Cabin fever is likely setting in for anyone stuck at home due to the novel coronavirus. But instead of going stir-crazy, self-quarantine time is a chance to tackle various projects around the house on those ever-growing to-do lists.
If you’re isolated at home and don’t have a ton of DIY experience, then try these projects.
1. Organize, Organize, Organize
Nothing’s more stressful than needing something right now and being unable to find it.
Since you have nothing but time while you’re social distancing, why not tackle organization projects around the house for anything in the basement, garage or attic?
All you’ll need are some clear containers that are not too big and not too small, but just perfect for stacking.
Once you’ve got those, you can group things in different boxes and label them.
More Inspiration:
- 5 Ways to Enhance and Organize a Pantry
- How to Declutter and Organize Your Home in 2020
- Organize Your Workshop with this Paint Can Storage Solution
- 4 Tips to Declutter and Stylishly Organize Things
- How to Easily Organize Your Wrenches
2. Paint Walls and Furniture
If you’ve thought of changing your kitchen’s or bathroom’s walls but haven’t had time to do it, well, self-quarantine has opened up that opportunity now, hasn’t it?
Painting your walls is one of the easiest projects to tackle around the house, for the biggest impact — especially if you purchase paint already mixed with primer.
If that’s the case, all you have to do is some light prep work (clean the walls, patch any holes and sand rough spots) and then get to work!
Also, over time, wooden furniture develops scratches and scuff marks — especially in a house with kids who have hit-and-runs from toys and horseplay.
Now, if those dings become too big and ugly, and you can no longer easily touch them up, go ahead and paint that bedside table or desk.
Want an altogether different look? Chalky paint is a great option that requires almost no prep work.
3. Create a Home Video Library
These days, most people use smartphones to capture special moments such as birthdays and family vacations, but it wasn’t that long ago when everyone used VHS and other obsolete formats for home videos.
Unfortunately, as new technology replaces old formats, it’s easy to forget about earlier recordings. So, those old camcorders and videos are probably are stuck in a cabinet somewhere, unseen for years, if not decades.
Well, while you’re in self-quarantine, you can purchase compatible camcorders, cords or videocassette adapters off the web and transfer those precious memories to DVDs that will last much longer. This project will definitely help you fill idle time around the house!
Now, if that seems too technical, just search for a service online that accepts old video formats and converts them to digital archives — that way, you can tackle this otherwise forgotten task and still support the economy while social distancing.
After you’ve created a library of DVDs, index them and prepare a folder of those DVDs for each family member. Next, place a spare folder in a safe deposit box. Your family will appreciate the effort for years to come!
And don’t wait till it’s too late! Self-quarantine time is the perfect opportunity to watch those old family movies together. These videos are also great for viewing during the holidays.
Want more inspiration? Here are additional projects:
- Change kitchen or bath cabinet hardware
- Clean light fixtures
- Clean outdoor furniture
Which projects are you working on during self-quarantine? Let us know in the comments below!
