PROPERTY NEWS - Being stuck at home for weeks on end is bad. Add the daily stress of worrying about the Covid-19 pandemic and your financial security, and it's no wonder that we are all a bit on edge.
If anything, this pandemic has made us realise that, as intelligent as the human race is, we can't control everything. What we do have some control over is the time we have right now, at home.
So here are some ideas to help you make the most of it and boost the lockdown mood in your home…
Get arty with colour
Whether you paint a feature wall, canvas or simply tack up some of your kids' paintings, adding some cheerful colour to your home is a great way to lift the mood and refresh your home.
I've started sticking my son's art up in the bathroom and now this usually boring and beige little space has a galaxy of sparkly sticker stars, a rocket ship and abstract watercolours. It's not what you'd expect to see in an interior decor magazine, but it's lovely in all the right ways.
Photo by Buse Doga Ay on Unsplash
Potter with plants
Gardening is good for the soul and a recent study suggests that it may boost your happiness just as much as going out for dinner would. Since you can't go out for dinner, make gardening a part of your routine.
If you can't go to a nursery right now, start making your own compost, plant vegetable waste cuttings or seeds and watch them grow, weed garden beds, or propagate new plants from what you already have.
Start some new joyful stay-at-home traditions
Since we can't go out for a bit of fun, we have to make it fun to be at home. Let your kids have a sleepover movie night in the living room on a Friday night. It's a way to do something fun that feels a little different from every other day and marks the start of the weekend. So bring on the movie nights, board games, charades, garden picnic tea-parties and baking days.
If you're single, you could plan DIY beauty pamper days or make weekends a time to enjoy working on hobbies. Pick up your camera and learn how to take gorgeous shots - even if it's of your houseplants!
Start knitting or drawing, or learn how to play that musical instrument you bought but never got round to. There are hundreds of thousands of free YouTube videos and tutorials online to help you learn or improve on almost any hobby.
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