’s planting some bulbs, seeds, or a whole new tree, all you need is a pot of soil and you can place it anywhere indoors or outdoors where there may be a little sunshine. For the garden flower bed opt for Winter honeysuckle, pansies, and winter heather. There are a number of online sources that have tutorials on how to maintain plants. You can also try apps such as PlantSnap or PlantNet which can tell you what’s wrong with your plant with pictures. Sometimes new hobbies don’t always work out and this is not the end of the world. We all need to try out new and different things to figure out what we enjoy.
