5 Things I’ve Been Doing During Quarantine- Guest Post by Nora

My post for today is from our birthday girl Nora! I may have purposely scheduled this post to go live today so that I could wish her a happy birthday! Happy birthday sweet friend! I hope you have a fantastic day!

I’m Nora, a lifestyle blogger from Oregon who lives with her husband and two dacshunds. I like to share my experiences and offer advice while sharing inspiration for the everyday life. You can find me on IG and Pinterest under @noraspaulding  And like my FB page: www.facebook.com/noraspauldingblog

I know these days things are crazy and shocking in the world right now. We have never lived in a time like this before, besides maybe the Depression. I personally feel so out of place because I was not working or put out of a job before this happened. If you’ve been in this frantic mentality, I do GET it and fully understand how you must feel. I’m sorry and I hope things work out for you. Be kind, be patient and just do your best to stay healthy and safe! 

However, many kids and teens are using the “I’m bored” excuse more than usual, to be honest maybe even you are.  It’s hard to know what to do with our ‘free time’. So I thought I’d share a preview of all the things I’ve been doing to stay busy and occupied. I’m sure many of these are very common right now but nevertheless, perhaps I’ll trigger a new idea. 

Entertainment

I’m just gobbling up all the shows, music and movies that are new or new to me while I have the time and space to explore ALL the streaming services. I recently just dove into AppleTV and found two shows that I absolutely am obsessed with. One is called Home Before Dark and it’s a true life spin on a eight year old investigator who solves a murder in her dads’ hometown. She does NOT give up for anyone or anything and its pretty thrilling. I 100% recommend it if you’re a true crime lover. The other is McMillions– the FBI case around the McDonalds Monopoly game winners. They ripped off the corporation by cheating and giving out winning tickets to loved ones and friends. It’s fascinating watching every piece of this unfold, even if you don’t like McDonalds-it’s a good watch! My last mention here goes to Jess Massey for Hustle Sanely podcast, it’s incredible! She has a way of making chasing your dreams without sacrificing your time, health and relationships really possible! I dare you to give it a listen. Find her also online at @jessmmassey on Instagram, she’s one of my fave stories daily. 

Shopping

This is a hard one because of the state of affairs, but the point is you can support small businesses. I have continued to get dog food at our local pet supply store that’s open and practicing safe distancing. Go to the places you want to see succeed, after all this is majorly affecting the economy in many ways. I’m finding new shops on social media to purchase from like @imagineityours which is a new shop by the vlogger, Tara Massicotte on YouTube. where I got a few of the cutest new jackets and sweaters while it’s chilly in the PNW still. I love her and she works very hard to supply and stock her favorite things. She just got into a warehouse! I also LOVE Target, I know that’s not shopping small, but your girl LOVES Target and it’s close so I get the two day shipping for a new bathing suit or shorts that I need. 

Self Care

During this stressful time, I have been paying extra attention to my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Which means I’ve used the tactics and stress relievers that I know work for me. Everyone in our house decided that a weighted blanket would be a comfort, so we splurged and each got one at Target, also many are available on Amazon. I have been diligent about taking my anxiety meds and drinking plenty of water as well. As well as paying attention to any side effects or symptoms that may have popped up. I’ve been taking hot showers, face masks and hair masks to condition my hair which I really enjoy. Essential oils are useful and helpful to me in times of panic and uncertainty. I was able to grab a bunch of new ones from doTerra with their seasonal BOGO (If you’d like to hear more about oils, please let me know)!  Last night I also picked up some kinetic sand, for sensory exposure- some kids would love this and it doesn’t make a huge mess. Usually stays pretty contained in the box or bag it comes in. 

Decluttering and Cleaning 

This past weekend we took a full and total day to clean the house and declutter a lot from the game room and from our closet. I used an in/out method and I was ruthless with things I had no longer worn, a handful of tee shirts, items that don’t fit any longer and sweaters or jackets that were ready to be given up. By the end of hanging everything up and passing through each item, I had an entire bag of clothes ready to be donated or resold. Just today my friend who does online reselling and trading clothes online said she’d come gather my items to post, since the second hand shops/donation centers are closed for COVID. We took all the garbage out and also hung up a picture and some towel racks that had been sitting around. Small projects inside and outside have been a saving grace. 

Random-Misc

So the last part here I couldn’t decide what to include. So anything else I’ve been doing or participating in that I thought would be fun to tell you about. An Instagram friend of mine, @radandhappy has several programs and classes and subscriptions including her shop with adorable little items. Well I subscribe to her Color Happy Monthly Pages and her Rad mail which is a collection of personally designed items in a package every month that includes paper goods, cardstock prints and other little things such as washi tape and designed pens. I adore it and hope you’ll look into her. I signed up as well for her lettering class and while I haven’t started yet- I’m excited and sure it will be amazing. 

Let me know down below which of these you’ve also been doing or other activities that I should consider while in quarantine (aka going stir crazy in our house). Everyone has their own ways to deal with a difficult time. It depends on how you look at the situation, I know it’s hard for us all but having a positive or slightly optimistic attitude can help you greatly. I wish you the best and if you enjoyed this post please consider visiting me www.noraspaulding.com or on Instagram @noraspaulding