The World Health Organization has officially declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic.
What that announcement brings with it a lot of panic around the country as to what that means and what we need to have on hand if we are going to be staying at home for a prolonged period of time.
They are few and far between now, but packaged snacks are smart to have in your pantry as they don't go bad.
All things antibacterial are necessary right now.
Hand sanitizer being the first thing to be used up in the store, as our hands are the one thing that touches more surfaces than anything else, followed by our face. This is the second step to preventing illness, the first being washing your hands for 20 seconds every time you eat, use the restroom, and basically touch anything that isn't cleaned by you.
In order to remain as hygienic as possible, keeping the restroom clean and yourself as well is a top priority.
As such, toilet paper is an item that can prove to be very beneficial at home. People are now hoarding the stuff at home, leaving aisles bare and others going to other retailers to try and find some for themselves.
No surprise here, stock up on nonperishable food items like canned goods and frozen items so that you don't have to worry about an expiration date so you can get large quantities if you want to. Canned foods, dried pasta and rice, frozen vegetables, and jarred fruit are good items to have in your pantry and freezer in these cases.
Contact lenses and solution, hearing-aid batteries, and other over-the-counter medicines like pain medication as well as cough and cold medicines.
Luckily, the shelf life on these kinds of medications is long so buying a few of them now is not going to go to waste.
In the event that something happens at home and you need to treat cuts, scrapes, or other superficial injuries, having a first aid kit is a game changer.
A kit should have antibiotic cream, bandages, gauze, scissors, thermometer, tweezer, and an emergency blanket.
You may want to get your hands on a copy of your health records in case you need them and cannot get through to your healthcare provider. Having a copy you can scan on your phone is an extra smart step.
If you take any sort of prescription medication regularly, make sure to have at least a 30-day supply on hand at home in case pharmacies were to shut down for any reason.
Better safe than sorry in instances of medications that can severely affect your well being if not taken regularly and properly.
Bottled water was the first thing to fly off the shelves.
While water is most likely not going to be affected, if you live in rural areas that have supply issues, you may want to stock up on enough water for a two-week quarantine.
The US Department of Homeland Security was the one to suggest the 14-day water supply provision.
This one may seem like a given, but finding good shows to binge watch is an art form. The show needs to have enough seasons so as to make sure that it fills enough time.
Luckily for all of us, Netflilx, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus are all stocked full of shows that are both new and old and have enough seasons to last us through any two or ten week quarantine. Find a show and get comfortable on your bed or couch, make sure you have the necessary provisions so you need to get us as little as possible. We recommend a good mix of salty and sweet - M&Ms with popcorn anyone?
We ALL have that room, cabinet, or drawer that needs to be organized. This is the time to do it!
Spend the day taking everything out of the area and organizing based on need. Make a donate or trash pile, make labels if you feel so inclined. This is the perfect opportunity to organize your house since you are also going to be spending so much time there.
If you have books at home, crack into one. If you don't, Amazon is just a click away.
You can download books on Kindle, or if you're like us, you like the real thing held in your hands. Now, since you're stuck at home for the betterment of humanity, you aren't supposed to meet with people face to face, but virtual book clubs are a thing. Connect with others online and either write about your thoughts on the book, or get on a call to talk it out.
Get in the kitchen to pass the time and get something delicious out of it. There are always recipes that we see that are long, complicated, and just too much for us to deal with.
However, there is no time like the present to take the recipe on as a project. You'll end up with a delicious meal at the end of the hours of cooking and another day in self-isolation or quarantine would have passed. It's a win-win situation!
Board games are an oldie but a goodie. A timeless staple for anyone who has to spend time indoors. Most of us don't live alone so we have someone to share the board game life with.
If you are alone, think of card games you could play on your own. Our personal favorite is solitaire. After a good board game session, a nice long nap is in order; yet another thing you can do to beat the boredom and get the time to pass while enjoying your time indoors.
Keep that mind of your sharp with crossword puzzles! Not only can you find them online, but newspapers and magazines are filled with them.
There are whole books that are crosswords and are just waiting to be solved. Regular puzzles are also a good time, find a 500 piece puzzle to pour your attention over. When you finish the project you can frame the puzzle too - fun pastime and interior design all in one.
You're home, the world is in a state of upheaval, you deserve to relax! Fill yourself a bath, light some candles, get out the bath bubbles and scented oils.
Indulging in a spa day for yourself is a great way to reconnect with yourself and relax amid the stress that the world throws at us. Giving yourself an at-home facial, hair treatment, and teeth whitening are all additional great ways to pamper yourself and use the time spent at home to good use.
You're about to spend a lot more time at home, so why not use the time to go into a deep clean? Start with one room and move your way around the house.
