The Coronavirus Outbreak has many Americans on self-quarantine. It’s a great way to minimize the spread of infection but also an opportunity to do all those things at home that we couldn’t before. Here are some ways we can make the most of it!
Learn More About Coronavirus
Google online starting here
https://www.google.com/covid19/
Check out my post to start with the links I find most helpful
https://omgheart.com/2020/03/21/psa-nyc-coronavirus-support/
Gather Supplies
Cleaning supplies, pantry items, household essentials, medicine, vitamins etc are all good things to have on hand. Don’t forget supplies for your pets too!
Many online stores can deliver what you need straight to your door. Stock is currently low or unavailable for many high-demand items but grocery delivery may still be available. Check out your local grocers to see if they have delivery. Here are some nationwide delivery services:
- Amazon Fresh
(delivery for perishables)
- Amazon Prime Pantry
- Amazon Prime Now
- Google Express (they deliver from Costco!)
- Instacart (partners with your local grocer)
- Shipt (partners with your local grocer)
- Chewy.com, Petco, PetSmart, Amazon Pets
- Many local grocers will now deliver. Call them directly to inquire!
(delivery for perishables)Cleaning (Car and Home)
From decluttering and organizing to disinfecting. Clearing away clutter, putting things away, and starting to clean objects and surfaces are great ways to protect ourselves. If you’re like me, then parts of my home really needed a deep clean. Now is a great opportunity to do so. Here are some helpful links on how to clean and what products to use. Don’t forget washing clothes, linens, and all your pet’s gear from leashes, collars, and harnesses to accessories, clothes, and bedding.
- https://www.lysol.com/healthy-home/understanding-coronavirus/
- https://www.clorox.com/resources/help-prevent-the-spread-of-coronavirus/
- https://www.clorox.com/how-to/disinfecting-sanitizing/cold-flu-other-diseases/
- Launder clothes on hot using recommended amount of detergent per load size, dry on hot whenever possible. Use bleach, where possible.
- For pet gear (non-machine washable or dryable), hand soak in laundry detergent, agitate, rinse well, hang dry. Use bleach, where possible.
Cooking
It can be safer and cleaner to begin cooking your own meals. Why not make meals that are also freezable? I have been making large portions of anything from Chicken Soup, Lentil Soup, Chili to Fried Rice in large portions and freezing at least one portion of whatever I make. Here are some recipe blogs I especially love. They are budget-friendly and extremely helpful in finding recipes for the ingredients you have.
- Recipe Tin Eats, my all-time fave cooking blog. Delicious, budget-friendly, and I have never had a recipe I tried from this blog fail. https://www.recipetineats.com/
- Chrissy Teigen. I don’t always like her flavors but she can cook. Chrissy Teigen’s mom can reaaaally cook. I cannot wait for her recipes. https://cravingsbychrissyteigen.com/
- Ina Garten on Food Network. Not budget-friendly but I like her food. https://www.foodnetwork.com/profiles/talent/ina-garten
- BBC Good Food. I just love the classic British gutbusting foods. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/
- King Arthur Flour. Baking Mecca. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes
Try Knitting or Crochet
Always wanted to try Knitting or Crochet? Now can be your time. Many online yarn stores and hobby shops are still open for business and shipping sales!
Here’s a quick list of where to get supplies Online and in NYC:
- Yarn.com (one of the first online yarn stores) https://www.yarn.com/
- Bluprint (they used to be Craftsy) https://shop.mybluprint.com/
- KnitPicks (knit and crochet tools) https://www.knitpicks.com/
- Lion Brand Yarn (great for beginners and budget conscious) http://lionbrand.com/
- Joann, Hobby Lobby, Michael’s
- Amazon Crafting Supplies
My post on Where to Buy in NYC
https://omgheart.com/2011/01/17/where-to-buy-knit-and-crochet-tools/
Can’t Decide? Here’s my post on To Knit or Crochet
https://omgheart.com/2011/01/14/knit-or-crochet-that-is-the-question/
Here are all my FAVE free patterns I’ve curated along the way
https://omgheart.com/category/free-patterns-knitting/
https://omgheart.com/category/free-patterns-crochet/
hannah
Hi, I tried to access an old post here from the google search results, and was redirected to a sketchy full-page advertisement, the kind that goes “congrats you won something” .. Might want to check the ads/code if you have any control over that.
Also brilliant ideas! Browsing online stores has once again become my favorite pastime.
Alice
Thank you, Hannah! My current fave passtime is online “window shopping”. If you have other quarantine-related things or fave crafting sites you’d like to add, please add!
If you are browsing my blog from mobile, sometimes there is an interstitial ad (full screen) that gets sandwiched in between the next page if you are browsing from one post to another and so on… It is indeed an ads thing but there should be an x (at top right corner) that lets you close the ad. If the ad seems especially shady though, there is a way to report the ad (3 dots at top left corner)!