We’re all staying home for a while, so we might as well learn to make the best of it. Here’s our guide for fun and edifying ways to spend these weeks inside.
Do you know something else we should include? Share your idea on our Facebook page!
Education
Our kids’ schools are scrambling to figure out education in the time of COVID-19, and I’m sure they’ll come up with some great options. In addition to those, we have plenty of online education available to us adults, too! Podcasts, YouTube, and other streaming platforms offer abundant courses, resources, and how-to-guides for all of us with extra time at home.
Culture
Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie fame) is livestreaming a home concert every day at 4:00 p.m., and the Cincinnati Zoo is offering daily Facebook Live video streams of Fiona the hippo. The Seattle Symphony moved online, too!
- See a list of museums and art galleries with virtual exhibits here.
- See a list of live-streamed concerts, festivals, and music performances here.
- The Metropolitan Opera livestream
- Seattle Symphony
- Seattle Opera
Library Services
If you have a library card, you can continue to borrow digital resources like e-books, audiobooks, music, TV shows, movies, and more—even while the library’s physical branches are closed. Visit the Seattle Public Library website or the King County library website for all sorts of free options for at-home entertainment (and learning).
- Seattle Public Library system
- King County Library system
- OverDrive / Libby (app)
- Hoopla
- Kanopy
- SimplyE (New York Public Library)
Video Streaming
Real Estate Gals
We’ve gone into the livestreaming business, too. We’ve partnered with Home Organizer Lisa Holtby to produce a series of quick videos about how to easily organize your home to make it the place where you’re most comfortable, yourself, and at peace. (This is all the more important when home is the only place we have.) The series finale will be an hour-long livestream workshop with Lisa—RSVP here! We plan to stream other videos and home walkthroughs, as well. Follow your YouTube channel to stay in the know.
Restaurant Delivery & Takeout
Food and Groceries
Most restaurants now let you call and place an order for delivery, and others allow for curbside pickup.
Medicine
This one’s not fun—but it’s important, so we included it anyway. Essential medications don’t stop being essential during COVID-19, but entering a pharmacy and exposing yourself to possible transmission seems a little counter-productive… Fortunately, major pharmacy chains offer RX delivery, and Postmates (mainly food delivery app), can also pick up basic pharmacy supplies for you.
Animal Care
The one group who’s loving all your time at home: your pets. Make sure to give them plenty of exercise, even if it’s just walking laps in your back yard. Services like Chewy delivery pet food and supplies straight to your door.
Home Improvement (or Replacement)
We rarely get to user-test our homes this thoroughly, or for this long. What parts of your home just aren’t working as well as you want them to? There’s no better time to plan some updates or envision a remodel. We’ve put together a list of our recommended contractors, handymen, and other services, so when life returns to normal, you can get a jump on putting your house-bound knowledge to use!
And if you just can’t STAND being stuck in your home… think about why! Not enough natural light? Not enough space? Terrible views? Make a list of everything you don’t like. Save that list! When you’re ready to buy a new home, just pull it out, and we’ll make sure you find something you wouldn’t mind being quarantined in!