Take everything out of drawers and cabinets, wipe everything down, clean the floors and windows; really get into it. By the time you're done you will feel so accomplished and your house will be sparkling! You will also feel a lot better about being cooped up at home since it's all so clean and tidy.
A good sweat session is important for the physical and mental health of us all. Since going to the gym isn't an option for obvious reasons, search online for a streaming workout video (there are loads of them!) and get your workout on. If you don't have weights or bands at home, fear not!
There are many workouts out there that use your very own body weight as the only tool you will need. You may need to use a chair for some things, but that we're sure you have.
Keep that mind of yours activated by learning something new.
Sitting at home and watching Netflix is great, but eventually you could run out of things to watch or just get bored with them as well. By taking an online course of some sort, you are learning something new, advancing yourself, and making sure that the time you are now spending indoors is as productive as possible.
As long as there is internet, the world will know each other's experiences. Use social media to connect with others and document your time at home.
You are not the only one who has chosen to self-isolate or be put into quarantine, there are thousands more like you. Sharing your experiences will help you feel better, but also show you that others are going through similar things and that we are all in this together.
Going through your closet can be more than just about organizing it. You can find a pile of clothes that you don't wear anymore and make the most of it by also selling it online. Make lemonade out of these lemons!
You don't need to be in contact with anyone this way, just post them online through Facebook Marketplace or other such platforms. This is way better than having them collect dust in your closet.
Many companies have switched to a work from home structure as the world tries to deal with this outbreak.
If you can, work from home and see how the time flies by and you get more done without the distraction of others. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a job that they can do from home, but if you are one of those lucky ones, make the most of it and challenge yourself to be even better than you are at the office.
There is only so much time we can go without speaking to someone. Calling a friend is as important as seeing one so pick up the phone and get in touch.
Talking about your experiences will help you deal with them but also relax you and remind you that this is all temporary. Thanks to technology, friends and family are just a phone call away! Go one step further and do a face chat with them so you can be even closer.
Take on a project like researching your family tree! This will be time-consuming yet incredibly interesting.
Call your family members to get information, use the internet to gather even more through the various online ancestry websites. You may be surprised with what you find if you do a little digging. Even if you know much about your family, it's always cool to find out that everything is also on the web, not to mention things you may not have known about.
Whether it be The Lord of the Rings films, Harry Potter, or Indiana Jones, movie marathons have always been popular and this time it is no exception.
Make sure to have some hot butter popcorn on hand, comfy socks, blanket and cuddle up in front of your television for the foreseeable future. Movie marathons are comfort at its finest, days can go by and you can get sucked into fantastic worlds that take you away from this one when it's needed.
If you have outdoor space, great! If you don't, we have you covered anyway.
Order some seeds or succulents online and have them shipped to you. Then plant them for an indoor garden that is sure to brighten your day and relieve and sort of boredom you feel. Bonus is if you have a window sill or small area to plant herbs so you can have them on hand and stay within your area without a need to order them from your grocery store or asking a friend to drop some off (by leaving them at the door, of course).
The world is getting more and more digitized so why not use the time you have now so take the old photos that you have and digitize them?
You can take photos of photos, download a scanning app to scan them into albums, or use a scanner if you already have one to do the same. There is nothing worse than losing memories like these, so having them digitized means that you never have to worry about losing them again, they will be safe in the cloud.
Writing out your life has been done for centuries. Men and women write their emotions and thoughts, their dreams and goals. They create worlds in novels, and open up to us with their journals.
Starting a blog is the 21st century version of journaling. Use a simple and free template from platforms like Wordpress, Wix, or Squarespace to get a blog up and running. Then go ahead and write your first post on whatever you feel like it. Share with the world who you really are and watch how it transforms your time at home into a more fruitful project.
Just dance. Put a record on, blast that playlist, or just turn on the radio.
Dancing around at home is proven to boost your mood and that is something we are sure everyone needs a little of. Whether you're home alone or not, put on your favorite song and dance your way around the house until you can't dance no more. Music is healing and promotes well-being, it's sure to put a smile on your face.
YouTube is a great source for anyone who wants to learn how to go some magic tricks.
Find an instruction video and learn some cool tricks that you can do on your friends and family when this dramatic time is over. Why not make your time at home as productive as possible and also add cool factor for your next dinner party?
This may seem silly to some, but drawing and painting is such a great way to focus your energy on something that is creative and colorful (if you like painting with color that is). Use your time indoors so draw whatever your heart desires, it's proven to relax and reduce stress level which is always a good thing.
If you aren't self-isolating alone or quarantined with your loved one, use the time together at home to get closer to one another.
Take a nap together, or cozy up and take the time to get closer in other ways, if you know what we mean. If you have a pet, cuddle up with your favorite little fur baby, they are there with you for this ride!