60 Things to Do During A Quarantine

THE HORSE GIRL EDITION

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Let’s be honest. Things these days have been a bit weird/different/scary/unknown with the Coronavirus situation. Whether you are still braving the outside world to work or if you are keeping to your home, chances are your schedule has turned a bit on its head. On my end, I am pretty much keeping to myself with the exception of venturing out to the barn to keep the horses exercised.

On the positive note– With more time at home, I decided I am taking advantage of the situation. Because of the first day or two at home, I’m going to be honest: I wanted to just veg out in my pj’s and watch Netflix all day. But I made a promise to myself that I would take this time to really get my life organized and stay on top of my health and well-being.

With all that being said, who has a running list in the back of their head where you put all these little things to save for a “rainy day?” Well, here are your rainy days, fam!

I compiled a list of 60 things I want to check off my list while I’m at home during this time. Do you want to do it with me? I think I am going to make it a goal to knock out at least 2 of these things per day if you want to join:

1. Organize and clean out your email inbox
   • We all let emails pile up and go unread! Take some time to file emails into different folders and delete the ones you don’t need... also will really help those of us who are OCD and hate seeing the “134 new email” badge on our phones!
2. Give your dog a bath
   • Your fluffy friend will be thankful, eventually. Also- one less place for germs.
3. Read a book
   • There are so many great books out there that I never have the time to sit down and read. One that I am looking forward to finishing is called “Where the Bluegrass Grows” by Laurie Berglie. It’s a cheesy equestrian romance novel and I LOVE it haha. It is a series of 3 I believe.
4. Start that online course/guide you bought
   • I’ve always loved furthering my equine knowledge as a young professional. The Noelle Floyd Masterclass, the USEF Learning Center and Equivault have some of my favorite courses. Take this “free” time now to dive into some of these learning guides!
5. Work on your tan (Sun or no sun!)
   • The weather in Florida has been warm and sunny, but even if you live in a colder climate (or are anti-sun like me) there’s always self tanner!
6. Meal plan and prep
   • I love to meal prep, and now’s a great time to really perfect that skill and try some new recipes, save some money, and eat healthier.. especially now that your gym is most likely closed.
7. Organize your closet
   • Go through your closet and put aside the things you don’t use anymore for donations. I love Goodwill or my church’s local second hand store, Hope’s Closet.
8. Paint your nails
   • Save a couple bucks and DIY. My favorite colors are red, white, light pink, and black. What’s your go to?
9. Call your extended family
   • Now’s a great time to talk to that aunt, cousin, or grandparent that you’re always meaning to call!
10. Clean out your fridge
    • Deep cleaning the fridge is SO satisfying! Plus, it let’s me really see what food I have (meal prep inspiration, anyone?) Take everything out, wipe down all the surfaces, check expiration dates, and reorganize in a way that makes sense for you.
11. Wash your saddle pads and wraps
    • Washing saddle pads and wraps is easy to put off, now’s the time! Bleach the whites and hang dry the saddle pads.. get them all fresh for when you can ride again.
12. Catch up on a podcast
    • Shameless plug… Perfect time to catch up on the EQUESTRIAN PODCAST 🙂 But really, I have so much fun with the podcast, interviewing real equestrians making waves in the industry, new episodes coming out every Monday. Available on iTunes and Spotify. Also love Heels Down Happy Hour and Amateur Hour to name just a few!
13. Clean and seal your counter tops
    • It may seem daunting, but anyone can seal their own counters! Grab a sealer at your local Lowe’s or Home Depot (or order online) and follow the instructions on the back. Clean the counters super well, and seal them to protect and polish. This should really be done a few times a year depending on what your countertop surface is.
14. Write a letter to a family member or friend
    • Receiving a letter always puts a smile on my face! Even if you don’t have stamps to mail, sending a thoughtful email or text is a great gesture during this stressful time!
15. Ride or graze bareback with your horse
    • Spend some quality time with your horse just relaxing! So often we’re rushing to get a ride in between all our other activities, it’s nice to have a peaceful moment at the barn.
16. Organize your pantry
    • An organized pantry can be mesmerizing, check out The Home Edit for inspiration.
17. Schedule any annual appointments
    • Have you been meaning to set up that pesky dentist appointment? Get that along with your physical, OBGYN and eye appointments in the books.
18. Give your tack a deep clean
    • I have some pieces of tack that could use some extra love! I love using CWD balm – it leaves my pieces clean and super conditioned.. and it smells heavenly.
19. Taxes!
    • Maybe not the most exciting thing, but with all the online tools available, we can all get these done before tax day! No extensions this year, baby!! (There’s a first time for everything LOL)
20. Put your old clothes up on a selling app
    • This is a great way to make some extra money. I’ve been using Poshmark and love it!
21. Wash your bath and kitchen mats
    • Often overlooked, and often dirty!
22. Organize your makeup/skincare
    • I love organizing my products! It lets me see all the items I might’ve forgotten about, but still love! And maybe it’s time to say goodbye to the 25/30 lip balms I own.
23. Learn a new game
    • There are so many fun games out there.. especially fun if you’re quarantining with family. If not, there’s always solitaire 🙂
24. Do a puzzle
    • Puzzles are a great way to pass the time and feel accomplished! Go order a horsey one on Amazon.
25. Wash the windows
    • You’ll be surprised at how much lighter and brighter your home will look.
26. Make your own horse treats
    • Check out my recipe here!
27. Vacuum your car
    • And get some fresh air at the same time! Win-win.
28. Research your next vacation spot
