In the last few days, many of us have found ourselves spending more time at home than ever before in efforts to keep ourselves, our families and our communities healthy. While it’s easy to feel a little stir crazy around day 3 (or 10), it’s up to each of us to try and make lemonade out of lemons. So whether you’re feeling bored, restless, or anxious during these uncertain times, try these 10 activities to simplify your environment while you have the extra time. We find that a clean, streamlined space helps to calm the mind not only during stressful situations but also during normal day-to-day routines.
Clean Out Your Pantry and Fridge
If you’ve been stocking up on canned, dried and frozen foods in the last week, you know that food storage space fills up very quickly! Take this time to go through your fridge, freezer and pantry and remove everything that’s old and expired. Look through your vitamin inventory too, you’ll be surprised at how old some things are in there.
Curate Your Bedside Table
What’s sitting on your bedside table and in the drawers underneath? Take everything out and make sure that what’s in there really needs to be. Rearrange the tabletop so you have something new to wake up to tomorrow. A vase filled with flowers from the backyard and a tiny framed photo can work wonders for making your bedroom feel fresh!
Deep Clean Your iPhone
This is a hard task, but very rewarding if you can get through it. Scour your phone and delete what you no longer need. Old contacts, see ya. Apps you forgot about? Goodbye. Screenshots and random photos you don’t remember taking? Clean ‘em out.
Throw Out Unwanted Beauty Products
It’s easy to pick up a new beauty product, get excited about it, and then forget about the one you were using before. This week, go through everything from lip glosses to body lotion and make sure that you still want what you’re keeping around. Do a swatch test and confirm that every lip liner or nail polish in your drawer is a color you’ll use again at some point. If not, it’s time to let it go.
Care For Your Car (Inside + Out)
With errands and school pick-ups on temporary pause, it’s the perfect time to clean your car out. Check your console, seat-back pockets, cupholders and the trunk, then throw out the clutter. If you’re ready to go to the next level, use a wireless vacuum to clean the floor boards. If it’s nice outside, get a bucket of soapy water and some sponges and set the kids to work scrubbing the car down.
Erase Computer Clutter
Your computer likely needs a going-through, too. Categorize loose documents into appropriate files, and throw what you don’t need into the trash. Empty the trash. Change your desktop photo while you’re at it - a change of scenery is always nice!
Organize Your Library
Quarantine is a great time to find something new to read from your own library. As you look for your next book, take the opportunity to organize your collection in a new way - be it by author, by genre, or even by color.
Look in the Linen Closet
Take stock of your linen closet during your extra time at home. Does anything need to be washed, pressed or mended? Is the organization functional? If not, try something new like organizing by type (ex. all pillowcases together), or by set (guest linens all in one place).
Create Order in the Junk Drawer
Acknowledging it’s there and needs to be cleaned out is the hardest part of the junk drawer detox process. After that’s been done (good job!), remove everything and take stock of what’s there. Is there anything that doesn’t belong? Either throw it out, or put it in its place. After that’s done, take what’s left and group like items together. Before throwing it all back in together, create a divider system so it stays organized for the long run. Even if you don’t have designated drawer containers to partition the space at the moment, you can use zip lock bags to keep like with like for now.
Control Your Social Media Intake
We live in a stream of constant information, but remember that you are in control of what you consume. Spend a little time every day of the quarantine doing a social media clean up. If there are any accounts on Instagram that are no longer inspiring, use this moment to detach! Our favorite accounts to follow are those of dear friends, design professionals, travel influencers, funny animals, and inspirational quotes.