Little lockdown ideas

All of us from The Hive hope you are staying safe in these unprecedented times.

We understand that some of you (not all of you!) may have found yourselves with more spare time than usual, so I have come up with the below ideas of things you may wish to try during lockdown.

Some are quite productive and should give you a nice sense of achievement, others are more self-care based. Maybe some of the activities can provide some structure to your day? A small sense of normality? Whatever they bring, I hope we can help in a small way. Remember, Girlguiding is one big community and we are all here to support each other.

1. Sew badges

As all of us in guiding will know, our camp blankets are a thing to behold and a treasured item! But the majority of us will admit to a large pile of badges sitting waiting to be sewn on. Why not get them out of the cupboard and start the task. I caught up on my badges the other year by sewing five on each night I was free. I didn’t do it every night but the small quantity each time made it much more manageable! Before you know it, you can look at your blanket proudly with your whole collection of badges displayed.

2. Sort out your wardrobe

I know this is a task that may not fill you with joy… but it is one that will certainly be satisfying! I recommend clearing your wardrobe and creating three piles: keep, bin, donate. Try and be honest with yourself; if you haven’t worn that top in the last two years, are you really going to wear it this summer? I read a quote once that said you should want to open your wardrobe and only see items you love and look forward to wearing.

3. Bake

As we are now only going out for essential shops, we can’t pop out to purchase our favourite chocolate bar on demand – so why not get your apron out and try your hand at creating a new dish? Baking is not just therapeutic but will also provide some yummy treats! I would highly recommend this banana bread recipe I used the other day (the only downside is how quickly the bakes seem to disappear!)

4. Sort the dreaded paperwork!

From personal paperwork like car insurance or university applications, to the Girlguiding paperwork that builds up in our bags – I am sure most of us will have a pile that needs sorting. I had my car insurance to sort at the weekend (eurgh) and I had been putting it off for weeks. But once I had sorted it and a couple of other bits, it was a weight off my shoulders! I enjoyed the rest of the sunny Sunday afternoon in the garden. Why not write a list of all the paperwork you need to do and tick one thing off a day? Before you know it, the list will be complete.

5. Ace your skincare & self-care

It's safe to say a lot of us don’t find enough time to relax with a face mask or give your skin the proper attention it deserves. Now is the time to start a new routine and set aside some time to look after yourself. I spent some time researching online and have now got into a great routine, cleansing (double-cleansing is a thing!), moisturising etc. morning and night and my skin feels better for it already!

6. Write a blog!

Thought about blogging but always put it off? Now’s the time! We would love to hear from you at The Hive, especially as online interaction is such a big part of our lives during lockdown. This is my second blog and I had no experience before; I promise you don’t need any, just think of an idea and write away! Any questions? Let us know, we would be more than happy to help. Submit your blog here.