If your home needs maintenance, now’s the time to do it. As Popular Mechanics notes, you don’t want to be stuck with chipping paint, falling gutters, or a busted toilet when there’s no guarantee of getting someone out to fix it. Get it fixed now and it won’t become a major issue when you have no way to address it.
You should also look at any home upgrades or renovations. For example, now’s the right time to organize your pantry, hire someone to fix damaged furniture, or decorate your living room. If you give your space a fresh look, you can bring positive energy into self-isolation and keep a clearer head. There are also the practical benefits of having a cleaner, more organized home.
You can also spruce up some of the rooms in your home by purchasing breathtaking artwork from Beth Sheridan Photography. You can learn more about limited editions and open editions by visiting the Beth Sheridan Photography website.
If you’re in the market for trusted contractors who can get the work done quickly and correctly, websites like Angi.com can help connect you with a Houston professional who can help you work on these important projects. Just make sure you take a little time to read up on reviews to ensure the contractor you’re hiring is trustworthy.
In this vein, don’t neglect what’s outside your house, green spaces like landscaping and the lawn. Tending to outdoor areas need not cost a fortune. Simply keeping up with mowing and planting and maintaining flowers and greenery will suffice in your effort to create a functional outdoor living space, and in addition your property’s curb appeal will get a boost. It’s a wise investment, as alluring curb appeal is one of the most sought-after amenities for future buyers -- should you decide to sell one day — which makes for a productive open house and a potentially faster sale. Your appraisal value also increases.
Stock Up on Basics
Let’s not forget that there was a time when many people could not find toilet paper. Ideally, that won’t happen again, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Stock up on plenty of pantry-stable goods such as canned foods, boxed meals, and dry beans and rice. If you have a deep freezer, fill that with meats, dairy and frozen meals you can make in a pinch. And yes, it makes good sense to get a couple of spare packs of toilet paper and other home essentials such as cleaning products, paper towels, and baby supplies.
This is a good call even if your area doesn’t seem at risk for a COVID-19 spike. After all, as Medium points out, a bad snowstorm or other natural disaster could leave you housebound for a couple of weeks just as easily.
Practice Coping Skills
Self-isolation and quarantine are hard. It’s difficult not to see your loved ones, it’s hard to feel cooped up at home, and it’s hard to know an invisible threat is wreaking havoc on your neighborhood. That’s why it’s so important to learn effective coping skills. Without them, we run the risk of experiencing serious emotional damage and more hardship than we deserve.
Start with the basics: a healthy diet, regular exercise, plenty of sleep. These three components of self-care are vital to our wellbeing, but it’s very easy to overlook them. Take some time to do an honest evaluation of your current relationship with these three aspects of health. There are tons of apps and trackers out there to keep diet, exercise and rest in check. Set healthy goals for yourself and commit to them; you’ll feel the results.
Mindfulness, guided breathing exercises, and picking up a new hobby are other great ways to manage difficult emotions. These can help you learn how to live in the moment, and train your mind to let go of anxious thoughts. If you’re doing all of this and it’s still not working, however, consider scheduling an appointment with your primary care physician. They can help you determine if you need a therapist and recommend someone if so.
If we’re lucky, we won’t have to go into quarantine due to COVID again. However, it’s always better to be prepared than not. In the absolute worst-case scenario, you’ll get some healthy coping tools and a well-stocked fridge out of it.