    • Travel plans may be on hold, but we can at least plan our dream vacations in the meantime! Find a few cool AirBnb’s/hotels/hostels as well as excursions and restaurants you want to try.
29. Take up a new hobby
    • Whether it’s knitting, playing an instrument, or drawing, there’s plenty of time to expand your skills now.
30. Clean out your tack trunk
    • Tack trunks can get messy, cluttered, musty and gross. Clear it out, wipe it down, organize, and donate or sell anything you no longer use. You can also send certain items to the Tried Equestrian and they’ll sell it for you.
31. Wash your car
    • A great outdoor activity with a satisfying outcome! Nothing is better than a bright and shiny car.
32. Have a bonfire and roast marshmallows
    • Bonfires can be so fun, and stovetop s’mores are just as tasty!
33. Add all your family and friends’ birthdays to your calendar
    • Woah, this is always something I kick myself for. I am terrible at remembering birthdays. Take 30 minutes and hop on Facebook and add your loved one’s bdays to your phone calendar with a reminder.
34. Wipe down ceiling fans
    • It’s weirdly always something I forget to do when cleaning the house.
35. Pick a recipe from your Pinterest board, and make it!
    • I know you have Pinterest recipes you haven’t tried… and you may even have all the ingredients on hand already!
36. Put in a hair mask
    • I never give myself enough time to do this. I love using egg yolk, coconut oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil; mix it up, rub into my hair, and wrap my head in plastic wrap for a few hours. Shampoo twice and your hair will be fresh and super moisturized.
37. Charge your Bluetooth stuff
    • Headphones, mouse, keyboard, remote controllers. Get them at 100% and while you’re at it, wipe them down with some Lysol.
38. Try a new cocktail or smoothie recipe
    • You’ve got the time to improve upon your hostess skills? Wow your next guests with a magical cocktail/mocktail
39. Clean the baseboards
    • Always something on my list that I never want to get to, but it absolutely transforms your home once they’re bright and clean! Especially effective if you have kids and pets.
40. Check in on all your subscriptions and months bills
    • Got any sneaky monthly bills? Really look into what’s going out of your account every month and if its something you really are using. (ie. Spotify, Amazon, Food Subscriptions, Subscription Boxes, Apps, Netflix, Hulu, etc. etc.)
41. Experiment with a new hairstyle
    • Best time to try out a new ‘do and decide if it should be added to your rotation or not.
42. Clean up your computer desktop
    • Clear some space on the home page of your computer, plus it will give you more data for the things you actually want to keep around.
43. Accomplish a home improvement project/craft
    • Pictures to hang? Shelf to install? TV to mount? Piece of furniture to paint? Get to it!
44. Go through your storage room/closet/garage
    • I always like to live by the idea that if you haven’t used it in over a year, you may not actually need it. Less is more, people!
45. Give yourself a facial
    • Who cares if masks make you look scary- chances are you’re in the comfort of your own home! I like to exfoliate, cleanse, mask, cleanse again, add serum and moisturizer. Your face will be thanking you! My favorite mask types are gold, rose clay, and charcoal.
46. Learn a new dance move
    • Make fun of TikTok all you want, but some of those dance moves are pretty awesome! Find a popular dance tutorial on YouTube so you have some new material next time you’re out.
47. Wash your decorative pillows cases and throws/blankets
    • Chances are we don’t do this enough.
48. Go through the videos and photos on your phone
    • Delete, create albums, upload to your computer, create more space!
49. Wipe down all of your technology screens
    • You can buy a screen cleaner spray or cloth and give your tv screens, phones, tablets and computers a little TLC.
50. Clean out and organize your wallet/purse
    • Purse or that black hole you keep all your random crap in? Go through all your gift cards, credit/debit cards, purse trinkets and get that wallet and purse under control!
51. Organize your vitamins/supplements
    • Trash any expired bottles and fill your pill dispenser so you can just grab today’s vitamins and stay healthy!
52. Clean your sneakers/shoes
    • Do you have a few pair of shoes that need a little pick-me-up? Being at the barn, I always have one or two at least. Scrub in the sink and leave outside to dry… but most running shoes are durable enough to throw in the washing machine and air dry!
53. Brush up on your horse anatomy
    • Are you ever with the vet and they say something about your horse and you’re like, “Shoot, do I actually know where the gaskin is?”
54. Update the Apps on your phone
    • Another one to put your OCD at ease. Get that notification badge outta there and get all our apps updated.
55. Go through your junk drawer(s)
    • Everyone has one.. and it’s called a “junk” drawer for a reason…
56. Back up your phone
    • I’m constantly on the verge of running out of data on my phone. Take the time and back everything up onto your computer, the cloud or google photos so you can delete all your photos and video.
57. Organize your medicine cabinet
    • Whenever I am sick I always run out and grab cough drops, Nyquil, Vitamin C, etc. etc. without checking my med cabinet first! You can see how that would be a problem..
58. Read through the USEF rules and guidelines
    • I am looking forward to having the time for this, seriously! I think so many of us in the horse world don’t know enough about the rules and regulations that USEF provides.
59. Read and organize your magazines
    • We get piles of mags a month and I have a hard time finding a minute to flip through them.
60. Support your local businesses and non-profits
    • Times are stressful for sure. Whenever you can, purchase locally. Research a non-profit you believe in and find a way to help and support virtually.

So there you have it! I hope you can take this list and have fun with me. I thought it would be a good way to make a stressful situation a little more fun and fulfilling. I’ll be going through these on my stories throughout this time, so feel free to go through it too!

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Love and good health to you all.

xo,
B