Beat The Lockdown Blues
With South Africa heading into a lockdown that takes effect on Thusday 26 March at midnight, here's a list of things that you and your kids could be doing to keep boredom at bay and keep the kids occupied.
23/03/2020
The President's speech on 23 March 2020 has imposed a lockdown on movement in South Africa with effect from midnight on Thursday 26 March until April 16 2020. This means that for most South Africans we will be spending a lot of time at home and looking for ways to fill the time.
Get stuck into repairs or renovations
Rather than look at this from a negative point of view, consider that you have 3 days to plan and make a list of items that you will need to give your home a total clean from top to bottom, get stuck into any small renovations that need to be done that you couldn't find the time for, and generally fixing up indoors and outdoors.
Bathroom looking a bit grubby? Start scrubbing to clean up the grout between floor or wall tiles, or mix up some white spirit vinegar to clean off hard water stains and mineral deposits that have built up in the shower. If the sealer around the bathtub or sink is looking a bit green around the gills, time to remove it and apply new silicone. There are so many tasks you could be doing in the next three weeks that, before you know it, your home will be sparkling clean and all those outstanding repairs done and dusted!
There are probably plenty of small tasks around the house that you have been putting off for a while, and you now have the time to get these done.
Now is also the perfect time to get involved in projects to winterise your home. Jobs such as filling in gaps around windows and doors, adding rubber strips around windows that have large gaps, installing a draught excluder to the bottom of your front and back doors, and so on. For most homeowners, there's always something that needs to be done. Keeping yourself busy will keep boredom at bay.
Get stuck into the garden
If you enjoy gardening but never seem to have the time, there's no time like 26 March to get stuck in and do what needs to be done. Now might also be the perfect time to establish that kitchen herb garden or vegetable patch you have been considering for such a long time. Just think, if you had done this last year, you would already be eating what you grow!
Tackle any maintenance or upkeep on your home
When you only have a bit of free time on the weekends, home maintenance can fall behind and things start to pile up. Before you know it, the roof starts leaking, the garden fence falls over or the garage door has seized up and won't open. Now you have 21 days free and can catch up on all your home maintenance jobs. Take the time to make up a list of items you need to complete any tasks that must be done and pop into your local Builders or hardware store to buy the tools, materials and supplies to complete the jobs. Not only will you be virus-free, your home will also be in much better condition.
Stock up the freezer
After a hard day's work, the last thing you feel like doing is cooking a meal for the family. With the next 3 weeks free, why not buy what you need to stock up your freezer on ready-to-eat meals that you can simply defrost and cook. That will definitely make life a lot easier and give you more time for yourself.
If you don't need ready-to-eat meals, why not hone up your cooking skills and bake up a batch of goodies that the entire family will love. This is also a great activity to get the kids involved in. With domestic education no longer being taught at schools, you can take the time to show them the basic of cooking, and they will be able to help you out as they get older.
For those who already have an established veggie garden, you could try your hand at pickling and making chutneys or jams. What better way to make use of all your homegrown fruit and veggies and be able to enjoy them all year round.
Exercise for a new you
Being confined to your home and not have access to sweet treats and fattening take-aways means that you could take this time to exercise and lose weight, or simply get fit. There's no more excuse for not having the time to go to the gym, especially since the gym is closed. But you can set yourself up at home for a 3-week fitness programme and your favourite diet and lock down your way to good health and a slimmer shape.
Get out the sewing machine
Been thinking about giving your home a facelift? What better time to buy some fabric and put your sewing machine to good use. Cushions in bright colours and luxurious fabrics for the sofa or lounge suite, new curtains for the bedroom, clothes for mom or the kids. You can have so much fun and get the kids involved with smaller projects.
Why not try your hand at making a rag rug for the kids' bedrooms, or to cover up the cold tiles in a kitchen or bathroom. You can sort out old clothes and worn-out bed linen and put this to good use for the rag rugs.
Conclusion
It doesn't help to moan and whine about the situation - rather make the best of it and keep yourself occupied while we are all on lockdown. Keep your family safe and be positive, and keep yourself occupied with something interesting. Before you know it, you will be heading back to work again.