So here we are. Many of us are confined to our homes until at least mid April in Colorado. Even if you’re deemed an essential worker, you should still be spending all your evenings and weekends around the house. While many give into the temptation to watch the news cycle endlessly or fire up streaming services for hours on end, we’d like to explore some better ways to get through this quarantine. In response we’ve assembled a list of stay at home order activities to help you make the most of this unfortunate downtime. Who knows, you might just pick up a new hobby or knock out a lingering project. So let’s take a closer look at some great stay at home order activities.
Insurance Related Stay At Home Order Activities
Perhaps the best approach to the COVID-19 crisis quarantine is a little work and a little play. Whether you’re just filling weekends or you’re laid off, there are some things you can do to make your home safer right now. We’ll file these under insurance-related stay at home order activities. After all, knocking some of these out will also reduce the likelihood of future insurance claims.
1. Outdoor Maintenance / Clearing Gutters
While the Coronavirus has spread across the world, spring has arrived in the US. The release from winter couldn’t come at a better time, but there is also plenty of cleanup work to be done. Use the extra time to clear away dead branches from trees in your yard. This will ensure your house sustains no unexpected damage when the spring storms come. You should also clear leaves from your gutters if you are healthy and able to do so. You’ll be able to get your yard in tip top shape now for those enjoyable neighborhood BBQs hopefully to come.
2. Laundry Room Maintenance
The laundry room can be a source of major headaches if not properly cared for regularly. First let’s turn our attention to the washer. Inspect all hoses feeding in and out of the washer for any weaknesses or damage. This will ensure you experience no unexpected leaks while you’re doing those extra laundry loads during the stay at home order. If you do find a hose that is faulty or may fail soon, you can search for parts online based on your washer model. As for the dryer, make sure you’re still regularly cleaning the lint vent, especially if you are doing more laundry than normal right now. In addition, you can ensure your dryer works at maximum capacity by removing the vent hose and vacuuming it out. This will remove any lint that made it through the trap and ensure heat escapes efficiently.
3. Inspect Windows And Doors
In this time of economic hardship, an investment in more energy-efficient windows is last on your to-do list. However if your home has old or aging windows, the spring is often a perfect time to perform some regular maintenance. Break out the caulk gun (or order one online) and check your doors and windows for any damage to the existing caulk. Often times the freeze and thaw cycle of winter can crack or damage caulk. Lay a new line of caulk in trouble spots to benefit from energy savings when you have to turn on the AC later this year.
4. Inspect Your Roof
If you are healthy and able to safely scale your roof, it isn’t a bad idea to inspect it for any winter damage. Just like new windows, hiring a roofing contractor won’t be a focus when money is tight. However, you can do an easy patch if the damage is light. For a step by step instructions on a DIY patch, trust This Old House for an expert guide.
Stay At Home Order Activities For Fun
It goes without saying all work and no play during the COVID-19 crisis is not a good idea. We’re all under an increased mental strain during this time, which means you should find some quality ways to blow off steam aside from home projects. And no, we don’t recommend sitting in front of your TV the whole day. Here are a few of our favorite stay at home order activities for fun.
1. Practice Your Culinary Skills
There has never been a better time to break out your pots and pans and try some new recipes. Even if you don’t fancy yourself as much of a chef, the web is packed full of easy recipes to master. Tired of the same old staples you usually cook? Try recipes from different cuisines like Vietnamese, Indian, Thai, Greek or Mexican. A great recommendation to keep things simple but wow your family is Jamie Oliver’s 5 Ingredient Recipes. Here this popular chef has assembled world-class recipes that only require five ingredients. With grocery store shelves hit hard these days, it’s nice to simplify your shopping list while still creating tasty meals.
2. Or Support Some Local Restaurants
You know what really brightens up a drab day at home? Delivery food! It’s no secret Colorado restaurants will need our support in the coming months. If you can spare a little cash, consider placing an order. Just the simple act of perusing menus will get your taste buds going and provide a nice distraction. While its wise to cook from home a lot to conserve money, a delivery treat might just be the thing you need to raise your spirits. 303 Magazine has assembled a list of 250+ Denver Restaurants providing take out and delivery options during the COVID-19 crisis to make finding the perfect restaurant easy.
3. Puzzles And Board Games
Stuck inside with your family? Now is the perfect time to revive family game night. If your cabinet is filled with old games that are basically unplayable because half the pieces are lost, consider shopping for a new board game or puzzle. In fact, in recent years board game culture has exploded with innovative titles that provide a rich experience compared to a game of checkers. Who knows, your stay at home order activities around game night might just continue on after the crisis is over!
4. YouTube Workouts / Or YouTube Karaoke
Fortunately for us stranded at home, someone has already assembled a fun workout for you and the whole family. It’s important to stay active at this time because it will help improve your mental well being as well as your physical health. Trust us, if you lie in bed all day for several days straight, you’re just going to feel even more tired afterward. Pick something easy to start with on YouTube, and try to include the whole family if possible. Or if you’re not feeling like a workout, look up some YouTube Karaoke. This is a good chance to give everyone a little escape and see who is the best singer in your family.
Stay At Home Order Activities – Final Thoughts
While we wait for this terrible crisis to subside, it’s important to stay positive and do the best we can under the circumstances. Keep washing your hands, keep a six foot distance from others in public and help your friends and neighbors when you can. If you’re already feeling the financial impact or need to replace lost insurance coverage, Square State Insurance is here to help. We can shop current insurance policies to save you money. In addition, we are able to secure a new health insurance policy, often in a day or less if you’re healthy with no pre-existing conditions. Visit our Colorado Health Insurance Page to get started. Stay safe everyone!
