10 Tips for making the most of lockdown at home

Read on for our tips on how to make staying in the new going out.

• Search for your forever home: if the lockdown has highlighted areas of your house that aren’t ideal – perhaps your children have to share a room, or you don’t get on with the neighbours – then now is the time to think ahead about what your ideal home would look like. Use the extra time on your hands and browse your local estate agent listings or jump on RightMove for an hour.
• Start an interior design mood board: whether you’re mapping out the forever home that you found above, or looking to renovate your current house, this could be the opportunity to begin some of that work that you’ve not had time to do before now. Kick things off with a simple mood board – Pinterest is a great place to start.
• Make time to socialise – virtually: just because you can’t meet up doesn’t mean you can’t check in. Make time in your day to text a friend or call your family – it’s likely to lift your spirits, and shows them you care.
• Have fun: If you’ve got a cupboard full of board games gathering dust, now is the time to get them out! Better still, why not establish a games evening as a regular way to connect with your family or housemates and enjoy a bit of escapism. If board games aren’t your thing, try a card game, or an online quiz with your friends using screen sharing call technology.
• Create a working from home office: especially now that lockdown is looking like a longer term situation, it’s important to make sure you’re thinking about your posture, sitting up at a desk in a proper chair if possible, if you’re working from home. If you can, try to work in a separate part of the house to where you sleep or socialise and make sure you’ve got good lighting. It’s also a good idea to make an effort not to eat at your screen.
• Eat together as a family: we’re always hit with statistics about how modern families don’t eat together like they used to, and that’s largely down to the fact that we work longer hours and tend to lead busier lives. Lockdown is a great opportunity to remedy that and sit down together for an evening meal every day.
• Make sure you’re still getting exercise: as well as not being able to hit the gym, we’re all also likely to be spending less time throughout the day on our feet, without commuting, visiting your colleagues desk or nipping out at lunch. Try and factor some exercise into your day, whether that’s a fitness video to start your day or your daily walk at lunchtime.
• Learn a new hobby or skill: have you been meaning to learn Spanish, or how to play that guitar you bought ten years?! Now’s your opportunity! If you’re concerned about your job prospects post-coronavirus, why not spend some time working towards industry qualifications?
• Have a relaxing bath: how often do you really get time to do this? Properly. With bubble baths and scented candles. Do it now, guilt free.
• Get some fresh air: if you’re lucky enough to have a garden, now is the time to make the most of it, but even just having the door or windows open makes you feel closer to nature, and fresh air in your lungs is proven to give you more energy. Essential for those running after small children all day!

We’d all love to get back to some form of normality sooner rather than later, but hopefully the above tips will help you make the most of the current situation. If you're still keeping your eye on the property market during this time, Balgores are here to help. We're offering free advice or consultation - get in touch with us today via phone or email.