19 Inexpensive And Wholesome Things To Do In Lockdown

No more sad jigsaw puzzles and hours-long TikTok binges.

1. Try all the weird TikTok food hacks you've seen

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Ok, you probably tried the viral wrap hack, and possibly also the feta pasta. But how about frozen honey? Ice cream bread? Pasta chips? Peanut butter Mi Goreng? Pesto eggs? Carrot bacon? Stock up and go crazy. 

2. Learn how to shuffle cards

YouTube: Jason Parker / Via youtube.com

I don't know about you, but I've always wanted to be able to whip out a deck of cards and shuffle them like a badass. I've just never bothered to learn how. Now's the perfect time to work on a useless skill/party trick, and there are some great YouTube videos out there on the art of card shuffling.

Other cool skills to work on are lock picking, pen spinning, or juggling. 

3. Get a puzzle made with your own photo

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Yes, puzzles are a lockdown staple. But skip the crappy $5 Kmart one and instead get a puzzle you'll actually want to look at. You can easily get your own photos turned into a jigsaw, which should entertain you for at least a couple of hours. 

4. Do a colour walk

@journeywithjemima

great times til I got rained on 💛💛💛 #sydneylockdown #sydney #colourwalk #fyp #sydney #australia

♬ Backyard Boy - Claire Rosinkranz

Strolling around the same neighbourhood streets for the tenth time this week? Boring! Take it up a level by doing a colour walk, a trend which took off on TikTok earlier this year. You choose a colour, and every time you see that colour you follow it. So if you're doing a pink walk and you see someone in a pink shirt, walk down the street they're on until you see something else pink, then follow that. Wholesomeness guaranteed — just make sure you maintain social distancing. 

5. Make a digital collage

BuzzFeed

Remember back in the day when we used to chop up magazines and make collages to decorate our school books and stuff? Well now's the perfect time to do a digital version. Use Photoshop, Canva, or an online collage-making tool, download a bunch of aesthetic pics from WeHeartIt or Pinterest and get to work. I personally like choosing a song I'm obsessed with at the moment and creating a collage around that vibe. Then I use it as a desktop or phone background.

6. Set yourself a challenge

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Lockdown has a certain groundhog day energy to it, but choosing a challenge that you work on every single day is a great way at marking the slow passage of time. You can really choose anything you want — stretching enough to be able to touch your toes or do the splits, daily meditation starting with five-minute sessions, a daily crossword, or reading a certain amount every day. 

7. Master the skipping rope

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Have you seen those beasts on Instagram who can do incredible things with a skipping rope? They're impressive as hell and if you've ever wanted to try out skipping, now's a better time than any. It's a good way to get exercise without leaving your home, and you can get skipping ropes from a shop like Kmart via Click and Collect. Start with the basics then build up to doing tricks like a double under or a side swipe. 

8. Get your basics covered in the kitchen

YouTube: Babish Culinary Universe / Via youtube.com

"CoOk MoRe!!!" is such a lame thing to say to anyone going through a lockdown, but also if you're interested in cooking and want to level up your skills, now's your chance. We're not saying you should be making 10-course dinners or anything, but learning how to do some simple things can really change up the way you cook. 

Some ideas to get you started: How to poach an egg, how to filet a fish, how to make a perfect Carbonara, learn basic knife and chopping techniques, DIY hot sauce, make perfect roast veg, or learn to make your favourite cocktail. 

9. Learn about cryptocurrentcy

Coinbase App

One time, an Uber driver told me about all this money he'd made by investing in cryptocurrency. I was like, ok great, money for free, sign me up...but then never actually did anything about it. I have no idea about anything finance or economics, so maybe this one isn't for me, BUT if you've been thinking about investing in something new, maybe spending a lockdown arvo learning about the ins and outs of cryptocurrency will be super beneficial.

At the very least, when lockdown lifts and some finance bro tries to mansplain Bitcoin to you, you'll be able to one-up them. 

10. Learn how to skateboard

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After seeing skateboarding at the Olympics, I can't be the only one who wants to cruise down the street on a board. You don't need to spend time learning tricks or anything, but even just boarding around your neighbourhood sounds way more enticing than a walk. You can get a board for around $20-$30 and then watch some videos to get your form right. 

11. Work on your handwriting

YouTube: Charm / Via youtube.com

IDK about you, but I have probably handwritten about 100 words total in the last year. Oops. And when I do write, it's pretty indecipherable. Calligraphy is a pretty cool skill to master and all you need to practice is a pen and some paper. There are also a ton of styles you can try out: cursive, *that* bridesmaid font, or just writing really, really neatly. 

12. Get a Rubik's cube

Typo / Via cottonon.com

This is the kind of thing you can just aimlessly do while watching TV, and it's very easy to get your hands on on. There are some tips and tricks that'll help you solve it quickly, or you can just play around with it 'til you get frustrated and throw it at the wall. 

13. Dive deep into Excel

YouTube / Via youtube.com

You don't really realise the value of an Excel spreadsheet until you're in your mid-20s. There are actually some REALLY COOL things you can do with the software (or just with Google Sheets), and knowing your way around a spreadsheet will come in handy for a bunch of different jobs. Honestly, just watch a bunch of videos and you'll see what I mean. 

14. Learn to crochet

@tomdaley

I FINISHED MY OLYMPIC CARDIGAN! #Tokyo #Tokyo2020 #Olympics

♬ original sound - Tom Daley

Did anyone else fall even more in love with Tom Daley after seeing him knitting at the Olympics? Maybe making a whole-ass cardigan in a week is a little tricky, but crocheting is a good place to start. You'll just need some wool and needles and you're good to go. Once again, YouTube videos are your friend here.

15. Sort out your computer

Apple / Via businessinsider.com.au

If your Downloads folder is full of random photos and PDFs dating back months and your desktop is barely visible under a bunch of Word Docs from the uni degree you did three years ago, maybe it's time for a deep digital clean-out. Sounds boring, but honestly what the hell else will you do? Put on a good show or playlist and just sort your shit out. 

16. Start a sustainable garden

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Even if you're in an apartment or have limited outdoor space, there are some cool gardening tricks you can still try out. Bunnings is open, and should have everything you need. It's pretty easy to grow your own veggies from garden scraps, in a glass or a small pot. The best herbs to grow indoors in winter are oregano, chives, mint, rosemary and thyme.

Or you could try out some DIY at-home composting (for which yes you will need to buy worms). 

17. Buy a pack of UNO cards

Hasbro

Everyone loves UNO, everyone knows the rules of UNO and it costs like $7 to buy a deck. Plus, there's truly no better feeling than whipping out a draw four card on someone who just called Uno. If you live alone, you don't have to miss out — you can play online or through the app. 

18. Learn to dance

@besperon

NEW DANCE ‼️ This is our mood when @iamcardib posted our video on her instagram! @kltkatnat #wap #dance #cardib

♬ WAP（feat. Megan Thee Stallion） - Cardi B

Dancing is a lot of fun. If you're shit at it, or just self-conscious, do it in the privacy of your room or when no one else is home. Whether you just learn a random TikTok dance, the 'Hoedown Throwdown' from Hannah Montana, or you sign up for online classes like Sydney Dance Company's, it's a wholesome way to break a sweat while actually having fun.

19. And finally, learn how to masturbate better

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If you've got the coins, now's a great time to invest in a really good sex toy. But if you're on a budget, there are other ways to step up your self-pleasure game. This is going to look different for everyone, but here are some tips to get you started. It's worth taking some time to experiment, figure out what you like, and what makes you tick.