Cabin Fever Remedies

Winter is underway and our family recently spent three days snowed in together, followed a few weeks later by five days snowed in together.  We've gone longer in the past, so three and five days doesn't really feel like a big deal to me.  To be honest, I spend so much of my time working in my home on the weekends and feeling like there is never enough time to get it all done, that I relish the snow days so I can finally tackle all the "extra stuff."  My family on the other hand loved the first day of laying around and relaxing and then started to get cabin fever.

My theory on why cabin fever affects them so much and myself very little is that I rarely have those entire days of just"doing nothing."  I break up my screen time with chores that get me up and moving, so even though we may tear through a whole series in three days, it wasn't by spending the day glued to our seats.  I always have projects to do even if they're just cozy little chores or an enjoyable hobby.  So, here are some of my favorite things to do on snow days to keep cabin fever at bay.  

1.  Mending and Sewing.  I have so many things that are in need of alteration or repair and they tend to sit on my sewing table for long periods of time.  A snow day is the perfect time to throw on a favorite movie and sit on the couch with my mending in hand.  Alternatively, I make a little room on the floor to lay out my alteration projects, and still keep an eye on the movie.   It's important that it be a movie that I've already seen or I'll miss too much while I'm pinning and cutting.

2.  Clean out the Fridge.  Cleaning out the refrigerator used to be a spring and fall task.  That was before I worked outside the home.  Now it kind of gets done when it gets done.  But toward the end of several days of everyone being at home, we are usually running low on groceries and it's the perfect time to take everything out, throw away the expired condiments, wipe down all the surfaces and put everything back neatly.

3.  Declutter.  I have been known to start first thing in the morning with a huge closet declutter, or to just take out a few desk drawers for a micro declutter.  Anywhere is fair game: bathroom storage, linen closet, sock drawers, or kitchen cabinets.   For this most recent snow-bound venture, I focused on my desktop and adjoining bookcases.  There are so many books I've brought home to read and after years of collecting dust, I have finally toted them out in donation bags.  Likewise, I have binders full of class lectures that I will never read again, and various other such paper stacks that have now been relegated to the firestarter pile.  I managed to clear off a quarter of my deskspace and get rid of years of clutter.  I also went through my formal dresses and closet once again as prom season approaches and managed to pull together one more 33 gallon bag filled with donations that I hope will make someone's prom dress dreams come true.

4.  Try a New Recipe.  Snow days are my favorite time to make comfort food.  On our most recent stint indoors, Mr. Bleu started us off with crockpot chili and I followed two days later with chicken and dumplings.  The trouble with this is that you may need ingredients that you don't typically keep on hand, your options here are to either be prepared before the snow hits, or be creative with things you already have.  

5.  Rekindle an old hobby.  I've been getting back into making felt sweets this year, but I also needed some new kitchen towels, so I decided to embroider some blank white towels and make a fun little project out of it.  This is something that can also be done while listening to music or watching an old movie with the family.  I love to keep my hands busy even while we're sitting around together.

6.  Focus on Self-Care.  There are plenty of mornings when I don't feel like I have the time to squeeze in a workout and plenty of evenings when I'm too tired to do the extras like deep conditioning my hair, or whitening my teeth.  But, on a snow day, I have nothing but time.  These are the days when I can work in all the extra stuff.  In addition to the things I mentioned above, I also like to:  Take a long soak in a mineral bath, do my nails, try a new make-up technique or hair style, dry brush, and the list goes on. 

I won't say that I never get cabin fever, but with so many ways to keep busy and feel productive, it definitely takes me way longer to feel like leaving home, and in the end makes these times feel like a little vacation rather than a forced seclusion.  With winter still raging on, I expect to have a very tidy home by the time spring rolls around.

Outfit Info:  Pink Velvet Earrings from Kramaric Millinery, Collectif Skirt is thrifted, J.Crew Strawberry top is thrifted, YeMAK Cardigan