Hobbies at Home - For When You're Quarantining!

Your house, even more so for the last couple of years, is where you spend a lot of time. When you can't go out to your favourite haunts, it might be time to pick up a new hobby.

Unfortunately, if you spent a lot of time outside, then your home might not be suited for certain hobbies. Read on here to find out what you can do to level your home as a nest for your new interests. If you're feeling bored and feel like it's taking a toll on your mental health, it's time to look at your house and create a space for fun things to do in your spare time.

Cooking

We all have to eat. But the road from microwaving Uncle Ben's Rice packets to preparing a beef wellington is a long one.

Cooking is a form of self-care, one that allows you to work on your future self by teaching yourself how to do things like meal prep, creating healthier sweet treats, or finding that perfect new recipe for something absurdly over-indulgent to get you through a bad day.

But before you dream of starting your own cooking show, look at your current kitchen. If you don't have a kitchen ready for your new hobby here are some things you want to take a look at.

Is your oven getting old?

If you bought your house and didn't change the appliances, is the oven capable of handling your new baking and roasting ambitions?

If your oven is more than 10 years old, it might be time for a new one. Newer ovens are more energy-efficient and have features like timers and temperature probes that can help you cook your food perfectly.

It's also important to make sure it's clean before starting to cook. But if you clean it well and still spot rust and grime, then it's time to look at new ovens.

You do not need to buy a new oven; an appliance repair expert can check your current oven and provide you with a quote for replacing old parts or simply repairing it. If you hear strange noises when it's operating then it's safer to just turn it offer and get pizza until you can get someone to take a look at it.

This applies to more than just the oven in your home, all of your appliances should be inspected from time to time. Since you're stuck inside, you might as well put that on your to-do list before resuming your binge-watch session.

Is there enough space?

If you're like most people, the amount of counter space in your kitchen is relatively low compared to how much stuff (condiments, spices, small appliances) you have.

This doesn't mean that cooking is impossible, but your available counter space might be used up easily depending on how much of a cook you are. If your cupboards are already bursting then look at some creative solutions like an island or kitchen cart.

In a pinch, rearranging things like your kitchen table to become a makeshift kitchen island can do the trick.

Space is important for cooking because it will make everything less frustrating. Picking up a new passion means removing all possible frustrations. You can't bake cookies if you don't have the space to lay down the tray.

Lighting

There's a reason real estate agents keep going on about lighting. You want to have the right type of light in your kitchen, it's not about filling photo albums or creating a tavern-like atmosphere for your possible YouTube channel down the line, it's about making sure you can see what you're doing.

Even lighting throughout the kitchen will make sure that you can quickly see things like discoloured ingredients or pastes. This may mean changing your light bulbs to those that offer brighter white lights rather than softer light bulbs.

When you're picking up a new skill like cooking, you won't get everything right instantly. Being able to quickly visually assess that something is off can help you avoid a nasty surprise. You don't want the whole family to bite into a meal where you used baking soda instead of salt because you couldn't see.

Internet access

You might think that you could have the recipes on your phone but switching back and forth between your favourite song, a new podcast, and the recipe can be a lot. Using a tablet that's in range of your wifi is almost a must.

While you may find some things in old magazines that could satisfy your taste buds, you can't recruit a family member to just turn the pages when your hands are caked with flour and egg.

Installing a proper stand or even making one after a trip to your local craft store can help you hold the tablet up while you read the recipe or quickly look up what blanching something means. YouTube tutorials to supplement some of your knowledge, especially this early in your new life as a culinarian, will be invaluable.

Reading nook

This one works well even if you don't have much space. Your friend will a pile of books taller than them might be able to read in the middle of a thunderstorm outside but for people who put books away for a while, reading for fun can be a challenge in the beginning.

Reading is the perfect self-isolation hobby, but people are sadly put off books because of school. Thankfully, there are a whole bunch of ways to enjoy books today. From comic books to audiobooks, you have a lot of options. Bonus, there's no need to go and decrypt the meaning of the blue curtain in a dreadfully pensive book about the french revolution - unless you're into that for fun, no judgement here.

In 2022 it's easy to keep your mind busy what with smartphones offering a million ways to drip-feed dopamine but if you want to read, then the ceaseless distraction becomes a problem.

A reading nook built for purpose is a great way to make sure that you can get away from the relentless pace of the outside world as your dive into a fictional one.

