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Winter has well and truly set in, it’s cold, wet, and windy. Indoors is definitely the best place to be, so find some fun or constructive ways to pass the time until we see the first signs of Spring.
It can be a challenge to keep yourself productively occupied indoors, especially with children. It’s easy to stream your favourite series or search for new shows, but do you really want to spend all of winter in front of the TV? Sometimes you have to be a little creative and think of some ways to stay busy without wasting a couple of months.
CREATIVE OUTLETS
Go through all your photos – it’s nice to have them on the phone, but it will be even better to have some of them printed and framed to enjoy all the time. Make a family photo wall that you can keep adding to over the years. If you use a selection of frames, with different colours and finishes and in different sizes, you don’t have to worry about being able to get the same frames each time you add to the wall. Frame some extra photos for gifts. Christmas may seem a long way away, but we all know how quickly the time between September and December disappears, so while you’re indoors, you can make the time count. Have some photo books printed - they’re a perfect gift to send interstate or overseas, to show what your family has been doing.
Take up a new hobby. Have you always wanted to learn a foreign language or brush up on one that may have become a little rusty? Well, you will certainly have time over Winter.
What about knitting? Once you master casting on and one other stitch, you’re set to go. Get the biggest needles and the thickest wool you can find, and you’ll have a scarf in no time! Grandparents love to pass on some knowledge and get the young ones knitting.
Plan a family outing to your local Farmer’s Market and buy produce that is in season and plentiful. Enlist some help in the kitchen for cutting, chopping, and stirring. Make jam, chutney, pickle vegetables or sauces – pop them into pretty jars, make your own labels and you have some great gifts.
Who says you can’t teach an old dog a new trick? Spend some time with your pooch – work with something they can already do and just add another level. Patience for you and treats for the dog are the key!
PLAY GAMES
Board games are a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. If you haven’t any in the back of your cupboard, Op shops are a great place to find them. When you go looking for some games, can take some of the things you and the children no longer need and drop them at the same time – talk about a win/win situation. You get to clean out the cupboards, donate to a charity and then buy some games to bring home and enjoy.
There are so many great games Pictionary, Monopoly, Cleudo, Scrabble, and Backgammon to name a few but the trick is selecting the right game to suit the people playing. You can have a vote and the majority wins, or take turns to select the game.
Charades is a hilarious pastime and when acting “talents” and interpretation collide- it’s loud and so much fun!
CLEANING AND CULLING
There’s something about culling unwanted things from our lives that seems to cleanse our souls and makes us feel a little bit “lighter”. Anything that is still in good condition can be donated to your local charity Op shop – as the saying goes “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”
THE WARDROBE
Move all your winter clothes into one area – you’re more likely to wear them if they are close at hand. Decide which clothes are never going to be worn by you again and be honest!
You could sell them and treat yourself to something new. Sometimes clothes you no longer wear just need to find a new home – give a dress to a friend who has admired it. If you haven’t worn something for 2 seasons – it probably won’t make it out of the wardrobe again. Donate good quality clothes to your local Op shop, it may be just what someone else is looking for. It’s quite cathartic to clean out the cupboard.
KITCHEN AND PANTRY CUPBOARDS
The first place to start is the pantry – cull all the items that are hiding at the back and are well and truly past their use-by date. Make a list of the ones you throw out but only buy the herbs and spices that you use often. Sometimes it’s better to buy smaller amounts more often so they stay fresh and flavourful.
Move on to the fridge – there are sure to be some sauces, mustards or surprises that have found their way to a secure hiding place and need to be freed. It’s the perfect opportunity to take everything out and give the fridge a good clean too.
Are there dishes, plates, mugs, cups or anything else that’s unused or unwanted taking up space in your cupboards?
BATHROOM CUPBOARDS
We’ve all made mistakes buying that “must have” lipstick colour that doesn’t suit us or a hair product that doesn’t give us a bouncy Kate Middleton blow-dry. Trade some “mistakes” with friends – everyone has them in their bathroom cupboard. Throw out all old makeup, eyeshadows, toothbrushes, and anything that’s lurking in the cupboard and not being used.
EDUCATION
Some activities will be so much fun the children won’t even know they’re actually learning things.
Trace the family tree – collecting information, photos and documents. It’s a great teaching tool for children too – they won’t even realise they are learning a bit of history along the way. You may be lucky enough to find some skeletons in the family closet and lay claim to a convict or two. Ask other members of the family for information – you’ll be surprised what someone else knows about ancestors and you’ve never heard of it. It’s a good way to connect with your extended family too.
You could set aside a regular night each week and hold a trivia night. Invite another family and make teams with a different person responsible for the questions and referee each week.
Keep busy over Winter, time will pass quickly and before you know, it will be goodbye Winter – hello Spring
Monopoly by Kathy Marsh, Clothes Hanging by Alyssa Strohmann, Old Photo Album by Laura Fuhrman