The most important thing in a reading nook is lighting. Whether you're reading a paper book or from your phone, it's important to have plenty of light. It's better with natural light or with softer lights so that there's less pressure on your eyes.

Before you start reading, it's a good idea to have something that can hold your e-reader or paper book at the same height as your eyes. This means that you don't have to crane your head if you don't want to and can read without straining at all.

The perfect seat is a great place to get into the scene of your book. Some people like beanbags while others like armchairs, whatever you prefer for reading is important.

You could even start a book club with your friends and family. Even if you spend time doing something alone doesn't mean that it has to be lonely; book clubs are a fun way to create regular meetings with friends you used to meet in real life.

This quiet area can also be great if you want to do a crossword puzzle or listen to a new song from your favourite artist in peace.

You could take a bubble bath and read from there but if the book is good enough you'll shrivel in cold water - and that can't be good.

Playing games online (not just video games)

If you find yourself sprawled on the living room floor having given up on the quest to learn a new language or bored to tears of walking around your local park for the fifth time this week, then it might be a great idea to get into board games or a video game or board game with your friends.

When you're stuck inside but still want to see your friends without a long walk taking up much of your free time, then you can create a game room from the unused vestiges of your guest room.

Before you start buying costly new gear to play games, think about your goal or the ultimate list of things you would like to do when it comes to games. Not everyone wants to stick themselves in front of a chair, order online for food, and have streaming services running in the background as they play a game.

There are more creative things you could do like making a board game work online by simply grabbing a webcam and scheduling some time with your friends or family members.

Just like for reading, you'll need a lot of light to ease the strain on your eyes but a room in your house with large windows can be useful too. It's recommended that you change the distance of what you're looking at every ten or so minutes so that your eyes can relax.

Distance doesn't have to mean being alone, a game night also doesn't just have to mean video games either though you could include them. You could have fun making up a new Dungeons and Dragons campaign by using events of the past year in the campaign. If you are all fans of the same sport, a sports game can be a great way to relieve the loneliness of self-isolating without the need for a bike ride and an outdoor space fit for purpose.

What you need for a good online board game room:

If you decided that playing board games online with a webcam and a microphone is a good idea, there are a few things you need to consider. You will want to orient yourself, the table you will be playing on in such a way that your face is illuminated enough without blinding you so that your friends can see you.

What you need for a good lone video game room:

Whether you are playing with a console or a computer, it's important to be comfortable and keep the glare on your screen to a minimum. Choose a room with overhead lights and windows that don't let the light shine on your screen. You don't want to lose sight of your character at a critical moment because someone pulled a curtain open - although you can use that as an excuse if you lose.

Other things you can do from home!

You don't need to venture into the great outdoors for some fun activities. Online game nights might not be for you but the mental health benefits of being able to entertain yourself are priceless. Unlike buying a bunch of new clothes for a temporary boost of dopamine.

If clothing is your thing though, you could get yourself a sewing machine to customize your clothes and pick up a skill you can cross off your bucket list. If you always wanted to spend some time with a family member that loves astronomy then buying a telescope to explore the night sky can be a great investment.

If you want to feel useful then you could always volunteer virtually, there are many online resources dedicated to helping people help others. Organizations like Catchafire or DoSomething have projects that you can help with from the comfort of your own home.

Of course, we gave you some easily manageable things to do in your own house but you can dream big and do things like a DIY renovation, or redoing your home's landscaping from scratch. Doing more fun things at home can help you feel less burdened down by current affairs and improve your state of mind. You bought your home thinking of it as more than just walls and a roof, time to bring out its potential for you and your family.

View All Homes For Sale in Greater Vancouver >>>

About Search Home Listings

SearchHomeListings.ca has simplified the home buying and selling process by giving you superior tools with up-to-the-minute information including active homes for sale, sold homes, market reports, and a home valuation tool! We have a team of success managers on standby to support you with setting up your saved home search and agents ready to take you out on a tour. Tap into our industry experts from inspectors, to contractors to interior designers to provide you with the best prices and service possible. Everyone attached to our website has been rigorously vetted and is made up of caring, knowledgeable professionals that work tirelessly to help you to make your home buying experience as stress-free as possible. Contact us today to see how we can help! 

Sites We Follow

• Google
• Facebook
• Twitter